Steel edge or not to steel edge? And other pulk sled snow stuff

[Skijoring Grace Gale]

I also own the Lundhags Abisko Xplore Expedition (taller verzion)
size 41 - for sale if anybody wants!

The Lundhags are the first boot to rub my shin bone.
My actual bone.
Rub rub rub.
I can't even look at those boots anymore without pain.
I slowly broke them in mile by mile, then eventually did an 18 mile out and back. Then after 9 miles it started to bother me enough for me to turn around ahead of plan. And wow did that escalate quick. The rubbing did me in. That was the most painful 9 mile ski back to my car. Took me out of skiing for a few days.
I was really excited about the removable liner, as that is one of the biggest struggles with my multiday trips is "frozen boot syndrome" in the morning. It becomes quite unbearable after a couple days.

So this spring I started using the Alfa Vista Advance ski boots for day trips.
My left boot wore in different from my right boot, in a way that the leather pushed inward against my outer ankle bone (lateral malleolus). I gimped back for 30 miles with one ski that day, tiptoeing with half my foot in the boot.
I was able to exchange them and the new pair is doing me fine, although I MUCH prefer the feel of my Alpina Alaska NNNBC, on the continual search for a new boot for the xplore binding...

Then, just about two weeks ago I received Alfa A/P/S Xplore Ski boot.
I took it out to go skiing, but could not go ski on my second time out. I pressed the pin into the binding, and it wouldn't click. I found that the pin in the boot was depressed.

Now, I'm afraid of the xplore boot system, because I have no way of fixing it in the field. I was like: what should I do? What would I do if I'm 30 or 200 miles from home? That'd be a long walk, I've done some loong walks on ski trips, not fun.

I can't go on a ski trip with such a mechanism I can't fix that is so critical. I too was like "oh, its been fine with the xplore boots so far, I heard they fix'd that issue." Then, reality hits when you can't click your boot into your ski, and all you can do to try and fix it is kick a a tree. Maybe kick a moose. Kick the ground. Kick the air. All to no avail. Now, these ski"boots" are should be better marketed as gloves that protect the wrist. Better functionality. Definetly can punch a moose with more umpfh too.

RIP Xplore.

Hi Randoskier and S...ss!!
I just saw your post, haven't logged in in a while.

While I like the xplore now, I haven't put it through the ringer in terms of going through overflow/running water at -30f, then seeing if the bindings still function. I'm nervous about their tiny pins getting stuck retracted and that being irreversible.

For the boots maybe try the Lundhags Abisko Xxplore (on sale at Varuste).

The conditions in Norway are quite often -30 or colder (and wet at times, like breaking through ice on a river) and the Xplore has not been a problem for my wife (after the original manufacturing defect that was widely noted and rapidly fixed), and we do long tours too. No binding is fail-safe.

[randoskier]

I also own the Lundhags Abisko Xplore Expedition (taller verzion)
size 41 - for sale if anybody wants!

The Lundhags are the first boot to rub my shin bone.
My actual bone.
Rub rub rub.
I can't even look at those boots anymore without pain.
I slowly broke them in mile by mile, then eventually did an 18 mile out and back. Then after 9 miles it started to bother me enough for me to turn around ahead of plan. And wow did that escalate quick. The rubbing did me in. That was the most painful 9 mile ski back to my car. Took me out of skiing for a few days.
I was really excited about the removable liner, as that is one of the biggest struggles with my multiday trips is "frozen boot syndrome" in the morning. It becomes quite unbearable after a couple days.

So this spring I started using the Alfa Vista Advance ski boots for day trips.
My left boot wore in different from my right boot, in a way that the leather pushed inward against my outer ankle bone (lateral malleolus). I gimped back for 30 miles with one ski that day, tiptoeing with half my foot in the boot.
I was able to exchange them and the new pair is doing me fine, although I MUCH prefer the feel of my Alpina Alaska NNNBC, on the continual search for a new boot for the xplore binding...

Then, just about two weeks ago I received Alfa A/P/S Xplore Ski boot.
I took it out to go skiing, but could not go ski on my second time out. I pressed the pin into the binding, and it wouldn't click. I found that the pin in the boot was depressed.

Now, I'm afraid of the xplore boot system, because I have no way of fixing it in the field. I was like: what should I do? What would I do if I'm 30 or 200 miles from home? That'd be a long walk, I've done some loong walks on ski trips, not fun.

I can't go on a ski trip with such a mechanism I can't fix that is so critical. I too was like "oh, its been fine with the xplore boots so far, I heard they fix'd that issue." Then, reality hits when you can't click your boot into your ski, and all you can do to try and fix it is kick a a tree. Maybe kick a moose. Kick the ground. Kick the air. All to no avail. Now, these ski"boots" are should be better marketed as gloves that protect the wrist. Better functionality. Definetly can punch a moose with more umpfh too.

RIP Xplore.

Hi Randoskier and S...ss!!
I just saw your post, haven't logged in in a while.

While I like the xplore now, I haven't put it through the ringer in terms of going through overflow/running water at -30f, then seeing if the bindings still function. I'm nervous about their tiny pins getting stuck retracted and that being irreversible.

The bad thing is ALL bindings and boots can break. Repairability- best = 75 mm, especially if you carry a cable for emergencies (they suck to tour with), of course the beak of the boot can fold too. Toss up between NNN BC and Xplore for last place.

I wonder what the stats are on the Xplore pins.

If my NNN BC bindings break in the Great Nowhere those inflatable snowshoes will be lookin pretty good.

[randoskier]

https://mazamasblog.org/rottefella-xplo ... her%20side.

[randoskier]

@Skijoring Grace Gale

Tom has some handy emergency tips...

[Chisana]

As far as binding failure- I carry an emergency repair kit when in the backcountry- wood screws, steel wool, tie wire,voile straps, gorilla tape,multi-tool, spare ski tip and pole splints, etc. I only ski 3 pin or 3pin cable when in the backcountry.
Yes, there is the possibility of duckbill failure( cracking), which did happen to me on a daytrip on some asolo snowfields. This was a tour on relatively flat country and I didn't even notice the problem til I was back at the trailhead taking my skis off. Point is, I believe in most cases you could still limp back with a broken duckbill. I think it would be more difficult with explore or nnn bindings. My 2 cents, and probably not even worth that.