Help me choose my first resort ski & binding

[Theme]

With the new Scarpa TX pro, and having moved near Ruka, Finland, I had a sudden spark of interest to try out plastic boots. Been skiing NNNBC and Xplore exclusively this far.

Boot is making its way to me currently. Having small feet I was able to have the neat Polar Blue womens version. 255 size, which puts my bindings at a small size. A bit on the edge if I wanted to go for 260 liner instead, 255 clear for piste 260 better space for longer and colder tours... 258 and 253mm feet.

Anyway I have most trouble selecting which binding and ski to choose? My last alpine setup was many moons ago, 2013 Rossi Experience 78s. Worked well for me. But a lot has happened with skis since, and I have no tele-oriented knowledge on resort skiing. Wider skis with mad rocker... go wide or stick to skinnier skis?

Also considering if it would be wise to go for a light enough and wide enough all-mountain ski with a binding that tours too. Or just stick with resort skis and bindings, later get another kit for touring. In that regard the Voile Transit TTS has caught my eye.

But maybe go with 22D Bandit to start with foe overall use? Or the Bandit for pure resort? I have kinda steered away from Rotte bindings as they get a lot of mixed reviews. Other tech toe bindings are interesting too but honestly have no experience on leashes or touring with plastic, or how well these ski on piste. I am thinking maybe 80% resort 20% touring at max to begin with

Three questions:

1. Choose an allround setup or a pure resort kit?
2. If resort, try my old Experience 78s first or get some newer ski?
3. If allround, rather go for Outlaw or some TTS?

All euro friendly ski recommendations are well welcomed. I am a 182cm and 70kg fella. Previous alpine skis 174cm that have been fine

[Rodbelan]

Experience 78 will be good for that... resist the fat fashion for resort. As far as binding goes, hum, hard to give you a good advice... It depends on your preference, your budget. Don't listen to someone who's saying «these are the ones you need period»... because, that's BS... Try something you feel could fit the bill; if it's not exactly what you need, you will adapt or sell em... There is no a posteriori magic; the experience (not the ski) is key...

[Montana St Alum]

I have most trouble selecting which binding and ski to choose? My last alpine setup was many moons ago, 2013 Rossi Experience 78s. Worked well for me. But a lot has happened with skis since, and I have no tele-oriented knowledge on resort skiing. Wider skis with mad rocker... go wide or stick to skinnier skis?

Also considering if it would be wise to go for a light enough and wide enough all-mountain ski with a binding that tours too. Or just stick with resort skis and bindings, later get another kit for touring. In that regard the Voile Transit TTS has caught my eye.

But maybe go with 22D Bandit to start with foe overall use? Or the Bandit for pure resort? I have kinda steered away from Rotte bindings as they get a lot of mixed reviews. Other tech toe bindings are interesting too but honestly have no experience on leashes or touring with plastic, or how well these ski on piste. I am thinking maybe 80% resort 20% touring at max to begin with

Three questions:

1. Choose an allround setup or a pure resort kit?
2. If resort, try my old Experience 78s first or get some newer ski?
3. If allround, rather go for Outlaw or some TTS?

All euro friendly ski recommendations are well welcomed. I am a 182cm and 70kg fella. Previous alpine skis 174cm that have been fine

Bindings:
With tech fittings:
22 Designs Lynx. Tech fittings and pretty light. Ski brakes not available for them.
Meidjo: very light, takes ski brakes and tour well. Good reliable release capability. Expensive and hard to support in the U.S.
No tech fittings:
Bandit: no tour mode, come with ski brakes so a little cheaper if you want them.
Outlaw X: good tour mode, heavy, ski brakes are extra.
Rottefella Free ride: poor tour mode, very active binding and will cut into the tops of the toes of your boots
Rottefella Freedom: skis pretty nicely, marginal tour mode, not very durable, good release capability also digs into boots.
I wouldn't recommend either Rottefella.
I have the Outlaw X and the Meidjo. I can drop my knees slightly lower on the Meidjo. The Meidjo skis similarly to a classic tely binding, but I don't think that's critical.

I'm moving to the Outlaw X because the Meidjo isn't well supported in the U.S., compared to 22 Designs.
The reverse could be true in Finland.
If that's the case, I'd go with the Meidjo, regardless of whether you'll ever tour on them.


If your conditions are like the east coast in North America, I'd go with a reasonably stiff (torsionally) ski in the 80-90mm range. Try the 78's first, but I expect a new ski will perform considerably better.
I'm in Utah with good snow, generally and even here, I can tell the difference in performance after about 100 hard days. Wood fibers break, carbon resin cracks. I can rail a turn noticeably better on newer skis.

If your conditions are more like Utah, a wider ski is better. I can easily use my Rustler 10's (102 underfoot) or Rustler 9's (92 underfoot) on groomer days, and both tour depending on conditions, but if it was icy, I'd be staying on my M Free 88 (88 underfoot). I like to carve and do have skis at 84 underfoot, but in our conditions that's about the narrowest for me without risers due to boot drag at high angulation in snow that's not icy.

For some around here, touring is running around on a golf course and for some, it's skinning up to 10,000 feet in 20" of snow on Hojis (My son)! I have no idea what you would be interested in (I expect NOT golf courses) or what your touring conditions are like so ski recommendations are tough.

But with limited data, I'd go with something like Rustler 9's and Meidjos. Definitely resort oriented but tour capable. Mount boot center over the factory recommended mounting point.

[Stephen]

If you want to allow for touring, and that touring involved multiple transitions (not just skin up, ski down touring), I would stay away from the Meidjos.
I ski them and like them, but tours with multiple transitions are just no fun, because the skis have to come off at least to switch to tour mode, and probably to switch back to ski mode.
If weight matters, then Lynx, but with your 80/20 maybe the Outlaw X would be ok.
Switching from ski to tour on the Outlaw X is super easy.
Some people claim the Outlaw X skis better than the Meidjo — I have bought the Outlaw X to try this winter to test that, and because I dislike having to take skis off to do transitions with the Meidjo.
I’m at least 80% resort, so if I have to put up with the extra weight of the Outlaw X for touring, it wont be that big a deal.

[Montana St Alum]

If you want to allow for touring, and that touring involved multiple transitions (not just skin up, ski down touring), I would stay away from the Meidjos.

Now that you mention it, my son up in Alaska had problems with the Meidjo as well. I think in his case, ice would get under the foot and break the flex plate (or something like that).

[Stephen]

@Montana St Alum, yes — but I didn’t want to pile-on any more than I had!
I think I was mostly able to fix the Meidjo icing problem by strategically applying heavy duty anti friction film.
I’m hoping the Outlaw X has fewer icing problems.

[JB TELE]

The 255 and 260 have the same plastic shell, just different liners. Because the liners are heat moldable and can compress up to 60% of their thickness, the result of a heat molded 255 will a better fit than a 260 even if you measure a 260 on a brannock device. Start small, heat mold for a perfect fit. You absolutely want to do toe caps when heat molding for lots of toe room. You want a nice perfect fit around the heel and midfoot with room in the toes. That's the perfect middle ground of downhill performance and touring comfort and warm feet.

[Capercaillie]

Counter-point: you already have narrow skis. Fat skis are fun to slide sideways on ice, and would let you ski spring slush and rotten snow.

[randoskier]

We have a pair of K2 She's Piste skis we don't use anymore, 170s. Inexpensive. Nice all around ski for lighter people.

Interested?

[lowangle al]

Like you, I'm not a resort guy. If I were getting a binding to go with that boot the TTS is the only one I'd consider because it looks like the best for touring. I'm really not too familiar with what's out there for NTN, but nothing else has appealed to me.

For skis I wouldn't go too wide at first. I assume you haven't skied anything wider than typical xcd skis at 60 or 70mm and going too much wider will be hard to get used to. I would try to stay under 85, maybe in the 70's would be even better. It's going to be hard enough getting used to the boots so you won't want to deal with a totally different ski too. You may feel like a fish out of water and get frustrated at first, but don't get discouraged. The biggest problem in going to a big plastic boot is relearning your stance. The technique is the same, you just might need to figure out how to weight your rear ski again.

Those She's Pistes would be a good sized ski to start with and if they are anything like the ones I have, they are about the nicest flexing ski I have, and they're soft too.