narrow xcd skis- to mount a riser or not- that is the question

[Inspiredcapers]

It’s not exactly a riser but the added height (roughly 3/4”) I got from mounting a Telebry release plate and heel piece on my Alpina Discovery 80s (80/58/69 @ 208cm) felt beneficial the few times I got out on them late last season. Definitely less snow bunching in front of my boots regardless of terrain... Looking forward to putting them through their paces real soon

[Woodserson]

I love all the hacking going on in that picture, inspiredcapers, nicely done

[Woodserson]

So today I took out my 180cm Rabb68's which I have mounted flat, no rise with a 75mm binding, and my Alaska boots and I railed some machine groomed granular slopes at the local hill. On some steep sections and also around some fun terrain features, like man-made snow ridges, I booted out several times. At first I couldn't believe it, so I started watching, and yep, my binding is contacting the snow, sending snow everywhere, leaving interesting tracks behind me, and also once in a while booting me out of my turn. I can tell when I got booted out because my feet would just kick out right at the apex of a turn, I would fall into the hill like a sack of spuds, and I couldn't figure out for the life of me why.

So, after one day, I have to go remount and add a Traverse riser to get more clearance. Another vote, for me, for riser.

On a side note, Alaska 75mm + Rabb68 in a 180cm makes for a killer, killer combo! Perfect harmony, high speeds, good control, nice easy turns. Some chatter since the ski is so light and the snow so hard-- definitely speed limit, but probably way faster than anything else I've been on with leathers.

[bgregoire]

Hi Woods. Yeah, I know that feeling. getting the boot sucks, on or off skis.

I fully endorse the riser option under those conditions.

But, in LC opened the discussion with this context in mind: "backcountry touring- lots of fresh soft snow."

Personally still in favour of the naked option then. What would you do if your Rabbs were specifically meant for that?

Enjoy the rattle!

[Woodserson]

Hi Woods. Yeah, I know that feeling. getting the boot sucks, on or off skis.

I fully endorse the riser option under those conditions.

But, in LC opened the discussion with this context in mind: "backcountry touring- lots of fresh soft snow."

Personally still in favour of the naked option then. What would you do if your Rabbs were specifically meant for that?

Enjoy the rattle!

Um, backcountry touring and lots of fresh snow... I must say... hmmm, I guess flat then. Honestly, maybe I missed that very important tidbit of descriptor and that pretty much voids all my previous posts in this thread on that subject because I was definitely thinking of cruising hardpack.

BUT this thread is why I DIDN'T put rise on my Rabbs and now here we are.

Onto a tangent:

So I just had an interesting convo with a friend who said, "no one hardly knows what it means to "boot out" anymore" and that "I should adjust my skiing style to not boot out" and that I would be more "core" if I was booting out on skinny skis going fast. But being "core" is relative, people have to know why it's core, and if they don't know what "boot out" is anymore because everyone is on 90mm+ skis and have rise, then is it core? Now I'm back to feeling conflicted. But if I want to crush bumps and steep runs in leathers, then I probably don't want to boot out as it seems like that would be inviting injury.

[bgregoire]

Trying to follow you convo....what exactly is being "core"?

[Woodserson]

Trying to follow you convo....what exactly is being "core"?

Umm. Ok I give it a shot...

Core means you're so bad, so hot yet so cool, so central to the SCENE, finger on the pulse, the sum-total of all that is pure and twice distilled, it's so pure.

If you're core you're the man at the ski bar getting Pabst for free from the ladies.

Short from "hardcore."

"That Chuck Flannel is so (hard)core, he boots out in leathers driving 68mm rockered Norwegian sticks down New England hardpack like a boss."

The line between "core" and "played-out" and is mega thin though.

[bgregoire]

Of course, core as in hardcore. Cool. Yeah. Man, I must be quite old.

But yeah, you shouldn't care what others thinking of you boot out or not. Enjoy the ride but please take care of your knees.

[lowangle al]

Boot out is definitely an issue on groomers but not so much in the bc like others have said. The one advantage that I appreciate from the risers is that I don't have to bend over as far to click into my bindings.

[Rodbelan]

Same experience here Woods... I have those K2 Sahale mounted 3pc flush, 68 mm waist. I really like them. I take them to BC mainly, but sometimes in the resorts. In the BC, no issues at all. At the resort, when the snow is really hard, I boot out a lot. But then when the snow is softer, no problemo... You can't have the butter and the cul de la crémière...