Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Lo-Fi,

I hope you are OK with me stealing your answer to my 'When to drop a knee' question and using it as a new topic for my rambling. The way you stated it has really stuck with me. I am now striving to have near perfect continuity between flats, uphills and downhills.

We got snow! Light and dry stuff. My car was showing between 18 and 19 degrees leaving work yesterday.

This was the first day I tried out these old (I have no idea when they were made) K2 Heli Stinx with the Riva II bindings mounted directly to the ski using binding freedom inserts.

I waxed from the heel piece to the tip of the ski with Swix Blue Extra V40. This stuff is magic when the weather is right. Its so easy to put on, grips and glides. I love it. I guess this was near the low end of the temperature range but it absolutely did not clump up at all.

I really like this longer (compare to what I was trying to ski) and softer ski. I am also convinced, for the moment, that the toe rocker on my vintage T2's is a good feature. When I stand back on my heels I can see that it un-weights the forward part of the ski where I have kick wax applied. This really seems to help the glide.

I decided the power strap on my boots was doing nothing but getting in the way so I took it off. I expect this old T2 with two buckles and no power strap is pretty close to what a new T4 might be like. At least that is what I tell myself so I don't spend more money on boots. I drove the 7 miles or so to the trail with the T2s on as well. Also a good idea. Plenty of range of motion to drive -- which I needed on the wind-polished ice on the road. It was a lot more fun to just get out and go skiing.

I think I need some different poles to move a little close to 'near perfect continuity'. I have been using my alpine poles. I ordered some ROSSIGNOL XT-700 in a length that puts the top right about at my shoulder. I hope I can tape up some long grips and come up with something workable.

So ... that is more than enough rambling nonsense from me.

Thanks to everyone for all the help and advice.

I made two short trips out with my shoulder height poles. They were a huge advantage on the flat and the up. They only got in the way a little bit on the narrow downhills. I still plan to fit some sort of lower grip.

I have seen several people suggest a powder basket and an adjustable pole. I found that the directional XC basket was a lot easier on the flats.

Mostly I am just curious -- it seems unlikely that I will be touring in deep snow.

I think touring with a big powder basket, even in powder, would cause significant drag. Am I wrong?

A lower grip on non adjustable pole is a must in the bc.

Have you tried skiing in 2 feet of soft snow with those baskets??? Man, that would be such a pain IMO.

SWIX makes large snow baskets with leather webbing. The leather bends the basket so that it does not drag on hard snow. And the large basket actually provides support on soft stuff. This is my view of an ideal bc basket.


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Nope. Never been skiing in anything more than boot-deep. I am a southern Great Lakes wanna-be xcd guy.

Thank you for you taking the time to explain. I think I understand, now, how the flexible straps keep the basket on top of the snow both while pushing and dragging the pole.

bgregoire wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:54 pm

A lower grip on non adjustable pole is a must in the bc.

Have you tried skiing in 2 feet of soft snow with those baskets??? Man, that would be such a pain IMO.

SWIX makes large snow baskets with leather webbing. The leather bends the basket so that it does not drag on hard snow. And the large basket actually provides support on soft stuff. This is my view of an ideal bc basket.


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When I bought my first poles I didn't have a great idea about what I would need and I bought some poles with basically "single side" baskets like that. Man did they punch through the snow, they were useless. I then bought those SWIX poles with leather straps to the large circle and they are perfect for all of the conditions I've skied in. I actually tried the smaller basket ones again on a more compact snow day and they were as awful as I remember them...and they have what Fischer calls their "big" basket.

I do, however, prefer the angled handle of the Fischer poles that I'm not using. I've been thinking about putting the larger SWIX basket on them.

Other than choking up on your poles for the dh I think adjustable poles will get you a more perfect continuity between the flats and the ups and downs.

If I'm on a tour oriented ski I'll leave my poles long and only shorten them if I'm doing laps or come to a long, steep or technical downhill. After many years with adjustable poles I have come up with lengths that I can live with for an entire tour. It is between 115cm and 130cm depending on the tour, I'm 5'10".

lowangle al,

Are you saying adjustable poles are less of a hassle?

I was thinking a long pole with a long grip would let me, effectively, change pole length without stopping then unlocking then adjusting and then relocking each pole.

I have my old shorter poles for lift served skiing.

FourthCoast wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:14 am

lowangle al,

Are you saying adjustable poles are less of a hassle?

I was thinking a long pole with a long grip would let me, effectively, change pole length without stopping then unlocking then adjusting and then relocking each pole.

I have my old shorter poles for lift served skiing.

This is a matter of personal preference. I know people who prefer either or. There is not absolute righ answer. However, I'd say most prefer the adjustables. I own both.

Yeah it's personal preference and also has to do with your other gear choices. If I was using light boots and double camber skis looking to make time or long distance I would lean towards a longer xc type pole. With heavier boots and a more turn oriented ski I would prefer the adjustable.

The xc poles that I used for thirty years were 145cm, I would have been better off with 135s. When I choked up on them there was too much pole sticking out the top and at least once during that time I got hit in the face with a handle. It took a long time for me to get over not having xc poles, but now I could use something around 120 or 125 for all my skiing and be happy. If I do go back to a xc weight set up I'd go back to a xc pole at 135 not the 145s of my past.

To answer your question about adjustables being less hassle. I wouldn't necessarily say that but they are more conducive to downhill skiing, especially if you like the feeling of having your hands in the straps or on the grips. You may find that you only have to adjust them once or twice on a tour, like when you are done with an approach and start to climb or start doing laps.

Most of us do own both so we have a choice. When I'm focused on the down I prefer the adjustables.