This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips / Telemark Francais Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web since 1998. East, West, North, South, Canada, US or Europe, Backcountry or not.
This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
My Alfa Guards are showing some wear. Do I do something to try and slow the wear down, or just let it go?
The best idea I have so far is to spread a thin layer of something like Shoo Goo over the wear to protect it, but not sure it would actually stay on the boot.
I think I’m getting this from metal edges. Not getting it on the other foot as much, so it’s something I’m doing, but would seem hard to modify my technique to eliminate that.
.
Last edited by Stephen on Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
After just a few uses of my guards I had some stitching breaking down along the rand right at the flex point (I can't quite tell if your stitching is breaking down). I emailed Varuste about possible warranty and they reimbursed me to take them to a local cobbler who fixed the stitching and put some sort of melted rubber sealant over that flex point of the rand on both boots. It cost 15 bucks or so. Seems to have held up well the rest of the winter.
I have some similar ski edge related wear on the inside. No solutions there....
Wow. I'm not impressed with the durability of that rand. Is it leather or synthetic leather? I assumed it would oh been made out of something more durable (like rubber). On the rand, those look like crease marks from bending the boot as you ski. Those straight marks on the leather might be from the other boot rubbing, the other ski itself or a snow crust you might of skied even once for a few minutes. I'm thinking if they were from a metal edged ski they would be actual cuts into the leather.
I live for the Telemark arc....The feeeeeeel.....I ski miles to get to a place where there is guaranteed snow to do the deal....TM
@bgregoire , it’s some sort of composite synthetic material — looks fiber reinforced on the back side.
Yea, seems like there might be more durable material options available.
@John_XCD Interesting feedback.
On my boot, in the picture, I’m pretty sure the opposite ski metal edge has damaged the area, and cut through the stitching. On a different pair of these exact model boots, I have seen a problem with the stitching, where, during production, the stitching did not happen properly, so that the thread on the back side of the assembly did not engage / lock with the front-side thread. I have sewn enough to have seen this happen on things I’m working on.
The “melted rubber” stuff seems like a good option. I was thinking to rubber cement a sacrificial leather patch over that area. I’m in a pretty rural area, so need to see what I can come up with. If I was urban, a solution would be a lot easier.
@Stephen
Are you treating the leather regulary?
Looks like the leather needs some TLC...
I treat my leather boots every time they come inside.
The rand on my Guard boots is starting to show some wear- but nowhere near as much as yours it would seem...
My touring boots took some serious abuse this winter- more than usual- due to the amount of breakable crust we had.
I also used my Guard more than any other boot this winter due to low snow pack in the first third of the season and the amount of trail skiing I did.
This is my third season with this boot it must have a few thousand kms on it.
See photos:
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.
@Stephen
Are you treating the leather regulary?
Looks like the leather needs some TLC...
I treat my leather boots every time they come inside.
This is my third season with this boot it must have a few thousand kms on it.
Man, Boot Shamed by @lilcliffy, how will I ever live this down?
But seriously, he’s right.
As for the wear on the inside of my boot, I thought about it, and I think it might be my bad technique of sometimes skiing with too wide a stance (front to back) and the metal edge of the inside ski tip running into my boot.
I’m trying to unlearn that stance.
I revert to it when things get hairy, but I think it’s actually a detriment.
Low and tighter stance seems more stable.
@Stephen
I'm sorry man. I was actually trying to be helpful- probably just came across as a prick- certainly wasn't trying to shame you!
The Svartisen has a rand that appears to be of similar construction as the Guard. My Svartisen has nowhere near as many miles on it- therefore it has much less wear.
The rand on the Alaska BC is much more durable than the Guard. However, there is trade of with that- as JohnXCD has pointed out- the sole-flex of the Guard is much smoother than the Alaska, and yes that is mostly due to the stiffer midsole of the Alaska, but I also think it is due to that thick, stiff rubber rand as well. On another note- the rand on my Alaska is starting to break down at the flex point which is contributing to my foot being pinched in those boots- which never used to happen...My point? Though the Alaska rand is definitely more durable- both of these boots now have about the same mileage on them- I think- and the rand on my Guard is more comfortable and still functions...
Anyway- this sucks- I am not sure what you can do to repair it...These are very expensive boots you should be able to get many seasons of hard skiing out of them!
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.
Anyway- this sucks- I am not sure what you can do to repair it...These are very expensive boots you should be able to get many seasons of hard skiing out of them!
Yeah, this.
I am not impressed with Alfa. 3 models, all 47, but each one was wildly different in interior length. No standardization across the fleet within the same brand. Now this. For the $$$ I expect more. They sure look and feel pretty coming out of the box.
But that kind of damage after 1 season? Fugghedaboubit. Unless Stephen is getting them wet and then drying them next to a hot fire every night, no one should see that after 3 months. Stance be-damned. Your stance is fine.
@wabene
For leather boots-
I always have a tube of water-based cream leather treatment handy- my top pick for this for the last 20 years or so has been Zamberlan Hydrobloc.
At the very least I saturate any flex point and wear point on the boot- every time I bring them in. I clean and wet the leather before I apply it. Just a couple of minutes of regular maintenance that makes all the difference in the longevity, comfort and performance of a leather boot.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.
