Outcast vs Meidjo, my thoughts with far too little experience

[Montana St Alum]

^^^ There have been days this year!

[fisheater]

That’s a lot of ski, especially Telemark

[Montana St Alum]

That’s a lot of ski, especially Telemark

Yeah. 116 is the widest I've used, and was considering the Bent Chetler at 120 underfoot, but that would just about be my max.

[Woodserson]

Hey Woods,
I hope you keep posting your journey into NTN. I’ve been an observer for a few years now. I didn’t think I was interested, but I have recently decided I need to ride chairs more regularly. It’s just been too many years of not enough turns, I’m embarrassed by my skiing. So for now my heavy set up is T-4 and Tindan, but I can see a typical resort set up down the road.
I have been talking to resort Telemarkers the past couple years this few days I was at the ski hill. The people I run into are mostly Outlaw skiers. Most primarily ride chairs, but are happy touring in Outlaws as well.
My question for you, what are your thoughts for touring and inbounds skiing on the T2 vs. the TX Pro?

Man, I’m really digging it. I love the control I get on the inside/back ski. It’s rock solid, addictive. I’ve been playing around with spring tension… if you go Outlaw lube the rods! Makes a big difference.
The TXP is close enough to the ECO. I use a Booster Strap and don’t buckle the the top two cuff buckles… works great. That just worked out on its own, I wasn’t trying to do something weird, I noticed over several days the buckles would be loose and then I started not buckling them down and it was fine.
I do wish it had the ratchet for the instep instead of a buckle, I’m bottomed out and need more tension and pulling the screw to put in a shorter wire has been impossible.

I have no big complaints otherwise except I wish I did it sooner!

But you could always upgrade to the ECO and just keep the bindings you have now. Still a great setup!

[Montana St Alum]

I ran the T2 Eco for a while on the JJ (116) and Axl (I think) as my only set up back when I had three kids in college and toured on that for a year or so, though only a few times a month. There's just too much vertical here for that kind of weight. Now I'm child poor and gear rich and loving it, but that set up was really nice. The T2 Eco is quite capable. Once you go to a more robust set up it's a little hard to go back, though.

I've used the Tx, Tx Pro and Tx comp and I thought they were all pretty nice with differences in performance not as great as I'd expected. The bellows on all three break down making the flex softer.

I was talking to Josh Madsen at FHL on their big sale day and his opinion was that if you're going seriously B/C the Lynx might be more robust than the Meidjo, but for us old guys, the releasability of the Meidjo was hard to beat. Pretty sure the Outlaw doesn't have a release function.

Also, going from both the Freedom and the Freeride which have an NTN connection much like the Outlaw, to low tech fittings of the Meidjo, the improvement in edge control is pretty remarkable. There's just no slop.

But, though gear is important, days out skiing is more important.
This is from 16 years or so ago. It's on Garmont Syner-G's and either Karhu 7TM's or G3's and K2 Work Stinx or Piste Stinx.
(I know, another old damn video!)
This was after about 3 years of tely, and I'd skied alpine forever, but I was also getting 50-70 days a year. Repetition is a huge factor.



I think about 12 years ago on Ecos, and Hammerheads.


Bottom line, regardless of gear, if you can get circuits lift served, it'll dramatically improve your skiing.

[DropKneeDiehard]

Were both sets of skis tuned the same way?
Did you borrow them off someone else.
I have had a similar situation skiing a mates identical skis with Freerides and the way he tunes them basically hook and grab for me.

[DG99]

Also, going from both the Freedom and the Freeride which have an NTN connection much like the Outlaw, to low tech fittings of the Meidjo, the improvement in edge control is pretty remarkable. There's just no slop.

Oh that’s interesting. Was thinking I’d go Freeride for a lift served ski, and a Meidjo for BC, if I went NTN. Both releasable. Not anytime soon. !
But that tech fitting endorsement makes me think go Meidjo for lift served too.

[Montana St Alum]

Also, going from both the Freedom and the Freeride which have an NTN connection much like the Outlaw, to low tech fittings of the Meidjo, the improvement in edge control is pretty remarkable. There's just no slop.

Oh that’s interesting. Was thinking I’d go Freeride for a lift served ski, and a Meidjo for BC, if I went NTN. Both releasable. Not anytime soon. !
But that tech fitting endorsement makes me think go Meidjo for lift served too.

One problem I had with Freedom (and Freeride) bindings was that the "wings" on either side holding in the toe will really dig into the plastic on the boot. It got pretty bad on mine. Also, the Freeride is VERY active. My first day on them, I thought I'd forgotten how to ski! The Freedom is more neutral.