Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

I'm looking for advice on new gear.

Since 2005 I've skied Black Diamond Mira 188s (112/79/102) with BD bindings, mostly on older T2s (the blue ones with a grey tongue) and Excursions. That setup has done me well on typical northern Minnesota ski area conditions including mostly hardpack but very occasional powderish days. I'm 6'2", I usually about 230, and I turn 53 soon. I'm not nifty, fast, or aggressive, but I do OK for learning to ski at 30 and only getting out 4-5 times most years since then. I've never tried other skis. I haven't skied actual mountains in a long time, and I'm working on fixing that. When it happens it will most likely be groomers.

I've been out a handful of times this weird winter and for the first time I'm wondering what I'm missing out on. I know I want to stay with 75mm gear, but beyond that I need help figuring out how to narrow down the possibilities. I'm very open to used stuff.

If anyone's got insight I'd be grateful to hear it.

If your priority is to improve handling in hard pack/icy conditions, newer and less used is better. Are you considering skis only? New boots? More robust boots would also help in this regard. When was t5he last time yopu tuned the skis? Sharp edges can certainly extend the useful life of skis.

Is your desire to stay 75mm a budgetary concern? It would be pricey to go full NTN and get new skis, but I'm willing to help you spend your money.

Montana St Alum wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:30 am

If your priority is to improve handling in hard pack/icy conditions, newer and less used is better. Are you considering skis only? New boots? More robust boots would also help in this regard. When was t5he last time yopu tuned the skis? Sharp edges can certainly extend the useful life of skis.

Is your desire to stay 75mm a budgetary concern? It would be pricey to go full NTN and get new skis, but I'm willing to help you spend your money.

Thanks for the good questions. New boots, bindings, and skis. I had the Miras tuned last winter and it made a difference. (The kid who handed them back to me is the one who said, "You got old gear, man.") Money matters, but to be honest I've just been assuming that NTN would be overkill for where and how I ski.

Your gear isn't the problem, spend your money on getting more days in on what you have.

4 or 5 days a season will get you nowhere. You need to get on them 4 or 5 days a week.

Unless the skis are thrashed, I’d stick with what you have. This is a bad time to seek new tele gear as there’s a lot of stuff in the middle of change.

75mm is dead. I suspect that in 2-3 years there will be no new plastic 75mm boots being made. The primary reason is the new tx pro boot that’s going to start being available next fall. We’ve already seen some binding makers also cutting their 75mm lines.

So I’d recommend keeping the gear you have now. Next winter if you still have the itch, go try on the new NTN boot to see if it agrees with your feet and your wallet. If it does, it’s probably NTN or TTS time. If it doesn’t, then you can put some work in shopping the deals as people close out their 75mm stuff.

CMS wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 04, 2024 12:01 pm

Your gear isn't the problem, spend your money on getting more days in on what you have.

4 or 5 days a season will get you nowhere. You need to get on them 4 or 5 days a week.

All true. And there's no way 4-5 times a week is going to happen. And I'm still curious about new stuff.

Montana St Alum wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:30 am

I'm willing to help you spend your money.

I think this should be the Telemark Talk secret club password or something.

godsey wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:20 am

I'm looking for advice on new gear.

Since 2005 I've skied Black Diamond Mira 188s (112/79/102) with BD bindings, mostly on older T2s (the blue ones with a grey tongue) and Excursions. That setup has done me well on typical northern Minnesota ski area conditions including mostly hardpack but very occasional powderish days. I'm 6'2", I usually about 230, and I turn 53 soon. I'm not nifty, fast, or aggressive, but I do OK for learning to ski at 30 and only getting out 4-5 times most years since then. I've never tried other skis. I haven't skied actual mountains in a long time, and I'm working on fixing that. When it happens it will most likely be groomers.

I've been out a handful of times this weird winter and for the first time I'm wondering what I'm missing out on. I know I want to stay with 75mm gear, but beyond that I need help figuring out how to narrow down the possibilities. I'm very open to used stuff.

If anyone's got insight I'd be grateful to hear it.

One thing that hasn’t been clarified is if you are skiing telemark or parallel style?
One could assume telemark, since that’s the type of gear your on, but just to be sure…

I hope others will correct me if I’m mistaken, but some of your equipment has changed more than others, in terms of being able to find DIRECT equivalents.
From least change to most, I would guess:
Boots;
Bindings;
Skis.

In terms of advances in performance (relative to your equipment), I would say that: boots, bindings, and skis have all seen significant advancement.
You can still buy a T2 Eco, and probably bindings similar to what you have.
It might be hard to find a ski like the Mira, and you might end up with something more in the 88mm under foot range.

I think one reason you are getting suggestions toward NTN (or TTS) is that you will feel a big difference with those boots and bindings. A noticeable increase in control — which you may, or may not, feel comfortable with.

I did a lookup on the Mira, and it has favorable comments.

All that said, for the amount you ski each year, and that fact that you’re not looking for ways to spend piles of cash, personally, I would say stick with what you got. I’m not sure you would see enough difference to justify spending $1,500 to $2,000 for a completely new setup.
You could go the used route for less, and if you found a good deal on something intriguing, take a gamble and give it a try. But, again, with skiing 4 - 5 times a year, you would spend a good part of a winter just figuring out the new equipment.

Don’t mean to be pessimistic. Unless you feel a real lack in what you have *, maybe just enjoy the simplicity of what you have?
I say this as someone who has way too much ski gear…


*
If you do feel something is missing, or that you want something specifically different than what you are getting with your current gear, that might be a different question with different answers.

godsey wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:47 am

(The kid who handed them back to me is the one who said, "You got old gear, man.")

That's funny, the phrasing I get is usually, "You got old.....gear man!"

My first thought was also that your gear sounds pretty decent to me, especially given your skiing profile. I also get feeling it's time to renew.
One other tidbit that would help is, which BD binding? The old Riva series (they had cables with simple expansion springs) work, but they are a little weak. The BD 02's and 03's had a built in riser, underfoot routing, much improved toe plate, and (compression) cartridges, and were, in my opinion, good bindings; I happily skied the 03's for several years.
Also skied T2's for many years, a few generations of them from the old blue 2 buckles, and the blue 3 buckles; again, a versatile and reliable boot. Tried the T2X and didn't like those.

Back to new gear: I'd advise staying with 75mm gear; going to NTN or the new tech systems would require an adjustment period, which could be frustrating and counterproductive given the limited ski time and conditions you have. I've recently skied some Switchbacks after decades of cables; I like 'em, and while they feel familiar in flex, and ski really well. Simple and reliable.

The right boot is a huge consideration. I recently tried on the T2 Eco, and really like the feel of those! Definitely an upgrade from the old T2's, while still having a flex that wouldn't require developing new technique. Fit rules, of course, when it comes to boots. I'll also put it out there that the old (! there we are again) T1's, particularly the 3 buckle models, ski nicely... sort of a souped up T2, without the rocker launch. I also found/find them very comfortable. I don't care for the 4 buckle generations much; in fact I modified an early model 4 buckle to into a 3 buckle, and find the flex much smoother.

Skis... well, I haven't skied any Mira's, but they were well received in their day, and I'd say wide enough for you; I wouldn't rule out having them tuned, and see how they feel... especially if you have a new boot and/or binding. As for a new ski, well I'm running out of typing gas and the options are many, so Ill leave it at this: Don't get suckered into a fat ski with pronounced rocker... upper 80's or low 90's should be plenty. And 80ish doesn't suck either.