Post
by lilcliffy » Mon Nov 09, 2015 5:44 am
Yeah- I should probably get another pair of Alaskas before I begin experimenting with another boot. But, I do want to try something new at some point. And it probably makes sense to try something with similar design-intent- Stetind or Quest Advance. After all- I'm not really looking for a boot to fill the gap between the Alaska and a boot like the T4.
The Svartisen is clearly designed to try and offer both the feel and flexibility of a trad leather boot while K&G-touring; and the ankle and instep support/power of a light plastic boot. How much of a difference does the instep buckle make on the Svartisen? I imagine it must tighten up the flex of the boot and increase resistance? The fact that the Svartisen has less torsional strength, is particularly strange...
Most people's dissatisfaction with the torsional strength of system bindings (NNN/SNS/NNN-BC/x-adv) is due to the lack of torsional strength in the BOOT, and has little to do with the binding (especially with NNN-BC/x-adv).
I agree with your comments regarding sizing and sorting out boots- difficult and frustrating.
The Alaskas last fits the shape of my foot very well- the heel is narrow enough and the forefoot is broad enough. I imagine they are narrow for those with wide feet though. And for their width, I find they are cavernous, in terms of boot volume. I have a high-profile insole in mine- I still have to gather up a lot of material in order for them to be snug enough. When my Alaskas are tight enough- the tongue is buried in the sides of the boot.
Ankle support...challenging issue. My wife wants ankle support as well- for similar reasons. She wants to steer her skis. All of wife's habits come from alpine skiing. On the downhill- she needs the ankle support, to do what she wants to do with skis.
I have very mixed feelings about ankle support. And it is very different for me on skis than on foot. When I am carrying a lot of weight (e.g. backpacking); climbing/descending steep terrain (e.g. mountaineering); heavy, precision labour (e.g. tree felling)- I want a lot of ankle and lower leg support. But on skis? When I am K&G touring I can't stand the lack of flexibility and range of motion of a plastic boot. On skis my balance is so centered, so solid, and I want that flexibility and range of movement to STRIDE! I keep improving my ability to stride my way through the telemark- thus reducing the need to steer. Although, at this point, I am uncertain about how far I can take my skills (I am not under the illusion that there isn't a limit to my skills) (reading SB is awesome- I am not under the illusion that I will ever ski like him!). I have been on some extreme terrain, where I cannot imagine being able to ski without steering my skis! Steering requires ankle support- the greater the speed, and the more challenging the terrain/snow- the more ankle support you need to STEER skis. I don't see my wife learning to stride her way through the telemark any time soon. There is simply too much alpine muscle memory there. Once the terrain gets steep enough and the speeds get high enough, I too find my body shifting to alpine technique- which requires ankle support.
To me- the best way to build up that Nordic striding technique, balance, and muscle memory is to spend a lot of time xcountry skiing- on light, flexible equipment. As pointed SB out it so well- the best way to practice/prepare for the telemark is the diagonal stride. When you spend enough time focusing on efficient K&G- your strength and balance improves so much. I get out everyday and free-heel fly, constantly transfer my weight from one leg to the other- strength and balance. I also have a pair of track skis in town- to get out on the groomed track a couple of times a week to practice my stride.
Mike- do you and your wife xcountry ski on track much?
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.
