need quick Telemark gear help/recs please

I am really torn in deciding if there is any difference in all this equipment or just hype. I skied skinny's and leathers and had a blast. The new stuff is better but I just bought what was on sale at the time; G3 Red Baron's and G3 targa bindings. There are people who carry on for ever about gear nuance but I don't see that much of a difference.

If you are going to skin, definitely spend the money for a hinge release binding. I am shelling out for that this year and leaning toward the Black Diamond O1. If money weren't an option; NTN sure looks cool.

The guy at the ski shop told me that tele boots have peaked in stiffness and to not buy into the hype of the 4-buckle Frankenstein boots. I have a red T2 and it seems okay skinning, hiking and skiiing. He agrees that it's a good all terrain boot. FWIW.

If gear really doesn't make a difference, this will; get the book, Allen & Mike's Really Cool Telemark Tips.

Best of luck. I think tele is heavenly and can't imagine doing anything else.

Chugach001 said:

If gear really doesn't make a difference, this will; get the book, Allen & Mike's Really Cool Telemark Tips.

Click to expand...

A nice book.

Even better: "Free-Heel Skiing: Telemark and Parallel Techniques" by Paul Parker. http://www.amazon.com/Free-Heel-Ski...7754/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316320979&sr=8-1

Doug

Did you say you wanted to downhill ski at resorts? And eventually go to Tuckerman Ravine?

If that's the case, I'd skip the Excursions and invest in a heavier boot, like the Scarpa T2 or the Garmont equivalent.

cushetunk said:

Did you say you wanted to downhill ski at resorts? And eventually go to Tuckerman Ravine?

If that's the case, I'd skip the Excursions and invest in a heavier boot, like the Scarpa T2 or the Garmont equivalent.

Click to expand...

Noted. Yeah, I want a Big Mountian compatible set up. I wil grow into them.

cushetunk said:

If that's the case, I'd skip the Excursions and invest in a heavier boot, like the Scarpa T2 or the Garmont equivalent.

Click to expand...

I like my Excursions but they are not a boot that is especially good at turning or at driving a big ski. They will be sorely overmatched if you wish to ski aggressively, especially in places like Tucks where you'll need to hold an edge on difficult terrain. The Excursion is a touring boot that can turn. If you want to lift ski the majority of the time you should be looking a step up to a 3 buckle boot.

David Metsky said:

If you want to lift ski the majority of the time you should be looking a step up to a 3 buckle boot.

Click to expand...

Goal is no lifts, probably not even at the beginning. I would prefer to buy the bindings and boots now that I could use in more seriously demanding (eventually) situations. I can "tour" on the gear I have now.

cushetunk said:

Did you say you wanted to downhill ski at resorts? And eventually go to Tuckerman Ravine?

If that's the case, I'd skip the Excursions and invest in a heavier boot, like the Scarpa T2 or the Garmont equivalent.

Click to expand...

The T2 is my standard resort boot--It works well for me.

Doug

Chip said:

Goal is no lifts, probably not even at the beginning. I would prefer to buy the bindings and boots now that I could use in more seriously demanding (eventually) situations. I can "tour" on the gear I have now.

Click to expand...

OK, let me rephrase that. If your goal is to make turns in challenging terrain then drop the Excursions and get a beefier boot. The Excursions are not made for making turns, and they will have a real problem driving a big ski in anything but groomed conditions.

Chip...you might want to try these folks. Dick Hall is super. He started this organization some years ago and lives in Waitsfield. I took a few of the courses a while back ago and found them very helpful. I enjoyed the movies to.
I don't tele any longer. Unfortunately the knees would not take the joke.
http://www.telemarknato.com/

The bigger the boot the shorter the learning curve. Switchbacks on Chargers is a boatload of fun. Humility helps too. Enjoy the journey!

Lift served is the place to learn tele. You don't get enough runs in to learn in the BC. Plus, you can start with some lessons at the area.

I've been on T1 for years, I use them for everything including backcountry up and down trips. The newer T1s (like the last five years) are lighter than the old ones with the loden inner, so the weight does not bother me. After skiing on them for years, I like to have the boot I'm used to at the top of the hill. I tried T3s a few years ago, looking for a lighter set up, but they felt like trail runners and I sold them.

TCD said:

Lift served is the place to learn tele. You don't get enough runs in to learn in the BC. Plus, you can start with some lessons at the area.

I've been on T1 for years, I use them for everything including backcountry up and down trips. The newer T1s (like the last five years) are lighter than the old ones with the loden inner, so the weight does not bother me. After skiing on them for years, I like to have the boot I'm used to at the top of the hill. I tried T3s a few years ago, looking for a lighter set up, but they felt like trail runners and I sold them.

Click to expand...

This is very accurate. I run newer T1's and love them. And I have wide feet - but you REALLY need to be fitted properly.

I have a question to all the free heelers, What kind of skins do you guys use? Anyone use G3 alpinist skins?

Yup. Can't beat those tips clips.

Chugach001 said:

If money weren't an option; NTN sure looks cool.

Click to expand...

I would consider NTN, as boots and bindings will both be bought, but I don't see much current info on them. Are they still as "up-and-coming" as they were a few years ago ?

Releasable Bindings: I certainly like the idea but I'm not going to spend much time in avalanche prone aeas, I don't think. I've read they take almost as much energy to get together as it takes for them to release. Is that the case ? As a yute, I had the old Marker Rotomats . Didn't care for the down-time after a fall.

Boots: Now looking at T1's and Garmont EnerG Rapids or Voodoo GFit.

Chip said:

I would consider NTN, as boots and bindings will both be bought, but I don't see much current info on them. Are they still as "up-and-coming" as they were a few years ago ?

...

Click to expand...

I considered NTN, but went with three-pin, both for a track-proven record, but also to pick one, interchangeable, standard. I want to mix & match boots & skis, so I keep the different sets all three-pin. One could do this in any format, but 3-pin seemed more universal for theoretical future purchases. Maybe since then, NTN has become the norm, but who wants another VHS/Betamax? So, I went old-school.

deanmacg said:

Yup. Can't beat those tips clips.

Click to expand...

Are you happy with the grip on steeper slopes?

freighttrain48 said:

I have a question to all the free heelers, What kind of skins do you guys use? Anyone use G3 alpinist skins?

Click to expand...

I have several brands and constructions (mohair, nylon) of skins. They all work. I haven't tried side-by-side comparisons so I can't say that one is slightly better than another. (My different skins are all different widths so I can't really make a meaningful comparison anyhow.)

As for attachment systems, I use straight (non-shaped) skins with a tip loop and just wrap the tail around to the top of the ski and secure it with a Voile strap. This allows me to use a single pair of skins on several pairs of skis. There are a number of other attachment systems.

Expect to have to occasionally replenish the glue.

If you want the absolute maximum amount of grip, you should use shaped skins.

Doug

Chip said:

Boots: Now looking at T1's and Garmont EnerG Rapids or Voodoo GFit.

Click to expand...

I suggest that you also consider T2's. Both T1's and T2's can control a heavy ski, but T2's are a bit lighter. Weight isn't an issue for lift-served skiing, but it does slow down your ascent in the backcountry.

I've found no lack of power in my T2's for lift served skiing. (But I've never tried T1's.)

Doug

freighttrain48 said:

Are you happy with the grip on steeper slopes?

Click to expand...

No problems as of yet. A lot of times I'm on my Chargers which are pretty wide.