New Favorite Toy in My Toybox: Karhu Army Skis + Fritschi AT Bindings = Permagrin

[skiguy]

Good heavens, these were fun for me last winter. I got out about 35 days. I am ready for the snow to start falling again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JFce4T9g6w

 

[Chip]

Good heavens, these were fun for me last winter. I got out about 35 days. I am ready for the snow to start falling again.

Excellent. Day trips or any over nights ? I'd like to do some moderate terrain overnights this winter. I use a similar set-up.

 

[sardog1]

Good heavens, these were fun for me last winter. I got out about 35 days. I am ready for the snow to start falling again.

BRAVO for starting the 2010-11 season here!

 

[Maddy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JFce4T9g6w

That is the funniest video. It reminds me of my friend asking me to take care of her three teens while they went away for the weekend. They were no sooner out the driveway that 15 yo super skier built a ski slope using bed sheets on the stairwell and it ended with skiing straight the front door.

Unfortunately I do not have a video. Just sent him the link to this one.
This is a great topic. I just printed all the info for two of my super skier backcountry friends.

I hope this isn't off topic.

 

[mirabela]

Great video. I can relate.

Excellent. Day trips or any over nights ? I'd like to do some moderate terrain overnights this winter. I use a similar set-up.

It was all day trips this year. I'm not opposed to using them for backpacking on mellow terrain, but I didn't try it this time.

This coming winter I'd like to do a few more ambitious descents on them -- Moosilauke, that kind of thing. We'll see.

 

[mirabela]

The season turned the corner on Sunday. The wind had a bite in it, and the hardwood leaves are turning silver on the hillsides. The Big Joy is only a few months away now.

 

[skiguy]

The season turned the corner on Sunday. The wind had a bite in it, and the hardwood leaves are turning silver on the hillsides. The Big Joy is only a few months away now.

Let the games begin!

http://business.transworld.net/42784/news/loveland-ski-area-tests-snow-guns/?CMP_ID=sm_fcbkBC000

 

[skiguy]

Hey mirabela if your really Jonesin' for some skiing you could always take up some summertime jumping!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYwKhRM1-Kc&feature=related

 

[mirabela]

I bumped this over on ADK46, too.

Thought I'd give this a bump, since someone might want to build a cheap bc ski setup this winter. I got out ~ thirty days last year; tomorrow will be my sixth time out this season. These things have done pretty well for me.

I should point out, as much as we knock skiing in mountaineering boots as "survival skiing," I spent a day on these skiing lift-served runs at Stowe last weekend, and had a hell of a good time. Granted, I'd have had more solid control with less effort on proper alpine gear with a shaped ski and a rigid boot, but I skied fairly aggressively all day long and they worked fine. I'm forced to be super attentive to my balance, from my toes right through to my core muscles, and on the whole they probably make me a better skier.

Anyway, after a couple hundred miles and probably 35,000' vertical I'm still glad I put this setup together. The skis are still selling on ebay for $50 shipped. The bindings are not as easy to come by as last year, but you can still find them.

Good times, people.

Think snow!

 

[GlennS]

I ordered a set of used Swiss army skis from the Sportsmanguide for $40 delivered. The price includes used ski's, bindings, skins and poles. I don't know anything about skiing but for that price I figured I couldn't go wrong.

I haven't received them yet so I can't talk about condition (not that I'd know what to look for)

They can be found at http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=170515.

I'm hoping to use them with the Lowa double boots I purchased there for $30.

Merry Christmas,
Glenn

 

[mirabela]

Wow -- that's a great deal. With shipping that's still only about $45. You're ahead of me by half. I climbed & skied down Tecumseh today in these things. Good, cheap fun.

 

[Trail Bandit]

You can still get good new bindings to fit your "normal" winter boots. I know the ones from Ebay, etc are super cheap but they may be hard to come by.
Mine are made by Silvretta (spelling) and are maybe 25 years old, but the company still makes them. If you can't ascend the mountain with your boots and crampons, how can you ski down? Please note, I have no idea about how to ski, but I have fun anyway.

 

[Chip]

I ordered a set of used Swiss army skis from the Sportsmanguide for $40 delivered. The price includes used ski's, bindings, skins and poles. I don't know anything about skiing but for that price I figured I couldn't go wrong.

I haven't received them yet so I can't talk about condition (not that I'd know what to look for)

They can be found at http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=170515.

I'm hoping to use them with the Lowa double boots I purchased there for $30.

Merry Christmas,
Glenn

Glenn, I can't tell if those bindings are the kind that allow the heel to lift (for ascents) or be locked down (for descents) but you certainly got a lot of gear for $70. Let us know about the bindings when you get everything. Worst case is you'll need to switch them out for something like the Silvretta 404's.

[Uncle Dad Caveat Emptor on] I downhill ski with alpine gear and x-country ski with touring gear. I also own and use a rig like those being decribed here. (Koflach Degres, Silvretta 404's and Atomic Chugachs). Please spend time on the flats and beginners and well groomed intermediate slopes before heading off for anything "real". I have definately developed a different ski technique (weighting and unweighting each ski) with this set-up to help compensate for the lack of ankle lock-down.[Uncle Dad Caveat Emptor off]

 

[AMF]

You know, this stuff may look (and be!) primitive, and as noted may require some fine-tuning of your technique, but when you compare it to what was standard equipment on all the great BC runs of yore (Tuck/Sherbie, Thunderbolt, etc) its pretty advanced equipment. Let 'em rip!

amf

 

[WinterWarlock]

So I wonder...

I'm not much of a skier, but a few years ago I went out and bought an alpine set up...I have a pair of Fischer RX4's, 165cm. First day out, the bindings fall apart, down I go and fractured my hip (but I digress from my question),,,

How feasible is it to set these skis up with a binding I can use with my Koflach's? Would something like the Silvretta's work?

Curious - your set up made me think it'd be nice to salvage the planks, since they're brand new, and I doubt I'll go back to alpine skiing (I've tried for the last couple of years, but I still hear and feel that damn snap in my leg every time I get the skis out)

 

[David Metsky]

What are your goals for skiing? If it is simply to skin into backcountry areas where you can climb, there are ways to do that. Keep in mind that the setup will be suboptimal for actual turns, releaseability, and comfort. But it may be efficient for the trip in and out, assuming the trip out is just point them and let 'em run.

If you actually want to do turns, the setup sucks, IMO.

 

[WinterWarlock]

What are your goals for skiing? If it is simply to skin into backcountry areas where you can climb, there are ways to do that. Keep in mind that the setup will be suboptimal for actual turns, releaseability, and comfort. But it may be efficient for the trip in and out, assuming the trip out is just point them and let 'em run.

If you actually want to do turns, the setup sucks, IMO.

Dave -

I'd say those are my goals for now...if there are any turns planned, it would be definitely moderate (think the old ski run behind the campground at the ADK Loj). Very simple...for now. Anyway, I'd hate to have the skis just sit out there...will probably sell my boots but figured I'd hang on to the skis, IF they're usable.

 

[GlennS]

I received my ski's today. It looks like the same skis and bindings (FT88) that Mirabela posted a picture of. They've seen some use but overall are in good shape. They also came with climbing skins which are in very good condition.

Chip, thanks for the advice. I'm not looking to do anything crazy. I'm definitely not ready for Tucks. I was thinking more along the lines of a local park. I really just want a rig to play around with without spending hundreds of $.

Now, I just need to figure out how to work the bindings. Thanks to DougPaul for the link to the Wildsnow site. Much appreciated.

Glenn

 

[Chip]

How feasible is it to set these skis up with a binding I can use with my Koflach's? Would something like the Silvretta's work?

Silvretta 404's will work, no problem, for what the set-up is worth. FWIW: A friend has summitted and skied down Marcy a number of times with this rig. I have not attempted anything that brave yet, but not because the gear wouldn't work. HOWEVER: I have had a lot of fun locally and on certain NH trails with my set-up.

If you actually want to do turns, the setup sucks, IMO.

Agreed. If you want a real backcountry set-up, skip all this and buy/learn telemark.

 

[Trail Bandit]

Ok, I ordered a set of the skies,bindings,skins and poles from Sportsman's Guide. They sent them UPS 2 day at no extra cost even though I didn't request it. The skis, etc appear to be almost brand new. No scratches in the bottoms or anything. The skins seem to have never been used at all. I think the skin setup if far superior than any other I have seen.
Now comes the question: To adjust the bindings for different size boots you have to move the heel part to a different set of holes. I tried pretty at pulling them straight out with no results.