miteyak 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Got a new pair of boards this chrissy, Vector Glide Bold telemarks, 120-85-110, and they rock. Incredibly light, stable, and fast edge to edge... but man are they hard work to ride outside of the softest fluff. Six hours a day is my limit on those puppies (I can't parallel). For those dimensions, are a three-buckle boot too soft? Would four buckled boots (of the T1/veloce ilk) make the boards easier to ride? Link to post Share on other sites
hem now 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Miteyak, when I first went to my Head Monsters (old model, about 117-84-??), I had very old T1's. The skis rocked in the pow, but I felt were too much on the groomers. I was then given a pair of newish bumblebees, and ohmygod the extra stiffness the boots gave me really did help drive the ski so much more. I became more of a driver rather than just a passenger, and was able to control the ski so much better. So my answer is yes! I have since bought a pair of Big Stix 106, and they rock in the pow too - although I'd rather have something a touch narrower on the groomers. Not a one-quiver ski! Hope that helps, Hem now Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 Thanks... (he says reaching for the plastic...) Link to post Share on other sites
TeleSkier 0 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Yeah, skiing on a pair of 195cm AK Launchers with 5 yr old T2s. I was a little worried about the T2s and if they were going to be able to drive them. The seem to work pretty good but the T1s would be much better. On another note - they aren't that great on hardpack. Doesn't really matter to me since I hate skiing hardpack conditions. They rock in pow, crud, spring conditions. Not so good in moguls. I'm going to get a newer pair of T2's - three buckle and thermofit liners - much lighter. Link to post Share on other sites
crazyski 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 tele-ers come out of the woodwork, eh? i imagine i'm gonna ditch my current tele skis (10 year-old skinny bump skis 185) for some new ones this year, and I don't know about length. i ski a 190 alpine, so should tele skis be shorter or longer? i've heard longer because of the longer effective edge, but... I've noticed difficult controlling my skis sometimes with my flexy boots (garmont 3 buckle veloce's), esp. when i'm used to skiin' alpine. One more Q: when i skiied alta, i saw most tele-ers on alpine skis. what do you guys prefer, less weight of a true tele ski, or the preformance of an alpine? Do you lose much performance with a dedicated tele ski? if it doesn't snow, i'll be tele-ing hakuba this weekend... Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Author Share Posted January 30, 2004 From what I hear, the performance gap is narrowing. Length my vector glides are 180. The fatter the shorter. Shorter equals tighter turns, no? I was advised that the 190 vector glides were most definitely open bowl only, and even at my weight, the 180's were quite sufficient. Rule of thumb, from what i've read, skinny's, add 20cm to your height, fats, forehead height... Hard to find too much advice however. I wonder if many pinheads choose alpine skis so they can switch between styles more easily. Which reminds me, I must learn to parallel... Link to post Share on other sites
Teledude 0 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 Fatter=shorter for sure. Alpines vs dedicated teles are a matter of debate but for sure alpines are much stiffer and heavier and can usually only be thrown around with big boots. Many crossovers from the alpine world prefer them beacause they are used to the flex pattern and just the way the feel. but for most people they have to be used with BIG boots. This would be just like taking your apline boots and cripming the toes and making them flex a little. Alpine skis can usually take more abuse but there are plenty of new tele's out there that can take the same and perform much better than using an alpine ski for teleing. I much prefer a dedicated tele ski over an alpine but then I mostly ski soft or spring snow. I will never give up my Tua's, I'm on my fifth pair (and maybe my last-company may have gone under) I'm also light and cna't stand full blown T-1's. Kind of defeats the purpose of teleing FOR ME. But it's mostly personal preference I think. Usually brands that are making the crossover (K2, Rossi, Atomic etc.) have a more alpine like feel and are stiffer than other tele specific brands too. Link to post Share on other sites
IM 0 Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 I think you can draw from your own experiences on how long your stick outght feel right. I have a pair of Volant Cubbs 178, AK Launcher 185, Cycho 185. They all feel great but 185s are indeed a bit of work to miander in the somewhat tight woods but extermely stable in a open. You also should consider your weight + pack. I am at 172/72kg and 178 does just fine, anything shorter, I may have to ride way in the back seat. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted January 31, 2004 Author Share Posted January 31, 2004 Funny you should mention the back seat. I was feeling a little nose-diving on the 180's, and thinking about moving back the bindings a bit. Is that a bad idea? I hope they don't turn out to be too short. At 180/98, I had my doubts that they were long enough, but wanting to turn more easily in trees erred on the side of shortness... Link to post Share on other sites
john_g 0 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 I've been interested in trying telemark. The slog back in the back country is just too much with snowshoes (I'm a snowboarder).What sort of ski length, boot and bindings would you recommend? I couldn't imagine spending too much time on the groomers. Also where do you buy telemark gear in Japan? Link to post Share on other sites
oblivion 5 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Go in a big sports shop and you should find some... Link to post Share on other sites
TeleSkier 0 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Yeah, getting tele stuff over here - maybe a little tough. Recommend the most important thing that you purchase is a good pair of boots. Scarpa and Garmont both make great boots for tele. Crispi as well. Boots are pricey but you will be much more happier if you get a good pair. Next get a pair of bindings - I like the Hammerheads by Rainey Designs - may be hard to get over here in Japan seeing they are mostly sold online. You can also probably get a pair of G3 Targas pretty easily. Lastly worry about the skis. You can't mount the bindings pretty much on all alpine skis. Get a cheaper pair of used alpine skis and use those for a while. As for slogging in the backcountry with your snowboard - have you ever thought of getting a splitboard. Look pretty cool and you can slap some skins on the bottom and ski right on up the mountain. Through in some collapseable poles and you should be in business. Link to post Share on other sites
john_g 0 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Cheers for the tips. I don't mind buying bindings online but what about boots? The hike up doesn't bug me but the slog back through the valleys does : it flattens out , the board stops so out come the snowshoes. Then a couple of hundred metres further down there's a bit of a slope - off with the snowshoes and on with the board again. Maybe a split board would help but telemarks seem more versatile. Link to post Share on other sites
montoya 0 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Just got back from Jinbocho, Ishii Sports seems to have lots of telemark stuff in their yama-ski store, if you're in Tokyo. Have never tried split snowboards, but it looks interesting enough. Although, kinda wonder how strong the board is going to be: http://www.snowboarding.about.com/library/weekly/aa_how_splitboards_work_a.htm http://www.snowboarding.about.com/library/weekly/aapr_VoileSplitDecision.htm http://www.snowboarding.about.com/library/weekly/aapr_burton_split.htm Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted February 1, 2004 Author Share Posted February 1, 2004 john-g, rapie backcountry store in echoland Hakuba has good gear, along with some secondhand rigs. If you:re up there and want to check them out, give me a PM and i'll try to give you directions. If you want advice, need some height/weight info. General guide listed above. If you've never skiied before, start with 'kind' skis, something flexible and forgiving, not too fat. For bc, the scarpa T2's are fantastic. My girl just started this year with a pair and loves them. If, like me, you have particularly wide feet, the Garmonts are the go. the garmont enegryz are the go for all round. If your feet are b27 or below, should have no probs getting either in Japan )rapie has both. Rapie also have a large range of bindings, including full range of targas, (I used to be a boarder but made the transition for the same reasons as you) Link to post Share on other sites
hem now 0 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 miteyak, in response to your question, there is nothing wrong with movign the bindings back a tad for pow skiing. Gives better float. In Australia its no biggie, but given your stats I'd be worried having a 180 in Japanese powder. I am 175cm/80kg, and would not ski on anything less than a 180 in Japanese pow - otherwise tip dive would become more of an issue. You've got another 18kg on me, so don't go too short! This is less of an issue with Garmonts and Crispis, but more of a problem with scarpas. crazyski, I've been teleing a while now, I'd like to think I'm reasonably proficient, and buggered if I can tell the difference between a tele ski and an alpine ski. Dimensions, stiffness and length are all of course factors that help differentiate between different skis, but if you gave me a whole bunch of tele and alpine skis with white topsheets, and asked me to do the Pepsi Challenge, I reckon I'd be stumped. Personally, I buy my skis based on colour. hem now Link to post Share on other sites
john_g 0 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Thanks for the info about Rapie/Ishii Sports, will probably pay Rapie a visit next trip. (Their homepage has a nice map.) I'm 178cm and 72kg. 15 odd years ago I used to ski on a pair of 190cm Fischer somethings but I was only an average skier. I've got a 3 or 4 year old pair of Rossingnol 175cm Carving skis which seem to be pretty flexible (somebody kindly left them out with the rubbish). I was thinking about mounting bindings on them. Any thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted February 3, 2004 Author Share Posted February 3, 2004 They'd probably be ok. I've only ever had dedicated tele skis however. For fats/mid fats, 175-185 should be fine for you. Link to post Share on other sites
CmWebb 0 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 About three weeks ago I saw a pair of tele ski's (second hand) for sale in the tourist info centre in Noriku. Just before you get to the Ski areas. They were going for 10 000 yen all mounted up with bindings so they are probably gone but one never knows. Chris Link to post Share on other sites
CmWebb 0 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Thats Norikura, sorry about that Link to post Share on other sites
IM 0 Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 Miteyak, I have my bidings mounted one inch (2.5cm) behind the standard mounting position (per nordic norm). To be honest, I don't know if I can tell the difference. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted February 5, 2004 Author Share Posted February 5, 2004 Ridden some thigh deep powder with them, no probs but felt NQR. hard to tell if I need to change things yet, but I think I need to get the weight back a little. Gonna try some steep and deep in the next week, and pay special attention to flex and weight dist. I may drop them back a few cms. Link to post Share on other sites
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