The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2013-2014 season

I’d also be interested in an explanation of different touring bindings. I’ve just stuck with my 7tm tellie bindings with a touring attachment. I keep seeing loads if different set ups but never go up and ask how they work.

If be interested to know about the dyna fit above.

If be interested to know about the dyna fit above.

Apparently will work with pretty much any binding type, which sounds pretty cool!

I’d also be interested in an explanation of different touring bindings

This is slightly out of date but covers the basics – http://mountaintracks.co.uk/blog/ski-touring-bindings-facts. There’s a new touring binding from Salomon this year which looks like a real competitor to Marker; in particular you can transfer from ski to walk without taking the ski off.

Apparently will work with pretty much any binding type, which sounds pretty cool

Probably not very well with an alpine binding though – touring/freeride boots that will work with an alpine binding usually have interchangeable toe and heel pieces, like for example the Scarpa Freedoms. I’m told that although the touring sole will often fit in an alpine binding it compromises the release. Haven’t tried it myself though.

I started using the original Silvretta touring binding which were heavy but reliable and worked fine. The Dynafit Tech bindings came along and I couldn’t resist the weight saving. They also proved to be reliable and place the hinge nearer the toe so they feel more like X-C kit. I had some (non)release issues but once I set the forward release lighter than my normal piste settings they were fine (this involved changing the spring at the time but is now the small screw).

I tried an original Fritschi but the movement felt odd because the hinge was so far from the toe, they also suffered breakages at the time so I opted for Tech.

There are lots of brands in the market now and recently I saw someone out on some Fritschi/Marker type bindings on which they’ve added a link in the front hinge to improve the motion. I’ve tried to find them with Google and failed.

Boots are a personal thing. When choosing bear in mind that the looser and more flexible the top part the faster you’ll go up. Look for boots that allow a maximum of amplitude without too much heel lift that don’t press on your toes when moving the ski forward with the boot open. Downhill I’m happy in any old flexible boot but you might not like minimalist race boots if you like carving on piste or jumping off things. I generally strip the boots of spoiler and superfluous velcro straps, and add elastics to buckles to stop them flapping when completely undone. Madame thermoforms her inners, I prefer not to.

Rio is right, release is lousy with rubber soles in alpine bindings, unless you have bindings with a sliding plate in the front binding, LOOK for example. Race GS skis with razor sharp edges and touring boots is an experience I won’t be repeating.

End of Season Sales are starting. Snowsafe have got 50% off some of their avi gear.

Anyone fancy a Dakine Heli Pro backpack for £29?

http://www.snowsafe.co.uk/sale—clearance.html

in particular you can transfer from ski to walk without taking the ski off.

IMO this is one of the least useful features of a binding.

In that getting the skins back on without taking the skis off isn’t going to happen.

IMO this is one of the least useful features of a binding.

This was highlighted to me after a long skate/pole along a cross-country ski track when I said I’d have put my Barons into climb mode if it wasn’t such a PITA, but now that you mention it that’s probably a pretty unusual scenario! But the method of switching is much easier than some others (like the aforementioned Barons).

Even after years of X-C skate racing I skate my rando skis locked down. If the boots aren’t already unlocked I’ll reach down and release the top buckle and boot lock but I find skating with heel-heavy rando skis worse than locked down. The old Silvrettas had an adjustable spring like an X-C binding but the Techs have nothing.

Snow+Rock sale has started:

http://www.snowandrock.com/all/clearance/fcp-category/home

The big melt has started too, skiing in a T-shirt at over 2000m, don’t leave your end of season skiing too late.

In that getting the skins back on without taking the skis off isn’t going to happen.

.

Yup. I can’t think of many situations where you’d be switching from ski to walk and not putting skins on.

Such as ? If you’re heading down you’re locked down. If it’s flat you’re skating locked down. If it’s easy uphill you’re still skating locked down, and when it all gets to much it’s time for skins.

Ignore my previous post, I read over “can’t”, Spin, this being STW and me being a troll I generally assume people are disagreeing with me.

Someone skating on rando skis

I’ve got those Salomon Guardians this year – really easy to use and a great compromise for a bit of side country. They’ll only get used for an hour or two skin up to some freshies rather than full day touring and spend 90% of their time as a normal DH binding. Perfect for what I need.

St Anton this time tomorrow 🙂

Forecasts for the next week are looking a tad warm. I guess it will suit the kids more than us.

Yeah, blue skies and warmer temps with overnight freezes I guess. Avi risk is dropping though, so might hunt out some of the steeper stuff 🙂

this is hilarious!

17 Month Old Baby Snowboarding!

I’m leaving st Anton tomorrow after a week here. The off piste is now a bit heavy and well tracked.

Still get up early and there is still some great skiing to be had! Hot today though. Went skiing in a compression top and at shirt all day

My friend is due any moment, then we’re off tomorrow to Austria, Saalbach Hinterglem.

Whooppeeee.

Don’t know if this has been PSA’d, but just in case you need a bit of epic splitboard rando stuff in your life, Jeremy Jones Further[/url] is streaming FOC until Tuesday on the Teton Gravity website.

Very warm today,
Snow is disappearing fast and nothing is forecast to fall in the time we’re out here.
Lovely resort with clean and well run hill restaurants, not too pricy either.

Hoping tomorrow won’t be as busy as there is very little in the way of off piste.

Lots of people looking like lobsters at the end of today, it wasn’t just warm it was hot. T-shirt and shorts at 1800m.

Right then, decent ski goggles. Sales inbound surely.

Any recommendations. Prefer interchangeable. Prefer less than £100.

Prefer, not set in stone.

Melon optics. Just had a week away with mine and were spot on.

Piemonster, got to shop. Try on some goggles with your helmet. Buy the ones that fit best.

Just got back from week in serre che.
Fairly busy with all the ski schools going with the little gremlins, but fantastic weather. Had a dump of fresh powder first day we were there and cloudless days the rest of the week.
Few brown patches appearing towards the end of the week and the lifts were giving temps of 12 degrees on saturday at 2000m.

Piemonster: yeah, what Flashy says. As with many things, fit and comfort are as important as tech specs and reviews.

Take your helmet and your face along to a shop and see what goggle fit well.

Bit worried about all this talk of high temps: off to Les Deux Alpes on Friday.

I believe the idea is to lighten the tips to get faster changes of direction. Either way, Kastle skis are lovely to ski, but they do look a little ‘Hedge fund manager’s skis’ for my liking!

Hey Flashy, no it wasn’t the Kastles! I like those skis though. It looked more like someone got a hammer and put a dent in the tip (at the part thats off the snow). Just a bit odd looking and I’m trying to remember who made them. Saw a few of them last season and the season before, haven’t been as aware of them this season.

Re the other thing, I call myself a ‘biker’ since I’m a mountain biker, so its makes sense for me to call snowboarders ‘boarders’ 😛 .

It looked more like someone got a hammer and put a dent in the tip (at the part thats off the snow).

Rossignol are pretty blunt nosed, certainly.

Or do you mean more like these?

No, not those either 🙁 . It was more a dent inwards like a small inverted cone almost. Hard to explain! Think of half a 3D drawing of a black hole, that kind of thing.

ocrider – Thanks!! That’s this evening sorted!

Ah, I think I know what you mean. Something like a Scott Crusade?

I can’t quite tell from that angle but could be it! Thanks! Just one of those small things I needed to know.

No more talk of melting snow please.

We’re not away until the Easter holidays (7 year old so school holidays, 3 year old so half term is a bit cold).

Les Gets, so we can always scoot across to Avoriaz if needs be.

Sorry but more talk of melting snow, it’s not just warm here in Saalbach, it’s hot. Snow was getting soft by mid morning never mind mid afternoon. the good news is that after lunch we felt a marked drop in air temps. fingers crossed it continues this way but double figure temps forecast for the rest of the week.

Serre Che in late season gets stupidly hot. The key is to get up early and get up high.

Oh, and dispel any thoughts of a nice ski back to the village. Stay high, then download on a lift.

In short, get up, get some altitude and stay up there. Spring skiing in a nutshell.

Oh, and lightweight kit and lots of water and suncream obviously.

Righty ho, Ta Goggle responders

Always fun surfing the slush back to the village for cold beers at the end of a hot day on the slopes.