Post by telerat on Apr 15, 2024 16:50:16 GMT
Alberta; Yea, get the right gear for the application. Light gear increases speed on flats or ascents and can mean longer and/or faster tours, while heavier gear increases speed and performance on the descents. Each skier must choose from their own preference and skill level, as well as others if in a group. I had one colleague that did spring skiing a tour with descents up to 30 degree on XC/NNN boots and skis. I have done the same tour twice, and thought that was insane and would not copy it. It is a bit special tour with a long hike until the real ascent begins though and with the right conditions such skis are fast. That better tour was much better with my 55mm waist skis and leather boots, than with my Terminators and telemark skis though. I was a bit concerned for the descent when going up, but it was great. Nowadays I would bring Xplore and Falketind or similar skis, but T4 could also be a decent fit.
Bindings are of course part of the whole performance package, just as boots, and maximum support is not the goal with neither T4 nor Alfa Free. Then you would always choose TX Comp or Crispi EVO WC and Freeride or Outlaw X, or similar gear. I would not use such boots nor bindings on an Objective, and especially not on a Madshus M68. If Alfa Free and Xplore at 1000 grams per foot combined could match T4+3-Pin HW (or Switchback) at 2000 grams it would be insane. So back to choosing suitable boots, bindings and skis that both matches each others and the usage.
My wife went from 890 gram boots to 624 gram ones when switching from 75mm to Xplore, without giving up any support. Xplore with the standard flexor is also better than 75mm for kick and glide, and do not have any play unlike my experience with 3-pin bindings. It also feels better and more effective than Switchback in walk mode on flatter terrain. On steeper terrain the weight and possibly boot/binding support dominates for efficiency, assuming you use free pivot with either Xplore, 75mm or NTN. Step-in and -out, as well as no noise and much less snow packing, as well as better hiking comfort are other advantages of Xplore compared to 75mm, and reasons we switched.
I am unsure if a a cable binding adds significantly to torsional rigidity, as it only resist longitudinal tension. The Rottefella 75mm with cable added bending resistance to my old Asolo Morgedal that has a medium stiff midsole, but it felt mismatched and soft. I would have liked a more rigid boot with that binding, but 75mm leather selection is low and I switched to Xplore after trying that combination. The Xplore hard flexor adds significant support/power compared to the standard one, but it will as you say not add any torsional rigidity, and not reach the heel resistance levels of a proper cable binding either.
I skied Xplore and Alfa Free this weekend with two skiers on T4 and Switchback. The rest were on TX Pro and AT gear and skied a steeper route down. On hard snow I skied much faster than the one T4 skier I joined on the descent, but in breakable crust with loose corn below I was not that much faster than him. I would have liked to have my telemark gear for that part.
The skiing in the video is not steep, but not mellow either and rather high speed. The base is not smooth in the first part of the video at least, just see where he pauses his turns. I will claim the skiing is not something that the majority could do on such soft skis, light bindings and boots, but that it has enough performance to do it is nice.
If you think that is tippy toed, you should get glasses and also see what 75mm looks like when fully bent, but it is not easy to see in the video. He is skiing Alfa Free with the hard flexor and that has toes planted on the ski as good as any decent 75mm boots I have seen, unlike the Rottefella PR videos. Free has a very localized flex just behind the toes and a stiff upper, so you get the boot bearing down on the toes, actually so hard that many can not use the boot and the hard flexor: I bought the boot used this year and it just about works for my feet with some discomfort, but no pain or physical problems so far.
I have watched Telehiro, and yes he is a very good skier, but there are many other good skiers too (and even more bad ones). Technique can be varied depending on gear, conditions, skill and preferences, but balance is always paramount.
Bindings are of course part of the whole performance package, just as boots, and maximum support is not the goal with neither T4 nor Alfa Free. Then you would always choose TX Comp or Crispi EVO WC and Freeride or Outlaw X, or similar gear. I would not use such boots nor bindings on an Objective, and especially not on a Madshus M68. If Alfa Free and Xplore at 1000 grams per foot combined could match T4+3-Pin HW (or Switchback) at 2000 grams it would be insane. So back to choosing suitable boots, bindings and skis that both matches each others and the usage.
My wife went from 890 gram boots to 624 gram ones when switching from 75mm to Xplore, without giving up any support. Xplore with the standard flexor is also better than 75mm for kick and glide, and do not have any play unlike my experience with 3-pin bindings. It also feels better and more effective than Switchback in walk mode on flatter terrain. On steeper terrain the weight and possibly boot/binding support dominates for efficiency, assuming you use free pivot with either Xplore, 75mm or NTN. Step-in and -out, as well as no noise and much less snow packing, as well as better hiking comfort are other advantages of Xplore compared to 75mm, and reasons we switched.
I am unsure if a a cable binding adds significantly to torsional rigidity, as it only resist longitudinal tension. The Rottefella 75mm with cable added bending resistance to my old Asolo Morgedal that has a medium stiff midsole, but it felt mismatched and soft. I would have liked a more rigid boot with that binding, but 75mm leather selection is low and I switched to Xplore after trying that combination. The Xplore hard flexor adds significant support/power compared to the standard one, but it will as you say not add any torsional rigidity, and not reach the heel resistance levels of a proper cable binding either.
I skied Xplore and Alfa Free this weekend with two skiers on T4 and Switchback. The rest were on TX Pro and AT gear and skied a steeper route down. On hard snow I skied much faster than the one T4 skier I joined on the descent, but in breakable crust with loose corn below I was not that much faster than him. I would have liked to have my telemark gear for that part.
The skiing in the video is not steep, but not mellow either and rather high speed. The base is not smooth in the first part of the video at least, just see where he pauses his turns. I will claim the skiing is not something that the majority could do on such soft skis, light bindings and boots, but that it has enough performance to do it is nice.
If you think that is tippy toed, you should get glasses and also see what 75mm looks like when fully bent, but it is not easy to see in the video. He is skiing Alfa Free with the hard flexor and that has toes planted on the ski as good as any decent 75mm boots I have seen, unlike the Rottefella PR videos. Free has a very localized flex just behind the toes and a stiff upper, so you get the boot bearing down on the toes, actually so hard that many can not use the boot and the hard flexor: I bought the boot used this year and it just about works for my feet with some discomfort, but no pain or physical problems so far.
I have watched Telehiro, and yes he is a very good skier, but there are many other good skiers too (and even more bad ones). Technique can be varied depending on gear, conditions, skill and preferences, but balance is always paramount.