telemarking

[rbw1966]

E-rock said:

Iain, tele skiing sucks. Unless you want to learn to develop an alternating rythm between arm flailing and punching the ground for balance, while whining "Wait up, wait up" to your snowboarder buddies who've ony been riding for 4 months, don't waste your time. Tele skiing is a pointless excercise in frustration and pain that turns you into a bitter, cynical snow-snob who never enjoys skiing except when EVERTHING is perfect (which it never is) and when NOONE is looking (which they never are, anyways because they're way ahead of you.)

 

That being said, enjoy. I love it more than anything else in the world. And leather is definitely the way to learn, but not the way to progress past a certain point (unless you are an exceptionally gifted athlete).

 

You left out the expensive hospital bills from faceplanting and concussions.

 

Oy vey the learning curve is a brute.

[Lambone]

Good point.

 

One Tip Ian:

 

Wear Goggles!

 

My friend was learning to Tele wearing sunglasses, he faceplanted and split his eye lid in half with the tip of his ski. Somehow it didn't damage his eyeball, but there was a ton of blood and it was pretty grusome. He had to wear an eye patch for a while, but is fine now.

[iain]

I just shattered a pair of goggles sampling some snow in the terrain park the other day, I'll be right at home

[AllYouCanEat]

iain?

 

Why use Leather boots. There are plastic boots out there for tele that are light and keep your feet warm. What I hated about the leathers most was wet, cold feet all the fricken time. There is no need to go back to 210's and leathers to tour. I would get a light plastic boot and some 185's to 90's. This would give you the ability to have fun if and when you have to go downhill. 210's in crust will change your philosophy of "back in the day" really fast. For me, I am never going back to my 210 tuas and leathers.

 

Jason

[E-rock]

rbw1966 said:

E-rock said:

Iain, tele skiing sucks. Unless you want to learn to develop an alternating rythm between arm flailing and punching the ground for balance, while whining "Wait up, wait up" to your snowboarder buddies who've ony been riding for 4 months, don't waste your time. Tele skiing is a pointless excercise in frustration and pain that turns you into a bitter, cynical snow-snob who never enjoys skiing except when EVERTHING is perfect (which it never is) and when NOONE is looking (which they never are, anyways because they're way ahead of you.)

 

That being said, enjoy. I love it more than anything else in the world. And leather is definitely the way to learn, but not the way to progress past a certain point (unless you are an exceptionally gifted athlete).

 

You left out the expensive hospital bills from faceplanting and concussions.

 

Oy vey the learning curve is a brute.

 

Too fucking funny. How could I forget that? I just got 6 stitches in the chin last month from that very thing. Last weekend I bought 10cm shorter skis, now I'll just cut my throat.

[iain]

I don't really have an opinion about leathers I just got ahold of them for free so I was looking to save some dough. Thanks for the input.

 

I'm sure I'll find some way to spend money.

 

BTW like your site, cool stuff.

[E-rock]

Iain, in response to all the leather naysayers.... Leather will teach you the proper flex necessary to do a telemark turn with the ball of your back foot down. Modern telemark technique is often backseat telemarking because so much energy is required to keep the ball down with plastic boots. Newer bindings like the Hammerhead are helping alleviate this problem, but people on bindings like the G3's are skiing on their tippy-toes. Voile three pin cables are a great binding for keeping the ball of your foot down.

[cj001f]

AllYouCanEat said:

iain?

 

Why use Leather boots. There are plastic boots out there for tele that are light and keep your feet warm. What I hated about the leathers most was wet, cold feet all the fricken time. There is no need to go back to 210's and leathers to tour. I would get a light plastic boot and some 185's to 90's. This would give you the ability to have fun if and when you have to go downhill. 210's in crust will change your philosophy of "back in the day" really fast. For me, I am never going back to my 210 tuas and leathers.

 

Jason

 

185-190's, depending on how much you weigh (but with a pack pretty much everyone's over 200 in winter) suck for kick & glide (as do plastic boots). Leather, because of the lack of torsional rigidity, and the breakin specific flex characteristics, among other things, requires alot more skill to ski, and has a much different feel. Sure if your touring for turns, plastics are easier to ski (and there is that nice dry part). But there's no difference in weight between Dynafit AT gear and a plastic boot setup.

 

Carl

[E-rock]

I thought the AT stuff was LIGHTER

[E-rock]

I'm also missing a front tooth

[iain]

maybe I'll pass on this whole thing. seems too painful.

[dryad]

As a junior aspiring telemarker, I have to say that the learning curve sucks, and if you already know how to downhill ski, stick to AT gear and don't bother, unless of course you're a glutton for punishment.

[ChrisT]

I, for one, do not wish to lose a breast to skiing

[gregm]

iain,

 

i will sell you (or anyone else) some 195 tua montets. classic tell ski good for touring/leather boots. cheap.

[Roger]

iain, you should buy those montets. If you try to drive Mitos in leather boots, you will s-u-f-f-e-r.

 

Actually, you will suffer no matter what you do if you are convinced that you need to learn how to tele in leather boots. I have heard a lot of people say "it's better to learn in leather." I think people say this because it's what they did, and they suffered, and they want to make you suffer, too. Break the cycle of violence. Go get yourself some relatively soft plastic boots and save yourself a season or two of misery. I've done both leather and plastic, and I'm here to tell you that there's nothing "fake" about making tele turns in plastic. For SAR use in varied snow conditions, you'll be a lot better off, IMHO.

Have fun! Hope to see you on the hill.

[dalius]

I wholeheartedly agree that the plasic boot is much easier, but leather is fun, in some really sick way. The leathers definitely force you to have better style. You can't "fake it" in the leathers. You almost feel like there is nothing between you and the snow, a very weird feeling. Plastics afterwards will seem muted, dampened, numb, etc. That being said, I only stick to my plastics because they *are* easier, I *can* get away with bad form, I can parallel in them easier when it gets really hairy, and I can ski stuff in plastics that I would never go down in leathers. But if you're just hitting up mellower slopes and want to learn some good form and have fun and laugh and see what it's all about, go for it. In the end it's just skiing, and it's all about having a good time. Plus, leather + 3pin is a much cheaper way to try out tele than going and purchasing a plastic/beefy binding combo.

 

just my $0.02

[iain]

yes and again the boots were free from a generous individual so I'm going to try it out w/ those. wow some strong opinions about this. it would mainly be used for cruising around mount hood more than anything.

[cman]

forget the leathers. get plastics and a ski like the k2 world piste. you will be much better to start and only get better.

otherwise if you want to be retro you should try some ice climbing with an old style wooden ice axe, hobnailed boots and chop steps.

seriously though, the cascades are AT land and you should save yourself the trouble and go that route.

 

[David_Parker]

E-rock said:

Iain, tele skiing sucks. Unless you want to learn to develop an alternating rythm between arm flailing and punching the ground for balance, while whining "Wait up, wait up" to your snowboarder buddies who've ony been riding for 4 months, don't waste your time. Tele skiing is a pointless excercise in frustration and pain that turns you into a bitter, cynical snow-snob who never enjoys skiing except when EVERTHING is perfect (which it never is) and when NOONE is looking (which they never are, anyways because they're way ahead of you.)

 

That being said, enjoy. I love it more than anything else in the world. And leather is definitely the way to learn, but not the way to progress past a certain point (unless you are an exceptionally gifted athlete).

 

Erock, you are so full of shit or a weak athlete who thinks skiing is only done at resorts! Pull your head out of the snow and take a look around. I friggin' lap knuckle draggers except on lift serviced runs. Some people are willing to put in the time to learn something difficult. Snowboarding is for those who aren't.

 

Ian, I learned on Asolo Extremes and 207 Karhu Extremes. I'll sell you the skis for cheap if you want. Voile 3-pin bindings with the plate. I also have some Merrill Super comps (leather/plastic) size 9-9.5 for sale too. Comfy as all hell with a little more support for the coast range snow. I also ski alpine skis with leathers no problem. Just buy a light (weight), intermediate ski with a sport sidecut. FUN! I did the Haute route in the Asolos/Karhus no problem.

 

I fell alot when I learned, but seeing the other guys shred (this was back in '85) kept me inspired while I'd have thoughts of quitting. I can't express how much fun you will have once you can ski anywhere you can on alpine or AT gear. Keeps you in top shape too for climbing.

[Beck]

Leather is a fine choice for learning, they WERE free, and he wants to try something different- why not?

 

You CAN ski leather in the steeps, in the deeps, they work just fine.

Mega bangs or TMex you will be doing a lot of ankle work.

 

many of you people who are anti leather probably have NEVER skied leather, or just gave up too soon and jumped into plastics. There are conditions i would want plastic boots, high speed lift serviced skiing, absolutely. A long alaska trip, or a big traverse here, yes.

a rolling terrain, messing around ski- tele in leather would be first choice.

I ski leather almost all the time. i wear plastics for high cycle lift serviced skiing. Powder days, leather. I've been telemarking since 1984 and can ski double black diamond runs, bumps, 50 degree slot couloirs, the Muir snowfield, you name it, in leather boots. Doesn't seem the boot is a limiting factor.

 

There is a certain feel from a leather boot that you cannot get in even the lightest plastic boot- sensitivity. You feel the ski better, you nuance the ski better, in leather.

 

I skied waist deep powder in leather boots, 200 cm old school straight boards, and a three pins only (no cable) binding this year, and probably had the most fun in the soft stuff ever! with this light, light setup- People on plastics are missing the boat when it comes to what a tele setup is all about.

 

 

 

 

[Billygoat]

Amen Brother....

[Skisports]

iain said:

I don't really have an opinion about leathers I just got ahold of them for free so I was looking to save some dough. Thanks for the input.

 

I'm sure I'll find some way to spend money.

 

BTW like your site, cool stuff.

 

 

I started on the same boots for free.... used them 2days and hated them because of my race background in alpine. I would still recomend that you get a pair of plastics. You may save money by useing you leathers but will the money saved be worth the frustration of not being able to learn and ski as fast as you want to. my 2 cents

[Skisports]

Beck said:

Leather is a fine choice for learning, they WERE free, and he wants to try something different- why not?

 

You CAN ski leather in the steeps, in the deeps, they work just fine.

Mega bangs or TMex you will be doing a lot of ankle work.

 

many of you people who are anti leather probably have NEVER skied leather, or just gave up too soon and jumped into plastics. There are conditions i would want plastic boots, high speed lift serviced skiing, absolutely. A long alaska trip, or a big traverse here, yes.

a rolling terrain, messing around ski- tele in leather would be first choice.

I ski leather almost all the time. i wear plastics for high cycle lift serviced skiing. Powder days, leather. I've been telemarking since 1984 and can ski double black diamond runs, bumps, 50 degree slot couloirs, the Muir snowfield, you name it, in leather boots. Doesn't seem the boot is a limiting factor.

 

There is a certain feel from a leather boot that you cannot get in even the lightest plastic boot- sensitivity. You feel the ski better, you nuance the ski better, in leather.

 

I skied waist deep powder in leather boots, 200 cm old school straight boards, and a three pins only (no cable) binding this year, and probably had the most fun in the soft stuff ever! with this light, light setup- People on plastics are missing the boat when it comes to what a tele setup is all about.

 

 

 

You still lose Precision and things get sloppy when things are soft. no pun intended....

 

 

[Billygoat]

It is a great feeling to softly caress the snow. I'm not always in the mood to fuck it. No pun intended...

[ChrisT]

...and the snow thanks you