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AT skis -- Advice from the plab crowd?


Alpinfox

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Heya,

I don't know shit about AT skis, but I want some and I need some advice from all you ultra-plab, BC, jibbers. I'm a pretty good downhill skier, so I'm not gonna be a total gumby. I hope to use them for stuff like going up St. Helens, Hood, Muir, Inspiration Glacier... dat kinda schtuff.

 

What length/type/brand skis? I'm 5'11"/140lbs (skinny bastard)

What kind of boots/bindings?

 

Would JoshK's K2 Shuksans be a good setup for me?

 

I'm definately looking to get used stuff as I am unemployed/poor/cheapskate, so if you have stuff to sell, don't expect big $$ from me. I'm hoping to score a good deal at the end of the season.

 

I apologize if this question has been asked a million times.

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I'm 6' 165ish on last years 180 Shuksans (same year as Josh's I think) and quite happy with them, though I've haven't ever demoed other bc skis. With Scarpa Lasers and Dynafits it's a pretty light setup at about 23 pounds. Coming from a downhill background it takes some getting used to, but once you do they get the job done - good sidecut for the hardpack and a good width for the crud around here. Sierra Trading Post had Shuksans on sale a week or so ago, might want to check that out.

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With Scarpa Lasers and Dynafits it's a pretty light setup at about 23 pounds. Coming from a downhill background it takes some getting used to, but once you do they get the job done - good sidecut for the hardpack and a good width for the crud around here. Sierra Trading Post had Shuksans on sale a week or so ago, might want to check that out.

 

Hey, you sure about the weight thing? I bet that setup weighs less than that. I just got curious and weighed my setup, Lasers, Freerides, and alpine skis, and my stuff's only 18#6. I pulled my bf's Shuksan/Dynafit setup out of the roof box several times this w/e and I swear that even with the extra 10cm of ski, his setup is a bunch lighter than mine.

 

Sorry about the thread drift, I was just curious about the weight.

 

Pax, you might try Evogear for used skis. They do mainly alpine ski gear, but a lot of people mount AT or tele on alpine skis these days. I got a pair of K2 T:nine Xs from them, very lightly used, one set of binding holes, for $160. thumbs_up.gif I would definitely buy skis from them again. You get way more options if you are willing to set up on alpine gear, the main diff seems to be the weight, and there are a lot of pretty light alpine skis out there nowadays. Somebody correct me if there is more to it than that.

 

They are currently having a "tent sale" in the old PCC space in Fremont, 34th just W of Fremont Ave. Ask for Bryce if you need some advice, he set me up good after I told him what I was planning to do with the gear.

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maybe someone will want to boxing_smiley.gif with me about this advice, but if money is an object you should spend it in this order: 1st: plabbest boots that fit your feet and your needs, 2nd: Bindings that fit your boots, 3rd: Skis.

 

my first ski setup budget was: $500 boots, $100 bindings, $4 skis Geek_em8.gif

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I like Fern's advice on this one.

 

One more thing...a lot of people here are wearing boots with some kind of Thermofit liner. I love mine, and most everyone I've talked with has said yes, this Thermofit thing is the plabbest thing ever. Some boots have it as an option, and some have it standard issue, like the Scarpa Denali. The Denali also takes Dynafit bindings. Some do that and some don't do that.

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Pax, you might try Evogear for used skis. They do mainly alpine ski gear, but a lot of people mount AT or tele on alpine skis these days.

 

Evogear thumbs_up.gif

 

just get a ski that's good for the way you ski and the type of stuff you want to ski. both my AT setup and my tele setup are on "alpine" skis.

 

and yeah; what fern says - boots first, then bindings, then skis. or if you're like me, you can just use your alpine boots and get bindings first and then skis. i'm still looking for AT-specific boots that will fit me, but i haven't had any problems at all skinning in my alpine boots.

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I am skiing Atomic TM22 Betarides, with diamir 3 bindings and Denali boots.

 

The skiis are fantastic, no problems at all with the bindings. You lighter types can get away with the dynafit binding.

 

The Denali boots are awesome skiing boots, but they are very stiff for touring, I have a hard time telling if they are in ski or walk mode without checking the lever - and that is while skiing groomed runs.

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