WANTED: Randonee/Backcountry Ski gear

[celticclimber]

Looking for a good set of used backcountry skis, bindings, and boots. I wear size 9.5-10 alpine ski boots, and ski 170's. I consider myself an expert level Alpine skier.

Brand and model recommendations welcome as well.

Thanks

 

[powderhound]

Are you looking to alpine in the backcounty? Or tele.. if you are going to alpine in the backcountry, you should buy frisch freerides. Anything else you will break. They run about $300 and will fit your current skis and boots. they make the heel pop up so you can skin in.

[Cobra_Commander]

you should buy frisch freerides. Anything else you will break.

 

This just isn't true.

 

They run about $300

 

They retail for over $400.

 

Best to do a little research before "advising" people.

[DirtyHarry]

Yeah that dynafit stuff is crap. Unless you have Fritschi Freerides, and ONLY Fritschi Freerides, your gear WILL break - probably on your first outing.

[Cobra_Commander]

we're talking frisch freerides noob. not those crap fritschi knockoffs

[JayB]

Looking for a good set of used backcountry skis, bindings, and boots. I wear size 9.5-10 alpine ski boots, and ski 170's. I consider myself an expert level Alpine skier.

Brand and model recommendations welcome as well.

Thanks

 

 

If you share a bit more information about what kind of skiing you'll be doing you'll probably get much better recomendations.

 

Are you going to be mostly yo-yoing close to the road? Long Tours, mostly approaches on moderate ground? Will you use the set-up for lift-served skiing as well as BC stuff?

 

My AT-setup conssists of Lowa Struktura EVO's boots, and pair of Freerides mounted on 185cm Fisher Big Stix. Definitely on the heavy/beefy side of the AT spectrum. I envisioned mostly using the stuff for yo-yo skiing, or inbounds with alpine boots. It's great for that kind of thing, but whenever I've had to cover any distance I've suffered accordingly and have coveted a lighter set-up the entire time.

 

I think if I had it to do all over again, and had more money to spend, and was looking for a dedicated BC setup (big if's) I would have gone with a dynafit set-up. Way, way, way lighter, and perform just as well in pretty much any BC type situation that you're likely to get into.

You'll probably pay a bit more, but you'll get your payback with every step that you take with the skis on your back - or rather - anytime that you find yourself working against gravity with the skis on.

[powderhound]

First I apologize for the spelling they incorrectly.

Now let me defend myself, I tele, but have five or size friends that use an AT setup, and all use the Fritschi Diamir Freeride Binding. They swear by them and in their own personal experience work better than any other AT binding out there. For two main reasons first many companies sacrifice strength for weight and second the DIN setting on the bindings goes to 12 and most are in the 8-10 range.

 

And per you $400 claim take a look at this.

 

http://www.backcountry.com/store/BLD0783...&mv_pc=r105

[DirtyHarry]

I tele, but have five or size friends that use an AT setup, and all use the Fritschi Diamir Freeride Binding.

 

Frisch Freeride, must therefore, be the best and only binding to use and anything else will come apart like Jenna Bush's legs at a keg party.

[Cobra_Commander]

Yes, things do go on sale when discontinued.

 

Obviously if all five (or even size) of your friends use them they are the ultimate.

[powderhound]

I tele, but have five or size friends that use an AT setup, and all use the Fritschi Diamir Freeride Binding.

 

Frisch Freeride, must therefore, be the best and only binding to use and anything else will come apart like Jenna Bush's legs at a keg party.

 

Well since Satan never lies I must assume you are telling the truth. There is no denying it.

p.s. I would tell you to burn in hell but I don't think it would do any good.

[Cobra_Commander]

and OMFG din 12!!!???? core.

[Cobra_Commander]

Just to be remotely useful:

 

The Freeride is a great no-maintenance binding good for people who are not doing super-long tours, are fairly heavy or ski fairly aggressively, and are coming straight from lift skiing.

 

There is a lot of slosh in the binding compared to a real alpine binding. There is a lot of plastic where a high-end alpine binding would have metal. Your feet are higher off the topsheet than an alpine binding.

 

It has been redesigned for 06/07 (well it actually has finally been imported from Europe, where it was around last year).

 

The older designs had a nice habit of occasionally disengaging the heel on some jumps when the ski flexed the heel out. This is supposedly fixed.

 

The Dynafit binding is more torsionally rigid than the Freeride, and the boot is lower on the ski much like an alpine binding. They call the release a din 10, but in reality this will vary a bit based on the flex of the ski. You can lock out the toe and the release is "higher". Probably best not to be jumping in them.

 

There is a learning curve to the Dynafit system, and your boot choices are limited to those with the pin holes. The weight savings will literally make you feel like you are running up the hill.

 

The Naxo bindings from BC Access now go to 13 if testosterone is driving your purchasing decisions.

 

I've used the Freeride for about 3 years along with the dynafidgits and they are both great products with their own drawbacks. In the end I have found I like having both. I wouldn't want to work a season pass on Dynafits, but some people do, esp if they are just seeking out the blower days when it's too dangerous to go outside the area.

[G-spotter]

Now let me defend myself, I tele,

 

That's not defending yourself - that's bending over and GOATSE'ing.

[Cobra_Commander]

at least he's honest about it.

[DirtyHarry]

At least he skis, DRU (though actually I'm not so sure he does after reading his suggestion to use regular alpine ski boots to tour with).

[G-spotter]

WTF - I skiied more days than I ice climbed last winter.

[cj001f]

There is a learning curve to the Dynafit system

If you've an IQ above room temperature or the average ttips luddite, it shouldn't be a problem.

[DirtyHarry]

WTF - I skiied more days than I ice climbed last winter.

 

[Cobra_Commander]

There is a learning curve to the Dynafit system

If you've an IQ above room temperature or the average ttips luddite, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

Been to Meadows lately?

[cj001f]

If you've an IQ above room temperature or the average ttips luddite, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

Been to Meadows lately?

 

No (thank god!), but the same ttip types shop at Mammoth

[powderhound]

and I ice climbed more days then I skied.

[kioti]

I feel like standing up for the Naxo a bit here. It is a great binding system, that tours very well, especially if you are running big boots. I found that I was able to climb steeper terrain because the "virtual rotation" allowed me to keep weight on the ski. I had the first gen (the one that earned the naxo the bad rep with a few reported breakages) and never had a problem with them. They've only gotten better since then, and you'd be hard pressed to find a story of the Naxo failing under standard use anymore. The NX21 is a bit of overkill, but it looks great on a pair of Reverends or Mount Bakers. The NX01/NX02 (for this coming season) is a great binding for the about the same weight as the freeride. I'd take the naxo over the free ride any day. A compatabilty issue that I've noticed with the Naxo and garmont boots has come up, although not in the field ever. Garmont bevels the heel rubber of the sole, which can make it hard to get the required step for engaging the heel of the binding. This doesn't seem to come around in the field because the cold rubber is harder and pushes the heel with less forgiveness.

 

Ultimately, don't get too caught up with what people around you are skiing. Realize that all binders have their strengths and weaknesses. Asses those weaknesses and decide if you think it is worth the risk.

 

Dynafits, also rock. They automatically make you look like a bad ass.

[celticclimber]

Holy crap....thanks for the advice. Also, thanks for some of the laughs that are standard fare when discussing gear.

 

Here is the "more information" as requested.

 

I will be using the gear for lift serve and backcountry. I would prefer to have the option to do some multi-day tours (in the unlikely event I can have multiple days off of work once the snow starts to fly again). Most of my snowplay has been at the Baker ski area back country. Access has been post-hole booting and snowshoeing out on Shuksan Arm and out towards Table Mountain. I also snowshoe in with a snow board to Hidden Lake Lookout at least once every winter for a few hours of freshies. No tele here for me...no time to learn a new sport. I would use the gear for winter climbing approaches ...volcanoes, Sisters, Cascade Pass, etc. I weigh about 160 and stand about 5'8"

Oh ya, did I mention I am a cheap bastard and want to spend next to nothing for this?

[JayB]

I'd go with the Dynafit system, even if it costs you more, as it sounds like the only setup that will do everything that you need it to. Doing otherwise would literally be pennywise and pound foolish.

 

Another option for you to consider is getting two separate set-ups, which you might be able to do for less than the cost of a relatively new Dynafit package. Find some old beater approach skis mounted with 404's and use those for approaches, and get a more alpine oriented set-up consisting of some beefier boards mounted with an older Diamir binding for lift served stuff and yo-yoing.

[fheimerd]

I tele and but recently got a randonee set up for long tours were efficiency of movement and flexibility of use are essential. I got dynafit bindings and a lighter dynafit boot, tlt evo. The set up works well for multi-day trips that include climbing peaks. Crampons attachment to the my boots were much more dependable than with tele gear. The dynafit bindings are super light and the boots are among the lightest available. The also were very comfortable to walk in. The one downside to this set up is if you arnlt used to a slightly more flexible boot. Requires a little bit of technique as do entering and exiting the bindings. If youtalk to people the work in the backcountry guiding and touring most I have met go for the dynafit. Fritshis are definately more resort orientated with optional use as backcountry skis. The bulk and weight of Fritschis are substantially more than dynafits.