more advice on back country/climbing skis

[eli]

Another "back-country" ski question

I have just received a new in the box set of Ramer Military cable bindings. Manufactured in Golden CO.

I intend to mount them on a "brand new" still in the plastic 15 year old RD Valdez Extreme GS skis

I am hoping to make an effective pair of "back country" tough touring type ski out of them, with some "downhill" capability.

My question is I have a pair of Scarpa Inverno plastic hiking boots I plan to use with these skis and bindings.
Does this sound like and effective combination for:

a- touring and back country -
b- telemark type downhill skiing

these bindings hinge from the toe.
Will I be able to find "skins" for these?

 

[David Metsky]

A) No. GS skis are too stiff for effective touring. You won't have any wax pocket and they'll be heavy for skinning up the trails. Combine that with a stiff boot like the Inverno and I don't see you having much fun touring on this setup unless it is straight up and straight down.

B) No. The Inverno isn't a telemark boot. There's no flex or bellows, you won't really be able to do anything but a parallel turn. Plus with a binding that hinges from the toe you won't be able to get in tele position anyways. This is more like an AT setup.

Skins aren't a problem, any wide skin will fit the ski, you can trip for width and length.

-dave-

 

[eli]

Thanks Dave. I was considering that set-up to do mostly flat approach, in lieu of snowshoeing. The choice of the boot, was simply it is my winter hiking boot and is crampon friendly. I was looking for a way to not have to change foot wear as the terrain changed. So for a "kick and glide" type of flat land travel you don't feel this is an efficient set-up? I have not mounted these yet.
Is there a better application for these bindings or are they more "nostalgic" then useful? eli

 

[Karhu]

The cable bindings of old do not do well under the added stress put onto them by the newer boots. I've pulled the binding out twice of an older ski setup with plastic tele boots. If I've imagined the right bindings they are meant for soft boots it you want to do more than glide.

 

[el-bagr]

Just last Friday I pulled cable bindings out of my skis (old Karhu Outbounds, actually) with leather boots. The new plan is to get cheap 5-screw riser plates and really bolt things on.

Ramers aren't usually much loved. With that setup, you can hike/skin up carrying minimal weight, but the downhill will suffer: something intermediate between XC touring and true alpining. Flatland diagonal striding will work, but not so efficiently as tele or XC because of the rigidity of the boot/binding combo (you only have one pivot point: the front of the binding). On the downhills, the free heel effect won't be like true tele, insofar as you will be forced to apply pressure with the toes as opposed to the ball of your foot as in tele. Additionally, though the boots are good for mountaineering, they are relatively slushy compared to true alpine/AT/tele boots.

I think your proposed setup will be OK at everything, but probably great at nothing. If you're doing an extended trip with variable conditions and terrain -- where the objective is to make the trip, as opposed to have great touring or downhilling -- you will be as satisfied as possible.

But -- not to hijack the thread -- IMO it's still a better setup than snowshoes.

 

[eli]

Thanks el-bagr and Karhu. I was basically looking to "cover ground " as easily as possible, knowing I was probably sacrificing the "high end" of either touring or tele. but just wanted to stay afloat where I would need snowshoes, as I felt I would perhaps travel easier and faster. Sounds like I may need to reconsider though. Guess I got caught up in the moment as I had the skis and came into possesion of the Ramers. eli

 

[dave.m]

Eli,

It really depends on what you want to do when you are "approaching".

In terms of boot/binding combo, this will suffice for levelish walking and will be stable and supportive, albeit clunky, for carrying a heavy pack. You will get better downhill control than light xc stuff but you need to hassle with changing modes if you get on up & down, rollie-pollie hiking trails.

NOTE: Noted Cascade mountaineer, Lowell Skoog, uses AT bindings and plastic climbing boots for his trips in the Cascades, but he picks routes with comparatively moderate downhills. His reasoning is that he would rather ski in climbing boots than climb in ski boots.

In terms of the skis, I think the biggest priorities would be length and surface area. I would go with something no longer than 180cm and something 70mm wide under the foot. This will be maneveurable in tight woods and provide better floatation in soft snow. If your GS boards fit this description, then use them till you find something better.

Hope this helps,

Dave