Five Steps to Buying a Cheap Telemark Ski Setup

Gered makes his own climbing skins out of snow.

November is a tough month for skiers. Your mailbox is filling up with ski magazines, your inbox is getting blasted with announcements for ski movie premiers and resort lodging specials, and you've already dusted off your gear and put the ski rack back on your car. Still, the season still seems so very far away. Sure, you may get an October treat to tide you over for a few days but pretty soon it's brown and bleak again and you're counting down the days until you can make some real turns.

Backcountry Ski Ideas: Fall 2010

My Basement

I've been busy researching (obsessing over) skis for the upcoming ski season.  Based on my research, I've put together a chart comparing the best options out there for an East Coast skier.

These are organized based on the width of the ski underfoot.   Generally speaking, a ski with a thinner sidecut will perform better on hard pack and ice, while a ski with a wider waist will float better on powder.

The radius of the ski is a function of the sidecut ratio.  If you can imagine the curve between the widest and thinnest part of the ski as part of the diameter of a circle, the number listed is the radius of that imaginary circle.  The lower the sidecut radius, generally speaking, the easier it is to turn the ski.  However, this is not always the case.  Sometimes the shovel design can lead to better turn initiation.

Most of these skis are considered "medium-fat" skis.  I've left off the widest skis, and also elminated the heavier skis from consideration. 

The prices are as of 9/24/10 from the listed retailer.  If you find a better deal, feel free to leave a comment.  Enjoy.

Model	Sidecut			Radius	Weight/lb	Length/cm	Price	Retailer
Volkl Snow Wolf	113	76	100	18.1	6	170	$199.00	www.untracked.com
Dynafit 7 Summits	113	78	100	20	5.5	170	$531.21	www.campsaver.com
BD Machine	123	79	108	16.5	7.1	166	$99.00	www.gearx.com
BD Stigma	123	79	108	17	6.4	174	$490.00	www.evo.com
Atomic RT80	121	80	107	17	6.3	171	$230.00	www.gearx.com
K2 Backup	125	82	110	19	7	174	$300.00	www.mammothgear.com
Mt. Baker Superlight	122	86	107	21	6.6	167	$280.00	www.evo.com
Karhu Spire BC	122	86	108	22	7	177	$299.00	www.secondascent.com
Dynafit Mustagh Ata	116	86	109	24	6.6	169	$468.00	www.sierratradingpost.com
BD Voodoo	123	88	112	21	7.3	175	$250.00	www.gearx.com
K2 Wayback	124	88	108	22	6.8	174	$372.00	www.o2gearshop.com
Atomic Kalais	125	88	111	20.5	8.1	174	$280.00	www.helm-sports.com
BD Havoc	121	88	113	21	7.6	175	$325.00	www.mammothgear.com
BD Aspect	130	90	117	19	6.5	176	$570.00	www.gearx.com

Rudy Reborn: Better, Stronger, Faster

"We can make him better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster."

From Sean Astin to Steve Austin, Rudy is reborn.  It didn't exactly cost six million dollars, or even six dollars for that matter, but Rudy's back and better than before.

Whitesnake: A Ski Review

...an' I've made up my mind, ...I'm ain't wasting no more time.... Here I go again with another ski review.

It's not everyday that you come across some guy from Tennessee selling several thousand pairs of identical skis on Ebay.  After failing to sell his bulk load of army surplus skis, I encouraged the owner to sell me a few pairs (Gered and Justin jumped on the deal too) for $25 a piece.  Not bad.

What's the Difference Between an Alpine Touring Ski and a Telemark Ski?

Aren't you just sick and tired of hearing this question from your friends and family members and not having a decent answer?  Well today is your lucky day.

Now be forewarned.  This is one of those situations where more knowledge equals more complication.  Before I reveal this mystery, let me be clear that manufacturers don't always clearly label when a ski has been manufactured for telemark or alpine touring performance. Furthermore you begin to notice the downright contradictions in most ski reviews.  You may end up doing a lot of digging to determine whether a ski is "ideal" for a particular type of endeavor. You may be better off just not knowing.  Read on at your peril.

Update: Rudy Sidelined

It figures.  After espousing the virtues of Rudy, Murphy and his freakin law would catch up with me in the mountains of Vermont.  Alas, this last Sunday Rudy found his match in the glades of Andre's Paradise on Jay Peak..  I finished my first turn at the top of the glades, and lept into a second jump-turn when my left foot came flying out of the binding.

An AT Setup for less than $100!!

I recently came across a couple of deals on Ebay, that combined, can get you on your way into the backcountry for less than the price of two days of skiing at Stowe.