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Posted

Found a screaming deal this morning and ordered a pair of those Chams I demoed at Taos. I went with the 97's at 178, so that I can make slow deliberate turns. This will not only be a great ski when I'm with my kids since I can make a million turns with them, but I tested it on every possible type of terrain on low-tide conditions and I loved it.

  • Like 1
Posted

Found a screaming deal this morning and ordered a pair of those Chams I demoed at Taos. I went with the 97's at 178, so that I can make slow deliberate turns. This will not only be a great ski when I'm with my kids since I can make a million turns with them, but I tested it on every possible type of terrain on low-tide conditions and I loved it.

Congrats... Gotta love getting new shit.
Posted

Looking to fill the 105-110 range - research has the Cham 107s and Line supernatural 108s as my leading choices. Will probably do something totally stupid and buy without demoing right after consuming many beers. Just a matter of time...

Posted

I bought new running pants — fresh pair of sweats with the ass not all worn out for when I'm sitting on the couch watching them run in the Olympics this summer.

 

USA!! USA!! USA!! USA!! USA!! USA!!

Posted

Do you go through a pair a month??

No usually every 400ish miles. Some more, some less. 3-4 pair a year.

 

I didn't need new shoes, I just wanted something new, quicker, and lighter to race in.

Posted

Have to grab some bindings for the new Chams and thinking about something I can do some uphill travel with once in a while. Leaning toward guardians based on Internet research. Anybody know anything about these or have other recommendations?

  • Like 2
Posted (edited)

Have to grab some bindings for the new Chams and thinking about something I can do some uphill travel with once in a while. Leaning toward guardians based on Internet research. Anybody know anything about these or have other recommendations?

 

Tech is the best but requires new boots unless you have swap able blocks.

 

AT bindings are a spectrum from downhill like to randonee/at racing gear. The most downhill like are Marker Dukes but they are heavy and the toes slop out eventually the guardian and the tyrolia attack are in the middle a good balance of weight and alpine like performance. Of the two the tyrolia is slicker but not as reliable as the guardian and the attacks heal slider lock mechanism sucks in deep snow.

 

If you think at some point you want to put on distance tech is the way to go, they are redonk light and skin like a billy goat. They ski a bit strange because there is like no binding and in your mind it feels weird but you can rip on tech setups just like alpine.

 

 

Whatever you get buy good skins, uphill sucks no matter what the binding if you cheap out on skins or don't take reasonable care of them.

Edited by Johnny Law
Posted

Tech is the best but requires new boots unless you have swap able blocks.

 

AT bindings are a spectrum from downhill like to randonee/at racing gear. The most downhill like are Marker Dukes but they are heavy and the toes slop out eventually the guardian and the tyrolia attack are in the middle a good balance of weight and alpine like performance. Of the two the tyrolia is slicker but not as reliable as the guardian and the attacks heal slider lock mechanism sucks in deep snow.

 

If you think at some point you want to put on distance tech is the way to go, they are redonk light and skin like a billy goat. They ski a bit strange because there is like no binding and in your mind it feels weird but you can rip on tech setups just like alpine.

 

 

Whatever you get buy good skins, uphill sucks no matter what the binding if you cheap out on skins or don't take reasonable care of them.

Cool man, thanks for the info! We're talking 99% resort 1% uphill probably. In my dreams I'd love to tour all the time and really get into that but it ain't happening any time soon due to where I live and available free time. The thing that got me interested was when I went to Stowe and I was like the 2nd person in the parking lot, but the only other guy there was getting geared up for a skin up the mountain before they open. Just seemed like something that would be great exercise, and would be fun to do once in a while if I get a wild hair up my ass.

 

One more question - is it better to skin with a walk/ride boot in walk mode or is that setting only helpful for hiking? I have a pair of boots with walk/ride that have plenty of life left in them, but I replaced with something stiffer.

Posted

Cool man, thanks for the info! We're talking 99% resort 1% uphill probably. In my dreams I'd love to tour all the time and really get into that but it ain't happening any time soon due to where I live and available free time. The thing that got me interested was when I went to Stowe and I was like the 2nd person in the parking lot, but the only other guy there was getting geared up for a skin up the mountain before they open. Just seemed like something that would be great exercise, and would be fun to do once in a while if I get a wild hair up my ass.

 

One more question - is it better to skin with a walk/ride boot in walk mode or is that setting only helpful for hiking? I have a pair of boots with walk/ride that have plenty of life left in them, but I replaced with something stiffer.

 

It is really tremendous exercise but something that no matter how fast or slow you are you can get out to really wild places, plus out west the ability to go just a little bit further than most is all you need to get lots of untouched.

 

There is surprisingly alot of debate about hike modes and touring. I have no idea why I think they are infinitely more comfortable in hike mode but some guys swear it gives you blisters and I guess it could get a bit hairy if your posted up on something steep but then your using a boot ladder anyways.

 

The best boot is whatever is the most comfortable unless your just doing slack country in that case pick whatever you can stomach touring in but gives you the downhill performance you desire.

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Posted

It is really tremendous exercise but something that no matter how fast or slow you are you can get out to really wild places, plus out west the ability to go just a little bit further than most is all you need to get lots of untouched.

 

There is surprisingly alot of debate about hike modes and touring. I have no idea why I think they are infinitely more comfortable in hike mode but some guys swear it gives you blisters and I guess it could get a bit hairy if your posted up on something steep but then your using a boot ladder anyways.

 

The best boot is whatever is the most comfortable unless your just doing slack country in that case pick whatever you can stomach touring in but gives you the downhill performance you desire.

Could just take it to PM at this point lol, but maybe the answers to my questions are helpful to others.

 

Here's another one: pretty much all of the non-tech touring bindings have a small and large size choice. Small is usually up to 320 bsl, large ranges from somewhere under 315 or so to way long. If my boots are 316 and 318, respectively, I should go with small to save weight, correct? Is there any reason to go with large, assuming din range and other specs are the same?

Posted

If you can get away with the small, do it. Not only will it be lighter, it will impede the flex of the ski slightly less than the large. I have guardians, and while they're not the best skiing binding I've used, they're passable, and ski much better than marker's offerings I've skied. I can't really speak to the tyrolia or any true tech binding, but if you want to go the tech route, be prepared to drop a lot more money.

  • Like 2
Posted

Thanks JLaw and Justo for the good information! Got a sweet deal on some Guardians (16 din/small). Barely broke $5 hundy for the skis + binders so I have some extra $ to get some decent skins.

Posted

I have some BCA magic carpets. They aren't the lightest I don't think, but not are guardians or Jeffrey 122s, so I'm not gonna worry about it. They're relatively easy on/off and I haven't had any grip issues with them, but I've only toured in spring snow. The only time they gave out on me was trying to go up something that was way too steep. Trying to stop yourself while sliding backwards with your heels unlocked is comically difficult.

Posted

I have some BCA magic carpets. They aren't the lightest I don't think, but not are guardians or Jeffrey 122s, so I'm not gonna worry about it. They're relatively easy on/off and I haven't had any grip issues with them, but I've only toured in spring snow. The only time they gave out on me was trying to go up something that was way too steep. Trying to stop yourself while sliding backwards with your heels unlocked is comically difficult.

I'm incredibly nervous about cutting them to size. I saw that dynastar makes pre-cut skins for my exact ski, but they make it almost impossible to figure out how to actually buy them. Me: take my money please. Dynastar website: no thanks we're good.

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