Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Looking for a new lift serve all mountain ski. Just back from Winter Park where my 9 year old kicked my butt. Teleskier for 30 years. Last 10 years on 181 cm K2 World Pistes, 7tm power1 bindings, with 1997 Scarpa T2 boots. 59 years old, 5'11", 200 lb. My Worlds still ski really nice. We had two big powders days and they were great. The last two years I've done 4 days renting NTN freeride on various wider skis.I really dislike the NTN system, especially the huge heavy boots. I have a 7tm powerSX binding I bought a while back. I'd like to pick up some new boards that ski similar to the Worlds but are a little fatter and quicker. My big concern is being able to get these new fatter boards on edge. My Worlds are 119/78/105. The 3 skis I'm considering: K2 Pinnacle, 132/95/115; Volkl Kendo, 127/90/110; Atomic Vantage, 130/90/115.
Sorry for the long post, but I only get out west once a year from Wisconsin, and there's no one here who can help me out. Thanks!

I ski on Volkl Mantras with 3-pin HW at 98 underfoot, no issues I even have an older pair with 7 seasons, sheared 1 screw on these no other issues. Buy something that fits your style, nobody knows how you like to ski better.

On another note I was on 84 underfoot for spring groomers because they are quicker edge to edge, but not near as much fun with fresh snow.

Hard to say... but why do you need to go so wide? Unless you live out west, near the Rockies... For the groomers, with a 7TM, I'd go below 90mm waist... more like 80... There is one ski that looks like a quiver of one: Blizzard Latigo. I own one of his bigger brothers (that I only use for powder days) and love them... Like I said: hard to say... But for a groomer ski, I would resist the temptation to go for a wide ski. The retailers usually want to go this way.

I used to have 7tms (all-mtn version, not power) on 97mm waisted skis with late 90s vintage T2 boots, and edge control on hard snow was really terrible. However, in softer snow I had some of the best runs of my life on that setup. The 7tm power would definitely be better, but still not optimal with those boots for controlling wide skis on hard snow.

I'd recommend replacing your boots with some 3 or 4 buckle boots. And THEN look into picking up some skis in the 85-100 range, though I think the money spot would be low-mid 90's for midwest and occasional western skiing. You definitely want some camber underfoot, but a bit of early rise will make you smile, smile, smile! Also, look into some more active bindings like 22 designs vice if you stay with 75 mm.

some skis in the 85-100 range that have caught my eye the last few years include the following:
volkl kendo or mantra
liberty variant 87 or 97 or sequence
dynastar cham 87 or 97
k2 amp rictor 90
blizzard brahma or bonafide

have fun with the gear search!

cheers,
JT

Some good recommendations made. I skied the Bonafide and old Mantra, both excellent skis but suggest you demo them if at all possible. They have pretty hard charging personalities so it depends what your style is. I have the Latigo and recommend it highly for all round skiing, telemark or alpine. It is narrower but I think a more even flex which make it shine in medium to short radius turns and moguls. It still delivers fine long radius turns but is not the crud buster like the Bonafide. It is cambered with an early rise tip that smooths things out.