Altai Kom 162 vs 174

[yoyoing]

Hi folks,

I'm looking to buy some Koms as soon as they become available on the Canadian store. Snow is here! Hoping you might be able to help me choose the right size.

I currently have the hoks 145 which I love (started with the 125cm which I did NOT love lol) so I don't want to shortchange myself on the sizing. I'm wanting to push the downhills a bit more while still being able to manage the flats (lots of small up and downs here).

I have scarpa t4's and binding TBD (recommendations?). I'm thinking voile cables which are easier for me to buy locally at MEC or hardwires/switchbacks/whatever I can get online.

I'm 6'0 145lbs.

So 162 or 174 Kom?! Thanks!

[Woodserson]

What kind of terrain and what is your skill level?

I'm 6'2" 155lbs plus/minus and I have both pairs. For faster harder skiing in deeper snow and steeper terrain I prefer the 174cm. For tighter tree skiing and mellower terrain I like both of them.

I have Voile Traverse on short ones and Voile Hardwires on my bigger ones (but with X2 cartridges, but I have 30.5/31 feet so it works, may not work on shorter foot sizes)

[Lo-Fi]

I'm 5 10, 175lbs... Sagittarius...

162cm work well for me. Like Woods says, if I had big mountain open terrain I'd go 174, but for the tight trees & bush around here the 162s pivot and turn like crazy, and are supremely manoeuvrable.

[Woodserson]

If I may, Lo-Fi... (because it is sooo good)

162's in tight woodsie action with Monsieur Sagittarius au volant.

[FortyFour]

Depends on where in Canada, your typical terrain, and typical snow depth/type.

I would be considering my most common/typical use:
Deep and steep;
Rolling hills;
Mountains;
Foothills;
Cut-blocks;
Trees all day, everyday;
Cruising trails;
Amount of skin use;
Etc.

It it were me (Alberta Rockies and Foothills),174.
It it were me; with a set of T4's; Voile Switchback.

Cheers

[yoyoing]

Cheers, thanks everyone for the replies!
I'm in North Eastern Canada, so the terrain will look very similar to lo-fi video. Inspiring!

Definitely no skinning required and mostly through moderate grade and brush/trees. Some flats to/from needed.

So despite being only slightly longer, the 162 Koms should ski way differently my 145cm Hoks? I kept burying those things on deep and steep conditions last year so I really want to make sure that I have enough ski this time around...

If the 162s will get me there though I'm all for a shorter more playful (and lighter) ski

As for bindings, am I crazy to even consider the basic voile cables? Never tried em' before... Ps if anyone has bindings to sell lmk!

[FortyFour]

No crazy when it comes to XCD and Telemark choices. Mix and match all you want. That is part of the beauty of XCD.

Personally my rule of thumb is:
Cables bindings with leather boots;
Hard wires with plastic boots.

I find those basic combinations perform well as a team and drive the skis nicely. But, the T4's will certainly work with cables. You can always change bindings later.

Other typical benefits to using a pivot binding (e.g. switchbacks) with plastic boots, are less stress on your feet/heels and smooth touring motion when laying down km's.

The 162's would be a good all around ski for that type of terrain for sure. I don't think you would go wrong with either the 162 or 174.

[yoyoing]

Other typical benefits to using a pivot binding (e.g. switchbacks) with plastic boots, are less stress on your feet/heels and smooth touring motion when laying down km's.

I only have experience with voile 3pin mountaineer bindings... Can you still kick add glide(ish) with the switchbacks or do you have to fiddle with releasing the bindings every time you're on the flats? With the short climbs/descents I'll be lapping the less changeover required the better.

Ideally I'd like something where I can put the leather boots on chill tour days and the plastics for when I want to charge the downhills. Maybe I'm asking for too much though lol.

[Lo-Fi]

I know a lot of folks really dig the free pivot on the switchbacks, so it might have a lot to do with specific terrain or preferred technique. I have them on my Karhu Guide skis and I never use the free pivot. I always keep my upper Excursion buckles fairly loose and so combined with the flex of the boot and the binding cable at minimum tension,I find I get a fairly nordic level of freedom of movement and can achieve a bit of a kick&glide shuffle. I ski similar conditions to what you've described and I love the freedom of not having to fiddle with my bindings at all when I ski, whether on flats, ups or downs.

Similar to this, no-pin Hardwires on 162 Koms:

[FortyFour]

Other typical benefits to using a pivot binding (e.g. switchbacks) with plastic boots, are less stress on your feet/heels and smooth touring motion when laying down km's.

I only have experience with voile 3pin mountaineer bindings... Can you still kick add glide(ish) with the switchbacks or do you have to fiddle with releasing the bindings every time you're on the flats? With the short climbs/descents I'll be lapping the less changeover required the better.

Ideally I'd like something where I can put the leather boots on chill tour days and the plastics for when I want to charge the downhills. Maybe I'm asking for too much though lol.

I do kick/glide or skate just fine on swtichbacks, but for the kind of all around purpose you are planning; leathers and plastics; the Voile 3 pin cable or hardwire bindings are the way to go. The hardwires would simply provide your plastics with a little more downhill support when desired.