Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Hello brain trust! I've been lurking here and I'd like to ask for boot advice. I need 75mm boots to complete my Beginner-ish telemark setup. I'm an expert downhill skier. I'm a beginner telemark skier. I want one set of skis and boots to: cross country ski thru golf courses and trails, but I also really want to make downhill turns if I'm in hills. I want to continue to learn telemark at ski resorts using lift service on groomed runs too.

I know Scarpa T4 would be good for me and hope to find an affordable used pair. Would something like these older maroon Garmont boots be appropriate for what I want to do? https://sidelineswap.com/gear/skiing/bo ... ize-8-5-ah

Or this pair of Garmont Firepower Gara? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Garmont-Gara-F ... 890.l49292

Basically I want to be able to climb up gentle hills and telemark down. I've had telemark equipment before but only used it a few times and only resorts using chair lifts. I loved it and want to get better at it.

Here is my situation: I'm looking for a turns-orientated yet also kick & glide friendly 75mm 3-pin boot. I want to buy used and under $200.

My BINDINGS: Voile 3-Pin 75mm Cable Telemark Bindings with risers (similar to Traverse risers but without climbing bail wire).

My SKIS: New 2020 bare Alpina Discovery Backcountry 68. Waxless fish scale, full metal edges. Length: 180cm. Ski Dimensions: 68mm, 60mm, 65mm.

Here are photos of my Voile bindings, currently on a pair of straight alpine skis. I'm going to mount them on my new Alpina Discovery 68s. Stock photos of my new Alpina Discovery 68s

Those older maroon garmont boots don't work well. The bellows are weird and they are really old at this point.

Those Garmont Gara Firepowers are pretty stiff for kick and glide but they might work.

If you are trying to do it on the cheap you could consider these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-British-Ar ... Sw2dJffEQs

They are stiff leather boots that work really well for kick and glide with some downhill action as well. I think they pair really well with something like Discovery's and Voile 3 pins. Just remember, those sizes are British so you need to size down 1 for your US size.

If you end up finding some 2 buckle plastic boots those can work well also, but anything but the softest plastic boots is going to be pretty powerful for that ski setup.

I would look for Scott Excursion, Garmont Excursion, Garmont Libero, Scarpa T4, or maybe even Garmont Veloce Boots.

Thanks for the advice about those older maroon Garmonts. That's why I came here.

Are 3 buckle plastic boots going to be too stiff for a skier like me? Would some models be okay for K&G if I loosened or popped open the top buckle on the flats?

What about the Black Diamond Trance, a women's model? (I'm female.) It seems low cut. Could it be soft enough?

I think I will be okay if I choose a boot that ends up being too powerful for mmy Alpina Discovery 68 skis. I'm an expert alpine skier and would study up to learn how to detect that problem and decide to buy a fatter ski next season, or correct my technique - if that's possible (and it might not be, what do I know yet?).

What I can say with confidence is that I have had only one telemark lesson and I have not quite gotten the turn right on my old equipment. My alpine background gives me bad habits. I recognize myself in the videos of alpine skiers attempting tele turns. I am not putting any weight on the inside ski, and it's just straggling around instead of helping.

Anyway, I look forward to any advice you others might have.

Those Discovery 68 are basically straight metal edge backcountry skis. I bought a pair for my son when he was younger. However he didn’t see the sense of backcountry skiing when you can ride a lift.
I can analyze how this ski performs by handling it. I’m sorry, but a plastic boot is just overkill for this ski. I guess you could use plastic boot to force some type of turn with this ski, or you could use a more appropriate leather boot and maybe develop the technique to turn those skis. However it’s really not a turn oriented ski. It’s a softer version of an E-99 or a Gamme, skis that do turn, but there is a lot of step turning in certain conditions. With rotational skills and good conditions you could make nice Telemark turns. In different conditions you make wedge turns and step turns.
If you want to use plastic boots to downhill turn, you would be better off on those downhill skis. At least those downhill skis are single cambered and have side cut to turn. You can turn that alpine ski on edge and it will bend and turn. That will not be so easy on that Discovery. However you could use kick wax on that alpine ski and get some grip and glide down the trail.
As for a leather boot, here is a link to the Ski March boot.
https://gijoearmystores.com/product/new ... mark-skis/

The shipping costs more than the boot. So if it doesn’t fit, you’re out of luck. It is a great boot, but really not a good match for the Discovery. It is heavier and stiffer that what you really need for that ski. It’s a far better match than a plastic boot, but not a good match.
You really want a boot in the class of an Alpina Alaska 75 or a Crispi Antarctic. The Alaska is currently about $50 over your budget new, and Covid buying has made it a sellers market this year. If you do some searching you will find Whitewater 75 mm boots. Those are too soft, they will not work for you. There are some good deals in the Tele Turn Around section.
However, while I enjoy my Gamme, which is similar in turning characteristics to the Discovery. Neither ski is what you want to learn to Telemark on. Really and truly, considering you want to get out now. Find a reasonably stiff leather boot, the Norwegian welted style have more power (similar to the Crispi Antarctic). Keep your binding on the alpine ski, and use kick wax. If you want to ski trails, ski the Discovery, but if you want to ski up hills and down hills you really would need to try hard to find a worse ski for the job. Especially to learn on.
If you wanted a waxless ski to turn and use with a leather boot, Madshus Eon, Epoch, Annum, Fischer S-98, S-112, and similar Rossignol offerings.
Good luck. For what it’s worth I came to this from an alpine background, but I had been Telemarking downhill competently for years. I started out on T-4 and S-112. Now I mostly ski Gamme and Alaska. I finally have enough snow to get off the trails this winter, so I will be skiing T-4 and Ski March boots and skis similar to that S-112.
However I have really come to enjoy skiing my up and down trails. I have become a cross country skier, and I like it. So I’m not saying throw away the Discovery. It just is not a downhill ski. I may now be a cross country skier, however I still like to point skis downhill and make turns. Some things never change.

This is an older listing, and I’m not sure if this boot is made in both NNN-BC and 75 mm. When I googled it, I saw a 75 mm boot. You can check with the seller if you think it might fit.

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Fisheater, I just wanted to post a quick thank you for your great advice. I'll be back later with more comments and a decision. Also, I saw you mention elsewhere here that you're from or Michigan's Oakland County. I grew up in Genesee County just a few miles north of Oakland During high school racing season I skied all over Oakland County LOL. Our team home hill was Mt Holly.

FWIW, I picked up a pair of Alpina Alaska 75s about a month ago on Craigslist, and I love them--super light and comfy compared with plastic (in fact, just the other day I put on my old T2s for one short skin up & ski down, and ugh...I immediately went back to my car and swapped them for my Alaskas....soooo nice to put'em on my feet after those plastics!). I can do light telemark fairly easily if the conditions are good...but they also kick and glide really well off track. There are quite a few reports of the duckbills cracking, which makes me a bit nervous, but so far, so good for me!

OOPS, I can't count. I moved this to the TeleTurnAround