Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

I felt this needed to be said and deserved a thread of its own to emphasize it.

I've seen people who've only tried them on in the store claim that they're unsuitable lor XC, but that's bullshit.

Depending on how you lace them, they completely change character.

Just now, I did a 5km classic ski in the groomed tracks, only my 3rd time doing classic in almost 30 years, and they worked beautifully!
I laced them hard around the foot and lower ankle and then soft after that and didn't use the uppermost lacing point. This gave me a nimble feeling on the foot, great flex forward, and good flex backward.
Even though my Gammes only just fit in the tracks and both the ski and boot scrape from time to time, it's still so much fun!

Today I really felt that I had proper classic technique even though I haven't done it since I was a small child
.
With the 30mm mohair short skins cut at my heal, I had perfect grip and really good glide as well.
I could feel myself gliding, even uphill, and it felt like the way it's supposed to feel, even though I don't technically know it. I knew anyway. I could feel it. Such a nice flow!
I didn't want to do too much today so the 5km was perfect. Had an average speed of just over 10km/h and that was skiing active but controlled. Could've pushed harder if needed but I just enjoyed the glide and the flow today. Will link the stats if anyone's interested.

At no point did I think about my boots today. Everything just worked and flowed. I've also winter camped and lived in these boots for days, scrambled up and down rocks, and so on. You can do whatever you want with them.

And, at the end of the 5km today, I laced my boots harder, turning them into alpine boots, and skied fast and controlled down a black slope. God I love the versatility of this setup!

https://www.sports-tracker.com/workout/ ... 470ca7e75c

I think I see your point but for me the quote "You can put your boots in the oven, but that doesn’t make them biscuits” comes to mind. For example, it's also "possible" to xc in 4 buckle tele boots and 3 pins, but that does not make it practical or fun for me, especially when considering how nice actual xc gear works for xc skiing.

mikael.oh wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:39 pm

You can do whatever you want with them...

... God I love the versatility of this setup!

https://www.sports-tracker.com/workout/ ... 470ca7e75c

I concur. They remind me of mountaineering boots. My wife and I both have them, and have no problems on the flats with them. They certainly excel on the downhill as well.

connyro wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:04 pm

I think I see your point but for me the quote "You can put your boots in the oven, but that doesn’t make them biscuits” comes to mind. For example, it's also "possible" to xc in 4 buckle tele boots and 3 pins, but that does not make it practical or fun for me, especially when considering how nice actual xc gear works for xc skiing.

I don´t think you got my point about the flow today. I didn´t shuffle along or do some kind of sedate kick and glide. I used the Gammes as classic skis, with an active technique. Using all the different classic techniques(don´t know the names in English), and really stretching out and gliding on one ski. And I did mention how FUN it was, right?

After today, I´d have no hesitation going skiing with people who are on normal, light classic skis. What I lose on glide on the downhills I make up for with perfect grip on the uphills. Oh, and after I finish skiing classic, I can head to a ski resort and ski with a group of people who are on alpine skis and keep up with them too. One setup to rule them all!

mikael.oh wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:53 pm

connyro wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:04 pm

I think I see your point but for me the quote "You can put your boots in the oven, but that doesn’t make them biscuits” comes to mind. For example, it's also "possible" to xc in 4 buckle tele boots and 3 pins, but that does not make it practical or fun for me, especially when considering how nice actual xc gear works for xc skiing.

I don´t think you got my point about the flow today. I didn´t shuffle along or do some kind of sedate kick and glide. I used the Gammes as classic skis, with an active technique. Using all the different classic techniques(don´t know the names in English), and really stretching out and gliding on one ski. And I did mention how FUN it was, right?

After today, I´d have no hesitation going skiing with people who are on normal, light classic skis. What I lose on glide on the downhills I make up for with perfect grip on the uphills. Oh, and after I finish skiing classic, I can head to a ski resort and ski with a group of people who are on alpine skis and keep up with them too. One setup to rule them all!

To each their own! As long as you are having fun sliding on snow. There is no way I'd be able to keep up with my alpine/tele buddies at the ski hill if i were on bc xc gear. My xc ski buddies would also beat my ass if I was on bc xc gear skiing xc tracks. So either you ski with slow skiers or you are a gifted xc and alpine skier. Either way, it's cool you are have fun with your setup.

mikael.oh wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:53 pm

connyro wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:04 pm

I think I see your point but for me the quote "You can put your boots in the oven, but that doesn’t make them biscuits” comes to mind. For example, it's also "possible" to xc in 4 buckle tele boots and 3 pins, but that does not make it practical or fun for me, especially when considering how nice actual xc gear works for xc skiing.

I don´t think you got my point about the flow today. I didn´t shuffle along or do some kind of sedate kick and glide. I used the Gammes as classic skis, with an active technique. Using all the different classic techniques(don´t know the names in English), and really stretching out and gliding on one ski. And I did mention how FUN it was, right?

After today, I´d have no hesitation going skiing with people who are on normal, light classic skis. What I lose on glide on the downhills I make up for with perfect grip on the uphills. Oh, and after I finish skiing classic, I can head to a ski resort and ski with a group of people who are on alpine skis and keep up with them too. One setup to rule them all!

Can you talk a wee bit more about the fit of these boots? I have large toe box; it is a bit cramped in the Alaska. I wonder if those be good for me. I do not mind people saying «too stiff» or what not; I'll make my own appreciation...

mikael.oh wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:39 pm

I've seen people who've only tried them on in the store claim that they're unsuitable lor XC, but that's bullshit.

Depending on how you lace them, they completely change character.
XC

I did not take it personally but I felt like I was one of the “bullshiter” . I posted after I tried them in the store and I chose not to buy them for the main reason that I had to choose between them and the Alaska BC. I had 2 pairs of Alaska 75mm that fitted perfectly and really appreciated so I decided to stick with the Alaska for my first NNN-BC boots. I am not surprised that they perform well as a XC boots when you loose the upper parts of the boot. If my skiing was more oriented toward XCD I would have bought the Transnordic but it’s not the case for me and I do t plan to ski resort with my narrow BC XC skis. Although the Alaska is probably not as good for DH, I was really happy with them skiing steep and narrow trails with a lots of il and down in the forest with steep descent and really tight turns.

In the end, we must be happy that there is still high quality boots that we can choose from and that are adapted to various terrain.

Nitram Tocrut wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:32 pm

mikael.oh wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:39 pm

I've seen people who've only tried them on in the store claim that they're unsuitable lor XC, but that's bullshit.

Depending on how you lace them, they completely change character.
XC

I did not take it personally but I felt like I was one of the “bullshiter” . I posted after I tried them in the store and I chose not to buy them for the main reason that I had to choose between them and the Alaska BC. I had 2 pairs of Alaska 75mm that fitted perfectly and really appreciated so I decided to stick with the Alaska for my first NNN-BC boots. I am not surprised that they perform well as a XC boots when you loose the upper parts of the boot. If my skiing was more oriented toward XCD I would have bought the Transnordic but it’s not the case for me and I do t plan to ski resort with my narrow BC XC skis. Although the Alaska is probably not as good for DH, I was really happy with them skiing steep and narrow trails with a lots of il and down in the forest with steep descent and really tight turns.

In the end, we must be happy that there is still high quality boots that we can choose from and that are adapted to various terrain.

Yeah, I hesitated a bit on using "bullshit" but I was on such a ski high after first having so much fun doing classic and then bombing down the black run. I didn´t want anyone to miss out on that fun because some people had strong opinions about the boots without actually using them.

I got really inspired after that day and started looking at long ski routes. Found something called the Troll trail which is a 160km/100 mile trail on mostly groomed tracks, so you could possibly do it in one day. It´s advertised as a 7 day tour where you sleep in mountain huts and such along the way, but I¨d really like to try to do it in one day with the Gammes and Transnordics. Something for late spring so the days are long enough.
Anyway, that´s the confidence I got out of that one ski, and why I felt I needed to call BS on the comments made without skiing the boots.

mikael.oh wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:35 pm

I got really inspired after that day and started looking at long ski routes. Found something called the Troll trail which is a 160km/100 mile trail on mostly groomed tracks, so you could possibly do it in one day. It´s advertised as a 7 day tour where you sleep in mountain huts and such along the way, but I¨d really like to try to do it in one day with the Gammes and Transnordics. Something for late spring so the days are long enough.
Anyway, that´s the confidence I got out of that one ski, and why I felt I needed to call BS on the comments made without skiing the boots.

Speaking of bullshit… 160 Km in a day that means an average of over 6,5 km/h for 24 hours NON stop!!! That is what I call « bullshit » No offense but you kind of open the door If you make it that means you are some sort of superhero! Go for it!

Nitram Tocrut wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:48 pm

mikael.oh wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:35 pm

I got really inspired after that day and started looking at long ski routes. Found something called the Troll trail which is a 160km/100 mile trail on mostly groomed tracks, so you could possibly do it in one day. It´s advertised as a 7 day tour where you sleep in mountain huts and such along the way, but I¨d really like to try to do it in one day with the Gammes and Transnordics. Something for late spring so the days are long enough.
Anyway, that´s the confidence I got out of that one ski, and why I felt I needed to call BS on the comments made without skiing the boots.

Speaking of bullshit… 160 Km in a day that means an average of over 6,5 km/h for 24 hours NON stop!!! That is what I call « bullshit » No offense but you kind of open the door If you make it that means you are some sort of superhero! Go for it!

I read an article in a Norwegian outdoor magazine about two guys that did it and that´s what inspired me. Figured if they can do it, then I can too. It´s all about believing in yourself, seeing it.
They did it on normal classic skis but struggled a bit in places where there were only snowmobile tracks. Their route was slightly shorter at 150km but I like the idea of 160 as it would be the same as a 100 mile ultra run. 150 may still be a better option though depending on conditions. I´m guessing you descend pretty low the last 10km or so to Lillehammer
The article was a bit short on hard stats but I extrapolated the they only skied about 10km before Sunrise. Understandable, as the scenery in Rondane national park where you start is also the most majestic of the route. You could start earlier if you wanted though, and that may be good for morale later in the day when the Sun sets.
It´s an enticing idea. If I get some good training in during the winter now I´m definitely going for it at some point in the spring.