Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

I feel presently like I'm beating up my backcountry skis on hard stuff. I would like to find a ski for groomed trails (Can you tell the I'm on the east coast?) I like to use my Ingstad BC's. In contrast, I have struggled with my 20 year old e109's on hard surfaces, and I think this is because of stiffness.

There are a bunch of old school skis like k2 piste for $100-200. I'm wondering what it will be like when I switch from the Asnes or Sbound skis to a vintage tele ski. I suspect that I'm looking for something that is on the softer end of the widely available skis like the vintage k2 skis. I'm interested in the K2 "totally piste", I'm not sure why.

This post is largely driven by the increase in prices this year. I bought my Ingstad BCs for $248 last year, now they are $459.

John Dee wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 8:07 pm

I have struggled with my 20 year old e109's on hard surfaces, and I think this is because of stiffness.

It could be because they're 20 years old and are a design that was good in its day, just not today for lift served.
I don't know how old K2 Pistes are, but I'd guess that if they are more than 10 years old - even if new - an inexpensive, narrower intermediate alpine style ski for the resort would be much better!

What boot binding combo are you considering?

What’s your boot and binding?

I think a well cared for vintage k2 is a great in-bounds ski. As mentioned in some other places here it’s tough to find any new skis narrow enough to keep on edge with softer boots.

I have bought these in the last few days. I have no idea if they fit, but they should give some idea of what I'm after.

The first one is a Garmon Syner-G. The second one, I think, is the same as the Garmon Cruiser, with a plastic heel cup or something.

Montana St Alum wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 8:37 pm

John Dee wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 8:07 pm

I have struggled with my 20 year old e109's on hard surfaces, and I think this is because of stiffness.

It could be because they're 20 years old and are a design that was good in its day, just not today for lift served.

What happens is that I fight with the tails to transition, which I associate with stiffness, and why they are so good at XC skis for a single camber ski. The other issue is that the fiber glass is brittle, and every I cross them I wreck the topsheet really bad.

Top sheet protector is your friend, aka ultra high molecular weight PE tape.

Manney wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 9:17 pm

Top sheet protector is your friend, aka ultra high molecular weight PE tape.

IMG_1081.jpeg

Can you keep this a secret?

Dunno if this is a secret. Skiers have been using this stuff for years. Mountain bikers too.

I'm looking at a pair of Super Stinx 174 for about $100. My only question is if I'll find some/most dedicated telemark skis stiff. For example, I have trouble with my 20 year old E109s on groomers, releasing the tails to transition. I assume this to be from overall stiffness compared with the Ingstads or Sbounds, and maybe also my boots. So while I want to learn on normal gear, I don't want a particularly stiff ski.

John Dee wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 03, 2023 12:15 pm

I'm looking at a pair of Super Stinx 174 for about $100. My only question is if I'll find some/most dedicated telemark skis stiff. For example, I have trouble with my 20 year old E109s on groomers, releasing the tails to transition. I assume this to be from overall stiffness compared with the Ingstads or Sbounds, and maybe also my boots. So while I want to learn on normal gear, I don't want a particularly stiff ski.

It could be that a more modern beginner-intermediate level ski would be better. On some old skis, manufacturers hadn't targeted separating torsional stiffness from longitudinal stiffness. First, it just wasn't a "thing" on sub-75mm waists. Also, they hadn't developed the manufacturing techniques to separate those characteristics.

I've had good luck with more beginner level skis and with skis that have tail rocker. In both cases they release pretty easily.

I started on World Pistes and did like them at the time, but really, they were just alpine skis with "telemark" printed on them. Getting an old used pair, fibers of wood and glass will have broken down. They'll be noodly. Kind of like trying to cut with the dull side of a scalpel.