Low vertical touring for turns: waxless scales or grip wax?

This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
User avatar
Cannatonic
Posts: 983
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:07 pm

Re: Low vertical touring for turns: waxless scales or grip wax?

Post by Cannatonic » Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:21 am

winter powder is made for wax, spring corn for scales IMO
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)

User avatar
STG
Posts: 149
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2015 3:16 pm

Re: Low vertical touring for turns: waxless scales or grip wax?

Post by STG » Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:48 pm

Trade-offs. I don't have a problem with skins, but I came from an alpine touring background. When I had skis with fishscales and did laps up and down slopes for turns, I had to remove my skis to put glide wax on to get the kind of downhill performance I wanted. Using skins on waxable skis, I don't have to take my skis off to remove my skins.



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4157
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: Low vertical touring for turns: waxless scales or grip wax?

Post by lilcliffy » Tue Feb 21, 2017 7:42 pm

lowangle al wrote: but I want to replace the switchbacks with hardwires.
OOH! Why?
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2755
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: Low vertical touring for turns: waxless scales or grip wax?

Post by lowangle al » Tue Feb 21, 2017 7:59 pm

lilcliffy wrote:
lowangle al wrote: but I want to replace the switchbacks with hardwires.
OOH! Why?
I rarely skin and I enjoy the unrestricted ROM w\o the heel throws for K&G. I can hook them on the heel riser or remove them altogether and either put them in my pack or leave them at home. For the limited amount of skinning I do I can get by without free pivot.



User avatar
PhilM11
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2017 9:53 pm

Re: Low vertical touring for turns: waxless scales or grip wax?

Post by PhilM11 » Tue Feb 21, 2017 8:16 pm

I would get waxable touring skis if it ever got cold enough for it to be an advantage. Snow Temps in Socal rarely go that low. And kick wax picks up all kinds of dirt.
Skins for my scaley skis? I never climb that steeply. Too old! (63)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk



User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2755
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: Low vertical touring for turns: waxless scales or grip wax?

Post by lowangle al » Tue Feb 21, 2017 8:20 pm

Hi Phil and welcome. I'm not too far behind you at 58.

Luckily there are some good options for high performance no wax skis out there.



Post Reply