Backcountry ski & boot for New England conditions

[Lo-Fi]

Fun with GIFs! I hope these help to illustrate some of the well made points above.

This is almost the best kick & glide that I would typically get skiing in my own tracks in soft snow with Garmont Excursions / Scarpa T3 / T4 / Karhu Double (leather) with Voile Hardwires on Altai Kom skis. Is it plodding or shuffling? I find it worth it when my goal is to find turns.

Here’s a comparison of two different set-ups skiing downhill on the same bit of trail, similar snow conditions.

Alpina Alaska BC with Karhu 10th Mountain/ Madshus Epoch / Panorama M68 Turns are longer, take more time and balance.

Garmont Excursion / Scarpa T4 with Karhu Guide / Madshus Annum / Panorama M78 Turns are shorter, quicker and easier. (I think I get about 50% more turns in!)

If you really like finding turns in tight eastern forests, nothing compares to Excursion / T4 class boots and Altai Kom / Voile Vector class skis:

[Stephen]

@Lo-Fi, great post — the visuals add a lot!
Should give @soboyle a good perspective on the various options.
I take nothing away from your post by mentioning that you’re a pretty good skier, with, I assume, many years of experience.
Since the OP is asking for advice, I assume they are fairly inexperienced and may not have the skills to ski as well as you do.

Stating the obvious by saying there’s no “right” answer here. Different setups work for different people.
I think that without knowing the specifics related to the OP (terrain, vegetation, fitness, previous experience, personal preferences, …), it’s difficult to give the best advice, and easy to speak from what works for me, for example.

[lowangle al]

Yeah he is a good skier but I think the takeaway here is that even or maybe especially a beginner will have a better experience doing turns with a light plastic boot over the Alaskas.

I also think that if LoFi did that same comparison in poor conditions the difference in control between the two set ups would be much greater and even more evident.

[Woodsbum]

I've hiked Greylock quite a bit many years ago including all the BC trails. If you want to explore that stuff, some of it is really steep. Plastic T4's for sure if it were me. The same folks who make the Koms that Lo-Fi posted about make the Hok. If you're a beginner, you can ski all that terrain with Hoks, T4's and a single pole (check out Altai Ski's website). Probably half the people skiing Greylock get their gear here:
https://www.berkshireoutfitters.com/equ ... oards.html
They know that mountain better than anyone and will steer you right.
Good luck!

[riel]

I've hiked Greylock quite a bit many years ago including all the BC trails. If you want to explore that stuff, some of it is really steep. Plastic T4's for sure if it were me. The same folks who make the Koms that Lo-Fi posted about make the Hok. If you're a beginner, you can ski all that terrain with Hoks, T4's and a single pole

I hope to take my 145cm Hoks and Scott Excursion boots to a few steeper (for me, I do mostly XC) places this winter. Maybe Pike Glades, or even some downhill ski slopes.

Those Hoks are so soft, they turn on a dime even with my Fischer BCX675 leather/fabric boots, though they are also so soft I suspect they would not really hold an edge on hard packed snow...

[lowangle al]

Aren't the Hoks slow and draggy, more of a snowshoe that slides? Wouldn't a short Kom be a better choice. I don't look for touring speed out of my set up but I draw the line somewhere.

[Webby]

Hi - my standard response to a what should I get question is - get the boots first.
This is your chance to support your local shop and get a good fit, and learn about what gear matches up with you boot selection.
Excursions are a very stiff boot - so if you get them plan on paying for a free pivot binding or avoiding long uphill climbs.
I have not skied the T4s but I have to believe they have more flex. This is what I would suggest you check out in a shop.
The boot you would finding me wearing on greylock would be 20 year old blue t2s. Broken in to feel like bedroom slippers and also boot rocker so very little need for free pivot for the climb. And upgraded with newer lighter liners.
I pair this up with litedogz - a step in three pin that has power and makes transitions very easy. I have not skied the voile switchback but it sounds awesome, light, reliable and free pivot.
Skis like voile objective and madshus annum or epoch are good for less challenging terrain but skill capable for linking turns.

Consider used boots though- the better ski mountaineering shops in NH and VT have basements with shelves of boots with lots of life left in them.

[turnfarmer]

When O{P says climb up and ski down I interpret that as mostly being out of set tracks wandering around the woods type of skiing. If my interpretation is right, shuffling is more common than true kick in glide as he will be often setting a track. Downs will likely be loose snow or breakable crust. Greylock is a big mountain, likely will encounter all kinds of variable, and sometimes, excellent soft snow.
My minimum ski for this would be a Voile Objective. A Kom or Voile V6 would be easier to ski on the down.

As for boots, a beefy leather could maybe push a shorter Objective. But the Kom/V6 is plastic boot realm.

Binding choice would be 3pin hardwire or similar.

It’s too bad nobody has made a plastic boot with a truly flexible bellows. I found a great shape older T2 cheap enough that I’m going to try the Anrothar cut out bellows technique this winter.

If OP shops used boots he could easily find lower older tT2 and an old Asolo Extreme type boot for little money. Could easily buy both for less than $200.

[connyro]

...
Excursions are a very stiff boot - so if you get them plan on paying for a free pivot binding or avoiding long uphill climbs.
...

Excursions are NOT a "very stiff boot". They are made from a rather soft and flexible plastic which I've found softens up considerably the more you ski them. Brand new they feel stiff but soften quickly. Ive owned and skied stiffer Merrell leather tele boots. The crew that I ski with have used Excursions with 3pin bindings for many years when touring for turns in steep hardwoods glades and deep snow. We've been known to use this setup for long flat tours out to the hills and then do laps all day and tour home late in the day. IMO, the Excursions are some of the most comfortable ski boots I've used. YMMV

[lowangle al]

Hi - my standard response to a what should I get question is - get the boots first.
This is your chance to support your local shop and get a good fit, and learn about what gear matches up with you boot selection.
Excursions are a very stiff boot - so if you get them plan on paying for a free pivot binding or avoiding long uphill climbs.
I have not skied the T4s but I have to believe they have more flex. This is what I would suggest you check out in a shop.
The boot you would finding me wearing on greylock would be 20 year old blue t2s. Broken in to feel like bedroom slippers and also boot rocker so very little need for free pivot for the climb. And upgraded with newer lighter liners.
I pair this up with litedogz - a step in three pin that has power and makes transitions very easy. I have not skied the voile switchback but it sounds awesome, light, reliable and free pivot.
Skis like voile objective and madshus annum or epoch are good for less challenging terrain but skill capable for linking turns.

Consider used boots though- the better ski mountaineering shops in NH and VT have basements with shelves of boots with lots of life left in them.

Hi Webby, welcome to the forum and good advice to get the boots first.

I don't think you need free pivot with the Excursion because you have good enough range of motion with the low cuff, but it is a lot more efficient for K&G if you don't mind the different feel.

BTW it's supposed to be a snowy one back East this year.