My Ski History by anemic

[anemic]

I have a fun little update to share w/you guys about my tele development. My lift served skis include a Karhu Jack 90 w/BD 01 touring bindings w/mid-stiff cartridges (which I purchased used while in CO last season) and the pair I brought with me, the BD Stigma (123 78 105) with Voile cable bindings (w/heel lever which is nice).

About a month ago I brought both pairs with me to a Michigan ski hill so I could try my Stigmas with my Garmont 4 buckle boots because I had only skied these with my floppy leathers (on Click1 no less, which is a challenge). So that was educational skiing the Stigmas w/plastic boots (on Click1 because I had yet to make my Click2 revelation) on a semi-icy ski run and then going to my Karhus w/BD bindings. I thought, "Hm, the Stigmas do not hate the ice and hardpack. I was expecting them to be more a soft snow ski." And by contrast the Karhus did not really love the ice - and never have. They exel in soft snow.

And so yesterday I again brought both pair with me so I could discover Click2 mode with plastic boots. Hopes & expectations: better ice & hardpack ski performance than Karhu Jak, improved slop / flail performance due to Click2 mode, low binding (Voile cable) expectations. Well! This is a very active feeling ! Almost like the heels want to launch me over the tips whilst simply standing in the lift line! I got used to this, but it is unlike the BD bindings in the lift line. I think I know why Voile sells the Traverse version of this binding with the ramp wedge. I'm sure it neutralizes this launchy feeling.

These Stigmas with the Voile cables are a SUPER lightweight rig! I want to ski them up mountains again now that I've found the settings for excellent control! I felt VERY comfortable, even on shiny Michigan ice! I could lay the ski on it's edge and TELE TURN on the ice! It was amazing because I was beginning to think that one simply does not tele on ice. The Karhus tell me to wait for the snowy patch at the edge of the ice - they never want to play on the ice. This was a lot of fun! Now I want to get on a big mountain on a soft snow morning with my leathers on the ascent (about as light as a carbon skimo rig) on Click1, then rip skins, attach cables, hit Click2 for the descent & see what happens. I bet it would be a lot of fun. If not, then it would be a lot of fun with the plastic boots, and I've have the option for maybe not quite as a light of a boot as the leathers, but perhaps this would be a compromise worth making.

Mr. Anrothar offers a third option w/his re-imagined Dynafit Vulcan boot, repurposed as an almost Nordic boot...something like this chopped & channelled boot in a 75 mm version could be a very fun dawn patrol rig! It's fun to learn. Thanks for skiing along with me.

Still ahead: Project straight ski as inspired by LoveJohnny & Bri7. In negotiations for proper bindings (75mm pinless design like 02s because my wife has crispi pinless 75 boots) plus cartridges. Ironically, I have decided against all superloop era bindings for Project Straight Ski. Also, bypassing anything from G3. This leaves BD, Rottefella Cobras, or 22D. Rationale; I'm not quite confident enough that I could get sufficient power out of a Voile cable for a 185 to 210 cm straight ski. Looking at Bri7's video of NTN on his 201 cm GS skis, it looks like one prefers a bit of a powerful binding for this to be truly fun.