Alexander Klivecka

Hey Ben,

I'd suggest getting something with tip rocker for that PNW heavy crud snow. It makes initiating the turn much easier, especially with tele, and allows you to blast right through stuff that regular camber skis just can't handle. I ski these mounted with Hammerheads, and in heavy crud and sticky snow they tend to get a little hard to manage...

Check out the Justice, from Black Diamond.

189! You weigh enough to muscle that ski around, and the rocker is dramatic, the turns will initiate extremely easily.

Hey there,

Yes, the O1s work with the K2 inserts, and I don't know the exact mondo size of a 25.5, but Scarpa T1s in a 28 are 326.9mm BSL, so a 25.5 is probably well below 315mm...
Standard size fits boot sole lengths over 315 mm
Small size fits boot sole lengths under 315 mm.

Yes.

Yes.

Hammerheads or Axls. It sounds like you don't do too much touring, so the low resistance of the Hammerhead would probably work for you, or you can go full free-pivot and get the Axl. The Hammerheads provide amazing power and stability, they are bomb-proof, never break, and never rip out (due to the extra 2 screws). Adjustable resistance if you decide to get a stiffer boot, best bindings out there.

Hey man, I think you are definitely making the right decision. The T-Race do take a little getting used to, but bear in mind that they will soften up quite a bit in the bellows as you break them in. I too tried the Ener-G's and also found them to be too soft. The stiffness of the T-Race will also force you to ski more aggressively and make you a better skier (definitely improved my abilities). As for the pressure on your arch, try wearing really thick socks when molding the liners, and then skiing in thin ones to create a little extra room to breathe...you'll be amazed at how much that molding can change the feel of the boot on the inside, I wouldn't worry about it.

The Bombshell has a narrower heel piece to accommodate the narrower heels of women's boots. If you are wearing men's boots, get the regular Hammerhead. Both bindings will fit a women's size 10.

I disagree with Jack, I think you should get the T Race. The difference between the T Race and T2x is going to be HUGE. You would be moving from a soft three buckle to a stiff 4 buckle, with more forward lean and a stiffer bellows. O1s are burly bindings, they can definitely handle the T Race, getting Hammerheads (while they rock) is not going to solve your problem, in fact, it might make it worse. Having a more active binding and still pairing it with a soft boot will run you into the same problems that you described. I'd buy Rid Stiff cartridges for the O1 and get the T Race, it's an amazing boot that will add the power and stability that you need to handle those high speed turns and that variable terrain.

Sit tight Nick! We should have the 22 Designs Axl on the site in the next couple of weeks.

The "Twin-Tip" Skullcandy audio kit works with the Maze

Thanks for the heads up, something's not right here.

These are non-releasable bindings. We carry a couple of pairs of releasable tele bindings:
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Voile-Hardwire-3-Pin-CRB-Telemark-Binding/VOL0080M.html
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Garmont-7tm-Power-Tour-Releasable-Telemark-Ski-Binding/GAR0159M.html

The store is actually in Salt Lake City. 2607 South 3200 West, you can have the guys pick stuff from the warehouse and try it on.

Go big man, you'll want the 188s for AK and you can always sell them if you're not liking them back east.

The liner is overlapping, which I dig, you can crank it down really snug across your calf.

Hey Lisa, this device is an Avalanche Beacon only, it's not a tracker as in a GPS location tracker. However, if your son is a snowmobile guide this is an essential piece of gear if he doesn't already have a beacon. The Backcountry Access Tracker is an excellent choice for an avalanche beacon due to it's ease of use.

Line Prophet 130s come in a 186 and have moderate tip rocker, i have them mounted with hammerheads and really dig the combination. However, the S7s tip rocker is much more dramatic so they might ski even shorter than the 186 Lines. Plus I've heard really excellent things about mounting S7s tele, If you ski aggressively, I wouldn't be too worried about the length...you weigh enough that you should be able to muscle the 188s around.

Get skins that fit the widest dimensions of the ski and then trim to accommodate the sidecut. The Shamans have a HUGE shovel, so you could probably go a little narrower than the widest part of the shovel and still be ok...

The 2009 and 2010 Volkl BOTH have "Elongated Low Profile" or ELP, which is a very gradual tip and tail rocker that starts from right underneath the foot. It's really awesome.

Hey Kevin,

O1s are an awesome telemark binding. They'll pair up well with really any ski, so I would worry about that. I've never skied the Sickbirds, but heard excellent things about them. I think the combo with the T1s should work out just fine for you, go for it!

I agree, the Prophets have a shorter turning radius than many other skis, and the thinner waist makes them a little easier to get edge to edge. If you're skiing mainly resorts out east I assume that you aren't going to be doing a lot of tree skiing, in which case the extra length won't be too much of an issue and the stability at speed will help you out. Stick with it. If it is really too much ski, remember that you can always return any gear that you buy from us, even if it's used.

Factory recommendation is +3, I've also heard people going +2. I believe +3 is 86cm direct pull from the tail. Some people say +3 skis too short, depends on how you ski i guess...

Hey man, the Line Prophet 100s are the EXACT same ski as the Karhu Team 100s, just a different top sheet. Exact same construction, flex, etc. So if you wanted Karhu Team 100s, you can get the Line Prophet 100s instead...

Well, the only drawback would be that you couldn't tour in them, but from a performance perspective, not at all.

Have you ever heard of snowbikes? http://www.snowbike.us/ that way you could sit down and it wouldn't be so hard on your knees...

Can't speak to the BDs or the RT86's, but the Prophet 90s are super fun east coast rippers. They do require some speed to make them come alive, so if you're more of a finesse tele-skier you might not dig the feel of them.

110

I wear the I/O and the Maze in a medium, and I am really stoked on the combo. Snug fit, no gap, feels like one solid helmet/goggle unit, not like two pieces of gear. Wind doesn't get in around the sides of the goggle either, which is pretty cool.

Hey, Marc Andre, Check it out: http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/outlet/ROS0394/Rossignol-Phantom-SC-97-Alpine-Ski.html 178's are in stock and close to 50% off!

I second that, the 192 Zealots are a lot of ski, and you're a big dude. I'd make sure that you have stiff boots too, the Zealots respond to speed...

NO, that's the beauty of Hammerheads: they have adjustable resistance. You can slide the pivot point of the binding forward to lower the resistance and make it easier to learn tele turns, then, as you improve, you can slide it back to increase the resistance and get more power out of your turns. I highly recommend the Hammerhead for any level of tele skier...

I think mid-stiff is right on. The rid-stiffs pair up great with stiff boots and hard charging skiing styles, but you being a lady I assume that you are lighter than the average man, and so I think the mid-stiffs will probably suit you quite well even if you do charge hard.

Each whole number has the same shell as the half-size ABOVE it. i.e. 27/27.5 are the same shell.

Hey Riley, if you telemark aggressively, you're going to love the T-Race, straight up. It's stiff and responsive, great for every kind of turn and terrain. The main differences between the T-1 and the T-Race are: T-Race has stiffer plastic and a stiffer flexing bellows, T-Race has a power strap across the top to really crank down the upper part of the boot, and the T-Race does not have a walk/tour mode. The lack of a tour mode doesn't bother me when touring unless I am skinning on flat ground. On the uphills, your foot is naturally angled forward anyways, so I don't even notice. If you are charging hard on teles, don't even think about the T-1, the T-Race is the boot you want.

POC Lobes are HUGE. http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/POC-Lobes-Goggle/POC0006M.html

I have tele bindings on the Karhu Team 100s, which are the exact same ski with a different top sheet. They rip. I use Hammerheads, but it depends on what boot you have. If you've got a T-Race or Custom, I'd go Hammereheads, they pair up nicely with stiff boots to provide a lot of power and control. If you're into touring, Black Diamond O1s. You can check out the factory mounting recommendations here: http://karhuskico.com/images/tech/karhu_techbulletin_0910.pdf. Use the measurements from the Team 100. The numbers refer to mms measured from the tail along the surface of the ski to pin line of the bindings.

Hey man,

Check out Icelantic ski company. They make short skis specially for tree runs and tight spaces, but they make really high quality and awesome looking skis. The Scout (which we don't carry) comes in a 143 length. And the Pilgrim comes in a 156. IF not that, I'd check out women's skis, the Line Pandora comes in a 152...

You don't need any adapter plates to mount switchbacks on K2 skis. If you have the pre-drilled insert holes in the skis, great, the Voiles will fit into those. If not, just mount them the same way you would mount any tele binding into a ski. The mounting screws that come with your Voiles will work in the inserts as well. The mounting plates are ONLY for Hammerhead bindings which have a different hole pattern than most telemark bindings.

Angus is quite uncouth, but is correct. The O2s would be a good choice for you. You might want to consider O1s (same underfoot cartridge system with a push-button free pivot mode) for your short tours. O1s are a joy to tour with.

Hey Ron, not sure if they changed the ski from last year, but the 09s were a hell of a lot of fun. They are not "soft and playful" per se, and needed some speed to come to life, but if you are comfortable making fast tele turns, they are a great choice. I'd also check out the Line Prophet 100s.

Hey Sandrine, Your Rottefella bindings should fit into the insert holes on your K2 telemark skis WITHOUT the adapter plate. the plate is only for 22 designs bindings, which have a different screw pattern than other telemark bindings...

I don't think so. The 176s are fine for someone of your height and weight.

You can buy additional lenses for the I/O here: http://www.smithoptics.com/I-OS_19_1087.html?fl=flase. The goggle does not come out of the box with the Red Fire Lens. It comes with two lenses, the Sensor Mirror and the Ignitor Mirror (Low-light vs High light).

The Line Prophet 100s come in a 172 length. They won't give you quite as much float as the Justice and aren't rockered, but are definitely stiff and can handle high speeds and groomed runs as well as pow and crud...a little more of an all-mountain ski. They have a short turning radius (17m as opposed to the Zealots 33m!) which I like for tele, allows you to make quick turns in tight spaces...

No grip wax, skins only.

Yeah, Hammerheads would work great with these skis. They're my personal favorite for tele bindings, especially if you do mainly resort skiing.

If the 179s feel too short for you, go with the 189s. Especially at your height and weight. The dramatic rocker of the Hellbents makes them ski much shorter than their length. Rocker helps skis initiate the turn, so you can ski a longer ski than you normally would. I don't know what that rep was talking about, but I hardly know anyone who skis the 179s, and I have seen people ski tight lines with the 189s no problem.

# Standard size fits boot sole lengths over 315 mm
# Small size fits boot sole lengths under 315 mm.
Not sure exactly how the TJ measures at a size 25, but you can just take a tape measure and do it yourself. Those boots will fit the O2s, but I'd get the free-flex cartridges, as the bellows on the TJs are very soft, and the O2 is capable of overpowering soft boots.

YES, we've got some on order expected to arrive in the warehouse on 11/13. Hang tight, these skis are worth it.

Volkl Gotamas.

The helmet on this page does not have built in audio, BUT, you can upgrade the helmet with this audio kit: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Smith-Skullcandy-Single-Shot-Snap-Fit-Audio-Kit/SMI0592M.html

They would be great for all mountain use. They are not a backcountry binding.

Sorry for the delay in response, we don't have a good way of notifying users when their answer is commented on. I have the Smith Maze, but the Variant Brim is a sick helmet, and the works really well with the I/O.

These have the same fit as last year's Smith I/O, I bought a new pair this year and can't notice a difference. It's weird that you thought they fit small, I thought they were big, but maybe it's just my tiny head.

Hey man, I know the technique that you're talking about, allows me to keep up with all my alpine buddies on big pow days. I've never seen anyone tele on the JJs, but I've tele'd on a few rocker skis (Kuro, megawatt) and had them right on boot center and they really worked for me. With the tail rocker in the JJs, I'd be concerned about wheelie-effect if you mount further back, especially if you're weighting and initiating the turn with your front foot. Your weight on that front ski is going to be more rear-wards than an alpine skier's would be, and I'd worry about the lack of stability in the short, rocker tail. If you do try this, post a review on how it turns out, I'm interested...

It includes a binding that is already installed on the ski. In order to attach your boots to the bindings just step in.

The LB weight is correct (not sure where that 380 grams comes from). A pair of size 27s are 4.1 kg or 9 lb 1 oz...

Check these out: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Black-Diamond-Factor-Alpine-Touring-Boot-Mens/BLD0358M.html Black Diamond Factor. I don't have any info on the plastic thickness, though...

For skinning with twin tips, I'd recommend the Black Diamond STS series. I use the Nylon, but Mohair has better glide on softer, powder snow. Nylon works better on corn and wetter snow conditions (but truthfully, they both work great wherever). The STS attachment system is key for twintips though...

They are adjustable for length. The front loop that hooks over the tip of your skis is manually installed on the skin by feeding the skin through the loop and sticking it back to itself to hold the loop in place. So you can trim down the skin to your desired length and then attach the tip loop and you're good to go.

In terms of fitting your head the same sizing applies. I just got the Maze for the upcoming season and wear the same size I did for my Variant last season. The helmet itself is way sweeter, though, incredibly light and not bulky at all (and a great price).

Factory recommendation is +3, I've also heard people going +2. I believe +3 is 86cm direct pull from the tail. Some people say +3 skis too short, depends on how you ski i guess...

110s. In a pinch, you can also just bend the 90 brakes out with a pliers or whatever...

I'd say 166 would be fine for midwestern tight turn skiing at your height and weight.

I disagree with Shane. I feel that you should absolutely get the 186 for this ski. Line's ski short because of the twin-tip, and they also have a VERY short turn radius (look around the site and compare the 19.5m radius with other skis). Ski length is a function of WEIGHT and height, at 185lbs you should definitely be on the 186 in the Prophet 90. Going longer will also force you to ski a little faster to get the most out of the ski, which in turn will improve your technique.

We have one coming in early November. Sit tight!

Get the skins that fit the widest part of your ski (except for some extreme fatties) and then trim down to the waist. You'll appreciate the extra coverage.

The tip rocker in the JJ's makes it easier to initiate a turn, so the 185 will ski shorter than their length, if you're an aggressive skier you'll appreciate the extra flotation and stability at speed in the longer length. I think the 185s would be just right...

The O1 is a great binding for doing anything. It has a fantastic touring mechanism that switches it to free-pivot at the push of a button with your pole, and the binding itself provides excellent power and control. Mid-stiffs would be a good combo for the Push, but if you are an agressive skier (or want to be) I'd recommend the rid-stiff cartridges.

Yeah I follow you. It looks exactly like the regular Variant Brim, if there was no plug going into the helmet you'd never know it was audio...

Try Geartrade.com

T-Race! T-Race! T-Race! I also ski prophet 100s and prophet 130s, with Hammerheads, I' 6'2" and 170lbs. The lack of a touring mode only bothers me when skinning on flats, (uphill your legs are angled forward anyway), but the difference in performance is well worth it. The T-Race rips, especially with big skis like the 130's, and stiffer flexing skis like the 100s. DON'T get the T1, you'll be cheating yourself out of hard-charging grin-inducing turns.

Hey Jimmy, there's nothing wrong with the base of the boot extending beyond the width of the ski. With any skinny ski you're going to have that problem, whether it's an adult or kids ski. You would have to really put the ski on it's edge in order to contact the boot to the snow, something an 11 year old (and many adults, for that matter) would have difficulty doing. That aside, you might want to consider getting your son a new pair of skis anyway. If he's in adult boots, a pair of adult skis would give him the tools necessary to improve his skiing...

Hey OldDude. The inserts are designed specifically for Dynafit Bindings, BUT, you can mount any binding to the Manaslu by drilling holes away from the inserts. The Manaslus have a Titanal Plate in the binding area, which can be tricky when drilling holes (the plate is thicker than a regular Titanal topsheet. There's a good article at WildSnow about this very issue: "Drilling your own holes and mounting bindings in the Titanal plate area is ok so long as this is done by an expert mechanic who uses the correct bit for a metal top skin, taps the holes, mounts with epoxy and doesn’t over tighten the screws. Last winter, many Manaslu skis were tested with bindings such as Duke and Fritschi, mounted without using the nylon inserts." http://www.wildsnow.com/1457/dynafit-manaslu-binding-holes-mounting/

No sir, the same lively, hard-charger they always were.

Hi Marc, Glad to hear you're making the switch and pursuing a more enlightened approach to turns. The Push would be a fine choice to start on, as would the Scarpa T1. Scarpas tend to run a little narrower and BD is somewhere in the middle in terms of width (Garmonts are wider, if you're into touring, the Syner-G might be a good choice as well). The T1 and the Push will be forgiving enough to start out, but will also provide enough performance to stay with you as you improve. Good luck!

Rid-stiff without a doubt. The Prophet 130s are a huge ski and you'll need the extra power to give yourself some control. I'd consider buying a stiffer boot too, if I were you.

That's a bummer Ralph, sorry to hear about your ankle. We've got the Voile Hardwire (http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Voile-Hardwire-CRB-Telemark-Binding/VOL0004M.html) which I've skied on and personally don't like very much. Never skied on the Garmonts, but the movable pivot point on them is similar to the Hammerheads, and will give you the ability to transfer more power to the turn if you are a more aggressive skier. The classic side-of-foot cartridge style is OK for cruising, but I've always preferred the option of increasing the torque and leverage of the binding with a movable pivot point. I'd go with the Garmonts.

Just to put another vote in here, Evan is completely correct, Andrew you are NOT CORRECT, not sure where you are getting your information. There is an international standard for avalanche transceiver transmissions, they all transmit and receive at 457 kHz, all across the world.

Yes it can definitely be an alpine ski, and despite it's light weight the generous width gives it enough surface area to handle your weight for sure. Make sure to get the 185cm length...

Same construction as last year, no rocker. Stiff skis that perform well at high speed.

They are brand-spankin' new, we don't sell any used equipment on this site, there appear to be two in stock for the 136cm at the moment.

If my memory serves me they do come with a clear stick-on template. These work on any ski as a good combo, it's the boot/cartridge combination that's going to make the real difference...

The Zealots are stiffer than the Verdicts. Look no further than the reviews by Noah and Nick, those dudes know what they are talking about.

The SFB is floppy and soft, it's not good on groomers and is primarily focused on soft, deeper snow.

Yeah absolutely, enough flotation for pow, short enough to be manageable in tighter spaces...

They're on order and expected to arrive on Oct 2nd...Hang tight!