Touring setup (Freerides vs. Trekkers) -WWMD?

**Twoplanker** · 11-17-2003, 11:11 AM

Yeah, this should be in Tech talk...whateve.

Need some advice on a touring setup. After a kickass day in the BC, I'm realizing bootpacking sucks and I want to ascend like a rocket.

I like the Diamir Freerides, but the major drawack with those is that I can't just exchange them from my rock boards to my good boards without remounting. Given that this is a concern, I'm tempted to go with the Alpine Trekkers.

How quick is it to get the Trekkers on? Any problems anyone had with the Trekkers?

**frozenwater** · 11-17-2003, 11:19 AM

Your talking different worlds tp. Freerides are so much lighter, less awkward, etc.

Trekkers are HEAVY, your up on stilts trying to skin, and only worth it if it is your ONLY option.

--that aside, they are better than bootpacking.

**Beaver** · 11-17-2003, 11:19 AM

Trekers will make you strong. Combined with your alpine brinders they weight a ton. Freerides are tough enough to ski daily.

**Marmot** · 11-17-2003, 11:19 AM

Trekkers are easy as apple pie. If you are taking skins on and off anyway, the extra effort for the trekkers is nothing. When you first use them they can be a bit of a pain on and off. When you get used to them and have all your little tricks, they take less than a minute on and even less off. The main reason that people get AT bindings is to shed weight, the ease of not having to take the AT converter bindings on and off, the pack space, and the more burly durability and smoothness of the operation of an AT binding. If you want the versatility for different days and different boards though, the Trekkers are great. Been on mine for more than 30 days and have had no problems. They are pretty good about warranty also. Good luck.

**slim** · 11-17-2003, 11:23 AM

Get Freerides. So much easier all around. As far as rock vs. regulars skis... just buy yourself a nice used set of skis that you can use as both rock and regulars sticks. For example... SPAM... these.

**splat** · 11-17-2003, 11:28 AM

I already told you how much I appreciate the Freerides for IB/OB skiing, 2P. Nice and light, durable enough, cause I'm not looking for a 16 din.

**dude_le_skibum** · 11-17-2003, 11:29 AM

this summer i had both. never even bother to use trekkers, freeride rock. and pretty hard. like in a blood-drinking-double base-drum-valhalla-viking-slayin-peoples-with-long-ass-sword kinda rock

**Plakespear** · 11-17-2003, 12:14 PM

Trekkers are not meant to be used for full on touring. The purpose of them is for short skins from lift accessed terrain. I don't think you would want to use a full alpine setup with Trekkers for any long distance tours.

Check e-bay or skiswap for a used set of Freedrides for the rock skis.

**Buster Highmen** · 11-17-2003, 12:20 PM

I hated trekkers. I've liked all flavors of Diamirs.

**iskibc** · 11-17-2003, 12:36 PM

Trekkers = CLUNK CLINK CLUNK CLINK CLUNK
Freerides = swish swish swish swish

Trekkers are great if you don't have the money for freerides and you want to use them on multiple pairs of skis, but freerides are soooo much smoother and efficient.

**Twoplanker** · 11-17-2003, 02:49 PM

Fritschi Diamir Titanal I

What's the deal on these badboys? I might be able to score a pair cheap.

**Buster Highmen** · 11-17-2003, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by Twoplanker
Fritschi Diamir Titanal I

What's the deal on these badboys? I might be able to score a pair cheap.

They made 2 versions, the intro version and then the second year version.
I think the difference is in the heel lock mechanism and the bar. Supposedly, the bar was beefed up with a crease.

I've skied the version 2 for years. Some people complained that they broke, but I didn't have any problems. But I don't do cliffs bigger than 20' or so.

I'm 6'. 180lbs. If you're easy on 'em, they should be fine.

**powslut** · 11-17-2003, 03:23 PM

trekkers = suffering

if you're using trekkers full time and expect to be touring in places like roger's pass which is marred with steep uptracks be prepared to curse them, bend them, snap them, toss them and just be all around angry at them.

For mellow touring (especially lift accessed tours) they are great.

**Marmot** · 11-18-2003, 10:27 AM

I must be deranged, but I was fortunate enough to run on trekkers before I was graced with full ATs. OF COURSE, full ATs are way better than the trekker converters, but let's not discuss which are better here. That isn't the point of this thread. I don't think that anyone actually believes that trekkers are superior.

twoplanker said: ...major drawack with those is that I can't just exchange them from my rock boards to my good boards without remounting. Given that this is a concern...

If you have to switch between skis the trekkers are a good bet. If you have the abilitiy to remount the the binders every time that you switch back and forth from the rock skis, then go with the full ATs. If you only need one ski, go with the full ATs. If you don't mind bootin' when you have to use the rock skis, go full ATs. If you are only going BC a few days a year or if your RTs are only a few miles, then the trekkers are fine. Hell, the trekkers are fine either way. Common guys, are those two extra pounds really holding you back. And if they are, you probably aren't spending enough time in the BC anyway. Not that I am god here, I am not, but if I can do it, shit.. anyone can. Trekkers bust when you don't have the boot length set correctly and when you put too much lateral stress on them. Set them up right and stay over your skis and they will take you far, in any conditions.

-VIVA LE TREKKERS

ps-I ski on full ATs. Just trying to present options to the thread's question.

**Idris** · 11-18-2003, 10:46 AM

What sort of terrain....I have been miles on Securifix (the origional not the ripoff) but have sufferd enough to spend the money on freerides...on softer snow there isn't much in it especially if it's easy angle and you are just trying to free your heals and avoid postholing...if you are heading for steeper terain, more importantly hardpack, and cross hill rather than straight up on hardpack then there is a big deal between the two...you would find it hard to do a rising traverse on hardpack using trekkers/securifx especially if you have a lot of shape in your skis.

**SSSdave** · 11-18-2003, 10:55 AM

Since no one has added the obvious comment on the thread yet.

Trekkers really suck on the inevitable little downhills as one is journeying over terrain. Just were not made to do it with any kind of speed. I learned to deal with short downhills by going slowly and stopping a lot. Taking them off for short downhills is otherwise a irritating option. Trekkers with skins are still very a useful tools allowing one to take downhill skis and ordinary bindings up hills. I plan to find a newer wide body plank setup this year and join the Fritschi users. -dave

**Gorillo** · 11-18-2003, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by SSSdave
Since no one has added the obvious comment on the thread yet.

Trekkers really suck on the inevitable little downhills as one is journeying over terrain. Just were not made to do it with any kind of speed. I learned to deal with short downhills by going slowly and stopping a lot.

Come on that is taking al the fun out of it. Downhills with 198 G41's skins and trekkers, I call that challenge with the potential for hillarious desastor.

Originally posted by Twoplanker

I like the Diamir Freerides, but the major drawack with those is that I can't just exchange them from my rock boards to my good boards without remounting. Given that this is a concern, I'm tempted to go with the Alpine Trekkers.

I'm working on a solution : helicoils.

I got a pair of Super Nobis and I want to be able to use My alpine and At binders. ( I'f possible I prefer to stay away from my trekkers, takes so much out of touring- makes it cumbersome and slower)
I think I might try and preset the holes with helicoils so I can easily trade binders. But then I got to helicoil my R:ex's too which would ad some unwanted weight and i don't know about the durability of the coils in that type of construction.

Anyone ever consider helicoils ?

**Beaver** · 11-18-2003, 12:33 PM

Originally posted by Gorillo
Come on that is taking al the fun out of it. Downhills with 198 G41's skins and trekkers, I call that challenge with the potential for hillarious desastor.

I'm working on a solution : helicoils.

I got a pair of Super Nobis and I want to be able to use My alpine and At binders. ( I'f possible I prefer to stay away from my trekkers, takes so much out of touring- makes it cumbersome and slower)
I think I might try and preset the holes with helicoils so I can easily trade binders. But then I got to helicoil my R:ex's too which would ad some unwanted weight and i don't know about the durability of the coils in that type of construction.

Anyone ever consider helicoils ?

Good idea but the inside of your ski is gonna get wet unless you put a screw in the unused helicoil hole. Unless it is a screw with a flush head it will get in the way of you other binder. Even if you did put a flush mount screw in the hole unless you put in some grease or glue the water will seep down into the core of your ski. Just buy another pair of skis or do what I do. I own one pair of boards mounted with my touring binders (dynafit) and I ski them always.

**Snow Dog** · 11-18-2003, 12:36 PM

Originally posted by Gorillo
Come on that is taking al the fun out of it. Downhills with 198 G41's skins and trekkers, I call that challenge with the potential for hillarious desastor.

I'm working on a solution : helicoils.

I got a pair of Super Nobis and I want to be able to use My alpine and At binders. ( I'f possible I prefer to stay away from my trekkers, takes so much out of touring- makes it cumbersome and slower)
I think I might try and preset the holes with helicoils so I can easily trade binders. But then I got to helicoil my R:ex's too which would ad some unwanted weight and i don't know about the durability of the coils in that type of construction.

Anyone ever consider helicoils ?

Aren't helicoils for metal-on-metal threads? I'm sure they would pull right out. An insert for wood has a very course thread on the outside. Any ski/board shop should have the correct inserts available. They're common on snowboards.

**Gorillo** · 11-18-2003, 01:42 PM

Those are two of the problems I've been trying to solution.

Water seapage and hold in the ski.

We use coils at my shop and it works fine on wood core skis. then again i haven't put em to the test personnally.

I'm gonna do more research.

**Beaver** · 11-18-2003, 01:50 PM

I don't think holding power is a problem with helicoils. I once ripped my binder out of one of my GS skis. I helicoiled it back in and it held until the skis were retired.

**Buzzworthy** · 11-18-2003, 02:41 PM

Well, it was nice riding with ya the past 5 years. It's been fun. Now you are off to the wild white wonder.

-Buzz slowly losing his ski buddy

**FreakofSnow** · 11-18-2003, 03:18 PM

Some very good arguments both ways in this here thread. Having owned both, gotta say they both have their advantages. Like everyone is saying it depends on what you want them for. If you are going do a few gnar approaches a few times a year, you'll be much happier w/ the freerides. If you are mainly doing little approaches you will probably be satisfied w/ the Trekkers.

If you can afford to "dedicate" a ski to the Freerides, you will be pumped. I rode mine inbounds all last year and bc and they were bomber.

The Trekkers pretty much feel like this:

http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/img/shoes2.jpg

Downhills suck on them, sidehilling not so much fun.

**trainnvain** · 11-18-2003, 03:28 PM

When I did use trekkers all the time (now have freerides w/ no probs) I found them tall at first but got used to it. One improvement was wrapping some fresh duct tape around the front bail a coupla times a year since I couldn't dial in the length fit, thus reducing the clackiness of them.

**HotRutteredBum** · 11-18-2003, 03:28 PM

Trekers or the Fritschi For all of you powder hounds i think i'd wait for the New NAXO to hit a shop near you. www.naxo.ch I think they are goiing to be the shit. i think they are goiing to be imported by BCA but im not sure any ways check out the naxo site there is an english version