The TGR Skinny Ski Ski Tourers' Refuge Thread

[iriponsnow]

It anyone wants to convert me & has a 25.5 mondo lite boot I could purchase / beer / whatever.... I'm ur Huckleberry!!

[tgapp]

Whatever happened to using 100% Teflon or silicone spray? Is that not safe for plastic?

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[Norseman]

Some propellants in spray can products will degrade plastics.

[beowulf122]

Seeking some advice from the collective here.

About to mount up some new sticks with v1 trab varios but am having cold feet. I have a dropped 2nd metatarsal on my left foot that is easily inflamed on tours if I spend too much time in an elevated heel position on flatter terrain. I predominantly use the flat position while touring but with the majority of my riding being in the Wasatch it's not uncommon for me to hit a steeper skinner that requires the usage of a riser. In such cases I will quickly revert back to a flat position as the angle decreases.

Am I going to hate my life with a race style heel where the flat mode and a riser require bending down to rotate the heel piece? Has anyone had success with rotating vario heels with just their pole?

[PinyonJuniper5]

Has anyone had success with rotating vario heels with just their pole?

I have two sets of these bindings, and would be amazed if anyone was able to rotate them with a pole. Bending down and turning them isn’t that bad IMO. They are easier than some other race heels I’ve used (Plum 150, ATK Trofeo).


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[fleaches]

Seeking some advice from the collective here.

About to mount up some new sticks with v1 trab varios but am having cold feet. I have a dropped 2nd metatarsal on my left foot that is easily inflamed on tours if I spend too much time in an elevated heel position on flatter terrain. I predominantly use the flat position while touring but with the majority of my riding being in the Wasatch it's not uncommon for me to hit a steeper skinner that requires the usage of a riser. In such cases I will quickly revert back to a flat position as the angle decreases.

Am I going to hate my life with a race style heel where the flat mode and a riser require bending down to rotate the heel piece? Has anyone had success with rotating vario heels with just their pole?

This is basically the reason I swapped out trofeos on all my skis for either haute routes or Alpinists. I also hate having a riser when the terrain gets marginally flat (I think I have a mortons neruoma type situation and that definitely irritates my nerves). The trofeo in particular is very difficult to rotate to get between flat and riser.

I much prefer bindings that have a flat and medium/high option that can be toggled with a pole. That being said I don't think trabs are as hard to rotate as trofeos. I have a pair of gara titans on my skinny skis and having to rotate them is annoying but tolerable.

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[Tjaardbreeuwer]

This is basically the reason I swapped out trofeos on all my skis for either haute routes or Alpinists. I also hate having a riser when the terrain gets marginally flat. The trofeo in particular is very difficult to rotate to get between flat and riser.

I much prefer bindings that have a flat and medium/high option that can be toggled with a pole. That being said I don't think trabs are as hard to rotate as trofeos.

well, I was coming here to ask for help in picking a binding. Was debating between Haute Route, Trofeo, Alpinist, Superlight 150.

I have similar preferences.
Sounds like you have answered for 2 of those at least already.

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

I currently have Haute Route on my 179 cm, 85mm skis, new last year. Haven’t skied them in challenging snow. On easy snow they worked fine.

Just bought some Alpinists for my new Locator 112. Haven’t mounted or skied them yet.

I had Crests on the skis I sold, and have used them for a while. No problems with them, other than brake lock up sometimes icing.


So: Alpinist or Haute Route, or Crests?

This will be for my new, all around AT ski, 95-100mm, ~186 cm long, “daily driver”,including hut to hut trips in the Alps.
I ski slowly and cautiously in the BC. I want low ramp angle (either stock or shimmed). Flat skinning mode. Don’t need very high risers.

Alpinists are by far the cheapest.
Crests are next cheapest
Haute Route cost quite a bit more, but also by far the lightest.
besides the grams/dollar, any other reasons to pick one over the other? That you’d notice in use I mean?

[ezgzy]

The alpinist skis noticeably better than the haute route, i haven’t skied a crest but i hear the alpinist is better than the crest too. I have it on all of my touring skis because of that and the price, 250 or less from europe


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[TG]

The alpinist skis noticeably better than the haute route, i haven’t skied a crest but i hear the alpinist is better than the crest too. I have it on all of my touring skis because of that and the price, 250 or less from europe

Interesting. Can you elaborate on "skis noticeably better" ?

less transmission of vibration? more precise connection to the ski? more consistent release? something else? I'm currently on the haute route, it works ok for me but always good to learn of something potentially better.

[fleaches]

I currently have Haute Route on my 179 cm, 85mm skis, new last year. Haven’t skied them in challenging snow. On easy snow they worked fine.

Just bought some Alpinists for my new Locator 112. Haven’t mounted or skied them yet.

I had Crests on the skis I sold, and have used them for a while. No problems with them, other than brake lock up sometimes icing.


So: Alpinist or Haute Route, or Crests?

This will be for my new, all around AT ski, 95-100mm, ~186 cm long, “daily driver”,including hut to hut trips in the Alps.
I ski slowly and cautiously in the BC. I want low ramp angle (either stock or shimmed). Flat skinning mode. Don’t need very high risers.

Alpinists are by far the cheapest.
Crests are next cheapest
Haute Route cost quite a bit more, but also by far the lightest.
besides the grams/dollar, any other reasons to pick one over the other? That you’d notice in use I mean?

If you want low ramp you probably want the haute route or alpinist, I think the unshimmed crest has kind of a high delta.

I also had crests for a few years and I think they ski pretty similarly to haute routes but I just don't like brakes and like that the haute route is a little lighter.

It's true the Alpinist skis a bit better. I have heard of them breaking occasionally (obviously much more plastic than the atk offerings), but I haven't personally encountered this.

I think there's also a new haute route out this year that has a second riser option. Even if that's not appealing it might mean that the older version can be found on sale?

I like all three of those options a lot, and I'd probably just get whicher I could find a good deal on unless I was really counting grams.

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[ezgzy]

Interesting. Can you elaborate on "skis noticeably better" ?

less transmission of vibration? more precise connection to the ski? more consistent release? something else? I'm currently on the haute route, it works ok for me but always good to learn of something potentially better.

I think it’s a combination of delta like fleaches said and the gapless heel with the small amount of elasticity which absorbs vibrations well. The plastic construction may also help with that but i couldn’t say


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[Westcoaster]

If you want low ramp you probably want the haute route or alpinist, I think the unshimmed crest has kind of a high delta.

I also had crests for a few years and I think they ski pretty similarly to haute routes but I just don't like brakes and like that the haute route is a little lighter.

It's true the Alpinist skis a bit better. I have heard of them breaking occasionally (obviously much more plastic than the atk offerings), but I haven't personally encountered this.

I think there's also a new haute route out this year that has a second riser option. Even if that's not appealing it might mean that the older version can be found on sale?

I like all three of those options a lot, and I'd probably just get whicher I could find a good deal on unless I was really counting grams.

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Hr + heel spacer is the best skiing setup out there for the weight, imo

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

Yes, I should have clarified, I shim all my Crests. I did count the shims in the weight differences. Puts the Crests just over the Alpinists for weight.

Yes, there’s a Haute Route plus now, but the lowest price for the regular (fine for me, don’t need the new, higher riser) is still ~430 shipped, vs ~250 for the Alpinist and in between for the Crest.

[altacoup]

Where are people still finding alpinist 12s for $250? I’ve checked all the usual euro sites and I’m not seeing any at that price. I do think the alpinist is the best skiing light weight tech binding. I love the low ramp. I find Dynafit bindings basically unskiable due to their ramp. Even the Salomon mtn has too much ramp for me, I like everything else about the binding though.


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[ezgzy]

Where are people still finding alpinist 12s for $250? I’ve checked all the usual euro sites and I’m not seeing any at that price. I do think the alpinist is the best skiing light weight tech binding. I love the low ramp. I find Dynafit bindings basically unskiable due to their ramp. Even the Salomon mtn has too much ramp for me, I like everything else about the binding though.


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I got all my pairs from varuste. Before the euro rebounded they were like 230 on there


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[fleaches]

Where are people still finding alpinist 12s for $250? I’ve checked all the usual euro sites and I’m not seeing any at that price. I do think the alpinist is the best skiing light weight tech binding. I love the low ramp. I find Dynafit bindings basically unskiable due to their ramp. Even the Salomon mtn has too much ramp for me, I like everything else about the binding though.


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Not sure about the 12s but I got a couple pairs of 10s for under $200 shipped last winter from snowcountry.eu.

But yeah not as good of deals now with the stronger euro

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[Tjaardbreeuwer]

Yeah, I would get the 10 (usually set my bindings at 7 or 8). Still seeing the Alpinist 10 on good prices.

There was a Haute Route 8 for a good price online, but even though that means I should be able to get the setting I need, I’d worry that after skiing it for a while, I’d find out that I want to dial up RV, and be SOL.

[altacoup]

Makes sense. I bought 2 pairs last year for great prices olinuid and varuste. Besides euro fluctuations, there was an update to the binding so I’m sure they were blowing out the old models. I was just confused as people keep mentioning the low prices and I’m not seeing them.


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[Climber Joe]

I don’t have an issue reaching down and twisting the heels on my Trab vario 1.0, it’s my favorite binding for sure. Mounted on a BD adjustment track.

[turnfarmer]

Seeking some advice from the collective here.

About to mount up some new sticks with v1 trab varios but am having cold feet. I have a dropped 2nd metatarsal on my left foot that is easily inflamed on tours if I spend too much time in an elevated heel position on flatter terrain. I predominantly use the flat position while touring but with the majority of my riding being in the Wasatch it's not uncommon for me to hit a steeper skinner that requires the usage of a riser. In such cases I will quickly revert back to a flat position as the angle decreases.

Am I going to hate my life with a race style heel where the flat mode and a riser require bending down to rotate the heel piece? Has anyone had success with rotating vario heels with just their pole?

Pm me if you want insert ideas to deal with your dropped met.

[fleaches]

Where are people still finding alpinist 12s for $250?

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https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...er-Alpinist-12

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[ktoor]

question: do ppl like vario2 heels for any reason?

i just got a pair of magico2 used with vario2s alrdy on them. the heel seems unnecessarily heavy for the ski and i want to swap it out for plum 145 heel i have laying around. weighing any downsides before i put more holes in this ski.

as an added note ill be mounting the 145s on an adjustment plate to minimize delta (i think the toes come with the trab shim alrdy).


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[Tjaardbreeuwer]

Well, despite being a weight weeny, I decided to save some money instead, and grabbed the Alpinist. Since it’s going on a 98mm ski (new Wayback 98), it doesn’t qualify for this thread anyway I guess

[Benneke10]

question: do ppl like vario2 heels for any reason?

i just got a pair of magico2 used with vario2s alrdy on them. the heel seems unnecessarily heavy for the ski and i want to swap it out for plum 145 heel i have laying around. weighing any downsides before i put more holes in this ski.

as an added note ill be mounting the 145s on an adjustment plate to minimize delta (i think the toes come with the trab shim alrdy).

If you're using an adjustment plate then you will only be saving around ~70g, probably not worth the hassle and extra holes. Vario heels are the best on the market IMO, very elastic and good retention and release when you need them to. The Vario.2 is annoying because you have to use the spring loaded heel track due to the gapless design which weighs 80g, vs a regular adjustment plate which weighs 30g. The Plum heel turret is probably another 20-30g lighter than the Vario. I prefer the original Vario, shame they don't make it anymore.