The TGR Skinny Ski Ski Tourers' Refuge Thread

[Benneke10]

@Benneke What's the length/width on those? I've been drooling over WOVNs for a while and want to replace my current skinny skis in the quiver this season

About 97mm wide and 175cm long. I believe they weigh between 1200 and 1300g flat. PM me if you're serious and I can take specific measurements.

[bfree]

If anyone would appreciate fixing ~12 year old boots, it'd be you guys.

The soles were completely shredded. The cuff pivots and lock mechanism had both developed significant slop.

I was thinking I'd just buy something new, but didn't want to spend a huge amount and the couple options I tried on didn't fit very well. These DyNA Evos were shredded, but fit me like slippers, so I spent $150 and a few hours fixing them.

Fixes:
1. Installed B&D Ultimate Cuff Pivots
2. Bonded a .030" piece of metal to the lock "pin" and sanded until it was a snug fit again.
3. Resoled using a Vibram Sierra 1276 sole I found online.

They turned out great! So much more usable than before. The soles are pretty heavy and added over 100g, but oh well. They're still very light and I'm not racing anyways. I could have tapered down the soles in the middle like the OEM ones but I figured the extra grip could be nice on spring missions with mixed terrain.

[riff]

Outstanding! What adhesive did you use?


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[bfree]

Outstanding! What adhesive did you use?


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Master contact cement.
My first time resoling anything and I'm pretty confident they're well adhered, but time will tell.

[sb]

Nice save!

[tang]

Very cool! I love shit like this!

[Jonathan S.]

Hugely impressive, love it, thanks for sharing!

Given that those soles ended up shredded like that after just a few cumulative hours of off-snow travel, other resolings were attempting at the time, but I don't recall much success.
Or were we all just too obsessed with the extra weight?
Looks like you could save some weight by shaving down the lugs a few mm, as they appear very deep, especially for a boot whose longevity is probably limited for many other reasons.

Also, for this:

[...] I could have tapered down the soles in the middle like the OEM ones but I figured the extra grip could be nice on spring missions with mixed terrain. [...]

... having owned that generation of that the boot, the lack of any rubber in the middle was definitely a drawback.
(Even before the lugs started sheering off and shredding.)
However, you could grind down that area so that all if you have remaining is a smooth thin layer of rubber, as you don't need any lugs there at all.
Perhaps the weight savings will be trivial, but might add up.

Either way, great job, love to see these boots rejuvenated!

Also, if the soles do start peeling back a bit from the lower shell, I've found that G/Flex epoxy works perfectly for that.

[bfree]

Thanks all! These things were too nice to leave neglected in the back of the closet.
@JS, I think the vast majority of the weight is in the base thickness of the sole rather than the lugs, so I won't bother to trim them down. Ideally the base thickness would only be .060" or so, instead of .170", but I didn't have a way to thin them down.

[kevino]

Where did you source the outsole/rubber?

[bfree]

Where did you source the outsole/rubber?

https://www.myshoesupplies.com/produ...erra-1276-sole

[hick]

FWIW- I’ve had fantastic luck with using Freesole polyurethane glue for boot resoles.
Love the bring back boots from the dead stoke!!


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[Jonathan S.]

Do you tour with sunglasses in almost all weather conditions, resorting to goggles only when you're almost blinded in potentially dangerous terrain?
And when you stash your goggles in your pack beforehand, do you bemoan their horribly burdensome weight and bulk?
Of course so!
Although if not, you either need to up your game, or you're reading the wrong thread.

Fortunately Marker has designed a product for us.
Or it was designed for someone else entirely, and just happens to be lighter and easier to pack.
These two goggle models lack a plastic frame, so they're lighter and more packable.

The slightly heavier (perhaps just b/c it's a larger size -- only option that was currently available from where I ordered) of the two pictured models has two layers of foam, one more dense closer to the lens, one less dense closer to the face.
The slightly lighter model adds a third layer of even denser foam up against the lens.

The three-layer model was creating some pressure up against my nose -- might be just my prominent nose, might be just something that would quickly go away, although might be that the edge of the foam is almost perfectly flush with the edge of the lens, whereas the two-layer model has the foam extending just just a mm or so below the edge of the lens.
(Both pictures look like the foam almost forms a border around the lens, but that's just the camera angle.)
These differences could also just be manufacturing tolerances.

The two-layer model has the lens sitting closer to the race.
When worn with a CAMP Speed Comp helmet, the side edges of the goggles were not perfectly flush with my face, since the goggle strap has to stretch out to wrap around the thicker profile of the helmet over a short distance from the low-profile goggle. However, I don't think this gap will be a problem, since the strap is blocking the elements to a significant extent, and might even benefit the venting.

Both goggles come with nice storage pouches, although of course I would never bring such fractional ounces into the field with me, and instead place the goggle into something else I'm already carrying.
Both goggles also come with a protective clamshell-style case which is kind of neat-o but also pointless.

Third picture shows the excessive weight and bulk of old Smith Cascade goggles for the sheer horror factor.

[kamtron]

But are they as cheap as the $20 Smith Cascades???

[NorCalNomad]

To anyone looking to resole things. The glue they use in production of shoes is basically the same as the good Barge Cement (not the safer kind) or Pilobond 20, 25 (lower VOC but will still get you high..found that out at work accidentally), or 35. They just use chemical primers, heat, and at bare minimum a layer of contact cement on each side.

Also if anyone wants some WOVN skis on the cheap I'm selling mine.

[alive]

Is it stupid to use skimo race poles in the backcountry? I would still use my batons for booting and steeper skiing. I am trying to eek out any advantage I can get while my fitness catches up... I haven't ever used skimo race poles but these weigh 65g each which is outrageously light, I'm tempted https://www.atkbindings.com/en/prodo...sories/br01-2/

I would probably add some tape so I could choke up on the descents

I’m having a hard time accepting that I am advocating for lighter gear compared to Jonathan, but a huge fan of using the racing poles other than big mountain days. I just love the Frankin pole on the left. Black diamond vapour 145 with racing baskets and one way removable strap. 194 gm versus 320 for the adjustable black diamond pole on the right. And using this pole has been a game changer for the up. Obviously the weight isn’t a big difference,but with the nice swing weight, longer length, super stiff poles, it really has made a huge difference on the up when incorporating the arms a whole lot more

[Jonathan S.]

But are they as cheap as the $20 Smith Cascades???

This might be the only time in my life that I've spent more than twenty bucks on a pair of goggles.
Even when I was an alpine racer and then coach, I used only Scott Classics and then Smith Cascades!
Fortunately these Marker models are reasonably priced (especially on Fight Club).
But the magazine piece I read on them also featured goggles that costs *hundreds* of dollars -- do skiers other than dentists from CT with family condos at Okemo (accessed via Volvo station wagons or SUVs) really buy those?

[Jonathan S.]

I’m having a hard time accepting that I am advocating for lighter gear compared to Jonathan, but a huge fan of using the racing poles other than big mountain days. I just love the Frankin pole on the left. Black diamond vapour 145 with racing baskets and one way removable strap. 194 gm versus 320 for the adjustable black diamond pole on the right.[...]

Whew, I still got ya by 12g:
https://skimo.co/komperdell-c2-carbon-pole
I was really worried there at first!

[tang]

For glasses/goggles, I use these for anything short of full blizzard. Bonus - for dark starts, they start clear and then transition. And cheap.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/265032867703

[NorCalNomad]

Used those a bunch till I lost them. The main downside is they don't have a very good antiglare coating. So any light that's kinda sideways on them gives a fair bit of glare. I'm all about Tifosi for relatively cheap but good glasses.

[funkendrenchman]

This is a good deal for someone. The seller will likely take $600 or less based on an offer that was sent to me.

Backland 85 UL 179, ATK Trofeo Plus 8 and skins
https://www.ebay.com/itm/25581656515...torefresh=true

[lepistoir]

PSA: BD closing out Helio 200 LT for $300 https://www.blackdiamondequipment.co...0-lt-bindings/

[fleaches]

PSA: BD closing out Helio 200 LT for $300 https://www.blackdiamondequipment.co...0-lt-bindings/

Don't forget 8% from BD on activejunkey

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[Benneke10]

PSA: BD closing out Helio 200 LT for $300 https://www.blackdiamondequipment.co...0-lt-bindings/

Very good deal, but I'd say the $380 Haute Route bindings from Oliunid are a better deal for most. If you ever plan on using ski crampons, the hooks cost $50 and they are not included with the Helio 200 LT while they are included with the Haute Route. The Haute Route also has the heel plate, leashes, and a magnetized heel riser.

[timmaio]

Very good deal, but I'd say the $380 Haute Route bindings from Oliunid are a better deal for most. If you ever plan on using ski crampons, the hooks cost $50 and they are not included with the Helio 200 LT while they are included with the Haute Route. The Haute Route also has the heel plate, leashes, and a magnetized heel riser.

Not to mention the BD ones use a heavier toe than the ATK version.
I don't understand why they brand one LT and then sold it with heavier parts

[Benneke10]

Not to mention the BD ones use a heavier toe than the ATK version.
I don't understand why they brand one LT and then sold it with heavier parts

The toe only weighs like 7g more than the regular Haute Route/SL World Cup toe but it is definitely a bit less classy looking. They probably brand it LT because it can be mounted flat on the ski without a heel adjustment plate, which you can't do with the Haute Route.