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I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

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revtyler
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I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby revtyler » Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:57 pm

I snow kite a little bit (not as much as I'd like to, I mostly water kite) and I currently have a snowboard that I've been using. However, the board is getting old and not exactly what I'm looking for.

I've seen lots of videos of guys with skis and skins that they climb slopes with and then ski down. This looks ideal. Climbing without having to carry a board on my back and without having to worry about snowshoes on my back while I'm riding down.

I've never bought skis before and not sure where to start with style/brand/anything.

Any tips for buying a set of skis that will be good for climbing/kiting?

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby edt » Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:13 am

revtyler wrote:I've seen lots of videos of guys with skis and skins that they climb slopes with and then ski down. This looks ideal. Climbing without having to carry a board on my back and without having to worry about snowshoes on my back while I'm riding down.
Why would you climb a mountain? Much easier to kite up.

revtyler
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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby revtyler » Mon Dec 09, 2013 5:26 am

If the mountain has a kiteable path up. The only mountains where I'm at have trees and stuffs until you get to the tops.

I may having to tour awhile across flat to get from the road to a lake as well.

I mean, I'd love to be in the swiss alps, but that's just not possible when I have one day off :).

Another option for me is a splitboard, but those are a bit on the pricy side.

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby revtyler » Mon Dec 09, 2013 5:47 am

Haha, this is the fun part. I'm not really sure. 10 miles is way out of my league... I think I'm jumping in too far? I dunno.

I'm just getting in to it really. My first few treks will actually be poaching the back side of my local ski resort, so the path up will most likely be groomed. If not that then I'll be mostly on frozen lakes with packed snow just cruising. I'd like to be able to go up to some more off-the-track terrain as I get in better shape and more comfortable with skis.

As you can probably tell, I'm terribly ignorant. I'm just starting my research.

Thanks a bunch for the help though. At least I'm starting to figure out what questions I need to start asking.

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby edt » Mon Dec 09, 2013 2:57 pm

good luck. I don't ski so I'm not sure how much a telemark or alpine touring ski would run you

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby mogthedog » Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:14 pm

I think you are looking for something like this, it is the bindings that are specific, not sure if the skis will be any different to conventional skis.

but these bindings allow you to walk up mountains and ski down, just search for touring skis/binfings.

http://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/V/Marker ... 7Aod8UAAgg

hope this helps

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby maradon1 » Mon Dec 09, 2013 6:42 pm

Hey!

I'm starting with snowkiting but I've spent pretty much all my life on A/T skis in backcountry :)

It's not problem to buy any downhill skis and mount A/T binding on it, but the difference is weight. Then you will definitely need A/T boots. Those are again about weight. You would probably want some little harder and heavier boots than super light touring ones as you still want good, hard ski boot for snowkiting.

Bindings - there is lot of freeride A/T bindings out there. Again weight! If you plan to hike a lot I'd look at dynafit -
http://www.backcountry.com/dynafit-tlt- ... UxMTAwMDQw

It's super light and no additional weight on your boot while hiking - that is big difference! If all you need is to hike up to the tree line and it's not 10miles:) and you don't care that much about weight, then go with any freeride A/T binding (marker, salomon,...) Something between would be Fritschi Diamir - it's freeride type of binding but pretty light in that category.

Just be careful with Dynafit binding! you need comaptible boots for that one! Those freeride bindings would fit any boot (even downhill boot).

Skis - as I said, I would go with some A/T skis because they are light. No problem for snowkiting. I use some heavy hard skis just for spring backcountry skiing on hardpack (but not problem on light skis too) There are some super light carbon skis out there, but what you need is again something between. I'd take a look at some older BD models like: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/black- ... s~p~2872y/ light but still hard enough for everything. Dimensions (sidecut) of these is also good for everything from powder to hardpack. If you plan to ski jsut powder I would get wider ones (but it's usually not the case for snowkiting...)

Any local backcountry store can cut skins for your skis (or online if you send ski dimensions) or you can do it yourself or you can buy skins that doesn't fit your ski perfectly. All work. Just if you have skins that doesn't fit your skis perfectly all the way to the edge they won't be that good in uphill like prefectly fitted skins... (not a big deal in powder but big difference on hardpack)

Telemark skis - :D hmmm... I've seen some gyus snowkite on tele and it's crazy! definitely not an option if you are not REALLY good telemarker :D


OK - just some ideas :) But basically if you find some good deal on used A/T set (ski+bindings+skins) on craigslist or wherever just go for it! Everything will work :)
I'd just go with NEW boots because today they have mostly heat-moldable liners and you don't want boot with somebody else foot shape :) If you go to some backcountry store just tell them it's for hiking/snowkiting so you don't want super light boot but you also don't want some hard 130Flex boot as you are starting to ski... they'll find something:) And again just double check to get boots for dynafit bindings if you would plan to get them...

Uuuuh, hope it makes some sense :D Just PM me with any question on specific gear or whatever!

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby maradon1 » Mon Dec 09, 2013 6:54 pm

btw you can find some used split board too for good price I guess (maybe more likely in Europe),... They used to have some troubles - ice in bindings and those 'connection points' so it was tricky to put that board back to one piece up there :D :D But now it looks better :)

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby matthepp » Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:13 pm

I agree with maradon. A friend uses a split board, but I love my AT skis. Start with short skis if you're re-learning. I wouldn't bother with telemark (Lock yer heel and ski fer real). I use Fritschi Freeride bindings as they are easy to use, and any boot will fit them. AT boots will be way more comfortable than alpine boots. To be fully-equipped for backcountry spots you need: skis, AT bindings, AT boots, climbing skins, poles, beacon, shovel, probe, extra clothes, food, water, small survival kit. I'd say start with some basic used deal, then you can log some time and figure out what you really want.

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Re: I need some info on skis for snowkiting.

Postby waynepjh » Tue Dec 10, 2013 10:36 pm

Get dynafit!!!! I have over ten years with this touring setup and there is nothing better unless you are dropping big lines in ak from a heli. Reliable, light and very torsionally stiff. You will feel like your are cheating when touring uphill. I am 6'4" and have atomic blogs in a 185cm. For me its the perfect ski length for touring not for full time resort skiing. Here is an example of the kiting and touring I do on these.

https://vimeo.com/m/61645837

Great info from others above! Be prepared


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