Ski touring / AT gear

[schmalzy]

Recently got started. I’ll start the conversation off with strictly sticking to uphill inbounds and low angle terrain that is not in runout path etc. Gaining experience with all my gear, transitions etc before taking Avy 1 course. Reading Tremper’s book as well.

With that out of the way, would love to some AT/touring set ups.

I’m currently using BC Atris 184 with some shifts and Scarpa Maestrale RS boots. Definitely on the heavy end and more of a “50/50” set up and exploring/researching a more dedicated uphill set up. My goals are exploration, fitness and general adventure vs charging hard on the downhill. I’m still developing my downhill skills so definitely not pushing the limit.


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[wowzers]

Check out Madshus. I have a pretty old set of Annums that replaced the Karhu Guides and it looks like Madshus is replacing it with the Panorama 78. I used Voile Switchback bindings coupled with Scarpa T4 boots. I was using this for some downhill also but now days I think I would get a lighter boot for just touring.

 

[b2one]

Still running old Karhu BC 100 skis with dynafit TLT 6 boots and dynafit bindings. It is a light set up that is great for the uphill grind and I am not afraid to take it down groomers.

 

[cubdriver84d]

I'm on an old pair of DPS Wailer 112RPC Pure3 with Fritshci Tectons and wearing Tecnica Zero G's Tour Scouts. Good balance of uphill/downhill for me. The Tectons perform surprisingly well the 1-3 days/yr I ski Alyeska as well, although I'd still happily use this setup if I resort skied more.

 

[schmalzy]

I'm on an old pair of DPS Wailer 112RPC Pure3 with Fritshci Tectons and wearing Tecnica Zero G's Tour Scouts. Good balance of uphill/downhill for me. The Tectons perform surprisingly well the 1-3 days/yr I ski Alyeska as well, although I'd still happily use this setup if I resort skied more.

I’ve been eyeing the tectons and zero g scouts.

Currently torn between tectons and atk raiders. Tectons appealing to me because of the alleged toe elasticity/releasing characteristics. Any issues with durability? Either one would be huge weight savings from the shifts.


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[cubdriver84d]

I’ve been eyeing the tectons and zero g scouts.

Currently torn between tectons and atk raiders. Tectons appealing to me because of the alleged toe elasticity/releasing characteristics. Any issues with durability? Either one would be huge weight savings from the shifts.


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This is my third season on them and no issues yet. When I was researching them it seemed there were a few instances of them breaking when it's real cold due to the plastic getting brittle. I've used them in -15F though and they were fine. If I were building a new setup with a lighter ski, I'd go ATK for sure. My DPS's are light, but not by today's standards for dedicated touring skis.

 

[schmalzy]

This is my third season on them and no issues yet. When I was researching them it seemed there were a few instances of them breaking when it's real cold due to the plastic getting brittle. I've used them in -15F though and they were fine. If I were building a new setup with a lighter ski, I'd go ATK for sure. My DPS's are light, but not by today's standards for dedicated touring skis.

What lighter ski options would you focus on? BD helio 95 (176 length) is kind of how I’m leaning but I admittedly don’t have a ton to compare it to.


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[cubdriver84d]

What lighter ski options would you focus on? BD helio 95 (176 length) is kind of how I’m leaning but I admittedly don’t have a ton to compare it to.


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I’d probably start with DPS but that’s just because it’s what I know and like. Haven’t really researched skis recently. One of my ski partners got some k2 waybacks last season and seems to like them, and they are crazy light at least compared to my setup.

 

[JohnB]

Mid winter I'm typically skiing on a set of DPS Lotus 124s that are the light touring version with some Dynafit Superlite 2.0s for bindings. These things float like mad and are decently composed in firmer snow. If you ski a lot mid winter I can not recommend a set of light 120mm+ skis enough!

For boots I've got a set of Scarpa Maestrale RS. I've long thought about switching to a lighter & heavier boot combo but these fit me quite well.

I also use a Skidoo 850 for commuting to my ski location but am not a good enough operator to get any gasoline powered uphill assistance

 

[schmalzy]

Mid winter I'm typically skiing on a set of DPS Lotus 124s that are the light touring version with some Dynafit Superlite 2.0s for bindings. These things float like mad and are decently composed in firmer snow. If you ski a lot mid winter I can not recommend a set of light 120mm+ skis enough!

For boots I've got a set of Scarpa Maestrale RS. I've long thought about switching to a lighter & heavier boot combo but these fit me quite well.

I also use a Skidoo 850 for commuting to my ski location but am not a good enough operator to get any gasoline powered uphill assistanceView attachment 679128

What other boots were you looking at? In same boat; got the maestrale rs from Sierra for 300 bucks and they luckily fit (or fit as best as my inexperience says they do)


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[JohnB]

What other boots were you looking at? In same boat; got the maestrale rs from Sierra for 300 bucks and they luckily fit (or fit as best as my inexperience says they do)


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I've got no idea, hence the inertia of continuing to wear the same boot.

 

[schmalzy]

What is everyone’s preferred touring pack and layers?

 

[cubdriver84d]

What is everyone’s preferred touring pack and layers?

I'm running an ortovox litric this year and really like it over my previous bca pack. I rarely tour without an airbag pack, but I'd just grab whatever is lightest probably if I did for some reason.

Layers are aclima woolnet top and bottom, black diamond recon pant, and black diamond alpine start. I can tour in just that down to single digits, then I typically just throw a hardshell over the alpine start for the descent. Puffy pants and jacket in the pack for when I'm not moving. If it's really cold, I'll add another thin base layer over the woolnets, and I'm usually good. I started wearing the woolnets a couple winters ago, and they've been a game changer for me for winter activities.

 

[GoatBoat218]

I've have no complaints with my dynafit radical pro boots this season, I am fairly new to touring aswell but I have no need to look for anything else.

 

[schmalzy]

Probably not what’s on everyone’s radar but bumping this one to the top. Picked up a demo set of DPS tour 90s with atk bindings four a significant discount from powder7. Significantly lighter than my other set up.

Also grabbed zero G tour pros that seem to feel better than maestrale rs. Obviously haven’t skied or toured in them yet. Lot of good deals out there right now.

Anyone else make any off season change ups?


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[Poser]

What is everyone’s preferred touring pack and layers?

I use a BCA Float 43 for an air bag. I hate it. The cannister takes up a ton of room, the layout sucks, the loadlifters suck and the organization sucks. Only good thing about it is it has an airbag.
I have a BD Dawn Patrol I use in the spring when avy danger drops. I hate it less, but don't love it.

I tried using the SG daypack as a ski pack, but with no dedicated helmet retainer, no way to mount a split board in snowboard mode and not wide enough for split skis in a pyramid + the fact that its not really laid out to organize and retain avy gear, it doesn't work for that.

Layering wise, you want lots of venting options on your pants. The more, the merrier.

 

[Macintosh]

Havent skied nearly as much the last few years, still using scarpa marstrales mostly, either with a really damp, heavy ski inbounds (line supernatural 108s) or voile v8’s if not riding lifts. The big skis have heavy marker AT bindings, the voiles have bd vipecs. Also have an old pair of dynafit tlt5’s that I love for touring. The scarpas are plenty stiff for me to drive a bigger ski, the voiles are a pretty forgiving and soft ski to begin with so the little dynafit boots work great with them in most conditions. Id love a lighter pair of narrower skis for a few of the bigger touring areas around here, but really not getting out enough to want to drop the coin.
Most of the terrain I ski in the east isnt avalanche prone so no need for an airbag or rescue gear unless Im going to a few specific areas. Former job I sold avy gear and trained avy instructors and patrols on our gear, so I have a pile of it left over that doesnt get used much anymore. Any of you guys interested in a beacon or a lightly used airbag pack, hit me up, Ive got spares and they are just gathering dust.

Touring pack my favoite is an older lightweight 30l toploading mammut, looking current ones its a little different but closest to their aenergy st. If I was doing it all over now I might look into a cilo gear pack, or one of the other alpine-ish companys. Layers, im a fan of softshell pants for pure touring, full-zip hardshells if riding chairs to keep my rear dry. Synthetic baselayer I find less clammy for the up. And polartec alpha is great stuff for touring, have a great super light jacket thats insulated in the torso with that, but just has woven non-insulated sleeves, its kind of my go-to, and I just put a different layer in top for the down.

 

[schmalzy]

Havent skied nearly as much the last few years, still using scarpa marstrales mostly, either with a really damp, heavy ski inbounds (line supernatural 108s) or voile v8’s if not riding lifts. The big skis have heavy marker AT bindings, the voiles have bd vipecs. Also have an old pair of dynafit tlt5’s that I love for touring. The scarpas are plenty stiff for me to drive a bigger ski, the voiles are a pretty forgiving and soft ski to begin with so the little dynafit boots work great with them in most conditions. Id love a lighter pair of narrower skis for a few of the bigger touring areas around here, but really not getting out enough to want to drop the coin.
Most of the terrain I ski in the east isnt avalanche prone so no need for an airbag or rescue gear unless Im going to a few specific areas. Former job I sold avy gear and trained avy instructors and patrols on our gear, so I have a pile of it left over that doesnt get used much anymore. Any of you guys interested in a beacon or a lightly used airbag pack, hit me up, Ive got spares and they are just gathering dust.

Touring pack my favoite is an older lightweight 30l toploading mammut, looking current ones its a little different but closest to their aenergy st. If I was doing it all over now I might look into a cilo gear pack, or one of the other alpine-ish companys. Layers, im a fan of softshell pants for pure touring, full-zip hardshells if riding chairs to keep my rear dry. Synthetic baselayer I find less clammy for the up. And polartec alpha is great stuff for touring, have a great super light jacket thats insulated in the torso with that, but just has woven non-insulated sleeves, its kind of my go-to, and I just put a different layer in top for the down.

I’m still researching bags and not quite sure what direction to go. Kind of thinking fan but still understanding pros and cons of it all.

I’m pretty set on clothing but definitely want a polar tech alpha piece. Any recommendations? The dynafit one looks solid, but also checking out the BD insulated alpine start.


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[Macintosh]

Not really, at some point its probably more about fit and preference than anything objective. Last I checked all the dynafit stuff fit extremely small and tight, its mostly made for skinny little euro skimo racers. Theres a lot that a backcountry skier can learn from skimo racing, but clothing is probably not one of those things in most cases!
Im pretty lean so some of that stuff works for me, but even then it can look like it’s painted on…the bd stuff is sometimes a little dumbed down to hit a pricepoint but the fit is more USA. Mine is a mammut but they no longer make it or anything exactly like it, its 5 or 6 years old at least. I might look at some of the brit brands too, mountain equipment or maybe rab, they make good stuff that is a bit more American in fit.

Fan v cartridge…I havent been following since I left there in 2021, but there was a bunch of new tech on the horizon or just barely released. The capacitor powered ones seemed the most interesting to me, but it was just barrly new and totally untested. Mine are all cartridge models, can get fairly light in relative terms but its a royal hassle if you ever fly to ski. Company I worked for made a carbon cartridge in EU that due to regulations we couldnt import into the US, but a bunch if folks have either ordered directly from a eu website or smuggled them into the us…if those were available id say cartridge hands down. But unfortunately they’re not, and once here they cant be refilled.

 

[schmalzy]

Not really, at some point its probably more about fit and preference than anything objective. Last I checked all the dynafit stuff fit extremely small and tight, its mostly made for skinny little euro skimo racers. Theres a lot that a backcountry skier can learn from skimo racing, but clothing is probably not one of those things in most cases!
Im pretty lean so some of that stuff works for me, but even then it can look like it’s painted on…the bd stuff is sometimes a little dumbed down to hit a pricepoint but the fit is more USA. Mine is a mammut but they no longer make it or anything exactly like it, its 5 or 6 years old at least. I might look at some of the brit brands too, mountain equipment or maybe rab, they make good stuff that is a bit more American in fit.

Fan v cartridge…I havent been following since I left there in 2021, but there was a bunch of new tech on the horizon or just barely released. The capacitor powered ones seemed the most interesting to me, but it was just barrly new and totally untested. Mine are all cartridge models, can get fairly light in relative terms but its a royal hassle if you ever fly to ski. Company I worked for made a carbon cartridge in EU that due to regulations we couldnt import into the US, but a bunch if folks have either ordered directly from a eu website or smuggled them into the us…if those were available id say cartridge hands down. But unfortunately they’re not, and once here they cant be refilled.

Good insight. In all reality at this stage I’m staying out of terrain where it’s really even a consideration or staying in bounds, but want to have my ducks in a row for when I do.


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