AT Setup and Tele boots???

[PwdrHound]

Hey there T4T,

I was wondering if it is possible to incorporate a Garmont Synergy into an AT Setup???? I love tele, but I think I need to give my knees a rest this spring. I've committed the last 2.5 seasons to Tele and the learning process has taken it's toll. Not sure if this makes sense but, I would describe my knees has having endured a great deal of "Lateral Torsion". I've finally found my edges on the tele-stix and I'm back to skiing again, versus telemarking...even while free-healing. Still, I'd love to try out some AT Gear, but don't really want to spend the cash on a boot. Besides, about a month ago I alpined for the first time in two seasons and let me tell you, my feet have become quite happy in my Tele-Slippers....

Any advice?

[footlong]

It's a long shot but try to track down a pair of Rossi 'Soft' boots - had plastic sides for torsional stiffness but soft /textile material tongue. Actually allows you to flex your ankle not unlike a tele boot but VERY unlike an alpine boot. Ahead of their time, in my opinion, being so 'different' from 'normal' alpine boot. I'd ski'm but they don't fit my foot shape (alas...). Their somewhat lighter than an average alpine boot and a helluva lot easier to get on and off. Being a tele skier, that 'weird' feeling of being able to flex your ankle forward might not seem so weird....

I've seen them new, unused for under $200 at ski swaps - do some digging!

my .02

[PwdrHound]

Thanks for the suggestion, but at that point I'd probably spend the money on a pair of AT Boots...I was looking to spend the money on an AT Binding and make use of the tele boot...somehow. Doesn't seem possible with the duck-bill anyway...might have been a silly question but, I'm a cheap skate if there ever was one!!!

Thanks again!!!

[icelanticskier]

if anything skiing with a locked heel will be much more stressfull on the knees. i have used my t-1's in a friend of mine's silveretta binders and it worked fine with no special rigging involved.
rog

[PwdrHound]

Really? Was the toe of the boot flush with the toe of the binding or was there a space allowed by the duck bill providing the tension to stay in place...if that makes sense?

Also, I hear you about the free heel. However, since my interest in tele was initially sparked, about five years ago, the risk of injury appeared so much greater. I mean, skiing and injury go hand in hand. I've had my fair share of broken thumbs, ribs, and other non-weight barring bones along with bumps, bruises, and gashes.....it's all good. But, since I've actually started to tele and a lot, I have been more aware of my knees, in the sense that I am concerned about long term wear and tare.

Now, I can't believe I am going to say this because many of people have been forced to withstand my endless promotion of our sport. In doing so, I've done my best to defeat many of the misnomers surrounding skiing by trying to impress upon people that skiing is a matter of discipline and technique which results in a wonderful illusion. Ideally, all forces remain neutral at all times. It's just that I fear forces tend to "line up" better with the heel locked in place...

Now, my technique could be the key, I'm well aware. But, since I've freed the heel I feel stress in my knees above the knee cap and on the outer sides of the knee leading around to the back. I'm not too well versed in the physiology of the knee (I do have an appointment with an Ortho next month), so you must forgive me. My knees are even sore days after I've been skiing...something I never experienced all those years on Alpine gear!

It would seem that given my ability to always maintain a good, athletic stance, regardless of terrain or conditions, with my heel locked in, I am less prone to injury while enjoying the act of skiing itself, versus what kind of trauma I bring upon myself as a result.

That is to say, I feel my risk of injury from turn to turn on tele's is much greater then on Alpine gear. I mean honestly, I couldn't see myself getting hurt while linking turns on my Dynastars, but dropping the heel seems to leave me a bit more vulnerable, no matter my speed or rate of turn...fast and tight or slow and patient, being most optimal.

This probably all has much to do with my lack of experience with a free heel when compared to my alpine days. Still, I wonder if I am better off on Randonee, French for "Can't Tele"

I do love Telemark, it is a very natural, beautiful turn, and it does feel great!

Thanks for the response!

[icelanticskier]

the silveretta's that i used alllowed for the duck bill to fit in and beyond the toe piece kinda like it would fit under the toe bar of a step in crampon.
as far as the whole tele thing is concerned, i originally started out as a snowboarder in 1985 as a 12 year old when only a couple of resorts allowed the sport. eventually freeheel skiing peaked my interest in 93 as the tele was a more natural turn for me to learn as i was always used to having one foot in front of the other on a board. in 99' i was skiing out west and taught myself the parallel turn as the tele seemed way too inefficient for the 4-5000 ft vert descents. the last year i lived in utah in 2001 i don't think i made more than a dozen tele turns out of 120 days on snow cuz most of those days were in the b.c. and i felt that the parallel was way more efficient and gave a much better ride in the pow. so, as equipment got beefier and skis wider i locked the heel down a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. my 1st couple of winters freeheeling were on leather laceups and skinny 2 camber karhusand i'm sure glad i learned and skied all over mt washington on that stuff cuz i think it really helped my skiing fundamentals and it's been really fun bringing back both turns on my light nnnbc equipment. as far as knee issues go. when i first locked the heel, my knees were very sensitive which they never were with flexy boots/bindings. everyones knees are different but, i do believe that way more injuries happen to fixed heelers. i could see knee issues arise from the old school NATO style of tele skiing though where movements are generally overly dramatic and energy constantly wasted. new school tele/rub and squeeze from NANSTI, north american new school telemark institute-teles just a parallel with one foot back and some pressure on it-plain and simple. easy on z knees.
rog

[Affix Snow]

Like ROG said, Silvrettas, the 404 model, will allow the tele boot cause its just a toe bail (wire). These are the bindings climbers use for apporach skis cause they will fit a climbing boot. They "Ski", but i have no experience on how well.

RR knows.....

[pulverschwein]

Originally Posted by PwdrHound

I mean honestly, I couldn't see myself getting hurt while linking turns on my Dynastars

unless you hit a tree. Sorry - couldn't resist, Rich.

I tend to agree with rog - I actually switched from alpine to tele for two reasons - first, because I was bored silly alpining on the east coast after doing it forty days a season for 25 years and b., because 25 years of mogul skiing scrambled the soft stuff in my knees and smooshed the jelly out of me lumbar discs. I still give the knees and lower back some punishment when boarding, but really feel that teleing allows my leg muscles to absorb much more of the jarring energy that stressed my joints and vertebrae when I was alpining. My quads'll be sore after a long day of teleing, but not me knees, even after skiing bumps all day.

Just me $.02

[PwdrHound]

Pulverschwein, As I said,

Originally Posted by PwdrHound

I am less prone to injury while enjoying the act of skiing itself, versus what kind of trauma I bring upon myself as a result.

--------------------------
Yes, I would agree Tele is more of a quad work out!

Okay...so what about conditions? It might be the tooth picks I have my Rottefella's stuck to but, I am pretty petrified of the boiler plate hard pack when free heeling....is this normal or does this mean I have yet to master the edges on the tele's???

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

the tele seemed way too inefficient for the 4-5000 ft vert descents. the last year i lived in utah in 2001 i don't think i made more than a dozen tele turns out of 120 days on snow cuz most of those days were in the b.c.

I have about 200 days in the "Greatest Snow on Earth" and I couldn't agree more, but since I've committed myself to Tele, I feel like a looser when it's time to hit up the steep and deep and I am reaching for my flat feet I tell you though, in-bounds, powder or groomers (Powder on Tele is amazing!!!!)....Tele has saved me a lot of money by allowing me to hit up smaller mountains that the locals stay away from until the groomers work their evil!!! Of course, being able to make an approach in lieu of lift service has had its advantages too!!!