"The moment you realized"

For me it was when I started doing East Vail laps. I didn't have an AT setup so I just bootpacked up. Lugging heavy hellbents initially had me thinking "why do people do this?" What made me really want to get into backcountry was when the hikes started to become enjoyable. Your attitude changes. Throw on the headphones, hike up, and enjoy the scenery. After a while, you fall in love with the whole process. You start scheming on other missions and of course looking into better AT gear.

Personally the most rewarding part is having that beer afterwards with your crew. You planned an objective, executed it, and everyone came back safe. You also had a great time away from the crowds skiing with your friends. It doesn't get much better.

I don't think there is any one 'moment.' folks just gradually find places in their gear where they are willing to make compromises for weight savings.

It might start with frame bindings, and then you cut the weight of boots, and next thing you know you're on sub 100mm wide skis 10cm shorter than your resort skis with speed superlights, TLT6s and are combing the net for sub 30L packs under 1kg and are trading in your iceaxe

Never go full Rando.

I never had that moment... in fact.. I have 5 setups for backcountry...

2 with tech bindings
1 with tele bindings
2 with frame bindings

The tech setups are probably the most versatile
The tele setup is mostly just for funzies
The frame setups are on big fat skis for sidecountry days when I'm skinning in resort, or back to the car after venturing off somewhere out of bounds.

frame bindings are great if you're not getting too deep...

I started on used fritschis that I got for dirt cheap off eBay. They were awesome except the amount of lateral roll in them made them really unskiable on hardpack. I knew I was on borrowed time every time I went out so eventually they had to get retired for some dukes and new sticks.

When 3.4kg per foot is the perfect weight for Ski Touring.

I had my moment about halfway up Mt. St. Helens, wearing my 130 flex boots with no walk mode and using marker dukes. My group stopped for a break and I took a moment to inspect my buddies setup. Carbon fiber boots??! I swear his whole setup weighed the same as one of my boots. I'm saving my $$$ for a full touring setup now.

gundoI had my moment about halfway up Mt. St. Helens, wearing my 130 flex boots with no walk mode and using marker dukes. My group stopped for a break and I took a moment to inspect my buddies setup. Carbon fiber boots??! I swear his whole setup weighed the same as one of my boots. I'm saving my $$$ for a full touring setup now.

His carbon fibre boots probably ski like dogshit though... just saying.

(I have skied in the Scarpa Alien RS. It skis like poo and gives you crazy shinbang because the cuff is short and has no rebound potential)

DingoSeanHis carbon fibre boots probably ski like dogshit though... just saying.

(I have skied in the Scarpa Alien RS. It skis like poo and gives you crazy shinbang because the cuff is short and has no rebound potential)

Yeah, he did complain a bit about shin bang. I'm not gonna go full skimo, but for sure saving for a lighter setup. Just bough the Moment deathwish tour, boots and bindings are next.

gundoYeah, he did complain a bit about shin bang. I'm not gonna go full skimo, but for sure saving for a lighter setup. Just bough the Moment deathwish tour, boots and bindings are next.

Good buy the deathwish RIPS!!!

Yeah, I can claim THAT moment.
In 2012, I bought a pair of Rossignol Super 7, got a set of Marker Baron 13 and a pair of full tilt Booters and thought to myself: This is the greatest setup ever for 2012-2013 season. They performed well. My legs would cramp up after 3 hours, but my cardio kept up and I could go just about anywhere with them. I sure beats snowshoes and skis strapped to a backpack. Problem was doing 360s with those skis were near impossible.
I did my first touring contest in 2014 and I ended up second last; my buddy was behind me. When I weighed the winner's skis, I could not believe his entire setup was lighter than my coat I was wearing. The next year I hiked with Faction CT4.0 on Baron 13 and did very well, finished third. This year I got DPS Wailer 99 tour 1, Dynafit superlights 2.0 with a pair of scarpa Maestrale and finished second, but in much better shape than the previous year. And yes, I had 3000$ to burn on skis

Now I can hike 6 straight hours without leg pain and still feel well enough for a 1.5 hr drive home alone in a snowstorm.

I can safely say that my Super 7 are excellent training skis and I only keep them for that and rock skis...also a ski I can lend without being worried about breaking them.

DingoSeanHis carbon fibre boots probably ski like dogshit though... just saying.

(I have skied in the Scarpa Alien RS. It skis like poo and gives you crazy shinbang because the cuff is short and has no rebound potential)

Have you tried the Dalbello Lupo carbon? I have the Lupo AX and they're great but I like a significantly stiffer boot and booster straps, so I don't know that replacing the tongue alone paired will be enough to compensate for the give of the booster straps. The new touring lupos also don't seem to come with the lockers that you slide in just above the inner heel, possibly because the walk mode lever is in the way? They have plenty of range of motion, but I like a really stiff boot on the way down (my last boots were Il Moros with the large stiffeners in with the race booster straps)

My moment was when I finally toured past 4 miles in one day. I had been touring on a set up that I justified as a backcountry set up for 2 years. 2013 atomic bentchetlers, marker barons, and dalbello panterra 120s (the walk mode has the range of motion of Russia's front against Germany in the dead of winter, none at all). Set up was ridiculously heavy and touring with it was exhausting but doable for a certain distance. One day a friend invited me out with him so of course I went, turns out the tour was longer than I had expected, even without being a ridiculously long tour. Mile 4 had hit me and I was sweating like a madman ( I was also about 30lbs heavier at the time so that didn't help /fullclaim ). Low and behold I swore off the backcountry from that moment on due to my exhaustion, dead legs, and incapability to enjoy the ride down because I was so dead from the up.

...then this year I got a big boy job and bought haw ultra 130s, atomic shifts, and dynafit hokkaidos...they tour like a dream and I couldn't be more stoked. Having equipment that helps work with you just makes it so much more enjoyable. Basically, in my experience, you can draw the line at doable and enjoyable. My old setup got the job done with a lot of exhaustion and pain, but the new set up gives me the same enjoyment with a fraction of the effort/repercussions. Also stay fit and healthy, being a fatty in the backcountry only made me realize I would be first to be eaten if need be.

I think I might be the outlier in this thread because I can pinpoint the exact moment I realized I needed to AT ski.

I was was working for an unnamed mountain and was given the opportunity to work with the mountaineering staff teaching lessons. This came with a significant pay raise and the chance to be more than a glorified babysitter so I jumped at the opportunity.

the only problem was I had never skinned before in my life. I ended up buying some AT gear right before the season started and watching as many videos on skinning as possible.

The first time I taught my class how to skin, was also the first time I ever skinned.

Years later I have no regrets, all the kids I taught are rippers now.