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Vish-shoe
March, 2023

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First touring setup.

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-arc-
Posts: 942 - Karma: 3,277
Sup Ns, I'm securing a job in Revelstoke for next winter and was thinking it would be a great place to get into AT with all the sidecountry and backcountry options in that area. Haven't taken my Ast 1 as of yet but I'm fairly certain they run them pretty regularly out of the resort.

I'm in the market for new boots because I'm looking for something stiffer than my current 110's and now with tech inserts and a walk mode. Boot wise I'm going to go for whatever a boot fitter puts me in but I'm looking for a hybrid boot with some chargability.

In the ski department I'm looking into the Armada Tracer 108, Moment Wildcat 108 Tour, Head Kore 105, Atomic Backland 109, Saloman Qst 106. It doesn't have to be a twin tip. Looking for something with some backbone that won't kill me on the way up. The reason I'm not going wider is because I want to do some tours in the spring as well.

With bindings I'm looking at the new Shift binding, Marker Kingpins and the Fritschi Tectons. Feeling a bit scared off from the Shift with all the talk of issues!

With avy gear I'm blind as a bat. No idea what makes of beacons, probes and shovels are well received. No idea about skins either but I guess that's more ski dependent. I'm thinking any pack from a reputable brand will be good enough. Size wise I'm thinking of doing some day tours so 30l should do the treat?

Just looking for some guidance from those more experienced!

Thanks for the help in advance!
Mar 14 2019 8:04PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5047 - Karma: 42,530
Nice, very exciting! Get that Avy 1 and earn some turns!

Skis: All fine options, I'd vote for Wildcat 108 Tour, or Deathwish 112 Tour as well. Hard to go wrong with anything on that list though.

Bindings: Don't get Kingpins, basically obsolete binding at this point. If you're planning on skiing inbounds a fair bit, Shift for sure, some folks have had issues, I've skied mine a bunch of days and haven't had any drastic problems more than any other touring binding I've used. And it skis better and safer than anything on the market. Otherwise, for more touring-oriented stuff, Vipecs and Tectons are both awesome. Rad 2.0 is also good if you're not skiing inbounds on it too much.

Avy gear: Get a long (200 cm plus) probe. Carbon's fine I guess, but doesn't seem worth the price / durability potential Get a big shovel, with a hoe mode, small light shovels are fine until you're trying to dig out your buddy with a freaking teaspoon. Get a beacon you know how to use. All the modern ones are fine. Personally huge fan of the Mammut Baryvox series. Way better than BCA's I've owned.

Skins: Big Sky Mountain Products skins are rad, super cheap, work super well, very durable. Save some money and upgrade down the road.

Pack: Yeah, whatever fits you well, I love the Thule Upslope pack personally, 30-35 L is perfect for most tours.

Welcome to the magical world of backcountry skiing. Look out, it's addictive!
Mar 14 2019 8:14PM
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-arc-
Posts: 942 - Karma: 3,277
cydwhitNice, very exciting! Get that Avy 1 and earn some turns!

Skis: All fine options, I'd vote for Wildcat 108 Tour, or Deathwish 112 Tour as well. Hard to go wrong with anything on that list though.

Bindings: Don't get Kingpins, basically obsolete binding at this point. If you're planning on skiing inbounds a fair bit, Shift for sure, some folks have had issues, I've skied mine a bunch of days and haven't had any drastic problems more than any other touring binding I've used. And it skis better and safer than anything on the market. Otherwise, for more touring-oriented stuff, Vipecs and Tectons are both awesome. Rad 2.0 is also good if you're not skiing inbounds on it too much.

Avy gear: Get a long (200 cm plus) probe. Carbon's fine I guess, but doesn't seem worth the price / durability potential Get a big shovel, with a hoe mode, small light shovels are fine until you're trying to dig out your buddy with a freaking teaspoon. Get a beacon you know how to use. All the modern ones are fine. Personally huge fan of the Mammut Baryvox series. Way better than BCA's I've owned.

Skins: Big Sky Mountain Products skins are rad, super cheap, work super well, very durable. Save some money and upgrade down the road.

Pack: Yeah, whatever fits you well, I love the Thule Upslope pack personally, 30-35 L is perfect for most tours.

Welcome to the magical world of backcountry skiing. Look out, it's addictive!


Thanks man! Yeah I'm super excited to get into it! Always loved hikes and getting out in the mountains. Earning my turns just felt like the logical next step! Thanks for the info!
Mar 14 2019 8:38PM
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BrawnTrends
Posts: 1102 - Karma: 2,436
Never had a problem with my Shifts. Tumbled head over heels in wet powder yesterday and they released perfectly.
Mar 16 2019 7:23AM
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-arc-
Posts: 942 - Karma: 3,277
BrawnTrendsNever had a problem with my Shifts. Tumbled head over heels in wet powder yesterday and they released perfectly.


Thanks for the input. I'm definitely not as scared off from the Shifts. They really just sounded like a miracle product, something I was sceptical about originally. Feeling more sold now.
Mar 16 2019 8:23AM
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SlowMo
Posts: 41 - Karma: 72
-arc-Thanks man! Yeah I'm super excited to get into it! Always loved hikes and getting out in the mountains. Earning my turns just felt like the logical next step! Thanks for the info!


Don't get a shovel that is made out of plastic!!!, because it will break in the cold. And make sure that it fits with your backpack.
Mar 16 2019 11:15AM
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-arc-
Posts: 942 - Karma: 3,277
MoritzFDon't get a shovel that is made out of plastic!!!, because it will break in the cold. And make sure that it fits with your backpack.


Didn't intend to. Didn't even know they sold avy shovels that were plastic. And yep I'll definitely but my shovel after my pack in person to checkout the clearance.
Mar 16 2019 6:24PM
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 4087 - Karma: 13,561
BrawnTrendsNever had a problem with my Shifts. Tumbled head over heels in wet powder yesterday and they released perfectly.


Same here, only released when I ate shit hard.

https://www.telemark-pyrenees.com/binding/atomic-shift-mnc-13-binding?currency=USD&tax=ex_vat&country=US&gclid=CjwKCAjwmq3kBRB_EiwAJkNDp1O3fko84ys4OA2x5hqmDjV0E-mIZz4X1SNXQb-ZBgH4Nr_THEpD5RoCs4UQAvD_BwE

That link has 'em at $427 with a code for %5 off which puts them at $400, makes them a little easier to stomach as well.
Mar 17 2019 2:12AM
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Mar-O
Posts: 960 - Karma: 822
The concept of the Shift bindings is great but sadly I would not recommend them unless you need to use the same skis for normal non tech boots to. I have way to much problems with mine and from the looks of it I'm not the only one if you look in the Shift thread in gear talk. On tours I don't see that big of a benefit with them either anymore as other tech bindings seems to release just fine.
Mar 18 2019 9:01AM
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 4087 - Karma: 13,561
Mar-OThe concept of the Shift bindings is great but sadly I would not recommend them unless you need to use the same skis for normal non tech boots to. I have way to much problems with mine and from the looks of it I'm not the only one if you look in the Shift thread in gear talk. On tours I don't see that big of a benefit with them either anymore as other tech bindings seems to release just fine.



I'm certainly not saying the Shift is issue free, it's certainly not but if other tech bindings released as well they would get TUV certification. The shifts also ski really well in all conditions.
Mar 18 2019 11:37AM
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-arc-
Posts: 942 - Karma: 3,277
Mar-OThe concept of the Shift bindings is great but sadly I would not recommend them unless you need to use the same skis for normal non tech boots to. I have way to much problems with mine and from the looks of it I'm not the only one if you look in the Shift thread in gear talk. On tours I don't see that big of a benefit with them either anymore as other tech bindings seems to release just fine.


The primary benefit I see in the shift is the stability/reliability of an alpine binding on the way down. In pow might not be as much of an issue but with corn in the spring I've heard regular tech bindings feel like they have a but of play in them.

Thanks for the input though!
Mar 18 2019 10:47PM
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Peach.
Posts: 3879 - Karma: 933
cydwhitSkis: All fine options, I'd vote for Wildcat 108 Tour, or Deathwish 112 Tour as well. Hard to go wrong with anything on that list though.


The Wildcat Tour 108 may be the best touring ski I've ever been on. I've been singing its praises to anyone who will listen to me.
Mar 20 2019 1:32PM
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-arc-
Posts: 942 - Karma: 3,277
Peach.The Wildcat Tour 108 may be the best touring ski I've ever been on. I've been singing its praises to anyone who will listen to me.


Yeah, I've been eyeing them up. Any other comments on the ski? Never skied any of the Bibby's before so coming in pretty blind. My pow skis are currently On3p Billygoats and I've been told they're similar (i.e Billygoat is a more directional Wildcat).
Mar 20 2019 7:17PM
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SKIINGPARK
Posts: 18 - Karma: 191
Kore 105 is a dope ski I love mine, as for the shift if you go down that road just make sure you don't get a boot that's made out of a soft plastic, thats where my issues have come from with them, avy gear in revelstoke go for a 250-30 cm probe and try and stay away from bca for a tranciever as much as you can despite the price!
Mar 21 2019 6:27PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,681
Don’t get a big shovel. You’re not building a jump but trying to move consolidated snow and ice quickly. You’ll get to your budy faster with a smaller blade.

Kingpin isn’t obsolete; it’s lighter and easier to use than a shift. I’d rather ski a tecton, but you can get kingpins for less.

It’s also already had it recall, the shift and tecton haven’t.
Mar 23 2019 1:30AM
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-arc-
Posts: 942 - Karma: 3,277
SKIINGPARKKore 105 is a dope ski I love mine, as for the shift if you go down that road just make sure you don't get a boot that's made out of a soft plastic, thats where my issues have come from with them, avy gear in revelstoke go for a 250-30 cm probe and try and stay away from bca for a tranciever as much as you can despite the price!


Can you tell me anymore about the kore 105? I can get some nice prodeals through work on Head stuff and was seriously considering them. Don't ski switch much and think I would do it even less in the BC.
Mar 23 2019 5:13AM
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SKIINGPARK
Posts: 18 - Karma: 191
-arc-Can you tell me anymore about the kore 105? I can get some nice prodeals through work on Head stuff and was seriously considering them. Don't ski switch much and think I would do it even less in the BC.


I only have a couple of days on mine but I had the mounted on an attack 13 and i loved them, they have a super even flex pattern and float really well. They also charge through crud pretty well, definitely less chatter than my jj zeros as well.
Mar 26 2019 4:10PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5047 - Karma: 42,530
cobra_commanderDon’t get a big shovel. You’re not building a jump but trying to move consolidated snow and ice quickly. You’ll get to your budy faster with a smaller blade.

Kingpin isn’t obsolete; it’s lighter and easier to use than a shift. I’d rather ski a tecton, but you can get kingpins for less.

It’s also already had it recall, the shift and tecton haven’t.


Sure, to a point, but there aren't many shovels on the market that will fit in an avy pack that are "too big" to move firm snow/ice/debris quickly. Get a stupid small shovel and go touring with me and I'll make you trade shovels with me before we ski anything.
Mar 26 2019 5:48PM
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