New to At looking to buy a set up

supersquid

supersquid

Active member
Hey guys whats up. Im a highschooler who just got accepted into colorado mountain college steamboat springs. As a skier from wisconsin I have never really had the ability to ski real powder. I have recently come to posess a pair of marker baron ski bindings that I was able to trade for. I have also found a good deal on some 188 Rossignol soul 7s. My main use for this setup would be backcountry and side country accesible from the resort. Maybe a few shorts tours to see If I am really into it. I am 5'9 and usually ski mostly park. So I have a few questions for you guys.

Where Should I try and mount these skis?

Have any of you guys used a setup similiar to this?

Would they be to long for me? (Im confident I could ski them on the way down but not sure about the way up)

Are their good places to tour near steamboat?
 
13792555:B.Gillis said:
I will first start by saying that you need to invest in a beacon shovel and probe. This is necessary equipment and you should never ski in the bc without it. If you can't afford an avalanche course then look for free seminars or clinics that will teach you how to use those items. I know some schools offer rental equipment so that might be an option to look into as well.

Most people who start in the backcountry start with a frame binding like the ones you recently received. They work but they will feel fairly heavy on the uphill. As for the skis, mount them at recommended or close to it. If you can ski them on the way down then they should be easy enough to hike with as well.
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For sure, safety is the top priority so a probe, beacon and a shovel are a must. How much is the usual avalanche class? and interms of cost for safety equiptment what should i be looking at for price? Also how is the resale value should I look at used equipment or no?
 
Also if I were to buy a dedicated touring set up would the marker barons still be ok for inbounds skiing (hardpack and crud)? considering their stack height and the fact that they are frame bindings
 
AIARE courses usually run about $400-$500, but I think CMC actually offers some as credit courses for students so I would definitely recommend looking into that.

Baron's would be ok for inbounds use. I'll let other people chime in who actually use frame bindings but I've found them to be pretty good for simple downhill use in the few days I've had in one. They do have more moving parts though, and I have been out with people where their barons have broken on them.

- I would say mount at recommended.

- If you're comfortable with them on the down they should be fine on the up. It will just be a bit more weight and you might have a bit more difficulty learning to kick-turn

- The Flat-tops have a lot of touring options, and then Cameron Pass is a very good area that is my go-to (I'm in Fort Collins)
 
13792672:patagonialuke said:
AIARE courses usually run about $400-$500, but I think CMC actually offers some as credit courses for students so I would definitely recommend looking into that.

Baron's would be ok for inbounds use. I'll let other people chime in who actually use frame bindings but I've found them to be pretty good for simple downhill use in the few days I've had in one. They do have more moving parts though, and I have been out with people where their barons have broken on them.

- I would say mount at recommended.

- If you're comfortable with them on the down they should be fine on the up. It will just be a bit more weight and you might have a bit more difficulty learning to kick-turn

- The Flat-tops have a lot of touring options, and then Cameron Pass is a very good area that is my go-to (I'm in Fort Collins)
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I am kind of a park rat so the only time I would venture out of the park would be on a pow day. So not much hardpack skiing, the main thing would be blasting through crud towards the end of the day when it starts to form. I like to jump off as much stuff as possible and charge some pillow lines (midwest pillow lines are a lot different than what your accustomed to im sure) I already have the barons so the only thing I can change is the ski. And like I said I can cop some used super 7s for 185 so Im probs gonna jump on em, unless someone says not to, but I think they will work for what I want.
 
13792675:supersquid said:
I am kind of a park rat so the only time I would venture out of the park would be on a pow day. So not much hardpack skiing, the main thing would be blasting through crud towards the end of the day when it starts to form. I like to jump off as much stuff as possible and charge some pillow lines (midwest pillow lines are a lot different than what your accustomed to im sure) I already have the barons so the only thing I can change is the ski. And like I said I can cop some used super 7s for 185 so Im probs gonna jump on em, unless someone says not to, but I think they will work for what I want.
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I haven't gotten on the Super 7's, but for $185 that sounds like a good starting setup. Do you know which year they are (pre-honecomb topsheet, or red, orange, or blue tips)? And I'm actually also from Wisconsin so I think I know what you mean. The older Super 7 and the newer HD model has a pretty tight turning radius so it should be pretty maneuverable in tight trees which is likely what you'll be skiing out here in the BC and that waist width would be an OK compromise between float and hardpack performance. From what I understand and have heard from others, they are not a hard-charging crud busting ski, given their light weight, heavy tip taper, and small turn radius.
 
13792709:patagonialuke said:
I haven't gotten on the Super 7's, but for $185 that sounds like a good starting setup. Do you know which year they are (pre-honecomb topsheet, or red, orange, or blue tips)? And I'm actually also from Wisconsin so I think I know what you mean. The older Super 7 and the newer HD model has a pretty tight turning radius so it should be pretty maneuverable in tight trees which is likely what you'll be skiing out here in the BC and that waist width would be an OK compromise between float and hardpack performance. From what I understand and have heard from others, they are not a hard-charging crud busting ski, given their light weight, heavy tip taper, and small turn radius.
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2015s I believe
 
13792672:patagonialuke said:
AIARE courses usually run about $400-$500, but I think CMC actually offers some as credit courses for students so I would definitely recommend looking into that.

Baron's would be ok for inbounds use. I'll let other people chime in who actually use frame bindings but I've found them to be pretty good for simple downhill use in the few days I've had in one. They do have more moving parts though, and I have been out with people where their barons have broken on them.

- I would say mount at recommended.

- If you're comfortable with them on the down they should be fine on the up. It will just be a bit more weight and you might have a bit more difficulty learning to kick-turn

- The Flat-tops have a lot of touring options, and then Cameron Pass is a very good area that is my go-to (I'm in Fort Collins)
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They do. I'm taking one at CMC in Edwards I think around March 20th, I need to check.
 
bump also looking at some surface odysseys. they are 138 in the tip and 98 in the waist. would they be to small for any tours far away from any lift? also would the three stage rocker be weird to try and get a skin to fit?
 
13794810:supersquid said:
bump also looking at some surface odysseys. they are 138 in the tip and 98 in the waist. would they be to small for any tours far away from any lift? also would the three stage rocker be weird to try and get a skin to fit?
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the rocker won't be a problem for fit you will have a ton of problems with the skin trying to grip the snow due to such a small contact area
 
Make sure you get tech AT bindings, not frame AT bindings. Yes, they are more expensive, but the performance is 5x better and they are 10x lighter. You'll be able to go touring with frame bindings, but I can assure you won't want to after the first few times. Frame AT bindings also perform like shit, for example my guardians would pop off almost every time I sent a cliff and I had them set at the tightest dins... Now I rock a dynafit tech setup and haven't had any premature ejections when sending it and have been able to get ahead of all my friends when touring thanks to their lightweight construction.

Buy the right gear the first time, so you aren't wasting money and time on the wrong gear like I did.
 
13810478:VailValleySkier said:
Make sure you get tech AT bindings, not frame AT bindings. Yes, they are more expensive, but the performance is 5x better and they are 10x lighter. You'll be able to go touring with frame bindings, but I can assure you won't want to after the first few times. Frame AT bindings also perform like shit, for example my guardians would pop off almost every time I sent a cliff and I had them set at the tightest dins... Now I rock a dynafit tech setup and haven't had any premature ejections when sending it and have been able to get ahead of all my friends when touring thanks to their lightweight construction.

Buy the right gear the first time, so you aren't wasting money and time on the wrong gear like I did.
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I respectfully disagree my man. I'd never recommend someone go out there looking for a Dynafit Beast when he has no gear/knowledge/experience. He might hate it, and his idea to ease into it and do some slackcountry doesn't warrant that kind of setup. I have taken my heavy setup with Guardian 16's on a 4 day hut trip without issue. Heavy and slow going, but they ski extremely well downhill.

If you really are cranking up the DIN to the max, you may have other issues causing those releases. You should have your DIN set in the mid range of your binding, so if you are crushing a very sturdy 16 DIN binding and apparently need a 21 DIN race binding.....something is wrong or you need to teach me how to Seth Morrison with you.
 
13813574:Dustin. said:
I respectfully disagree my man. I'd never recommend someone go out there looking for a Dynafit Beast when he has no gear/knowledge/experience. He might hate it, and his idea to ease into it and do some slackcountry doesn't warrant that kind of setup. I have taken my heavy setup with Guardian 16's on a 4 day hut trip without issue. Heavy and slow going, but they ski extremely well downhill.

If you really are cranking up the DIN to the max, you may have other issues causing those releases. You should have your DIN set in the mid range of your binding, so if you are crushing a very sturdy 16 DIN binding and apparently need a 21 DIN race binding.....something is wrong or you need to teach me how to Seth Morrison with you.
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There's a chance I've broken the binding in some way and I'm just too lazy to to check them out as I don't even use them anymore. Still, I've never enjoyed them and wish I never bought them. Ever since I've gotten into tech bindings I don't see a reason to go back, nor a reason for anyone else to ever use frame bindings.

It's not even that much more expensive to get tech bindings anymore. I got mine for literally the same price the Salomon Guardians. Just had to get boots compatible with pins.
 
13813612:VailValleySkier said:
There's a chance I've broken the binding in some way and I'm just too lazy to to check them out as I don't even use them anymore. Still, I've never enjoyed them and wish I never bought them. Ever since I've gotten into tech bindings I don't see a reason to go back, nor a reason for anyone else to ever use frame bindings.

It's not even that much more expensive to get tech bindings anymore. I got mine for literally the same price the Salomon Guardians. Just had to get boots compatible with pins.
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You probably have a decent point, as the technology bridges the gap it's becoming more and more reasonable to get something good at both. However, at this point I'd tend to send a first timer more towards the downhill side of the gear realm. I have a feeling in a few years I'll likely have a setup like yours when my current setup wears out.
 
13813737:Dustin. said:
You probably have a decent point, as the technology bridges the gap it's becoming more and more reasonable to get something good at both. However, at this point I'd tend to send a first timer more towards the downhill side of the gear realm. I have a feeling in a few years I'll likely have a setup like yours when my current setup wears out.
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Very good point. I think when you get into something like AT it's easy to forget how much you've improved since first starting. My AT setup makes me sit more backseat, so I have to kind of fight it. I could see how that'd be hard for someone used to the feeling of being forward automatically like in normal skis. With my setup I have to like put myself forward if that makes sense and with my normal setup I'm more forward naturally.
 
frame bindings are a good transition tool for someone who can't afford tech bindings.

Once you tour with in tech bindings you can't ever get around how crappy frame bindings are.
 
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