UKC

Hello folks,

Wheres the best place to get boots fitted and set up for ski mountaineering in the north east/ highlands of Scotland? Any advice for getting started?

cheers

In reply to mrbird:

Braemar mountain sports?

http://www.braemarmountainsports.com

In reply to mrbird:

http://www.ibsc.org.uk

In reply to mrbird:

I went to Mountain Spirit in Aviemore for everything except the boots. I don't have specific touring boots, I use my downhill ones. They're heat-moulded, and they're comfortable. Or as comfortable as boots ever get for me

Mountain Spirit's gear was not cheap, but they were very helpful and had lots of good advice, and the Black Apple skis + touring bindings + skins I bought there are a really great bit of kit. In downhill mode, too, they're easily the best skis I've ever owned; I use them for both, because they're just so much nicer than my old downhill skis.

Unless you have a mate who's shifting second-hand stuff, I doubt you can be sure of getting good ski-mountaineering kit except by laying out quite a lot of notes.

In reply to mrbird:
Got all mine online. Overall cost around 1000 euro. Skis fine - luck or judgement, who knows.

In reply to Sophie G.:

Check out the British backcountry facebook page lots & lots of trip reports/photos & also 2nd hand gear for sale!!!

In reply to mrbird:

Sport Conrad online, they do good packages, top skis,bindings and boots for around 800 Euros new.
You can always check boot fit locally first, they can reduce their price if they want the sale...why be ripped off

In reply to Gael Force:

Totally agree.I have two complete sers ftom Sport Conrad,saved over 400 quid on each set compared with UK prices.

I was in a well known Scottish shop recently,the punter asked the assistant if they would offer a discount if he bought skis boots bindings skins harscheisen and poles,and the assistant said "yes,we'll fit your bindings for free for you"!!!!!! Not exactly a discount!

In reply to nickinscottishmountains:

Superb. Cheers all.

And is alpine ski a different term for ski mountaineering? I see they have ski touring option also and Im not too sure what the exact difference is between them...

In reply to mrbird:

If you after boot fitting phone any shop before you make a special trip. Find out what they have in stock, range of sizes etc (especially at this time of year) and what they can do fitting-wise... My wife got a great fitting from Braemar a few years ago - shell mods etc. I went back the following year and the (different) guy I saw couldn't do much more than heat the liner. I wanted foam padding on liner for a narrower heel - he'd "heard about this" but didn't have the materials. Took them home & did it myself. So shop around if you're paying top whack - not all shops/staff are equal!

I was in Cairngorm Mtn Sports yesterday - they have a good range & a few sale deals at the moment... would be worth a call.

In reply to ed woods:

another thumbs up for sport conrad, really are top notch.....im all for buying from local shops, but, if they cant/wont do similar deals to online ,then you have to look after your pocket.

In reply to mrbird:


Alpine skiing is generally fixed-heel bindings, using mostly lifts for your uphill, and ski mountaineering is getting up under your own steam. With today's fancy new bindings the lines between the two are getting pretty blurry, though.

In reply to mrbird:

Alpine skiing is generally down hill skiing, the boot is fixed at the toe and heel. For ski mountaineering you use a modified binding which allows the heel to be released so you can walk uphill using skins. You can use any Alpine ski for this but many folk use fatter skis with stronger bindings like Beasts when doing day trips for steep slopes and deep powder. Or they use lighter skis with bindings like Dynafits or Fritschi when going on longer multi-day hut to hut tours. Of course you don't have to have a whole stable of skis for every occasion and you'll see plenty of people ski touring on wideboys and others bombing down the steep using Dynafits.

In reply to OwenM:

Ah right. I was looking at the conrad site and they had a touring and alpine option and i wasnt sure. But its definitely the ski mountaineering lot im after.

In reply to mrbird:
For price comparison (the pound and euro have moved a lot recently so opportunities to game the pricing a bit).

The place I got my skis and bindings:

https://www.verticalworld.it/magento/index.php

Seems they have a .uk portal now too:

http://sportamplatz.co.uk/

(sci alpinismo/mountain ski in menu)

The place I got my boots:

http://www.telemark-pyrenees.com/en/

(snowsports>alpine touring in menu)

In reply to OwenM:

Cheers all..

And what size of ski would a 184cm 85kg lump of bloke like myself be after? My boots are 46.5. I see the ski boots have a different measuring type so no idea either.

Learn on the way down eh?

In reply to mrbird:

No get some lessons otherwise you might be a terrible skier from day one.

In reply to mrbird:

Ah, that's putting me on the spot, I'm never quite sure what to say when asked this. I'm about the same size as you and I'm very much a tourer and don't do much freeriding type skiing. I use Scott Fly'air's in 175cm which is about 5cm shorter than me. I think having your skis just a bit (5 - 10cm) shorter than your height is a good guide as long as the flex also matches your weight i.e. if your heavy get a stiffer ski than someone who's skinny. I know this is not the normal way of sizing skis but quite frankly all the other ways are total bollocks, it's all just hit or miss or what size their trying to shift in the shop that day.
Having slightly shorter skis makes them easier to carry, easier to do kick turns with and should be easier to turn. If your more into freeriding then something slightly longer and wider seems to be the norm these days.