UKH

saw some snow blades on web quite cheap and the binding looks as though it may well fit on my scarpa cumbre B3 boots?

will they??

cheers

rob

In reply to robatkinson: Snow blades attach okay to my old, plastic Koflachs. I never actually used the combination in the field though, as I reckon it'd be awful and a fast track to some injury or other. The combination of skitty snow blades and bendy boots really didn't appeal, especially given the outright uselessness of snow blades on anything other than well packed, grippy snow (they sink like a lead balloon in the soft stuff).

In reply to robatkinson: They'll fit on fine and will knacker your ankles fine too! General consensus is to be wary of downhilling in B3 boots.

In reply to robatkinson: Don't do it Rob.

In reply to Jack Loftus: ive been suitably put off it! just got some free telemark skis and tried bodging my boots on but no luck and someone mentioned blades. but i actually like my ankles and prefer my legs unbroken so i think i will avoid this idea

Depends what they are used for....Compatable with my winter boots (with a small adaption)I carry a pair on the sides of my winter sack and use them like cross country skis. I have skins permanantly attatched so that i can simply walk up gentle slopes and although I don't mind gentle downhill with them I do not think that I'd want to do much steep/fast downhilling on them when fully loaded with sack, axes and crampons etc. They are great for avoiding those hard slogs through crusty snow in places like the Cairngorm plateu.

In reply to robatkinson:
!!!!!!! Room 101 x 2!!!!!

In reply to parafinn:

Is that like a double word score in scrabble?

In reply to George Ormerod: more a cryptic clue (see http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=536440&v=1#x7199174)

In reply to robatkinson: I've used this combination and come down lurchers gully - it was rubbish. Hard to control and useless in soft snow .

In reply to robatkinson: depending on how hard you are climbing i prefer to stick crampons on my ski mountaineering boots, but then i don't climb very hard (or that well come to think of it!)

In reply to Doug:

It's alright Doug, I saw that thread.

I've skied with B3 boots (and a sledge) and can confirm it was shite (though no worse than Nordic BC kit). I can't imainge what it would be like with snow blades.

In reply to nickinscottishmountains:

Some people (inc. Jon Griffith and Will Sim) are big supporters of skiing in mountaineering boots, especially for hard alpine objectives.

More info here:
http://www.alpineexposures.com/pages/la-sportiva-spantik-review

I guess it depends if you have the time to practice and become competent.

In reply to 7bforever: but with skis rather than blades

In reply to 7bforever:


It's not exactly a fair comparison mind, as both are practically professional climbers and certainly fit the stereo type of full time alpinists. In these scenarios the difference in performance of alpine climbing boots over ski touring boots starts to make a difference. Plus they both probably have the skiing skills and the additional time to master the difference in performance between the different types of boots.

This is a world away from some amateur part time climber wanting to wear climbing boots as they are too cheap to buy ski boots as well or just figured it would be an easier way off of the hill after doing a route.

In reply to robatkinson:
Original blades are pretty awful on unprepared snow, even in ski boots. There are 'fat' blades and (expensive) 'approach skis' on the market but I don't think even these would work well with most mountaineering boots - B3 says the boot has a stiff sole but the same sideways ankle flex that makes these boots nicer to climb in than an old school Koflach or similar is a liability for skiing. I'm in the "what can I climb in my ski touring boots?" camp.

In reply to FATBOYFAT:

There is this slightly nutso looking idea for attaching climbing boots to skis: http://www.mountain-spring.info/
They had a stand at an event in Chamonix a few weeks ago so very much in production.

In reply to sam1971: I've made shapes in the snow like that, years ago, wearing mountain crack pros, on blades and big feet. But the technique needed to have control and survive was more akin to ice skating, than sking. I've since matured(slightly) and realise I was probably lucky, plus young strong legs may have helped prevent anyserious damage or accidents.
For the sake of a few hundred quid, better to get the right kit, than risk spending the next 10, 20, .... years with a restricting or nagging knee or ankle injury.