UKH

Hi,

I am looking to get into some easy touring this winter and need some advice.

If I bought some Skis with these bindings on : http://www.ekosport.co.uk/salomon-guardian-16-wtr-blu-blk-14-p-1-13085.html...

could I use them with the Scarpa range of touring boots?

Help a very confused skier

In reply to ro8x:

Yes they will take most AT boots, but not the high end Scarpa such as evo or alien or some other high end Dynafits etc.

In reply to ro8x:

To me it looks like a normal touring frame binding and should be fine with any alpine touring boot (Scarpa included - which boot btw?). Best wait until someone else confirms though.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

I was thinking about getting some Maestrale, they sound almost industry standard for someone starting out!

Many thanks for the replies - it seems Skiing has more 'standards' than Mountain biking!

In reply to ro8x:

Yep the Maestrale are very good, i have the normal and RS version, usual caveat thought that they may not fit your feet, they are pretty low volume across the instep.

In reply to ro8x:
Actually just check that the binding will take *any* AT boot, seems they may have been designed for another ISO standard which surprise suprise Salomon came up with by the look of it.......

I think the ones that will take any boot ar the MNC (Multi Norm Certified) not the WTR, from the Salomon Documentation:

These alpine bindings are intended to be used only with the following ski boots:
£ Alpine ski boots compliant with ISO 5255 standard
AND
£ Ski boots equipped with £WTR£ technology£ labeled kit of walking soles for touring skiing. Any use with other ski boots could cause the ski-binding-boot system to be faulty£

But from the TGR forums an more Salomon blurb:

The Guardians were designed for use with Alpine Ski boots under ISO standard 5355 AND boots with WTR certified soles. Boots with other norms (AT soles) will fit in the binding, but the Guardians were not designed to be used with them (per our initiative to offer the highest level of safety).
Skiers who choose to use boots other than those under ISO 5355 or WTR certified should be notified that there are potential risks with regard to release characteristics. This isn’t any different than the warning presented to a skier who wants his DIN setting higher on his bindings than what is recommended by the Adjustment chart.
There is no reason you can’t use a touring boot, people just need to be aware it’s outside the “recommendation”

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

Hmmm okay, thanks for that.

To confirm, I need the MNC version?

In reply to ro8x:

Well that's what it appears to indicate, best asking a decent shop who know there stuff really, it's your knees......

If you have a choice just get skis with the Fritschi Eagle/Freeride or the Fritschi Vipec, Marker Kingpin, Dynafit ST 2.0 they all have proper release and will fit the Maestrale without issues, the Salomons are really heavy, more hike and ride than touring.

Have a loot at Sport Conrad, Telemark Pyrenees or Bergzeit for good package deals.

In reply to ro8x:

Ah, I am looking at a complete set on ebay, skins, crampons on some Salomon BB9 skis, hence my question.

In reply to ro8x:
Hmmmm, you mean BBR's ? Not sure about them for touring.......

Have a look in the for sale section here, there was a few complete setups the other day.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

bbr indeed, BB9 are some avid disc brakes :-O

Will keep my eye out on here.

In reply to ro8x: are they those strange surfboard inspired things.

I would def get a touring oriented ski rather than those, even if they are cheap.

Buy well, buy once.

In reply to ro8x:
Two options:

http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=632057

http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=632555

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

Thanks!

Have messaged the guy with the 167cm skis...