Alpina Alaska NNN BC boot test run, December 19, 2013. Skis are Karhu 10th Mountain (same as the current Madshus Epoch), bindings are Rottefella Magnum NNN-BC, and poles are Life-link Vario Carbon.
There's my skis! I have the same setup but with Alpina BC 1550 boots and really struggle with (learning) telemark turns. Now that I've seen this video, I know it's not the skis!
Ha! Actually I would say the gear is a little tricky to learn tele on. Try to get some time at a lift-served area with plastic boots like T4s and some fat short skis and a friendly good tele skier willing to share some tips. Keep at it!
Thanks for this! I'm looking for a similar BC setup that glides well enough yet can handle moderate slopes easily. These boots are are the top of my list. Snow conditions there looked pretty good compared to my average Sierra cement, but I can extrapolate. I like your moderate vs deep knee style, with is exactly how I ski these days.
I find every particular set-up has its own rhythm - this is about the best skiing I can do with this boot binding ski combination. Check out my other videos for comparisons with other gear. Thanks!
@@gusgusterfson6838 You shouold check out the Alfa Guard Adv gtx. I bought those last year and they are the best thing out there! Very light, good enough support to do some telemarking but soft enough for the long haul.
Looks great! I just bought a similar setup but Fischer S-bound 98 skis. I need to figure out these turns for the downhills in my area. There are a lot of hills on forest roads, with some extended descents of around 500 ft elevation loss over 3 miles.
What part of the world are you in? I think you’ll have fun on those skis. Skiing lift-served helps technique, but still, backcountry skiing is really learned one turn at a time!
@@gusgusterfson6838 hi I'm in the new york/new jersey region of America. I can ski decent alpine but have yet to try cross country downhill correctly! Last time I skied cross country on the downhills it was with borrowed, too large soft boots which was impossible on the steeps!
Pretty good skiing... Never mind the poling. Nowadays, ski instruction insists on downhill poling but a couple of decades ago, we used uphill poling too, depending of numerous factor.
Thanks. I'm not sure what that other commenter was talking about with the poling on the ascent. For the descent, I know the ol'skool way was double poling at times, but I learned to just single pole on the downhill.
wow! Those were some nice turns. I can't descend without crashing every 10 yards on my xc skis. I use similar boots/bindings but skinnier skis. Maybe I need some new skis!!!
Great video. I was looking at these boots on the REI website and trying to get a sense of how supportive/flexible they are....as I am too far away to try them on. I have Garmont 4 buckle tele boots and a heavy setup for lift serve and challenging steep BC terrain but its nothing I want to go out and CC or go leisurely explore the woods with. Thinking these boots with some NNN's and skis would be a good touring, BC, camping setup
If you want a little more of a Nordic kick&glide, classic skiing experience, these are great boots. Even with my lightest plastic telemark boots, the Excursions, I can only manage a shuffle - although they do turn skis better.
Alaskas are comfortable, light enough for kick and glide, and supportive enough for good tele turns. However ... they don't hold up well, at least in my experience and from what others have said. The upper separated from the sole. Maybe Alpina has improved that, but I'd suggest looking for real leather boots where the upper it stitched to the sole. If they wear and work loose, they can be repaired. By contrast, I took my Alaskas to a cobbler, who wouldn't touch them; said they have to be glued with a special press. Sold me a $5 can of cobblers cement and said good luck. It didn't work.
Hi Gus, Last year I bought a Nordic backcountry setup (Fischer 88 + BC NNN bindings), which I absolutely love. I also started making telemark turns, though I'm still learning. My question is: in your opinion, how does telemarking on NNN compare to 3-pin? A lot of people say the latter is much more stable, but watching you telemark on NNNs I wonder if that's true.
For a variety of reasons I generally find 3-pin more stable and turn oriented than nnn bc. Certainly, Garmont Excursions are unmatched by anything available in nnn bc, that I’ve tried. In my nnn bc video, it’s like I’m trying to walk a tightrope to make good turns. On the same slope, the excursion boot/guide ski combination make the turns feel like the moments of greatest stability.
Just bought a pair of these Alpina Alaskas. Do you use any waterproofing for these boots? I understand they are built from heavy duty boot made for himalayas, but am asking for leather treatment in long term? Also I'm not too confident with Alpina's Alpitex membrane from my experience with Alpina's hiking boots. Thanks. Btw very nice skiing.
Im new to the sport but this is the kind of skiing i want to get to. Ive got a pair of Karhu XCD GT 62 skis with 3 pin bindings. I have pretty good control going downhill but havent attempted teli turns. Do you think my skis are wide enough for this kind of skiing or should I look at a wider pair?
62mm waisted skis are on the narrow end of the Telemark ski spectrum, and so they are definitely a little more difficult to ski than a wider ski. I suspect they are also a more cambered ski so they are harder to arc. A wider, softer ski like the Karhu Guide/Madshus Annum/Panorama M78 in a shorter 175cm length would be easier and more fun to telemark turn on.
What skis are you using? I'm currently on Atomic Rainiers, with Older Alpina nnn-BBC boots.... I'm not a pro, but I'm disappointed in their ability to turn.
+Daniel Steigerwalt The skis are Karhu 10th mountain (now Madshus epoch) and have dimensions 99-68-84. They are wider with more sidecut than your rainier 87-60-78, so they float and turn better. Check out my other videos with the Karhu guides (now Madshus annum) at 109-78-98. They turn even better. If you really want to turn fast and easily, get a wider ski with more sidecut and an easier, less cambered, softer or more rockered flex - and some more powerful boots. m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ASXdcsdlS3k.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kUXJOlhw14k.html
Your skis are pretty close to my other skis, which are Karhu Guides/Madshus Annums, and I use Garmont/Scott Excursion boots with those. Check out my video skiing those m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iPEwlIfjwEc.html Your 675s may be a little under powered if you are touring for turns. It’s great you learned on leather boots - I think it gives you some honest skills that will make the most of plastic boots, should you try them.
Also check out this other video where I’m skiing the same slope, but using the Garmont Excursions, Switchbacks and Guide skis. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ASXdcsdlS3k.html This gear makes for much easier and quicker turns.
nice video and nice ski technique. can you tell me what is your experience with those skis on flat terrain or on hard snow? I am trying to get new skis for next season . my area is flat/rolling hills sometime deep snow and steeper downhill.thank you
+george curte Thanks! These are nice skis if you want to cover distance with a little more of a cross-country feel, and they can still allow better turning than cross-country skis. If your focus is finding turns, then a ski like the Karhu Guide/Madshus Annum or the Altai KOM or Voile Vector BC may be better - they really only shuffle when kick & gliding, but they float and turn like magic.
Thanks. I’m 5’10”, 170lbs., and I’m skiing 175cm skis. Some may say that is short for the cross-country-downhill (XCD) ski that I’m on, but I like them short and maneuverable for mostly off trail skiing.
I have a pair of the Alpina Alaska NNNBC Boots and I usually ski a Fischer S-Bound 88 ski. Great for BC skiing in the woods of Michigan (rolling terrain) and have used on several hut trips in CO Rockies. Three years of use on the boots and holding up great. I was not satisfied with the water proof ness so I treated the uppers with SnoSeal. Darkened the leather a bit, but improved the water proofing. Íve seen no evidence that the fabric “eyelet” at the ankle is a weakpoint. No evidence of wear.
Ian Edlind I’ve done several. Most recently we did the Betty Bear and Skinner hit combo. Prior to that we did Uncle Bud’s and Continental Divide on separate years. Happy to talk details if you want.
From what I’ve seen the Michigan forests are very similar to where I am in south western Quebec. If you ever tour for turns you should try the Altai Koms or similar skis with t4 or excursion boots - you’ll make your rolling terrain feel like the Rockies!
I like the part of this vid with the guy cutting the nice teleturns on the narrow path. As for the boots, I would be very concerned about the fabric lacing eyelit at the ankle/instep. That is an obvious planned obsolescence wear part - good for selling you your next pair of boots, bad for the owner of these boots when the eyelit gives out and you are miles from anywhere.
Nice video, I'm interested in getting a pair of these for next year. Can anyone give me any info on how they fit? Big, small, wide, narrow etc? I'm a fairly wide 11-12, any reccomendations on what size I should order?
You will want to go with a size 15 xw, they run pretty small. I wear a size 8 and I had to get them cut off with the jaws of life and had my toes amputated after trying a pair of their 12's. Good luck.
