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SecretAgentMan

Putting on skis
Pass Pulled
Joined
Aug 7, 2018
Posts
151
A name request! :ogcool: I live in Santa Fe and bc ski a lot around here and Taos There is a fair-sized community of folks that ski bc and/or just skin up at the SF ski area. Here is a local NM forum I oversee that should be helpful if you sign up and read and ask questions.
http://www.nnmae.org/phpbb3/index.php

You might be able to find some partners/mentors there and used/cheap gear there in the Yard Sale subforum. The Santa Fe REI might rent AT gear, but I don’t know for sure. I’m not aware of any other rentals, though there might be some in Taos. Ask on the forum.

Avy 1 courses usually are held a couple times a year in northern NM, in Taos and at Pajarito. Look in the Education sub forum at nnmae.org. The avy training should be your priority if you plan to head up towards Williams Lake.

Feel free to PM me here or through nnmae.org (I’m Bob, the mod/admin).

Hi @Jerez!

Skinny Skis FOREVER.

3496_3615_Red_Lodge_Montana_Historic_District_lg.jpg


the-town-of-red-lodge-montana.jpg
 

ScottB

Making fresh tracks
Skier
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Joined
Oct 29, 2016
Posts
2,166
Location
Gloucester, MA
Just a FYI,

The suggestion to get frame bindings and skins is just to try it out and see if you like it. If you like it, it is assumed you will move on (up) to a real touring set up. By my price shopping, I have seen frame bindings as low as $225 new and skins around $100. So for $300 you can use an old pair of skis and your standard alpine boots and do some side country. Without a doubt, if you take to it you will be looking for a more dedicated set up in the future, assuming you will do it often enough to justify the investment. Renting is another way to try it a few times (but 3 is probably the break even with buying the frames and skins). The advantage with renting is you will be on a true touring setup and will experience the performance of that level of gear.

A quick story, my buddy went hole hog and bought a lightweight touring setup. Used it for 2 seasons mostly inbounds and side country and then broke his leg. He blamed the light weight touring gear and then went out and bought new light inbounds skis (liberty origin 96) and some carbon frame bindings and uses an alpine boot with a walk mode. He is much happier and has found what he likes. To each his own and he is obviously mostly downhill oriented. The carbon frame bindings are about the weight of shifts, there are just so many options.
 

Jerez

Skiing the powder
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SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Posts
2,993
Location
New Mexico
Don't think REI SF rents touring set up, but you could try. It's the pity of a big store, even a good community player, like REI coming into town and displacing the local shop. Sangre de Cristo Mountain Works used to rent them. Going bc in through El Valle on their stuff was my first experience.
Very generous of you @pais alto ….

OP: There are AT bindings for sale for cheap right here on Pugski too….
https://www.pugski.com/threads/new-tyrolia-attack2-14-at-bindings-95mm-brakes-150-shipped.12348/
 

pais alto

me encanta el país alto
Skier
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Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Posts
1,940
Location
Don't think REI SF rents touring set up, but you could try. It's the pity of a big store, even a good community player, like REI coming into town and displacing the local shop. Sangre de Cristo Mountain Works used to rent them. Going bc in through El Valle on their stuff was my first experience.
You probably know that I worked at SdCMW for a few years, until REI put it out of business. Then REI quit selling touring gear, so that’s why I’ve only been in there about 3 times...except to use the restroom. ;)
 

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