What obvious trade off’s are there with using touring gear (bindings/ boots) for every day in-bounds use?  I’m getting ready to purchase new equipment and I’m considering getting set up with touring gear because I anticipate doing some out of bounds touring. Kind of a “being able to if i want to” deal. 

Are the bindings much heavier?  Will they afford me the same support as “normal” bindings for downhill thrashing?  etc etc.

After 30 years of in-bounds skiing I’m stoked at the thought of going “lift-less”. 

Thanks.

Only downside of touring set up is the bindings / skis are more expensive than mass produced skis - unless you are skiing in competition. Modern step in touring bindings are as good as ordinary ones and touring skis are much more versatile.

To add to Sinbad’s point. It is expensive gear, 300-450 dollars/euros/ukp for boots, 200-300 euros for bindings, it is a shame to pound them too hard on piste when you can get piste bindings thrown in with a pair of sale skis. In particular a lot of vertical in touring bindings / boots will increase play in the joints.

That said I wouldn’t worry about using say Diamir Freerides or Marker’s Royal Family bindings for piste use.

Thanks for the response.

I say “thrash” in bounds but I mainly like fast cruisers.  Maybe pop a little air here and there.  Not much into busting moguls.

For this type of use, what kind of boots would be recommended. I am using Scarpa Denali boots at the moment and find that I cannot control my Scott Missions with Diamir freeride + bindings anywhere near as well as I can with my Salomon piste boots. (It could be just me of course) Wondering about changing to something out of the Garmont range or the new Salomon Quest.

As previously said apart from the cost there is no downside to using touring bindings everyday. Lots of hard skiing will wear the pivots on the old diamirs but next year the Freeride changes to the same system as the eagle but I have not heard how the eagle is fairing concerning durability.
For boots you can get much more control with 4 clip boots than classic touring boots. For the usage you are talking about a ‘freeride’ boot would be the way to go. Too stiff for multi day stuff perhaps but good skiing performance.
My everyday and everywhere set up is K2 Coombacks with Dynafit Vertical STs and Garmont Megaride boots. A set up I find works for me everywhere but most people would have diamirs over dynafits.

Thanks for the information!

bowly - 15 March 2010 09:20 PM

For this type of use, what kind of boots would be recommended. I am using Scarpa Denali boots at the moment and find that I cannot control my Scott Missions with Diamir freeride + bindings anywhere near as well as I can with my Salomon piste boots. (It could be just me of course) Wondering about changing to something out of the Garmont range or the new Salomon Quest.

Answering my own question is not normally the done thing, but.

After looking at various options, I bought some Garmont Radium boots from Guy Clarey here in Tignes. Having used them for the last two days, simply for skiing around resort with my Scotts, I still cannot believe the difference. They are as responsive as my salomon impact 10 alpine boots and by far the most comfortable boot I have ever owned, whilst still being a tight snug fit. Will try them uphill tomorrow.