About Backcountry & Touring Skis: |
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If you have ever looked at a mountain and thought to yourself, “skiing up it might be just as fun as skiing down it,” then touring or backcountry skis could be what you need. Designed to be lighter and for the extra equipment necessary to get up the mountain, touring skis are the best to get you up and down the mountain. Moosejaw offers the best skis from the best brands, so whether you are a backcountry expert, or someone just exploring the side-country, these touring skis would be a great addition to your ski quiver.
Say goodbye to long lift-lines and hello to your own hard-earned secret stash of powder only accessible by your backcountry set-up. Some things to ask yourself when looking for a new set of backcountry skis would be; where will you be skiing, what type of terrain, and what kind of skier are you? Where will you be skiing? If you plan on using the lifts to get up the mountain and only plan on short excursions in the side-country, then a heavier, longer ski may be a better choice for you. With more weight and length, you will have a better time going down and using the lifts to get back up. If you plan on long technical ascents with no lifts in sight, going with a lighter and shorter ski may make the trip up much more enjoyable. You may not notice it at first, but slugging heavy skis up a mountain is nowhere near as fun as a lighter backcountry specific set of twigs. What type of terrain? If searching for soft, fresh pillows of powder, chest-deep and untouched, a wider set of backcountry skis could be what you are looking for. Sacrificing weight to get wider skis could help with flotation in the deep stuff and ensure that when you do find that secret stash, you will be able to conquer it with no restrictions. Another thing to look at would be ski profile. Having rockered tips will assist with flotation but could make carving in crud a bit harder. If you plan on touring in late Spring or Summer, a lighter, narrower ski may be the right choice. With melting snows and more ice, a narrower ski will be more maneuverable and cut through the crud with ease. A recommended ski profile for dealing with this type of terrain would be some camber underfoot with potentially slightly rockered tips. A good all-around backcountry ski will be a hybrid of camber and rocker to master both crud and powder. What kind of skier are you? Are you looking to mark your territory all over the sidecountry? (please don’t pee on the trees). Or are you happier with a more relaxing journey up and down the mountain? For those more aggressive skiers looking to huck off everything in sight, a heavier, more bomber ski may be necessary to get down the mountain in one piece. By sacrificing weight, aggressive skiers will have more confidence than if they were using a pair of extremely lightweight skis designed more for going up the mountain than down. On the flip-side, a skier looking to enjoy the climb up as much as the ride down may benefit from an ultra-light setup. Another key thing to remember about backcountry and ski touring is that you are on your own. No ski lifts, no ski patrol, nada. Make sure that when venturing into the side or backcountry that you have the holy trinity of ski safety equipment; probe, shovel, and beacon. These three pieces of equipment are must-haves to keep you and your party safe. |