Are snow blades just really short skis?

[Brownski]

Serious question. Somebody suggested that Big Snow in NJ might be more interesting if I taught myself a new discipline. I’m willing to give it a try but not willing to invest real money in a pair of snow blades. Soooo, if I pull the binding off some kid skis and redrill them to fit my boots, do I have a pair of snowblades? Any wrinkles to look out for? Center Mount maybe? Who is the snow blade expert here?

 

[Sick Bird Rider]

Brownski, please take a lap. Snowblades are the devil and kids skis with adult bindings are worse. If you are bored with alpine skiing, take up telemarking, or at least snowboarding.

 

[Brownski]

Brownski, please take a lap. Snowblades are the devil and kids skis with adult bindings are worse. If you are bored with alpine skiing, take up telemarking, or at least snowboarding.

I thought about putting those $125 voile cable bindings on a pair of old skis and ordering some cheap boots from STP. Would that be good enough to learn tele on a 100 vert indoor mall slope?

 

[Sick Bird Rider]

I thought about putting those $125 voile cable bindings on a pair of old skis and ordering some cheap boots from STP. Would that be good enough to learn tele on a 100 vert indoor mall slope?

Yes, absolutely. If you can free the heel the heel, you can learn the turn. Enlist @Harvey for instruction. Post TR afterwards.

 

[Brownski]

I’m grasping at straws to justify a return trip to big snow

 

[Sick Bird Rider]

I’m grasping at straws to justify a return trip to big snow

Telemark lessons are the best possible reason. If I could cross the border, I'd be in like Flint.

 

[Ripitz]

Definitely tele. If you can’t resist the temptation to dance with the devil, I’ll send these your way.

 

[64ER]

Serious question. Somebody suggested that Big Snow in NJ might be more interesting if I taught myself a new discipline. I’m willing to give it a try but not willing to invest real money in a pair of snow blades. Soooo, if I pull the binding off some kid skis and redrill them to fit my boots, do I have a pair of snowblades? Any wrinkles to look out for? Center Mount maybe? Who is the snow blade expert here?

Brownski,

Google "The Icey Nuts", a Rock & Roll cover band of Killington Snowsports instructors from the 2000's. Their gig was over the top, excellent players doing covers of hit songs with send-up lyrics about skiing, riding and how to thrive in a dirt ball lifestyle. Their tune "Snowblades", set to the Clapton hit "Cocaine" says it all. One voice over asks, "What's the hardest part about learning to snowblade?", the reply, "Telling your parents you're gay".

Jus' Sayin',

Ski you on the hill, next Season

64ER

 

[MarzNC]

I’m grasping at straws to justify a return trip to big snow

I second the idea of learning tele instead of snow blades, or snowboarding.

My daughter went to tele while at North Country School. By the time she left, she had boots and nice new skis with tele bindings. I could just fit in her boots. Decided to give it a try. Opted to have a private lesson at Belle. Worked out well because there was a long time L3 instructor who knew how to get a good alpine skier going relatively quickly. The fact that it's possible to make basic parallel turns with tele gear meant I didn't have to worry about just getting around when not practicing.

I did find that learning to tele gave me some insights that led to better alpine turns on my bad side.

My daughter spent a day at Massanutten learning to snowboard. In her case, that meant she stayed on alpine skis. I'd read enough about the amount of falling that is inevitable the first day or three when learning to be pretty sure that would be the case.

 

[tirolski]

I’m grasping at straws to justify a return trip to big snow

Melt it, put in a couple greens, a retractable clear roof and play golf inside it.