I’m working on getting my day-tour ski rig dialed in. I’ve posted about it here before, I’m sure. Many times. But it doesn’t have an article to itself that I see offhand.
Start with a ski that will float and glide. 55-65mm wide. Lightweight. Metal-edge in mid-section if you’ll be in bigger sidehill terrain.
Get a light boot with plenty of flex yet some support. I’m hip to the new hinged cuff. The cuff gives control and support in mixed snow and helps manage the biggish ski. Basically the rig is still very much in the range of a track set-up. —But go BC style (and binding) if you’re in big terrain, for sure. I’m in mellow terrain so weight is the main thing, then float, then support for unpredictables.
I much prefer a carbon ski pole—but if crashing is part of your world maybe skip that. Or bring a plug to go with the duct-tape you already always carry.
Now here’s my fun new area… I use a rucksack on top and a fanny-pack below. I keep food, tool, spares, dry clothes, jacket and a pad in the main rucksack pouch then my wax, cam, snacks, water in the fanny pack—so I can swing it around to the front and get at it while on the go. In place of the rucksack, I’m trying for the first time a narrow water-bladder pack. Maybe I’ll even use it to carry my water if I can figure out how to insulate it (tuck it under clothes? put pipe insulation around the hose?). Or I’ll take the bladder out, if I need the space and carry bottles in my fanny pack holsters as usual. I like how NARROW the water-packs are. It should work better with the ski action.
I try to limit myself to 10 lbs for swift distance tours. I find that 15 lbs is getting into the “ugh” territory for me…if I want to get much glide or mileage (15 miles+). Wimpy, I know. I don’t really need much extra dry clothes and a light windbreaker will do for pit-stops. For more sightseeing, then 15 lbs would be fine. For overnight, I bet 25 lbs would be fine—and a full ruck used.
Don’t forget a good spares kit! You should be able to fix body, pole, ski, and maybe binding. I haven’t really doped-out a ski repair technique yet but I think that a couple thin metal plates with holes plus some screws might go a long ways. Also you can buy a spare plastic tip.
I bet I do have an article with this kind of thinking in it here somewhere…
