Advice on ski setup (Nordica Steadfasts from blog raffle)

Hi folks,

I won the Nordica Steadfasts through the raffle on this blog (thank you Start Haus!).   I've been toying with 'freeing my heel' for a couple years and only rented or borrowed in the past.  My question - are these steadfasts worth mounting for tele?  They sound like a fun alpine ski. the dimensions are 132-90-118.  

I'm not quite sure where to begin with the tele binding selection - does the type of ski matter?  Does the turn radius on a ski like this make a difference for tele turns?  

Just getting started  here - whatever suggestions you have would be appreciated.   starting to think snow!

I'm no Nordica expert, or ski expert.  How stiff are the Steadfasts?

My recommendation is get a soft flexy ski if you are starting out.

Back in the day the standard starter teleski was the K2 World Piste. I was a freakin noodle.

I bet MC2 or Sick Bird Rider could deliver a solid answer to this question.

Based on reading a few reviews (like here and here) they probably would make a great tele ski. Whether they would be a great ski to learn to tele on is a different story. Sounds like they are suited to a more aggressive style and like to go fast.

If you were going to tele on the Steadfast, you would definitely want a fairly stiff boot and appropriate binding. For example, the BD Push and BD O1 or O2 binding. If you are a solid alpine skier and have never tele'd before, I would suggest that you seriously consider NTN, plus take some lessons.

When I was convinced that I would win these skis, I had the tele/alpine debate in my head. Went with alpine.

I'm going to vote alpine. Use an older ski to learn to tele. The thing about learning is that you don't need great gear, you need lessons. I'm sure you can find an older and very cheap short ski to learn on. Beginner skis only have to be used 5-10 times, but even the next level up might be too much to learn on.

The Nordica's are real sticks so lock them down.

That's just my random stream of somewhat consciousness.

So... have you ever tele'd before? It's fun but I only feel like I need to do it once a year.

thanks for the input! i have tele'd twice, both last year at Platty and Jay.  I am an aggressive skier on alpine, so i'm not particularly worried about the ski wanting to run, i just hope i'm able to get to a decent ability level in a reasonable number of ski days... with a 6 yr old learning to ski this winter, i feel like this would be a good a time as any to grow into a pair of tele skis while i learn... but damn they look like they'd be fun as alpine set up.  

i will look into the BD gear, thank you.  What is NTN?  

Is that Jay blog yours?  One of the reasons i'm interested in trying it out is my friends at Jay - they converted years ago.    

NTN = new telemark norm? looks interesting

billski wrote

....

Is that Jay blog yours?  One of the reasons i'm interested in trying it out is my friends at Jay - they converted years ago.

If you are referring to this Jay blog, then yes, it is. There are a lot of really good tele skiers at Jay. Most of them (but not all) seem to be 25 years old with steam engine legs. If you go to Jay frequently, check in with Don at Firsttrax in Montgomery, he is a tele skier (and snowboarder) and really supports tele gear in his shop. We should support him.

NTN/New Telemark Norm has been around for a while. Short version: new tele skiers generally love it; long time tele skiers love it or hate it. There is a thread discussing NTN here:
http://nyskiblog.com/forums/#nabble-td3911179

Just remember that Telemarking is Stoopid... ... And you'll do fine.

 

TD

Telemark Dave wrote

Just remember that Telemarking is Stoopid... ... And you'll do fine.

 

TD

That pretty much sums it up.

Tele ho!

/end thread.

A good alpine skier will pick up tele quickly, so going with a more agressive ski shouldn't be an issue.  I've been mounting alpine skis for tele for years.  I recommend figuring the boot center on the tele boot (1/2 the distance between pin line and back of heel) and mount the binding so the tele boot center is 1-2 cm behind the alpine boot center mark.  I agree go with a beafy boot, DB Push, Scarpa T1, etc.  Then go ski.

billski wrote

 ... What is NTN?  ...

A lot of info, a little dated but very good on the basics, here: http://www.newtelemarkguide.com/wiki/New_Telemark_Norm_(NTN)

What's new since then - mainly this: http://www.rottefella.no/en/Products/Telemark/Freedom/ - a lighter weight touring version.  See also http://www.earnyourturns.com/14272/telemark-binding-review-rottefellas-ntn-freedom/; http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/rottefella-ntn-freedom-binding; http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2nd-look-rottefella-ntn-freedom-binding

The original NTN is the "Freeride" -- now in black and white http://www.rottefella.no/en/Products/Telemark/NTN-Freeride/ or "shield your eyes" http://www.rottefella.no/en/Products/Telemark/NTN-Freeride-colour-edition/ versions.

I was/is selling a pair of 178's after skiing about 10 days on them.  My post is buried in this forum somewhere I'm sure. Overall, they are a good ski, but the term I would use to describe them is "damp", not a lot of energy.  My biggest complaint was that they were longer than I thought, but that's my fault for ordering them online.  I ski them in a NTN set-up.  I think it would be fine for an alpine ski too.  Don't believe the "early rise rocker" stuff, they ski just like a regular camber ski.  I have a big daddy 5 shape rocker/camber set too and that's a totally different game.  If anyone still wants my stead fasts (ski and base NTN, not the binding itself), just ping me.  I'll let em go cheap...

telerider wrote

My post is buried in this forum somewhere I'm sure.

http://forum.nyskiblog.com/2013-Nordica-Steadfast-Skis-178cm-td4025613.html#a4025674

If you want to sell them try posting in Gear for Sale.