Looking for free heel gear

Thinking of getting some telemark gear. Does anyone know of a shop on Long Island or maybe in Queens.
I also spend most weekends near Barryville in Sullivan county.
Some how while cruising the web I ran across Altai skis. My interest in freeing my heel has spiked again so i'am looking around. This has happened from time to time over the years.
Just wanna go to a shop to see the gear in real life.
Thanks for any help
Cheers

TH - What kind of skiing and terrain are you imagining?

You know what they say....once you free the heel, the mind will follow. In my case, the body followed too and I haven't locked back. (Pun intended!).

Good luck on your journey. If you're looking for downhill tele gear, I think your best bet to touch and feel them may be K-mart.  You should also come to Platty. There are a bunch of (75mm setups in the rental shop.

I would assume it's easier to learn on groomed slopes. So Platty is the answer there. Once comfortable with my technique I want to go back country. There's lots of trails around my dacha. That's the appeal of the Altai skis to me.
I've been fooling around with my alpine touring set up, but it's just not really practical on the trails I've been exploring.
I've also looked at so called wide x- country set ups ( on the web) but I think a telly set up might work out better.
I guess the smart move is try it at Platty with a lesson ,and see how it goes.
Any other suggestions,greatly appreciated.
Cheers

If you want Heel Gear buddy you're going to have to pay for it.

I'am a decent alpine skier,XC skied a few times. Last time an instructor (while teaching my wife) watched me , he said I was stuck in the 80's. So that being said , how long will it take to learn. I have no idea and i'am sure no one else does. Can't find lesson prices for Platty's heel gear lessons. Hopefully it's the same as alpine. I think Jeff use to teach. I'll start asking guestions when we do the tree clearing. Cheers

Thehof wrote

I'am a decent alpine skier,XC skied a few times. Last time an instructor (while teaching my wife) watched me , he said I was stuck in the 80's. So that being said , how long will it take to learn. I have no idea and i'am sure no one else does. Can't find lesson prices for Platty's heel gear lessons. Hopefully it's the same as alpine. I think Jeff use to teach. I'll start asking guestions when we do the tree clearing. Cheers

Jeff is still the head of the ski school. A level III Instructor and a great guy.  Definitely ask for him.

IMHO, it can't hurt to take a lesson or 2 at Platty.  Probably the cheapest and best option in terms of what you want to get out the experience.  (From what it sounds like, you perhaps have an eye to totally switch to free-heel skiing?).  Either way, eventually, when you get a little better, you are going to want to get your own boots.  At that point, you have 2 decisions to make:  Used or New and 75 mm or NTN?  Personally, once I got to that level, I wanted my own new boots...and I'm sold on NTN.  However, I do also have a light 75 mm backcountry XC setup that I LOVE and use extensively at home when we have a snowpack (and bring to the mtns for extended visits).  So, that leads to another question... What do you really want to do here?  Do you want to use the freeheel gear with lift accessed resort skiing?  Or do you just want something to "bushwhack" with on trails and off near your place in the mountains?  If the latter, I might first suggest a very light-weight backcountry XC setup and just stay with your DH gear for resort skiing.  

Lots of options for you....

 

Why?

ScottyJack wrote

Why?

Because it's the best way to move around mountain environments.

They still make tele gear?

http://www.telemarkskier.com/pariah-telemark-ski/

Thinking NTN after researching what I can on line. Seems quite expensive for a complete setup. Wish there were more options,but i'am guessing it's still kinda new tech. I'am probably going to rent 75mm to learn on ,and then make a choice end of season. If I see you on hill ,or you see me floundering about, shout some pointers.
Cheers

Thehof wrote

Thinking NTN after researching what I can on line. Seems quite expensive for a complete setup. Wish there were more options,but i'am guessing it's still kinda new tech. I'am probably going to rent 75mm to learn on ,and then make a choice end of season. If I see you on hill ,or you see me floundering about, shout some pointers.
Cheers

What size foot are you? I can sell you a complete NTN setup for cheap if you have big feet (29 Mondo boots). And a guy I know on Facebook is selling killer Blizzard Skis (Bonafide or Brahma) with small Outlaw bindings for $425 if you have smaller feet.

I have quite a few pair of 75 mm bindings and skis I am looking to unload.  I will go through the rack and list this weekend.  

I believe i'am a 29.5 which is close. Which boot and binding are we talking about?
It's been said " if it fits ....."
While using the NTN set up I've read that one can telemark turn and parallel turn. Mix it up all day long. Just wondering how aggressive the parallel turns can get before they pop.
Once again thanks for input
Cheers

You can telemark and parallel on 75mm too, mix it up all day long.  Never used NTN not sure what you mean by pop.

This is my ignorance of tele.
I'am assuming the boot will pop out of binding during very  aggressive parallel turns and that's why one takes a knee.
If that's not the case , I've got a lot more to learn than I thought.
On another note , I picked up a Platty brochure at my usual ski shop tonight. They have 0 tele gear. Anyway I've learned a one hour private tele lesson with rentals is $95. Any of you instructors out there tell us all , what kind of tip goes with that. I don't wanna be that guy.
Cheers

Sorry if that came off snarky.  And I'm the last person to give any kind of tele instruction.

But that won't stop me. Parallel turns on freeheeled gear aren't that hard to do, I think. You still try to pressure the boot tongue...

Ok I give up. MC to the white courtesy phone.

Yes, calling MC..... but, if I had to, I'd say the center of gravity or your balance point is a bit different when on tele gear, but NTN gear is IMHO, extremely torsionally stiff. So much so, that I was able to make full on parallel turns in huge (or as Harv likes to say Youuuge!) spring bumps on Superstar. But, think "freeheel" skiing as opposed to telemark. For me, it opened doors in my skiing and allows me the freedom I desire on the hill both mentally and physically.

last year i was on my own gear preforming a combination of tele and alpine turns. one of the instructors stopped me and told me to keep my shoulders pointing down hill. it helped. he also told me to get off the north face. i never took a lesson which i don't recommend.

i grabbed gear off ebay. Garmont Syner-G 75mm 3 Pin and Karhu Kodiak Telemark Skis with Bindings. $300 for the pair.
hate to invest a lot of cash in something you may not like.