Tele or Alpine?

[OldsnowboarderME]

:roll:

 

[bvibert]

I don't think it matters as long as you get off that snowboard...

Seriously I have no idea, but I would think it would be best to start with which ever you want...

 

[AdironRider]

If I was to switch to skiing, which I wouldnt, it would be alpine.

 

[redalienx11]

I started tele with a strong alpine background and it worked for me. My guess is that if your going to switch to alpine THEN tele...allow yourself to become a STRONG alpine skier before you switch.

I have many friends who started tele without any apline experience and they swear by it.

 

[bill9009]

go alpine, sorry just my opinion,

 

[David Metsky]

Definitely tele first. It's best not to learn bad habits that you'll just have to unlearn.

-dave-

 

[cbcbd]

IMO it's much easier to carve alpine turns than Tele turns. I say learn tele and if you ever want to go alpine I would think that switch would be easier. Going from alpine to tele was a bitch to get used to.

 

[Mark_151]

You can make P-turns just fine on heavy tele gear, so why not have the best of both worlds? Hell, you can even do a monomark and look like a snowboarder (sort of)!

This'll be my 3rd season skiing, period. I had a season of XC before that, and got into downhill with no experience direct to tele. Still haven't tried alpine gear.

 

[ga2ski]

Either way will work. If you to tele you can "alpine" without raising your heel. If money is a factor go straight to tele. Also tele boots are much more comfortable . . more like your snowboarding slippers.

If you need lessons or want to try tele and all the gear, hit up one of the New England Telemark Festivals http://www.netelemark.com/festivals.htm

 

[snowconehead]

This is a very opinionated topic. What aspects of Tele appeal to you? Have you deep pockets? Have you equipment already? How much skiing will you be able to do? Tele shouldn't be taken up by someone who can't get out on the snow often. It requires more conditioning than lock-down heel downhill. Where do you live? Have you ever tried cross-country skiing? Do you like to hang around the lodge?

 

[JD]

Just Tele. Alpine gear is too $$$$, and tele is more fun, and functional for BC access.

 

[bigbog]

skiing an AT fat ski with alpine boot.....?

Not intended to hijack....
.....But has anyone skied one of the newer burly, fat AT skis with an alpine boot........? I'm looking at the prospect of inserting some Dynafit inserts into my alpine boot toes/heels for an easier skin-ascent, which a few of the newer AT fatties look like they have the torsional stiffness for two-footed moves.....

*EDIT: Everything is possible these days....boots, bindings, AlpineTrekker(skin up with pure alpine boot- a little heavier = a lot heavier if skinning long distance as with out West)

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

I've been an Alpine (fixed heel downhiller) for 25years...I ski the entire mountain/any condtions...i've been very intrigued by free heeling latley (maybe just need a change)...what is the difference between Alpine Touring and Telemark?? what are most folks at the VT resorts doing AT or Tele?

 

[dmc]

I want to learn to ski but I like the aspects of Tele. Should I learn Alpine first or just go with tele lessons?

A godd friend of mine went from borading to tele and he's had no issues...
He never skied.... He's doing really well!

Telemarking is pretty cool.. Once you get the turn going it feels pretty amazing...
I highly recommend it and encourage you to try... It's more like snowboarding then alpine(Hey look no snide comments from me about Apline skiing followed by a smiley to make it OK - which I gotta be honest - annoys the S out of me)

 

[dmc]

what is the difference between Alpine Touring and Telemark??

Almost too vast to mention...

Main thing is with telemark skiing your heal stays free on descent...

 

[MarkC]

(Hey look no snide comments from me about Apline skiing followed by a smiley to make it OK - which I gotta be honest - annoys the S out of me)[/I]

yup

 

[MRGisevil]

I would talk to someone (or a few someones) who has (have) done both and can tell you the pros and cons of both, if you talk to someone who is strictly "this" or "that" you're likely to get as biased an opinion as if you asked, "Should I learn to ski or learn to snowboard?".

 

[ajl50]

I've been an Alpine (fixed heel downhiller) for 25years...I ski the entire mountain/any condtions...i've been very intrigued by free heeling latley (maybe just need a change)...

me too- my girlfriend and I have really wanted to learn some free-heel skiing. We think it looks cool and would be fun to learn. We would also like it for touring but they have free heel AT setups now so you can just lock the heel and ski regular.
We know whiteface has a tele learning progarm...but we haven't taken the time to sign up.

 

[Marc]

me too- my girlfriend and I have really wanted to learn some free-heel skiing. We think it looks cool and would be fun to learn. We would also like it for touring but they have free heel AT setups now so you can just lock the heel and ski regular.
We know whiteface has a tele learning progarm...but we haven't taken the time to sign up.

AT setups have been around for quite a while, actually...

 

[Bumpsis]

I'd look at this from practical point of view. Tele is great if we had a lot of good back country opportunities. We really don't. So you'll be on lift served terrain. If so, I'd go with
regular alpine (fixed heel) set up.
This way you'll have easier learning curve and ski faster and in greater control.

But then it all depends on what you like about being on skis. The tele turn is a really nice and graceful, almost dance like way of getting down the mountain. Still, given the hard packed, often icy surface that we ski on here in the east, the downhill set up gives you way more control and proficiency.