tele

[SKIQUATTRO]

My goal this year is to learn to tele....we are most likely heading to Smuggs for 5 days in Jan and will be taking an 1.5hr tele lesson as part of our package...last year we took the snowboarding lesson on the last day for S and Giggles....(was pretty fun)

I'm thinking about renting the gear here (long island) and taking it up with me so i have it when i want to use it and really get the feel of it,,,I'll take the lesson the 1st or 2nd day so i have the rest of the time to practice...any suggestions of what to get/not to get when renting beginner tele gear??

 

[mattchuck2]

I assume you ski alpine regularly. . .

That being the case, you should probably get some stiffer type Tele Boots if you can . . . I'm thinking Scarpa T1 or Garmont Ener-G/Syner-G. They'll probably give you T2's - the most commonly held Tele rental boot. They aren't as stiff as the T1's, but they'll probably be okay for your first time. . . . The skis don't really matter (anything you get will be fine) and they'll probably give you something in about the same length as your alpine skis.

As far as the lesson goes, the instructor will spend the entire lesson trying to break you of your alpine habits. You'll raise your heel the slightest bit, separate your tips about 2 inches, and you'll think that you are WAAAAAAYYYYY into a huge tele turn. For this reason, I'd bring a video camera (or a still camera that shoots video) so you can see exactly what you are doing. Trust me, it's going to feel like you're in a crazy tele turn, but you'll really be in an alpine-style turn with a slight heel lift.

For this reason, the instructor should be doing a lot of drills that involve gentle terrain and/or traversing, really getting you used to a tele stance. At Smugg's, your choice of instructor should be Mickey Stone, PSIA nordic examiner and coach of the Eastern PSIA nordic team. If you can't get him, there are plenty of other ripping tele instructors up there, but I can't think of any right now.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

thank you!

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

Start here
http://www.telemarktips.com/Lesson.htm
What size boot/foot do you have?

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

26.5 alpine (8.5 street)