Leather Telemark Boots

I do a lot of light to moderate touring, generally on fairly flimsy gear (NNN BC or flimsier). I tried plastic boots (A. T.) but they really hurt my feet. So, I'm thinking of going with (3 Pin) Telemark gear, in part because of the range of boots available. I was thinking I would start with leather boots before I try plastic again (likely T4).

It seems like what is available is the Alpina Alaska , as well as several Crispi . From what I've read, the Crispi options (or at least the Svastisen) is a bit stiffer, which would be my preference. I've found a few places that sell these online, but I don't know of any place locally that sells either one. Does anyone know where I could try these on? Any other advise is appreciated.

The first question would be have you tried to get a shop to work on you current plastic boots? Help maybe found there.

Also, have you tried different brands of plastic boots? There is a lot of variation between boot fits. Did you heat mold the AT boot liners to your feet?

After 40 years of skiing, my plastic tele boots are the most comfortable ski boot I have ever used. They hike great, they ski great. I know that manufactures are trying to kill tele, but there is still some good gear out there and it probably would feel familiar after your initial experience with xc gear.re.

I can't even traverse in plastic boots without falling.   :-[  The high heel, rockered sole, and forward cant make my knees, hips and back hurt.  I've blown out most lighter 75mm boots in our heavy NW snow and currently use Alico doubles with pin bindings:

www.sierratradingpost.com/alico-telemark...05%2F&colorFamily=27

I've mailed them insole tracings for fitting boots & they're very good on returns if necessary.

The first question would be have you tried to get a shop to work on you current plastic boots? Help maybe found there.

Yes. I tried a bunch of different boots on in the shop, and none of them felt remotely comfortable. So I decided to go with a boot that lots of people said was very comfortable, but maybe didn't have that much control, the TLT 5. Sure enough, it hurt in the field. So I went to a boot fitter, and had him work on it quite a bit. I went back a couple times, did some work and finally gave up. I sold the boots.

Also, have you tried different brands of plastic boots?  There is a lot of variation between boot fits. Did you heat mold the AT boot liners to your feet?

Yes, I tried on every A. T. boot they had at Marmot. I tried a bunch of different stuff with the boot fitter (including various liners). It is possible that I might find a boot that feels terrible in the shop, but great once the liner warms up, but I really don't feel like spending a bunch of money finding out that it won't work (again). It is a bit of a conundrum. Without doing the heat molding, I have no idea if the boot is going to fit that well. So I suppose I could just keep burning through liners, assuming the shop has a return policy with the boots. If I do take a chance, it will probably be with the T4 (it is plastic, but at least it has the bellows).

I have good solid hiking all leather boots, and I like them. They fit my feet fine, and so I feel like if I can try some leather boots, I should be OK. I was hoping to find some leather ones locally, so I can try them out, but I may have to go mail order.

@vogtski -- Thanks for the tip, I'll add that one to the list.

Did the boot fitter make any adjustments to the shells themselves ?

A friend of mine with "complex feet" (bone spurs, bunions, steel plate on one ankle) worked with Jim Mates at Sturtevant’s in Bellevue -- it took several rounds of heating and stretching the shells themselves, but she finally had a comfortable fit.

I've also experienced boot pain when I first started AT skiing after telemarking for decades -- I found that the was because the shells were too large and this allowed my foot to move around within the shell too much -- causing my toes to bash into the front. I went down a shell size and had improved comfort and control.

I'm currently using La Sportiva Syborgs -- which are an all plastic "Rando Race" boot the amount of ankle rotation in tour mode is amazing and when mounted on a old pair of Karhu Catamounts I can actually get some kick and glide motion the flats and gentle uphills. These are significantly lighter and have better ankle freedom than my old leather Merill Ultras.

Downhill oriented skiers might find "Rando Race" boots too flexible for driving phat skis hard and fast -- but as an old tele skier, I find the Syborgs sufficient on the 95mm waisted skis I've tried them with so far.

Did the boot fitter make any adjustments to the shells themselves ?

Oh yeah, quite a bit. I spent a lot of time and a fair amount of money on the process. Not that the boot fitter charged that much (his prices were quite reasonable) but buying brand new TLT 5s, then spending several hours trying to make them work, then selling them used was pretty expensive. I really don't feel like doing that all over again.

Which is why I want to try leather boots. I know they won't give me the kind of control I could have with Randonee, but I don't feel like repeating the "Buy new, tweak, then sell used" process all over again. I feel confident that I can find a pair of leather boots that fit me. I have solid leather boots that I hike in, and they work great (if I could change out the soles for 3 pin, I would). Funny story -- I actually skied in those hiking boots, and quite well, using universal bindings and a pair of short, stocky skis (but that is another long story). But that was nice corn snow and I think I could ski well with just about any rig in those conditions. Anyway, my choice right now is to keep doing what I'm doing, which is ski with NNN BC, or move up a notch (leather boots and 3 pin/telemark). I would like to move up a notch and was hoping to do that without doing the mail order thing (and having to buy and return several pairs) -- although I will if it comes to that. 

Scarpa makes leather boots too - I just saw a pair in a shop in Japan.

Yeah, it seems like Scarpas are even harder to get a hold of, though. I think they are discontinued.

In general it looks like Italians dominate the market (Alpina being an exception). Maybe I should go to Italy. That is a long way for a pair of boots, but I'm sure I would enjoy the trip.

Somehow I have 2 pairs of old school leather telemark boots. I've never used them. Not even sure about the size though I would guess likely in the 9-11 range. If the glass slipper happened to fit you'd be welcome to them. I'm in Maple Leaf, or could meet up at Alpental on the right day.

PM sent

Leather is not dead, it just smells funny!

These are the snizzle

www.andrewshoes.com/prodotti/en/telemark/



But I think you'll need to travel to yurp to pick up a pair.

Rossignol BCx12 is another option