Ultimate alpine TOURING boot?

I'm eager to see the video, but Angelfire doesn't seem to allow linking to files. ???<br><br>I guess you need an internal link to the video.

...Angelfire doesn't seem to allow linking to files  ...

<br><br>Paul, you can right click on Lowell's link and "save target as" to your hard disk.<br>

Oops, you're right. For some reason in Opera it would only send me to the html file that says I can't open anything. In IE I can save it. <br><br>And wow, that's impressive skiing on that gear.

Yes, *very* impressive!<br>Also, what skis were you on?<br>(I looked back in thread and didn't see any prior reference.)

Lowell can certainly ski. Coulda been Langes and Markers for all you can tell from the video.

Finally got my film developed. Here are a couple of pictures of the modified boots. The photo at right shows cutting edge technology circa 1970--half of a pair of Jet Stix. (Or maybe those are Cheetah Sticks.) They fit the boots well, but I doubt I'll use them much.

Lowell, did you consider sawing off the duckbill and retro fitting any of the touring/tele boots like the t4 or excursion? Has anyone out there tried it? i still like the idea of a bellows especially for the flats.

So I am now the proud owner of a pair of used Dynafit MLT4 shells.<br>The previous owner had added on a buckle just like Lowell did. He also included the upper portion of an old TLT All Terrain hinged tongue, which for the descent can be easily slipped behind the original tongue to stiffen up the forward flex. And he attached a fairly light & flexible V stinger to the upper cuff, fixed to a velcro power strap.<br>My mods so far (besides slipping in some old thermoflex liners and custom footbeds) have been to ditch the laces (the instep buckle combined with the velcro power strap made them superfluous), then drill a very small hole in the rear cuff so that for the descent I can snap in a small rear spoiler (looks like a TLT4S, although I think it's from an alpine downhill boot), which also provides an attachment for an additional beefy power strap (from Nordica Dobermann race boots, yeah!) to go around the previously mentioned extra tongue. I'm also going to install a very small screw rivet at the top to join together the two rear cuffs (i.e., the higher part coming up from the lower shell, which the rear spoiler attaches; and, the lower part coming up from the upper cuff, which the upper V stinger and lower power strap are attached to).<br>With each extra tongue, rear spoiler, and extra power strap looped around the belt on my schoeller pants, the boots in a size 27.5 (301mm shell length) weigh a true 5 1/2 pounds. (Would be less if my thermoflex liners were not full height.) Aside from the rigid sole, they are just as comfy and agile and my low-cut leather & frabric hiking boots.<br>Attaching the extra parts (which should take only a few second more then buckling all three buckles on my Matrix, cranking the powerstrap, and flicking the walk/ski switch), they should be enough to power my 160cm Atomic TM:11.<br>I hope to return to the scene of the crime from this past weekend once the rains stop (we've got over a week straight of rain going on here) and take some test runs:<br>www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=8344

Not AT, but at 4lbs 14oz a pair for size 45 (actual weight on a postal scale in my shop) I thought I give these a whirl since they are 1/2 off at REI.com.<br><br>Rossignol BC X9 Touring Boot<br> <br><br>The lateral stiffness looks pretty promising -- not as stiff as Excursions, but similar to a skate boot. Forward and rearward flex is excellent. The torsional stiffness of the sole seems excellent.<br><br>Rossi also makes a very similar boot using the NNN-BC setup -- I've been annoyed enough times with snow/ice clogging the NNN-BC binding mechanism, that I went with 3Pins.<br><br>SB you wouldn't happen to have any left-over heel-locators knocking around in your basement?

Building a good system has been an ongoing challenge.I started with a pair of Kastinger Peter Habler climbing plastic boots paired with Jet sticks,Gertch AT bindings and 200 Hexcel comp. skis. This set up worked but lacked the control needed for confident downhilling.20 years later Im still on a quest for the 1 rig solution.I have setteled on a compromise that is Ok.On long approches I now use a pair of One Sport Priolet overboots with my AT liners, Leaving the shells on the skis.Comfort is tops as I have been able to cover up to 60 miles in 2 days walking the Iditarod trail.Good luck on your quest.

These boots are far exceeding my expectations: they hike great, climb great, and even ski great under the right conditions (i.e., decent corn in relatively narrow 40-degree couloirs, powering a 160cm 67mm Atomic TM:11 with only a 145-lb skier atop). <br>In case anyone is interested in the details, we first started off with a 4450' vertical ascent - the boots were very comfy inside the van! (Okay, so we started off by cheating...) Then a gradual 600' vert dowhike on very rocky terrain, a 1200' vert ski on pitches up to 40 degrees, and crampon back up the couloir and hike back up to the auto road. A bit of tromping on the auto road, ski about 500 vert on the summit snowfield (low 30s), traverse & ski out about another 300 vert to top of ravine, a half-mile level hike over varied terrain, then a 1000' vert ski on pitches up to 40 degrees. And finally, the ultimate test: a 2300' downhike on a very rocky (and sometimes steep) trail. The boots were nimble enough that I got down so far ahead of my ski partners that I had time to hitch a ride back to the auto road (this took awhile...), drive back to the trail head still well in advance of the first guy down, drive him back to his car at the auto road, then drive back again to the trailhead (yeah, that highway got old after awhile) as the final two ski partners were getting down.<br>I still plan to use my Scarpa Matrix to drive bigger skis, but for whenever I expect to ski snow that is consistently consolidated, it&#8217;s MLT4 + TM:11 from here on! (About 11 pounds for skis + bindings + boots.)

These boots are far exceeding my expectations

<br>Darn. This means I'm now going to be temped to get a light pair of boots. Anyone have a pair of MLT, TLT4 or F1s they want to sell me? <br><br>One thing Jonathan has not commented on his skiing skill level. Jonathan is a highly proficient skier with an extensive Alpine racing background. He formerly coached the MIT ski team (yes, I'm really being serious!)

These boots are far exceeding my expectations: they hike great, climb great, and even ski great under the right conditions.

<br><br>Right on, Jonathan! I use MLT's on a pair of Atomic TG-10's, which I believe are similar to your TM:11's. The thing I like about this setup (especially in the "right conditions" as you describe) is that it just feels so clean and simple.

Yes, I love that feeling!<br>Plus, the yellow boots complement my dayglo green skis, lime green climbing helmet, and yellow jacket for otherwise unphotogenic New England days:<br>us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/4756ba28/79ac/__...jpg?phWWNnCB1qyct7fQ
(And thanks again for your inspirings posts & mods!)

Randy, sorry no locators made the move from Mazama to B'ham.