Materiel Ski de Randonnee

A winter sport that's becoming increasingly popular, the number of ski touring enthusiasts is growing by leaps and bounds. ski touring has been growing steadily in recent years: true mountain enthusiasts who are only waiting for the first snowfall to get out their ski touring ! Away from the lifts and crowded pistes, away from the noise, ski touring lets you enjoy the mountains at 100% .

The activity requires versatile ski equipment, and even specific equipment for the more purist among you. A perfect compromise between hiking and mountaineering, ski touring is a mountain sport that's particularly appreciated for its exceptional surroundings. Here's what's new in ski touring for the winter season.

Ski touring: specific equipment

The ski touring is a fairly technical sport, and requires specific equipment to be able to ski everywhere. The touring skis are very light, to make ascents easier, short enough to make descents easier, and wide enough for travel in soft snow. To ascend, you attach "sealskins" to the underside of your touring skis For downhill skiing, you block the heel to give you piste skis, and remove the skins.

• The skis
  

The choice is vast, and often depends on your level and the use you make of them.

The touring skis are generally quite versatile, pleasant to ski downhill, but ideal for steep ascents and multi-day raids. For men's and women'stouring skis, the width is generally between 75 and 85 cm, and the cores are made of lightweight wood, usually combined with carbon fiber for good rigidity. This also improves handling on hard snow. Rib lines have been modernized for greater skiability, so that performance and pleasure go hand in hand! The weight of the skis is a factor to be assessed according to their size. We generally recommend not exceeding 2200 grams for a pair of skis measuring 170 cm . Length is also a function of height, and should not exceed + or - 5 cm.

The free-rando skis skis are wider, with runners ranging from 90 mm to over 100 mm. They are also heavier and have insert bindings. The length of the ski should be adapted to your height, up to plus 10 cm. For powder snow, a soft ski is preferable. Stiff skis are ideal for steep descents and couloirs.

Ski touring is accessible to all, and we offer a range of ski touring packs to help you choose your equipment, including ski and binding packs or ski and sealskin packs. For those who prefer to choose their ski without having to choose bindings, or who would like to reuse their old pair, have the choice of choosing their pair of naked touring skis from the best brands.

• Bindings
  

Due to the diversity of sporting practices, several types of touring bindings are available. Binding is also an important criterion, the most popular being inserts . They are lighter than plate bindings and require specific, adapted footwear.

• Boots
  

Faced with the multitude of choices available, a buyer may find it difficult to select the most interesting items. Each model has its own specific features. Numerous criteria, including weight, flex and travel, need to be considered before choosing a particular model. Alpinstore offers you products from the leading brands of equipment and accessories for this discipline, such as scarpa ultra-light shoes and many other brands such as Dynafit, La sportiva and Lange.

• Poles

Good ski poles are essential for perfect skiing. To avoid wasting too much space with very long poles, it's usually advisable to take with you folding ski poles with two, three or even four poles which save a considerable amount of space. If they're too short, you won't be able to use them as an effective support, and if they're too long, they'll get in the way in some tricky passages.

• Skins

First and foremost sealskins are designed for ski touring. Like the tires on your car, they ensure that your skis grip the snow. It's an essential safety feature, as it prevents you from sliding backwards when climbing a slope. It has an anti-slip effect that ensures your safety when out in the mountains. It's what gets you where you want to go, so it's important to choose the right one.

A sealskin is made up of three elements: the weave, the fiber and the attachment system that holds it in place under the ski. Obviously, it's the fiber surface that's in direct contact with the snow, while the weft ensures the connection with the ski's sole, which contains silicone or glue, an indispensable adhesive element. Various manufacturers, including Gecko, Pomoca and the Swiss brand Colltex, market leader in seal skinsoffer different systems and skins: mohair, synthetic fibers or a mix of both. But the choice doesn't stop there - that would be too simple! Different fasteners are marketed: self-adhesive fasteners, self-adhesive fasteners with tensioner and self-adhesive skins with tensioner and heel. Glue and glue-free skins are also available.

• Knives
  

An indispensable accessory for steep slopes and difficult terrain, there are different types of knives for ski touring. They can be fixed or mobile, and come in different widths, so it's important to choose the right pair of knives when buying your skis. The knives provide extra grip on icy snow to reduce the risk of falling.


All these elements, which make up ski touring, offer a different, freer way of skiing. However, ski touring away from safe, marked areas entails risks that need to be minimized.

So if you're into ski touring, freeride skiing or any other type of powder skiing, remember to take a DVA (avalanche beacon), shovel and probe, because every minute counts in the event of burial. There are also airbags with inflatable avalanche balloon systems to prevent avalanche burial and increase your chances of survival.