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For the level of trips I described above (some on track, some off)
what type of equipment should we look at? I know skins will help on
the climb.

If those tracks are made for/by track skis, you gotta keep your skis
skinny to use them; modern backcountry/telemark skis are mostly far
too wide.

I figure we have our track skiis for groomed tracks -- what about
those days when we want to do a little more? Safety is concern #1,
cost is 2nd (cheaper to pay for good equipment than hospital bills).

For diverse conditions you want steel edges, at least. Double/single
camber and wax/waxless depends on use -- you need double camber for
real kick 'n glide, but single camber is much better for doing turns.

As you want to (re)learn the telemark turn, I'd go with turn-friendly
skis, that is single camber and not bothering about track width.

Are telemark type boots too much? They don't look very glide
friendly.

They say the softest plastic boots are quite good for touring (que
Pete Clinch). There aren't many leather boots left; the usual low
model don't give very much support for driving the skis downhill.

Are releasable bindings too much? Already had a torn ACL from
downhill accident. Would rather have good equipment than have a trip
to the ER.

Few people use them, they tend to weigh a lot extra. I ski Scarpa T1
on Salomon Teneighty, but I've never had a fall where I felt the need
for releasables. A friend of mine ruptured his meniscus (sp?) on
skiing steep tele though, maybe he wouldn't have been hurt so bad if
the skis had released. Difficult to say if it's worth the extra
weight.


Martin
--
"An ideal world is left as an exercise to the reader."
-Paul Graham, On Lisp