Gary S. wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 18:02:48 +0100, "NC" wrote:

After exhausing the cross country ski specialists in the UK
(Aviemore*2, Braemar, Ilkley), I find that nobody carries
traditional leather touring boots and does not plan to get stock in
the future. I've done some Google searching for retailers with no
success.

Not all information is on the Web.

I know.
I have rung and spoken to the owners of each of the shops in the UK which
stock cross-country gear. Most of those shops do not have websites.


This is a bit of a problem as I really don't want to go to plastic
touring boots; I'm of the view they are second-best and over-heavy
for what I want to do, and would force me onto wider skis, etc...

Some traditional and useful gear choices are sometimes lost in the
mass rush to the latest greatest new stuff.

Yes, that is what I'm finding.

XC ski gear seems to have gone to the two extremes: ultralight
high-tech in-track race oriented ski gear, or full blown BC/telemark
gear. Very little left in between, of the "traditional" skiing out in
the woods on untracked trails sort.

I want slightly tougher than un-cut trails, but not full
telemark-downhilling.

The sort of boot I'm after are like the Garmont Tour, 75mm binding.
Suitable for off-track touring. The makers list them on their
website, but it seems that importers/retailers feel there is
insufficient demand to be worth stocking.

The first step is to see what is manufactured which meets your
requirements. Then contact those manufacturers to see who retails in
your area. Often a retailer for that brand can get a special order of
another model.

Won't work for me in the UK.
I have contacted every retailer I am aware of in the UK.
For whatever reason, either the retailers or the importers are not proposing
to bring in any traditional leather touring boots in the future. It wouldn't
make any difference even if I placed a firm order for a specific size and
model.
The makers will refer me to their UK importers (catch 22).

Hence this thread trying to find non-UK sources.


Can anyone suggest a supplier with stock ? Or other makers of boots
?
I guess its likely to be in Norway, so a shop which can discuss
things in English and/or mail order to the UK would be useful.

How big an activity is XC skiing in the UK? Do you have enough snow in
England, or do you need to travel north?

Its a very small activity.
There are few places which get enough snow to ski in England (a bit in the
pennines some years on the odd day). A week or two of ski-able snow in
Scotland if lucky. However most people travel to Scandinavia to ski.
I think most people either ski on tracks (race or pootle), or have taken up
the more extreme off-track downhilling with heavier boots and short wide
skis (either on Alpine or Telemark boots)




- Nigel

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NC - Webmaster for http://www.2mm.org.uk/
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