This picture was taken at the start of the 2012 Vail Winter Teva Games. There are at least four key things that a ski mountaineer can learn from this picture, and its depiction of the randonee race scene. (Click on the image to enlarge the photograph.)
1. The white/red boots are Dynafit DyNA which weigh in at under two pounds each and are super stiff. That means you save 3.5 pounds compared to the Black Diamond Prime boots.
2. Notice that nobody uses fritschi style bindings, but instead use the much lighter tech bindings, as in Dynafit low tech rave bindings; weight savings are another couple of pounds, that you do not have to carry up the hill when you are skinning.
3. If you look closely they all have Nordic racing poles, and a pair of "smallish" classical aluminum Nordic racing poles cuts another half pound off the weight you are carrying.
4. Look closely and see the bungee cord sticking off the tip of the ski, cut a notch and bungee cord your skins so you can remove them without taking your skins off ... On a all day tour it probably saves 20-30 minutes.
Finally, I have not even gotten around to mentioning the occasional green (CAMP) helmet that you see which weighs in at 7 ounces, the lightweight rando racing skis that weigh in under 5 pounds per pair, and then there is the super lightweight soft goods (my 3 ounce windbreaker, or my 11 ounce) pack ... THE POINT IS, IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO A REALLY LONG BIKE TOUR OR A MULTI-DAY CLIMB WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO TRIM TEN POUNDS OFF THE LOAD YOU WERE CARRYING?
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