Ski Recommendation - Lightweight AT Gear

[webby]

A buddy recently asked me to help him find lighter skis.
At our last outing together I was skiing two buckle T2s, Madshus Epochs and Bulldogz and he had a rig that weighed three times as much (I think BD Havocs, Dynafits and three or four buckle boots). Now he wants light.
We do a lot of rolling approaches and low angle touring, but he likes AT.
He wants to keep his boots and will get another pair of Dynafits, but wants to get something like my Epochs.

Can you all recommend some options for him? He will have enough boot to drive anything, but wants light and waxless.

[cesare]

Some friends of mine used Epochs with Dynafits and F1s for the Elk Mountain Traverse race, which is long and mostly gentle. But depending on what boots he has, that might not be a good match. People don't realize how much difference boots can make. If you can find out what boots he has, you might be able to steer him toward a more appropriate ski. I don't think pairing Epochs with a 4 buckle boot is a good idea. Unless it's a soft boot with a large ROM in tour mode, it will be a gross mismatch that will overdrive the ski.

I would go more like a Vector BC at least.

[dschane]

Second vote for the Vector BC b/c it's a great all-around ski. It is, perhaps, a lot of ski for gentle rolling hills, weighs about 1 lb more for the pair over the Epochs, but it's far more versatile than any scaled ski out there.

[RobRoyMeans]

A buddy recently asked me to help him find lighter skis.
At our last outing together I was skiing two buckle T2s, Madshus Epochs and Bulldogz and he had a rig that weighed three times as much (I think BD Havocs, Dynafits and three or four buckle boots). Now he wants light.
We do a lot of rolling approaches and low angle touring, but he likes AT.
He wants to keep his boots and will get another pair of Dynafits, but wants to get something like my Epochs.

Can you all recommend some options for him? He will have enough boot to drive anything, but wants light and waxless.

Years ago a co-worker outfitted a pair of Fischer Boundless with Dynafiddles and used some climbing friendly boots from Dynafit. He seemed quite happy with the result.

Vector BCs are pretty light and should do but there's one question others may be able to answer...."How about the strength of the heel mounting zone of the ski?" Some of the new Fisher waxless boards might meet the bill...but that heel mount question would need answering.

[Quadzilla]

I think a Vector BC would be a very good ski paired with Dynafits. WTBS, I am a Dynafit kinda guy but really don't like touring low angle rolling terrain with Dynafits as compared to tele.

[webby]

His boots are Scarpa F-3.

Thanks for the replies gents.

[tele.skier]

One of the lift served areas where I ski is mixed with a XC trail system. I regularly see every combination of gear getting off at the top of the main lift... It can be pretty funny watching one train wreck after another as the less than chairlift savvy XC skiers attempt to ski away from the chair...

Anyway, because these 2 areas are mixed together there is a huge diversity of gear combinations. I've seen dynafits on karhu guides on one trail patroller. His kick and glide isn't efficient, nor is his alpine turn, but he can either stride along the trails or alpine ski down the slopes with his combo. In either case, he's compromised his gear choice so he can do both... (probably so he can handle a rescue tobbogan if he had too)

All gear choice is a compromise... Your buddy can chose a ski from those designed to do the type of sking that he prefers, or chose a compromise ski that does a little of everything and accept the compromises... So many choices,.... no wonder I have 9 skis mounted and ready to go....

A lot of the choice depends on if the skier in question wants to be on the best tool for the terrain he prefers, or if he wants to have the ski that is the most versitile on all the terrain he faces. After a big powder dump, I have used these trails (which get groomed for skate skiing) to access some backcountry slopes. I have had on 192cm voile drifters (128mm underfoot) and been on the same trails as people on skate gear. Granted, they were ripping along on the trails, while I was skinning along like a turtle, but I was on an appropriate ski once I got to the mountain top and pulled my skins...

If your friend wants to keep up with you, he should buy a ski that is like yours... Then he'll always have the same compromises that you have... When you are slow, he will be too. When you are fast,......etc....

[webby]

I am trying to get him the best lightweight setup possible, not one that sucks just as much as mine.
I have been skiing with this guy all of my life, but in the BC we take completely different approaches. I had the luxury of learning to tele while my kids were learning to ski and he wants to lock down his heel. Unless I am skiing something extremely difficult, I am in my old T2s. He is going to be in a bit more boot.
His compromises have absolutely nothing to do with my compromises.
Your concept has a lot validity and I could see many applications for it - but in this instance I am looking for a recommendation for a good light ski - and he most likely will do better with the vectors than the epochs as part of a well matched kit. And we remain open to other suggestions....but the Vector BCs do sound like the ticket.