Has anyone used Snowfeet Ski Skates?

[5ClimbingCooneys]

Okay, total long-shot here....

I climb a lot of 13ers in the summer, not so much the winter. I'd love to stretch my climbing into the shoulder seasons a bit more, especially in May when the snow has consolidated and is starting to melt. One of the fun parts of climbing early in the season is using the snow to speed my descents on the way down. However, that usually involves "skiing" on my feet in hiking or mountaineering boots, or sliding down sit-style. On a few occasions, I've seen guys zipping down ski hills on super short skis and I've wondered what they're using. I think it might be something like these: https://www.snowfeetstore.com/products/ ... ski-skates.

Has anyone used these? If so, what did you think?

I know they're not specifically built for what I'd be doing, but they look like an intriguing option. For use on firm snow in the backcountry, they'd represent just about the lightest possible option—even lighter than backcountry ski gear—and may even work for backpacking. No dedicated ski boots and no long skis hanging off the back of the pack during technical ascents. I wouldn't be looking to rip backcountry powder stashes or anything crazy, just something that would provide a bit more bite into the snow on the way down than my hiking boots on lower-angle snow fields (< 35º) and allow me to make a few turns here and there.

[Exiled Michigander]

You'll get almost no flotation from these. In the backcountry I think they'd be downright dangerous (think about unexpected postholing on your way down--yikes!). Breakable crust is a nightmare to ski even with a full AT set-up . . . I can't imagine what it would be like on these.

My guess is these are probably fun on-piste, but I don't think I'd want to try them off the groomers, and definitely not in the backcountry.

[SkaredShtles]

Yeah - those are toys. Don't try to use them as anything functional, esp in the backcountry.

[justiner]

firm snow in the backcountry

That's rarely the problem areas. It's the crap right below treeline that will make you want to switch hobbies.

[5ClimbingCooneys]

You'll get almost no flotation from these.

Floatation isn't an issue. This would be on snow firm enough to support travel using hiking boots and micro spikes. My main question is from anyone who's used these, do they hold an edge?

[5ClimbingCooneys]

I was turned on to the original product I saw years ago that initially sparked my curiosity about this type of product by a member of SkiTalk. They're called Figl https://kohla.at/en/figl-with-universal-binding/2100001. Has anyone use those? Their history seems to have its roots in exactly the type of conditions I'd be using them: consolidated discontinuous late season snow in a mountaineering setting. Basically a glissade assist.

[Dave B]

Tyroleans call them Figl. Kastle makes a pair. There's a thread on Cascade Climbers about them, but mostly it's engineering dorks talking about binding design.

I'd rather have skis, at least they'll help with the below treeline slop, with the added benefit you get to ski which is always superior to walking downhill, glissading, or any other half-measure.

[SkaredShtles]

Tyroleans call them Figl. Kastle makes a pair.

"With a classic race-inspired sandwich-sidewall construction and HOLLOWTECH 2.0 the Kästle Figl ski generates that authentic corn snow experience.

For fun-loving, race-loving, spring skiers of all ages."

Just imagine the poor Austrian marketing person asked to write copy for these things...

[5ClimbingCooneys]

Tyroleans call them Figl. There's a thread on Cascade Climbers about them, but mostly it's engineering dorks talking about binding design.

That's exactly what I'm after, and for the same reason.

I'd rather have skis, at least they'll help with the below treeline slop, with the added benefit you get to ski which is always superior to walking downhill, glissading, or any other half-measure.

No thank you
I'd rather not lug a full set of ski gear over 10+ miles, multiple summits, and miles of trail hiking for 2,000' ft of descent. My goal isn't to shred some turns, it's to climb peaks and make the descents more expedient/enjoyable. I'm basically looking for something like in that tread that can work with a mountaineering boot or sturdy hiking boot, doesn't weigh a ton, and is compact so it doesn't get in the way. I'm thinking of this more as a tool to improve glissading on snow descents in early summer, not serve as a true ski. If there's going to be miles of below treeline slop, I'm probably avoiding that route. This is more for the 6 or so weeks in the Colorado high country where snow lingers in nice, long ribbons above timberline and can be used to strategically speed up the descent on the way down, but also isn't so continuous that you can't walk up on mostly dry ground.

The Figls from Kohla look pretty darn enticing for those purposes. Has anyone used them or have any idea how much they weigh? If you've used them, does it work to get them on edge, or is more of a foreword/backward movement, using the square back edge to bite into the snow? The other alternative I'm trying to get info on is if anyone has used Snowfeet's Ski Skates for that type of purpose.

[Peak200]

I think one person just went all the way
Down skywalker couloir on arapahoe
Peak recently trying to use these.
Lucky they lived.Sorry I dont like them and are kind of a gimick

[pvnisher]

I don't have those particular ones.

I do have a pair of snow blades from the early 2000s when that's all I could afford. I used them for a few years and skied some kinda questionable slack country terrain.

I've since replaced the crappy wire bail bindings with Wardens since they're kinda fun but the wire bindings were begging to rip my knees apart.

That said, it's less about the ski than the boot.
Regardless of the ski, you will have a terrible time with flexible boots.
If you can't apply shin pressure then you really can't ski in any way you're used to.

I've thought about mounting touring bindings and skins on them to use as sliding snow shoes (ie, xc skis) for rolling terrain. But would definitely still want a real boot.

[blazintoes]

These are plastic skis with a traditional boot and like the advertised video, work well in a niche environment. REI offered something similar to the Snowfeet a few years ago and I empathize with wanting any tool to help me be more efficient especially in shoulder season. I couldn't edge to slow down, caught every single rock on the way down and luckily didn't get hurt. With substitutions you are likely to cause ankle sprain and/or labral hip tears which take longer to heal than broken bones.

Bottom line, there is no substitution for a traditional AT set up. Instead you should petition to get a purple snowflake icon AND a snowshoe badge as these are the most inefficient ways to climb a mountain with snow.