A friend of mine once said, “Steve, I think it would be a funny if you hung out on Teton Pass all day and noted all the different, unique and classic gear that you see people using.” Well, I’m not about to just sit on the Pass all day, but I do think it would be kinda funny to showcase some of the stellar equipment and faux-pas that I see from time to time.
Salomon SX91 spotted on Teton Pass this week.
A day or two ago I saw an old timer rocking some sweet rear-entry, Salomon SX91 ski boots. As I passed him, I commented on his rad style and he replied, “These boots are so comfortable. I’ve been using them for the past 20 years!” Not a big surprise I thought to myself, considering that I think they were released in the mid eighties and possibly the first boot to employ a one buckle tightening system…much like today’s Scarpa F1, a popular boot among rando racers.
Driving around town after the big dumps of Christmas Eve, it was too hard to pass up a couple other interesting observations. Not sure what the correlation is, but Hansen Street seemed to be the hub of quirkiness, with people using snowshoes to shovel their driveways and donning helmets when using snow-blowers. I don;t know about you, but don’t you think this is over-kill? Have a great weekend everyone!! And let’s be SAFE out there!!!
Actually…no it isn’t overkill. I was using one of those things once and something just flew by my head with quite the velocity. The something turned out to be the whole side of the engine case. I didn’t even hit anything and the engine was not out of oil either… just one of those things.
Anther possibility is that the guy is a bubblehead (biler) and that helmet is probably the only winter headwear he has.
Good point Walt….but the whole side of the engine case? Sounds pretty sketchy!
Up in canada we use hockey helmets!And the euros and french canadians wear visors!
Money ain’t everything when it comes to old gear. Three year ago, while waiting in the tram line at Snowbird (hey, it was high avy danger so I opted for lifts), I see Dick Bass wearing Salomon SX91. I asked a ‘bird’ ski-patroller-friend about it and he said Dick loves those boots and claims they’ll fall apart off his feet before they’ll be replaced. (Dick is the owner Snowbird, self-proclaimed first ‘7-Summiter’, and a gazillionair Texas oil man.)
I just retired my SX91s a couple years ago.
It was a sad day. They fit so well with my ol 212 GS boards
I love it! Two down…one to go. Now who’s gonna fess up to wearing snowshoes in their driveway?
I have been using SX92s for alpine touring for 20 years or more. When I acquired a Raichle rear entry thermofit liner for them I gave up my Scarpa teles even though they also were thermofit. Compared to the slipper-like comfort and one buckle simplicity of the 92s, all other boots fall short. I’m limited because they have a standard alpine sole (no dynafit, carry them on approaches etc.) but for skinning and switchovers they are unbeatable. I usually just reach down with my pole handle and open the buckle on each boot as I start to skin up. Also, I can change both socks faster than some folks take to get one boot off! The 91 in the lead off photo has two buckles and thus doesn’t really compare, the 92 does the same function with two cables leading from the single buckle. Any performance deficits really don’t matter much out touring. Obviously, I’m one who wishes Salomon would get into the AT market with an update of the good ole SX92!
That’s cool that something so old can be so good. You’ve got to wonder why no other companies (maybe Scarpa?) haven’t worked on using a similar design in today’s production boots. Glad they’re still working for you Ed..
And here’s something all you SX92/82 admirers have not mentioned and may not know or remember about them……they had interchangeable canted boot soles as an accessory.
Salomon was the only company to ever offer this unique and terrific option. Being able to unscrew the original sole that came with the boot and put on a canted sole sure saved a lot of work from mounting canting plates under your bindings. Sure wish someone would come out with that feature again. Frankly, I do not know why Salomon does not bring that boot design back along with a more up to date liner with the new materials available today. Oh, anyone have any of those canted Salomon sole laying around. I need a pair of the one with the largest cant angel for my SX82 and 92’s. Contact me at the above email address. deepbone33@yahoo.com Roger