Touring newbie - is a Voile split kit with children's skis a viable setup?

[Dan]

Inspired by Jim's pics from his Wallowa trip, and the rabid crowd at Mt. Hood Meadows on powder days, I'm thinking about doing some touring next winter. I know pretty much nothing about this, and I'm wondering about workable approach ski setups. (Don't worry, I will find an avalanche class early next season -- probably in the Seattle area, as they're kind of hard to come by around Portland).

So, here's what Googling around has taught me: some answers, but lots of questions still.

1) Snowshoes are way more work/slower than skis (is that true no matter the pitch/surface consistency?)

2) Karhu Metas look good and idiotproof - a good beginner ski, but they're out of production, and out of stock everywhere

3) Kid's skis are cheap and a nice convenient length for strapping to a pack.

4) But how do you get a binding with heel lift onto kid's mid-fats? Can you use any standard tele binding? (i.e., will they mount correctly, and fit a Raichle hardboot?) Would that have any advantage over a Split Decision kit? (Vs. buying the Split Decision kit and then mounting it on a splitboard later, when funds allow).

5) Any thoughts on self-splitting a snowboard? I bet I can find one pretty cheap on CL...

Thanks!

[Jon Dahl]

1) The only workable snowshoe to use are Verts, and they are for steep climbing(30+ degree pow), and will outclimb anything on skins.

2)Good luck

3)Doable, keep length within reason

4)Fritschi made a binding that would work for approach skis and any crampon compatable boot, ebay has 'em sometimes, I cannot remember the model #. If you use a Dynafit compatable boot, you could get the toe pieces, and a G3 heel lift, and have a very light setup.

5)Go to splitboard.com, look up the topic, or email me and I can send you a pic of my self-split, and a pic of my table saw jig.

SIDE NOTE: Fritschi ft88 bindings on ebay right now,look under tele stuff