Overboots for ski boots?

[Moondog55]

The experiment with the bumblebee covers was so successful in terms of added warmth that if I was ever going to ski in very cold conditions I could use my existing telemark boots.
Has anybody here tried to make a clone of the original Peter Caiman Supergators?
I've exchanged messages with 40Below and been advised that their overboots do not fit Telemark bindings even with modifications and the USA made Supergaiters don't provide much insulation around the critical toe area, so I thought I should try something of my own.
Thoughts on fabrication details?

[telemarktim]

The experiment with the bumblebee covers was so successful in terms of added warmth that if I was ever going to ski in very cold conditions I could use my existing telemark boots.
Has anybody here tried to make a clone of the original Peter Caiman Supergators?
I've exchanged messages with 40Below and been advised that their overboots do not fit Telemark bindings even with modifications and the USA made Supergaiters don't provide much insulation around the critical toe area, so I thought I should try something of my own.
Thoughts on fabrication details?

Hi Moondog55, What type of telemark boots do you use? Mine stay warm all the time if I use uninsulated covers/skirts that go well down over the top of the boots. This keeps the snow out of the boots to keep them dry and warm all day long. My DIY covers transition into sewn on leg warmers made of warm snow resistant fleece. They can be pulled up high over my knees as the skiing warms me up in the morning. They stay up while skiing down deep powdery slopes where the bow wave can come up over my knees. They can be lowered when I wish to cool down my leg muscles while climbing and traversing. I cover them with DIY full zip-on over pants when things rarely get that rough.

If ever needed, the silver part could be designed to extend to go over the front of the Telemark boot and binding. I use DIY rubber bands made of slices of automotive inner tubes for such attachment. 'You could line the skirt with more fleece if you think insulation is needed.

I make similar leggings for bushwalking and have a DIY rubber band stretched under the boot sole, just in front of the heel step. This holds the skirt down during river crossings (and fishing) and stops pebbles and gravel from getting into the boots. The stretch of the 5mm wide rubber eliminates the need for buckles or clips that can catch on things while walking. A similar stretched band attachment could be made around the duck-bill fitting of your Telemark binding. Alternatively, a light stainless steel foil clip could be fixed under the binding plate to make an attachment point/s.
The soft leggings shake of ice and dry quickly and can be worn in the evening or make nice pillow stuffing. All cheap stuff, discarded tent fabric and $2/M fleece and they have lasted for many years and many trips. The fleece is even nice to kneel on when attending to bindings and safety leashes etc. Weigh about 50g each.

Silver polyester snow skirts that are sewn to fleece extendable leg warmers (yellow?).



DIY full zip on over pant that can be put on under any conditions with clunky ski boot on.


Tim

[Moondog55]

Just in case that trip to Alaska eventuates.
I have Scarpa T2 and T1 Terminators but mainly use the T2
Say temperatures about -30C, the boots are OK down to about -20 in my experience so just need that 10C boost and mainly in the toe and forefoot area, which is where the Yeti falls down even if I could find XXXL rubbers
My current XXL Yetis are on my leather big boots. My thinking was that the original design gave better insulation in the toe area and might be worth playing with

[telemarktim]

Just in case that trip to Alaska eventuates.
I have Scarpa T2 and T1 Terminators but mainly use the T2
Say temperatures about -30C, the boots are OK down to about -20 in my experience so just need that 10C boost and mainly in the toe and forefoot area, which is where the Yeti falls down even if I could find XXXL rubbers
My current XXL Yetis are on my leather big boots. My thinking was that the original design gave better insulation in the toe area and might be worth playing with

Hi Moondog55, Sorry I did not appreciate that you were talking about Alaska. Minus 30C is serious stuff. Tim

[Moondog55]

Just dreams at the moment but if you don't dream you die.

[telemarktim]

Just dreams at the moment but if you don't dream you die.

Hi Moondog55, What bindings do you use ( have 7tms that I used to replace Targa G3's). Also, out of curiosity, what skis are you using?

I think you could make an insulated boot cover with polyester or preferably gluable silnylon with a light bungee cord (as used in the above leggings and it is very cheap at boating shops) threaded around in a sewn hem tube.

It could have a stainless steel foil ribbon that goes under the rear of the heel and through one of the lateral heel grooves. It could have a rubber link made from an inner tube in front of the heel block (as described for my walking leggings above). Then at the front, the bungee could be passed through a wide stainless steel foil clip that could be put over the top of the duck-bill bridge unit and hook back sharply under it between the bridge and over the top surface of the boots plastic duck-bill. If your bindings are like mine, the front of the plastic duck-bill does not get a lot of pressure during telemarking, so it should not come to any harm.

I hope my ramble makes a little sense. I have lots of 0.1mm SS foil scraps that you could have to experiment with. It is a hard alloy, that has this wonderful property of taking a sharp bend or fold that is almost impossible to straighten. It also is very easy to cut and shape with a pair of good quality scissors and edges can be rounded easily with aluminium oxide cloth-backed 'sandpaper' to make them neat and safe. I would be happy to send you some suitable scraps by 'pensioner post' if you are interested. I could also weld up a pair of prototype rear straps with loops welded on each end to thread the bungee through for the rear heel straps, plus similar for the front hook attachment. If my Scarpa T1's are similar to yours, they should make a suitable pattern to form the straps. They should post easily. Multiple layers of fleece would provide excellent insulation over your foot within the outer skin of silnylon. I think the fleece would stay drier than that felt lining shown in your photo. It certainly dries very quickly and I think it might glue OK with RTV silicone rubber.
Let me know what you think. Tim

[Moondog55]

Voile Switchbacks on Madshus Annums at 195.
The reason I'd be using Thinsulate is simply because we still have half a roll of it here and I have lots of fabrics in the stash still. No time to do much now as I should be in Falls next Tuesday humping gear to PV and our campsite. Thanks for the offer of the SS scrim, I may take you up on that after white season.
My Telemark skis are still virgins and probably being sold, Karhu Spires with Hammerheads. I simply can't seem to get the hang of true Telemark skiing

[telemarktim]

Voile Switchbacks on Madshus Annums at 195.
The reason I'd be using Thinsulate is simply because we still have half a roll of it here and I have lots of fabrics in the stash still. No time to do much now as I should be in Falls next Tuesday humping gear to PV and our campsite. Thanks for the offer of the SS scrim, I may take you up on that after white season.
My Telemark skis are still virgins and probably being sold, Karhu Spires with Hammerheads. I simply can't seem to get the hang of true Telemark skiing

Hi Moondog55, When the snow is over, give me a call. Thinsulate should be great if you've got some. I hope you get a bit more snow for your PV camp. The outback webcam shows that it is pretty thin still. Keep practising those Telies and you will get them. Tim