 Poster: A snowHead
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just back from St Anton. Cracking holiday. Problem was this. I have Atomic BetaRide 10.2 skis about 4 years old now, and have skied on them about 32 days. They come with Atomic bindings, which are the only ones which can be fitted to the raiser plates. I have had problems with premature release from the bindings in the past, for which S&R did something a couple of years ago.
This year, I hear several places no longer stock Atomic skis, not because of the skis, but because they only come with Atomic bindings, and certain people think they are dangerous.
Well, I certainly do now too. I had several falls in the first day or two of my holiday last week, and was suspicious of the bindings releasing very early on all but one occasion. One of my falls could have been horrendous, but thankfully in the soft snow it didnt hurt too much as I fell about 200 yards down a steep bit of Rendl into a gully. It became too much when I found I could just walk out of my skis.
So the skis went to a ski shop for a check. The bindings expert there just looked at them and sort of grinned. "Ah ze Atomic binding probem". I had to have new bindings. And yes, the only ones I could have were another pair of Atomics. And, the man tells me, I may well have the same problem with them again.
What else could I do? I will be writing to Atomic, and wont be buying their skis again, but that doesnt stop me being very wary of using them now.
I had no more falls after getting the new bindings by the way. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've been using a pair of Atomics (C11-16's) on the dry slope for about a year now and have never had a problem like this martyn. I did fit the bindings myself though and found that the fitting was not very intuitive, the instructions seeming a bit hard to understand for a bear of little brain like me. Is it possible that the problem was associated with the mounting and not with the bindings themselves?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 10-02-04 8:14; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Apparently its something inside the sealed heel unit which cannot be fixed, and nothing to do with the fitting. My imagination and very small understanding thinks it may be worn plasdtic parts inside, where nice solid metal parts ought to be used. But this is not much more than guesswork, the bindings chap didnt have wonderful technical English, and my German is next to non existant. I will try and find something out given some time.
by the way, one of the bindings was useless, and the other would have been so "in a week or two more"
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hmmm. Interesting. It seems that either there is a problem which people are hiding, or some dodgy design "features" from my reading. I have been lead to believe my bindings had something break inside the heel. And this fits to the rocking of the whole heel piece as I walked in them. They certainly were not loosely fitted, as I had cranked them up a bit in all respects, but was unwilling to do too much. The shop chap certainly had no doubt that there could be a problem. Although to be fair he also said that other makes can suffer too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just skied 2 weeks on new Atomic R11s with CR412 bindings (week 1 Avoriaz, week 2 Saas Fee), skied v.fast easy pistes, steep icy pistes, bumpy blacks, no problems at all.
PS I'd rate these skis very highly, they improved my confidence and capability on the mountain by a huge margin. After 3 years as a very tentative skier, I feel I'm finally beginning to enjoy skiing.
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Hubby has skiied Atomics for last few years....enough to actually wear them out!...never ever had a binding problem. That said he's bought Heads to replace them as the riser plate meant that he could never get his feet on the footrest on chairs and was forever dangling.....
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Five years and a month ago I bought Atomic beta race 9'20 ski's fitted with Xentrix:310 bindings. After a while the brake system smashed apart over the slope while my ski snapped off. Luckely it was in Wagrain (near Altenmarkt), where there is a big Atomic service center. I got a new pair of bindings for free.
So, one season later, some two years ago, my binding failed me AGAIN, by pure accidence on the same slope as last year again in Wagrain. This time the heel released like in the other stories above, caused by a broken spring, I was told later. So again I went to the Atomic shop for a new pair. Unfortunately they were too old now to be replaced for free, BUT Atomic had a special contract they said and could offer me a new pair of bindings for €25,-. They gave me CR:412 Race bindings...  and fitted them right there in 5 minutes, once again no lost skiing time!!
This morning I returned from Val Thorens and guess what has happened... After some unexplainable horrible high speed and black mogul crashes I found out that one of my bindings released the heel easily when leaning forward... 3rd pair of Atomic bindings kaput
Now this was after I found out that my steel canting was ripped out of my ski over a length of 5 cm  due to the bad snow conditions and stones on the slopes.
By the way, I ski with the binding setting on 8 cranked up to 9 after the crashes.
Now there's no Atomic point in the Netherlands, so sending my bindings back to Atomic in Altenmarkt will be expensive. My insurance doesn't cover ski's older than 5 years... so I'm screwed. I am considering to send an e-mail or a letter of complaint to them and demand new bindings. Anyway, my next pair of ski's, if I can even pay them, will certainly not be Atomics.
Unfortunately the above stated link to the atomic guy story doesn't work...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Martyn,
I've had atomic for a couple of years, no problems so far. Likewise no problems in the past with Volkl integrated binding systems, or K2/Marker mixes, Salomon however proved to be a problem with both pre release and failure to release problems.
Way back in 2004 I was talking to to an employee in one of the larger UK stores , he claimed that one of the reasons for no longer wanting to offer Atomic was that the perception in the uk market was that Atomic was too difficult a ski for the typical customer. I guess that is negative impact of consistantly thrashing other manufacturers on the world cup and europa cup circuits.
Most ski manufacturers Fischer/Salomon,Volkl, Head, Dynastar Rossignol) now seem to be driving towards intergrated binding and ski solutions, it gives them a grater share of each sale.
remember that the ski branded bindings are not in reality the ski manufacturers attempt to manufacture bindings. Consolidation over the past 5-7 years has seen ski manufacturers and binding manufactures consolidate into a single entity eg Marker and volkl, K2 and Marker, I think that Atomics bindins may have originally been ESS (rolls royce of the binding world) .
In theory it also allows them to build a 'solutuion' rather than components. I've certainly found Atomic SXB5 and Neox 412 to be an excellent match. I've not suffered any releaae issues, despite giving them a hell of a thrashing.
Regards
bob
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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martyn c,
there may have been afew problems in the past with the older style bindings the 412 etc, the new neox bindings are much stronger and i have not heard of any problems like you have experienced. a few years back thewre was a decline in shops selling atomic skis (not sure why) but this seems to have reversed with loads of stores carrying the range especially the SX and the Metrons ( a little heavy but not a problem when you are moving)
several years ago there was problems with look bindings, salomon bindings and tyrolia bindings, most were down to plastics of the day and seem to have been long forgotten. my guess is atomic have just suffered the same thing, if they wern't safe they would not be on the market and the likes of Miller Ralhves and Maire would not be using them
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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martyn c, the new Atomic Neox bindings are completely different from the bindings that you had/have on your skis. I have had them the past two years, and can say that they are exceptionally effective bindings, with very positive connection to the skis.
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| CEM wrote: |
martyn c,
there may have been afew problems in the past with the older style bindings the 412 etc, the new neox bindings are much stronger and i have not heard of any problems like you have experienced. a few years back thewre was a decline in shops selling atomic skis (not sure why) but this seems to have reversed with loads of stores carrying the range especially the SX and the Metrons ( a little heavy but not a problem when you are moving)
several years ago there was problems with look bindings, salomon bindings and tyrolia bindings, most were down to plastics of the day and seem to have been long forgotten. my guess is atomic have just suffered the same thing, if they wern't safe they would not be on the market and the likes of Miller Ralhves and Maire would not be using them |
Think they might be using Salomon. 
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You know it makes sense.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, nope. In fact, Salomon skis will have Atomic bindings next year (although they'll say Salomon on them).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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ssh, So today i didn't buy Salomon S914 20 fis with Atomic on them and could of done for the last 5 or so years? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Salomon bindings are rubbish.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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parlor, Ahhh, i see. I disagree mate. Haven't seen a return in the 6 years in Cham' and guys tend to be real heavy on their kit, can't say that for anyother binding. Gives me confidence in their range S912-14-18. Shame they have to Knock it on the head and introduce the 'Fisher Price' Z range. Still, the S914 will still be available and dare say i can lay my hands a few pair of higher DIN models.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, not sure what you mean. I'm sure you can still get Salomon bindings that have Atomic graphics, but starting in the 06/07 season, Salomon will no longer sell their (existing) binding line, and will instead be selling a Neox with Salomon graphics.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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ssh, Got your stories mixed up mate, spin that on it's head.
2006, Atomic race team convert to Salomon S9 binding.
2007, Atomic top end binding, S914 20 FIS. Both using the new Salomon Z12-10-FFG (AKA Fisher Price), Triplets(FFG)
2007 Scott too introduce the S914 20 FIS binding.
Either that, or our meeting today with Salomon/Amer-Atomic, has been a complete pack of lies and a waste of time. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, well, that's interesting (and counter to what we're hearing in the States, so who knows?). Is this the case with the consumer line, as well?
It's a shame, though. I've always hated Salomon bindings. Rather like my Atomics. And Look stopped making the turntables...
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ssh, Neox will continue with Atomic until end 2007, we think. One of the reasons for the Amer/Salomon buy-out, was bindings and is a story that reads back to the mid eighties when Salomon and Atomic sold each other the technology, Boots for Bindings
2007 see's the Freestyle and Backcountry ranges coupled with the New Salomon 'Z' Smarttrack models Known as 'FFG 10-12', the now old S914 FIS, is the 'FFG 14' and comes with custom stickers! Speaking earlier this month with Atomic, i was informed that 'Team Atomic' will now be skiing Salomon Technology this is most like to commence summer 2006 as not to change race setups for the Olympics. After that, all got confirmed today(heated from all corners!)
Shame all round, as you state, i'm not sure there is a good binding on the Market anymore. 'Look' having converted to train system and Dynastar jumping into bed with Naxo. Salomon returning to plastic! To all out there, find as many of the bindings you love this year and buy them up, next year has nothing better to offer.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, seems weird, since Neox was a completely new binding last year. Oh, well. As you say. And if you like Looks, get 'em from a couple of years ago. Marker/Tyrolia are going to end up being my favorites, it seems...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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ssh, I'm almost with you there, Marker 'Free' feels real solid.
It's a shame for us to lose an Alpine binging with adjustable toe height. Helps alot with riser plates.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, agreed. I skied the Marker (and Tyrolia) for a couple of years before I got on the Atomics. I like the return-to-center force on the Neox (I think that RTC is the key to a good binding design!). I've never felt solid in a Salomon. Oh, well, I'll get what they've got (downside of being a pro; they don't like me skiing on older gear!).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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