 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm not as up to date on the various boot/binding interfaces as I used to be, so hopefully someone can help!
I reckon a bit more time spent on piste and working on technique would be good for my skiing, so for the first time in years I'm thinking about buying a piste ski.
Probably something like 70-80mm underfoot, I guess around 15m radius?? +/-5m would be fine.
Absolutely don't need the latest and greatest as I would still hope to be skiing them as little as possible  Would prefer to buy new but from 1-3 seasons ago than second hand. Would prefer not to spend more than €300 or so.
I guess something like Head Magnum would be ideal - however the kicker is that I only use one pair of boots - Dalbello Lupo 120s with GripWalk soles - and I will not be buying any other boots. I'm pretty sure this will limit the choice quite a lot... One answer is obviously just buy a flat ski and mount something like Salomon Warden bindings on them. But it seems quite tricky to find good piste skis flat/without plates and stuff. Are there any plate/rail/etc binding systems that work with GripWalk soles? Any other ideas?
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@clarky999, QK your Shifts onto a flat ski? If it's running this year, I was thinking of doing a bit of ski testing at Stubai in Nov if you fancy a day out?
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The current bindings Head offer with the Magnum seem to be compatible with Grip Walk
https://www.head.com/shop/en-GB/supershape-i-magnum-30.html
But you may have to pay a bit more than E300 for them.
Worth seeing how far these bindings go back so you can tell what age of second hand Magnums you could go for if the price is the limiting factor?
My Magnums are a few years old and the PRX bindings on them don’t seem to have GW designation in evidence on them.
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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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@clarky999, I think many of the rail bindings from the past 2-3 years will take gripwalk. As an example, glisshop have Dynastar Speedzone 12ti with konect bindings for around 350 euros. Maybe not quite the right ski but I'm sure you'd find something similar that's right without too much difficulty.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Scarlet, would definitely be up for some ski testing. I have Wardens on other skis that I could QK too, but tbh, after a few years using QKs on everything I got too lazy/bored of swapping bindings all the time and would rather now just mount them normally.
@Andybag, @ster, @mgrolf, thansk that's good info! I assume that's a re-branded Tyrolia on the Heads, and the Look looks ( ) ideal. I guess the question is, does anyone know from which season they started shipping skis with the GW compatible bindings?
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| Worth seeing how far these bindings go back so you can tell what age of second hand Magnums you could go for if the price is the limiting factor? |
Not really a hard budget limit, more just this type of ski/skiing is pretty far down my priority list, so I'd rather get something reasonable as cheaply as I can rather than something as good/up to date as possible within budget... if that makes sense?!
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 21-08-20 13:27; edited 1 time in total
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@clarky999, Cool. I'll give you a shout when I've got some details. I have a pair of girly* Shifts in a cupboard that need some skis.
*for strong, powerful girls, obvs.
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Aren't most modern bindings GW compatible - Look SPX or Marker Squire/Griffons are ususally available respectably discounted somewhere? As for skis - just find some old FIS SL/GS still with some edge from a local race club flog off.
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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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@Dave of the Marmottes, That was my first thought, but I think most of those sort of skis normally have plates, rails, or some other sort of system binding though, so can't just chuck what you want on them?
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@clarky999, most of the plates are just solid beefy risers though so no different to chucking on to a previously mounted flat ski - just a game of hole compatability
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@clarky999, I have Lupos too, about 4 years old. Three seasons ago I bought some Dynastar Speed Zones with WTR (walk to ride) bindings on a tack. Like you, I hadn't bought a piste ski for over 20 years, but I needed something to train for and sit my BASI exams. The Lupos got a strange look from the instructor, but the skis were great. Oh, and I passed the exam, despite the strange look.
I'm really happy withe the setup, so much so that I've surprised myself by skiing on piste much more than I have for years, just for the fun of it. How weird's that?
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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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| clarky999 wrote: |
| I guess the question is, does anyone know from which season they started shipping skis with the GW compatible bindings? |
I have a pair of 2016 Rossignol Hero Elite ST that have the Look SPX 12 Konect dual WTRs, so at least the past 4 years. I did demo some Heads before getting the Heros but, personally, I found the Rossignols had much more life in them, the Heads were solid but pretty dull in comparison.
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Just a thought - are the older Look Dual bindings (and similar) GW compatible, or just alpine/WTR? I'm sure @Spyderjon knows 
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You know it makes sense.
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@clarky999, I've found this review of the 2017 Speedzone:
https://www.skimag.com/gear/dynastar-speed-zone-12-ti-spx-12-konect-2017
In the picture, if you look just behind the orange toe piece, you'll see a grey screw with "alpine" printed on the tail side, and "WTR" on the toe side. If you turn that to WTR, it should accept your Lupos. That's the binding that came in the package with the 2017 skis.
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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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| Chamcham wrote: |
@clarky999, I've found this review of the 2017 Speedzone:
https://www.skimag.com/gear/dynastar-speed-zone-12-ti-spx-12-konect-2017
In the picture, if you look just behind the orange toe piece, you'll see a grey screw with "alpine" printed on the tail side, and "WTR" on the toe side. If you turn that to WTR, it should accept your Lupos. That's the binding that came in the package with the 2017 skis. |
No, the Look Dual alpine/WTR AFD will not work will a GW sole as they're quite different!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@spyderjon, That's odd, because when I bought them, I was advised they would work, and I've been using them on WTR for the last three years, without any apparent problem. I'd be interested to know what it is about them that doesn't work?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Chamcham, that's not surprising as most shops don't have a clue, especially French ones 
The AFD height/profile is different for the WTR and GW. Just because your boot might fit doesn't mean the AFD will function correctly. Look bindings only became GW compatible from 19/20 onwards. Look offer a number of replacement GW AFD/toe base assemblies for older alpine & WTR bindings which are a simple swap-out but they don't do them for every model. IIRC they're only available for the Pivots, SPX, SPX Konect, NX & NX Konect - plus their Rossi/Dynastar equivalents. I have the replacements in stock.
There's no hard'n'fast rules re GW compatibility across the brands. I'm away at the moment but from memory:
Marker invented GW (in conjunction with K2 boots) so their bindings have been GW compatible since 18/19. The Jester/Griffon/Squire 'ID' toes will accept any sole type. The ID toe is Markers version of the Amer MNC. However some heavily rockered AT boot soles might still be too tight in an ID toe and will need a bit of sole fettling. The older non ID Jester/Griffon/Squire toes, even though they have a height adjustable AFD, are alpine sole only.
Amer bindings (Atomic/Salomon/Armada) which have MNC AFD's will fit any boot but most of their non MNC bindings only became GW compatible in 19/20 and there's a few rails systems that won't be GW compatible until 20/21. Amer don't offer replacement GW AFD's for their older bindings.
Some Tyrolia/Head bindings switched to GW in 18/19 with the balance switching in 19/20. Any of their bindings designated AT will accpet any sole type. Tyrolia/Head don't offer replacement GW AFD's for their older bindings.
The VIST VSP & VSS ranges from 19/20 onwards are GW compatible. Their alpine sole only Race/Free/Speedlock ranges were due to switch to GW from the start of 20/21 but production delays due to CV19 means that has been delayed until some time in 2021 but replacement AFD's will be available to allow retro fitting.
All Kneebindings are alpine/GW compatible irrespective of age.
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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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@spyderjon, Thanks for the info. But what does that mean in terms of the way the 2017 Look SPX binding functions with a GW boot?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Chamcham wrote: |
| @spyderjon, Thanks for the info. But what does that mean in terms of the way the 2017 Look SPX binding functions with a GW boot? |
The toe height is highly likely to be incorrect if a GW sole is used in a dual alpine/WTR set. IIRC it'll be too tight on the alpine setting and too loose on the WTR setting. I've not torque tested an out of spec set-up so couldn't comment on the actual effect.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@clarky999, no help on the bindings front but if you really want a piste ski, which ultimately will end up being used on boiler plate days, you really want a full bore FIS slalom.
More fun than skiing should be, really, he he he, ... and surprisingly capable in powder 
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Dunno but that does not match with what the binding makers say in their tech manuals. WTR and GW are different dimensions/specs and the GW AFD's are different from the WTR AFD's. It would have been very easy/cheap for Amer and Look to just rebadge their WTR AFD's as GW but instead they went to the time/expense of redesigning their AFD's for GW. Why do think that is?
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@spyderjon, I've no idea!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@spyderjon, I’ve got Look SPX12 bindings punted on an R22 raceplate. Is it possible to get new GW toe pieces for them? Thinking of changing my boots so it’d be good to know if GW is an option.
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@Valkyrie, are your bindings separate toes and heels or do they have a connecting bridge between them?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@spyderjon, can’t remember and I’m away from the skis this week. Will check when I get home.
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FAQ
