Poster: A snowHead
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Anybody got any experience on these bindings. Can afford the new king pins so looking at these.
Are they as solid as freeride bindings like the FKS/Pivot?
Do they ice up?
Do you notice the stand off height above the ski compared to a regular ferried alpine binding?
Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You won't notice the stand height.
All touring bindings will ice up in the right circumstances. Get/make yourself one of these: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2595501&highlight=deicing+tool#2595501
Seen/replaced too many Guardian toe mounting plate breakages to make me want to sell 'em & that part is unchanged from the original WTR model to the latest fully rockered toe version. The STH2 toe/heel on the Guardian is very good but only if it stays attached to the ski!
Nothing equals a Pivot except a Beast 16/14.
Save your pennies and go for a Dynafit rotary toe model (Beast 16/14 or new Rad 2) but for a frame binding I'd go Marker F12 Tour every time. Lighter, strong & fully debugged over the few seasons compared to the Guardian. Wider EPF version just marketing puff so get the standard width version. And I've got 'em at the right price
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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 that.
Your view of the KingPin?
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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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Only skied a couple of firm snow pisted runs on the Kingpin & they're a harsher ride compared to my Beasts. It's the rotary toe on the Dynafits that gives them the elasticity/shock absorption which, IIRC, is a Dynafit patented item so Marker can't use it. I reckon the Kingpin heel to has to have less connectivity due to the squidgy vibram sole of the boot sitting on the binding/ski as opposed to being supported on the pins (IIRC a tech heel binding combined with a brake is a Dynafit patented item thus limiting their design options - other makes that have this pay a licencing fee to Dynafit etc) but whether that's actually noticeable I don't know - however I can tell the difference when switching between my alpine & touring boots with Barons so that's what I'm basing my assumptions on. I'll be stocking Kingpins (due in a few weeks) as well as Dynafits for two main reasons, firstly the mounting pattern is different to the Dynafit so that gives wider options when dual mounting with Quiver Killer inserts & secondly, because there's a couple of boots on the market that aren't compatible with the Beast binding so the Kingpin is a possibility for those folks although the Rad 2 ST or Rad 2 FT would be my choice in those situations. Also Marker are only offering their Kingpin crampon in two widths which isn't ideal.
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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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I have the Tracker / Guardians on two of my skis and I love them. Friends have them too. If you check for icing under the plates before trying to force them in you shouldn't get toe breakages. Saying that, I paid about half price for them and use them as an inbounds / outbounds binding to do everything. Very cost effective if a little heavy for all day touring.
Now if I was richer I would go for a tech binding as spyderjon says.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Been using first edition of Guardians and have 2015 model know.Heavy,bulletproof simply awesome. If you plan on doing note that sidecountry tech bindings are only option.
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