Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

First week on Marker Kingpins

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Well, after all the fondling and fettling of gear over summer the time finally came to go skiing in Tignes/ValD 12-19 December. This is purely a subjective review, not a comparison, as I have no experience of other pin bindings (and the skis are new as well...) Only the boots are the same, Scarpa Freedom SL. Conditions looked unpromising but we had a superb guide, travelled far and skied fresh tracks every day.

First week on the Kingpin bindings and my first experience of pin bindings, I was using Marker Barons before. Initially very cautious when clicking in to make sure the toe pins are properly engaged, I am very impressed with the solid feel whilst skiing and they certainly didn't feel harsh on hard surface (of which there was a selection!) Uphill, of which we did about 3 hours per day, was fantastic and kickturns are easier with the general feel being more positive as there is a bit of flex to say the least in the Barons in touring mode. The toe pins do need to be locked in touring mode as my friend, who is also on Kingpins, dropped a ski in a kickturn when he had omitted to lock the toes.

I had them on a new pair of Movement Shifts, which are light at about 1.45 kg and were bought specifically for this type of week where there is lots of travelling to get to good skiing: that worked out perfectly for me as the skis are significantly lighter on the climb but also great on the downhill in all conditions from freshtracks powder to more crusty stuff. We ate our baguettes seated on rocks in some great locations such as Dome de Pramecou, Col des Ves, Terre Rouge, Grapillons....

It's a bit early to comment on longevity and reliability, but nothing broke and they worked as designed - long may it continue! I really like the traditional alpine type heel and I cannot imagine requiring a lighter binding setup and the skiability is first class: I pushed them as hard as I could and they felt rock solid. Fortunately I didn't have a crash to test the release and the only unintentional skiing release was on the guide's Dynafits!

Ice buildup under the toe section is a feature to watch on the Kingpins as on other tech bindings. They were easy to install and set up, I have Quiver Killers on 2 pairs of skis and I look forward to trying the bindings on my Atomic Automatics when we get some more accessible soft snow. Swapping the bindings is a bit more of a performance than before as there are 3 different lengths of screw required and the heel piece has to be completely removed to get to the screws underneath, also if you want to check them for tightness, and then you need to reset the tension; but essentially it's fairly straightforward and would seem to be easier,QK wise, than with Dynafit where the heel section placement seems to be millimetre critical.

I bought the Kingpin 13 and have them on Din 8-9 which is where I had the Barons, but that is only really relevant for the heel section I imagine. Apparently the Kingpin 13 has a significantly stronger grip at the front than the Kingpin 10

So far then, a great step forwards and I can see these becoming the do-it-all binding of choice for the "Freetour" sector - apologies for lapsing into marketing hype jargon but it does describe myself and the groups I ski with where the day might only include one uplift and then 2-3 climbing sections between the descents which it is all about: I have no interest in touring per se.
latest report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Good write up Jeremy; pin bindings are a revelation when you first try them Cool snowHead I'm giving a pair of Vipecs a go this season (although keeping the Dynafits on the more adventurous set up).
latest report
 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?
@inspark considering Kingpins, but am torn between them and Guardians which I like and trust, and the Marker Tour F12. I will need these bindings to work for everything from Piste Skiing with my kids, to lift served off piste and touring.

Is getting your toe in place not a real faff, esp if it has ice build up?

I currently ski Volkl Katanas 191cm and Guardians which is possibly the heaviest set up there is, great on the way down but a bit of a drag on the ups. I have a new pair of Gotamas and want to mount a lighter binding to make them an all round ski for Scotland and Touring in Alps.

I hope the Kingpin is the answer but am concerned about getting the toe in place?

Cheers
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Quote:

I hope the Kingpin is the answer but am concerned about getting the toe in place?


It was my first time on pin bindings of any sort and I had no issues on that front: however, I was neurotic enough to carefully check every time that the connection was good by jumping up and down..... No question a bit more attention than usual is required, but once skiing they feel rock solid and the uphill will be miles better and not just because of less weight.
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Just spoke to a couple in taos last week about their tech setup. They both were concerned about clipping in but had no issues. Then again they were skiing mostly on piste testing their new gear.
snow report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
[quote="inspark"]
Quote:

I was neurotic enough to carefully check every time that the connection was good by jumping up and down.....


The best test is to clip just the toe in first (in touring mode), stand on one leg and stick the other leg out behind you so that the ski pivots a few times on the toe pins. Lock the heel in, change the toe to ski mode, then put on the other ski, repeat the procedure with that ski and you are good to go. It sounds complicated but is quick once you get used to it.
latest report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
interpaul wrote:
I hope the Kingpin is the answer but am concerned about getting the toe in place?


The kingpins have a pair of tabs to aid toe positioning. Piece of wee wee to get on compared to dynafit.

Not tried mine yet properly as I am not taking my brand new Volkl BMT 122s, to which they are fitted, rockhopping. There is precious little snow around here in the Tarentaise and my ptex candle is getting a good work out on my old skis.
latest report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
mcspreader wrote:
interpaul wrote:
I hope the Kingpin is the answer but am concerned about getting the toe in place?


The kingpins have a pair of tabs to aid toe positioning. Piece of wee wee to get on compared to dynafit.

Since the first Radical model 4/5 years ago all the Dynafit freeride touring models (Speed Rad, Rad 1, Rad 2, Beast 14, Beast 16 etc) have vertical and lateral positioning posts in the toe and are easier to click in to than the Kingpin.
ski holidays
 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.
I have no experience with the Kingpins but @spyderjon speaks the truth, the Beasts are easy to click into and I haven't had an unplanned release, yet.
latest report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I agree on the 'freeride' Dynafits, my Radical ST and Beast 16 toes are easy to get into, even without the Dynafit / Scarpa slotted tech inserts.
snow report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Same here with Beasts....
snow report
 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.
Yep, very easy on my Radical 2.0's.
snow report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy