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The touring binding wars

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Now that I've bought High Society Freerides from kiwi1, I need to think of what bindings to put on them.

I already have a pair of midfat skis with alpine bindings. I'm therefore considering putting touring bindings on the HSFRs. (This is not clear-cut, as I could argue that HSFRS will be used on bigger pow days and no touring would be required. However, I've skied a lot of great pow after skinning for an hour, and wouldn't want to miss that).

Fritschi Diamir FR+. Upsides: at 2.04 kg, the lightest available for my purposes (ie mostly sidecountry and day tours). Unlikely to break. Downsides: of the three I'm considering, they seem to have the worst binding-ski interface (boot is wobbling before the ski moves). Haven't used them in a while though.

Naxo NX 21/22. Upsides: better ski-binding interface than the Diamirs in my experience. Downsides: the lever for the boot sole length is prone to moving around and I heard it tends to break. Weight: midpack at 2.25 kg (note: I used Naxo 21s on my recently deceased Missions)

Marker Barons. Upsides: burliest binding and best binding-ski interface. Downsides: weight, 2.45kg. Also the switch from ski to tour is a pain in the **** (note: I use these on my go-anywhere-on-difficult snow Tankers)

I don't really need the Duke DIN of 16 as I use 8 on the front binding and 10 on the back one. I don't really huck anything big either. Can't use dynafits with my boots.

My stats are 5'11, weight 188 pounds / 13.5 stones (before all the gear!)

Which one would you get?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
horizon, I am no expert, but given you take your skis off to apply the skins, and hence your boots out of the bindings, what's the issue with the switch over on the Barons?

Friends has Fritschi on Nomads, as you said the toe was wobbling all over the place, but with some adjustment on the binding they reduced it a fair bit.

I also wonder if anyone else will bring out new bindings for the 09 season after the success of the Baron?

regards,

Greg
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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?
"I don't really need the Duke DIN of 16 as I use 8 on the front binding and 10 on the back one."
We could start a thread about this. Laughing
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
I heard last night from a very reliable source that Naxo folded last week so if you buy Naxo just be aware of the backup you'd get.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I'd go with the Markers unless you want to go light weight, in which case Dynafits.

Markers are much better for skiing and I did 800m of uphill with them (on my Legend Pros) and it was tolerable. If you are someone who *has* to adjust the heel raise a lot, this would count against them because it doesn't look easy to do this without taking skis off (and that is a pain in the bum) but I am a great believer in not using the raise except in extreme circumstances
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
horizon,

Of your 3, I'd go for Barons.....as a go anywhere 1hr hike tpe set-up.

I don't like the connection to the ski or the stack of the FR+..which, as you balance on the single bar, seems to accentuate the lack of feel for the connection to the ski.
Haven't tried that Naxo model but the earlier versions felt better connected to the binding and a dual bar gave a better platform but just too much plastic in it to give confidence over a period.. Skied well enough tho and went uphill ok as far as I was concerned.

I use Dukes but can only see weight. DIN and a bit more plastic as the diif between that and the Baron. The plus for me is that you have a bomber apline binding with uphill...albeit compromised, capacity.
I also think the supposed torsional strenght.....or more solid overall feel of the Makers is better for turning/transmitting turnover forces to get the fatter boards working.
No slop so the force/angle/input for edging translate better to a fatter ski...IMV..


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 15-04-09 9:07; edited 1 time in total
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
kiwi1 wrote:
I heard last night from a very reliable source that Naxo folded last week so if you buy Naxo just be aware of the backup you'd get.


Think there was an RIP on TGR about it as Rottefella concentrate on tele & NTN. What I don't understand is why Black Diamond haven't got a Duke beater out there yet given their aggressive moves in freeride and tele boots?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
fatbob, Spoke to Rottefella this morning and they said that the Naxo Company is in the hand of Bankruptcy court in Switzerland. Shame. If they sorted out the stupid little lever thing that adjusts sole legth (ie made it tougher) the Naxo 22b would be a good binding.
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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.
If you're thinking of the Freeride + wait for the Diamir Eagle next year. I've just got some on special - lower profile and a couple of hundred grammes lighter. New toe set up as well. Very pleased - they have changed the sizing as well.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I have Dukes on a pair of HSFRs. Can't compare them with any other touring binding but I can't feel any difference between these bindings and any alpine binding I've skied. I thought they were OK for the bit of uphill I've done on them (about 600m), except for changing the heel raise which was a PITA.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
horizon, sounds like the Freeride would be best, the slop is often exaggerated because the bindings are not set up right.

The toe height, and forward pressure are critical. The forward pressure is simple in that the adjustment screw needs to be flush. The toe height is the thing most often wrongly set up, too tight you risk breaking the toe piece or your leg, too loose and you get slop. I place a playing card between the boot and the binding then screw the toe piece down until the card can be pulled out with just slight effort. The other issue is the flat set up of the FR, this can make you feel your in the back seat especially if your swapping from an alpine binding with a reasonable ramp angle. This can be fixed by either removing the plastic moulding on the toe piece or shimming up the back with the specially made plastic shim. Many shops do not have the expertise to set these bindings up properly, but find one that does and it should tick all the boxes.
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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.
22 dropout wrote:
If you're thinking of the Freeride + wait for the Diamir Eagle next year. I've just got some on special - lower profile and a couple of hundred grammes lighter. New toe set up as well. Very pleased - they have changed the sizing as well.


According to this report they have moved the pivot point on the toe back (even further back than dynafit) but the stack height is the same.

http://www.wildsnow.com/1769/fritschi-diamir-eagle-binding/
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I use Barrons on a pair of K2 PEs. Just done three days of touring (ascents 1000m - 1400m) and they were absolutely fine. Most importantly you feel totally secure in them when descending down anything. I use them also for all on/off-piste skiing as well and cannot tell the difference between them and conventional alpine bindings. Having the conventional breaking mechanism on the bottom of the marker bindings is also useful - means you don't have to to have separate straps round your ankles to stop you losing a ski down the mountain
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
horizon, it's almost over for the year... want some real advice? Spend the summer sneaking some new gear in... Go Dynafit. Everything else blows.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
If you already have some Barons then consider some adapter plates to swap them between skis:

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153109

Or fit some inserts directly to the skis:

http://www.backcountryworld.com/showthread.php?t=233
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