Bindings for Next Season

Or you can just make alpine turns on your Tele gear,alternating turns as needed or seen fit. Best of both worlds

I've got to SEE this stuff. The Markers, Frischis and the boots that go with them.  

Doesn't look like Inside Edge carries AT stuff.

Anybody know where I can find AT stuff "on my way?" Albany? Do I have to go to Lake Placid?  NYC?

I didn't see any AT stuff at Sports Page in Queensbury either.  HR, you can look at marker dukes at my house, but no boots.

high adventure bike and ski in latham ny, just off the northway, carries AT stuff. good friendly small ski shop

frk wrote

high adventure bike and ski in latham ny, just off the northway, carries AT stuff. good friendly small ski shop

Wow very cool frk.

Link:  http://www.highadventuresbp.com/Ski.html

Since last night I've had some discussions with Mountaineer.  Looks like we may be working together on a project so I may have to spend my coin there.

Will definitely check out High Adventure next chance I get.

Who'da thunk it?

marker dukes at my house? something you need to tell us K man?

frk wrote

high adventure bike and ski in latham ny, just off the northway, carries AT stuff. good friendly small ski shop

I went to a AT event there last year (I think)I hadn't been there since they moved (from pretty much across the street), but they seem to be developing a niche with touring/BC equipment.  If I had more money, I would have left there with a lot of shiny new toys.

K man wrote

I didn't see any AT stuff at Sports Page in Queensbury either.  HR, you can look at marker dukes at my house, but no boots.

I'm pretty sure SP carries Dukes, Barons, and Tours. Maybe they're just not in for the season yet?

The Mountaineer definitely carries Dukes, Fritchies, and Dynafit.

Make any decisions yet, Harv?

Wanted to point out this article on NTN:

http://www.earnyourturns.com/13589/on-the-fence-with-ntn-for-201213/

They don't have any NTN stuff in High Adventure (was in there yesterday), but they have plenty of AT and dynafit stuff. They recommended the Mountaineer or some place in Pittsfield, MA for NTN stuff. They had a couple of nice pairs of NTN boots on sale at Inside Edge last weekend (disastrously, none in my size), so you might want to give them a call if that's the route you want to go.

In fact, the more I think about it, the better the NTN option looks. According to the article above, there are a lot more tele binding options coming out. Also, both dynafit and G3 make shims that fit into their tech binding systems that should mitigate the bellow flexing problem. The G3 Onyx looks particularly good (if slightly heavier) because it has a plate system that allows for the transfer of bindings to other skis. I also read speculation about a tech tele binding from g3 using the onyx as a base model (so, same plate).

So I say that you buy NTN boots and some type of tech binding for the new skis. If you hate them, then I'll gladly buy the setup from you and you can switch to one of the binding options in the article.

mattchuck2 wrote

Make any decisions yet, Harv?

Will check out the article tonight.

Was going to try to make a run north this weekend to work the whole thing out, but family stuff is overruling.

Leaning some kind of AT but i really want to see the gear. And I'll need a boot fitter, I'm assuming.  I'll be up next weekend but any kind of stop at a store to look at gear, buy boots and get fitted will likely take some hours and that's not in the cards with the family in tow.

It looks like I'll start the season on the Icelantics/Tele and try to work the rest out when I make my first trip solo. So for now the new NYSBs will have to wait until I can get to Mountain, High Adventure, Inside Edge or....?

I was buying a scraper at "Ski Barn" in NJ and for the hell of it asked the guy if they had any AT stuff. To my surprise they said they did - the "new Salomons" and they said they could order Marker.

Any scoop on the new Salomons?

Edited for boot recommendations...

Harvey44 wrote

Any scoop on the new Salomons?

The new Salomon Guardian/Atomic Tracker (as in, same thing different colour) is getting good reviews as an alternative to the Duke. It is more of a "slackcountry" option than a true AT bnding. Which may be what you are looking for. Pair this with a walk-mode alpine boot like the Salomon Quest, and possibly some others (read the Wild Snow review and comments in rivercOil's link below), and you will be set:

Blister Gear Review is an awesome site:

First rationale for taking this binding on their test trip:
http://blistergearreview.com/articles/our-selections-salomon-guardian-atomic-tracker-at-binding

First in-depth review:
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/salomon-guardian-16-atomic-tracker-16-at-binding

Follow-up review and second opinion:
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/follow-up-atomic-tracker-16-salomon-guardian-16-at-binding

Gotta go, James Bond is calling!

Harvey44 wrote

Any scoop on the new Salomons?

http://www.wildsnow.com/8495/salomon-guardian-boots-backcountry/

Personally, I'd wait out the first year. Both the Naxo and the Onyx both had rough first years before they worked out the kinks. Not a fan of early adoption for this type of stuff.

Back from Skyfall. If you are a Bond fan, it is a must-see.

I edited my previous post after reading the Wildsnow article and related comments. Apparrently you need to be choosy on what boots you use with the Guardian/Tracker. Can we just call it the Gacker?

harv, secure your future. fix the heel.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Back from Skyfall. If you are a Bond fan, it is a must-see.

I edited my previous post after reading the Wildsnow article and related comments. Apparrently you need to be choosy on what boots you use with the Guardian/Tracker. Can we just call the Gacker?

It seems that AT boots are not impossible but just not recommended and may have potentially ineffective release characteristics. Pretty dumb move by they if you ask me. That isn't going to sell more Salomon boots, it is just going to make people not buy the binding. Do you really want to try something "not recommended" on a binding's first season with no field reports? Brilliant.

Obviously, their target market is decidedly not those that want to tour but rather the ever popular "I may possibly at some point maybe once a season (at best) think I might want to dabble in this earn your turn thingy, so I'll hedge and spend $100-200 more for a binding that can tour, you know, just in case I get serious about it, even though I probably won't" skier.

riverc0il wrote

It seems that AT boots are not impossible but just not recommended and may have potentially ineffective release characteristics. Pretty dumb move by they if you ask me. That isn't going to sell more Salomon boots, it is just going to make people not buy the binding. Do you really want to try something "not recommended" on a binding's first season with no field reports? Brilliant. Obviously, their target market is decidedly not those that want to tour.

Good points. On the other hand, Salomon is not actively promoting this as a "touring" binding. The emphasis seems to be on downhill performance with the ability to go up. Yes, it is relatively heavy. I happened to encounter  the Salomon rep for the Eastern Hinterlands last week and he was very clear that this a "slackcountry" binding, intended for brief forays beyond the lift. He also alluded to something lighter coming down the pipe, due to the relationship with Greg Hill.

For someone like me, and perhaps someone like Harv, this binding fits the bill for a one-ski, one-binding quiver. And then you just suck it up with the boot issue. You don't need an AT boot because it is not an AT binding. It (like the Duke) is a touring-capable alpine binding for the rest of us.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

You don't need an AT boot because it is not an AT binding. It (like the Duke) is a touring-capable alpine binding for the rest of us.

I have a lot of questions (as usual), but let me ask one basic one first:

What is the difference between an AT Boot and an alpine Boot? What does an AT give you that an alpine boot doesn't?

Harvey44 wrote

What is the difference between an AT Boot and an alpine Boot? What does an AT give you that an alpine boot doesn't?

Oh dear. That is a big question for this time of day. I think we should let rivercOil answer that one, since he has both.

Basics: sole rocker, grip while out of the binding, binding compatability, flex, weight, walk mode, price, availability, downhill performance, search engine...

See i'm thinking that if I'm hitting side country like the dip, or something where touring efficiency isn't critical, why not just go tele?

How much better would AT be vs Tele like say in the Chic Chocs?

I'm in this life long dream mode this week, due to circumstances, so humor me...

(via mobile)

Harvey44 wrote

See i'm thinking that if I'm hitting side country like the dip, or something where touring efficiency isn't critical, why not just go tele?

How much better would AT be vs Tele like say in the Chic Chocs?

I'm in this life long dream mode this week, due to circumstances, so humor me...

(via mobile)

OK, consider yourself humoured.

The Dip is not (IMO) sidecountry. It is a lift access run that ends away from the lift. AT or tele boots (with walk mode) would make walking the 242 easier. Personally, I would stick my thumb out. Mt. Trixie would be a better example. Relatively short uphill for a really sweet downhill. And there, the answer comes down to just how do you like to ski?

In the Chic Chocs, I suppose it would all come down to how much energy you want to expend. Higher-end AT is lighter on the uphill and offers fixed-heel security on the downhill. Unless you are a telemark God with steam-engine legs, how can you prevaricate about that choice?

But really, how often will you ski in the Chic Chocs? Unless you can afford a dedicated "dream trip" setup, get the gear that makes the most sense for the skiing you do most of the time, and accept the compromise for the other times.