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High end bindings, an explanation and review.
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Although the average skier doesn't really need these I think the information should be a little more available. All companies make a "race stock" or high end binding. They are typically made with more metal than consumer bindings, therefore they are heavier but more durable. They come with a higher din range going up to 15-20. They're usually designed to be mounted onto race plates so they don't come with lifters (good for jibbing). The main reason you will see pros and other rippers on them is the durability issue. I've destroyed every normal binding I've skied the park on. Marker frees, look/rossi pivots and new px/axial2, and salomon s914's, they crumbled before my sickness. Had to step up to the race stocks.
Here's a quick review on the race stocks that i've used:
Look P15/P18 rossi fks155/185.
Pros: stong and durable, pivot heel
cons: no multi directional toe release like on their consumer bindings. inconsistent heel release value, difficult forward pressure adjustment, brakes can't be swapped.
I skied these bindings on a lot of different skis and had some scary moments when I really wished I had that upward toe release. The screw pattern in the heel is very narrow so they can't be ripped out pretty easily if you crank your heel din up high (which I don't reccomend). The brakes can catch and get bent down on a switch landing and you just have to bend em back which isn't a super big deal until you do it a bunch of times and the brake just snaps off.
rossi fks120
A junior race binding, it has the same heel as the other fks's but has the multi direcional releasing toe. A great binding for the lighter guys that still go huge.
Tyrolia mojo20 freeflex+17
The mojo20 is like a freeride race stock, the heel has more metal than the 15 and is therefore stronger and heavier but you can't ride your din low enough for the binding to really be useful for jibbing. The freeflex+17 is a really sweetass binding but the freeflex system gives it a lot of extra weight. So if you're going to go with tyrolia, I recomend just using the Mojo15.
Salomon S916
My favorite so far. Five screws attach the all metal heel to your skis, which means no rip outs. The toe piece is all metal as well and is still adjustable to your boot toe like the consumer versions. I haven't ridden this binding for long enough to see if the adjustments will come loose overtime. Lighter riders beware, the din only goes down to 9.
4frnt deadbolt816
I have yet to ski these but they seem to be super burly.
Marker has some offerings, but I hate marker and don't know crap about their race stocks. I don't really know crap about atomic either so I won't list them. Fischer bindings are made by tyrolia, I haven't played with them myself but I think they make a 17 din version of the mojo 15, It's probably a solid binding.
Most shops don't carry these bindings in stock but they can be special ordered. Just be prepared to pay around $300. Seems like a lot, but for a binding that will outlast your skis it's not bad.
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$300 is a little low chris
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props. i thought i should add that you can purchase a multidirectional release toepiece for the p18/fks185. ive seen them. i dont know who/what carries them, or anything about them,other than that they do have that upward release. it could also be team issue, i really dont know.
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No it's not, that's the in season price at my shop for the 916's and Fks 185's and freeflex+17's.
Where the hell have you been shopping?
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Wow I gotta get you guys with this much freetime to write some papers for me at school
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really? are you sure those weren't the 12 din version?
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positive. its exactly like the 12 din toepiece, but with an 18 din. im almost sure its team issue though
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that was very informative. i will serious consider your input into my future binding purchases
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If they make it, chances are you can order it. I'd love an fks 155 with a multi directional toe.
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another thing: brakes on the p18 can be swapped. its just REALLY REALLY hard to do. look also sells a wide brake for the p18 to accomodate the legend pro, its product code C60124 on my shops order forms.
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yeah, im looking into it after a scary experience involding a rail and my p18s, that toepiece is the only thing they can really improve i think, except maybe make the bottom half of the pivot metal
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the smartest way to get race stock bindings is to be an ex-racer and friends with racers and to then buy race stock shit from them at teh end of the season. Lotsa the guys are cash strapped but have tons of gear and are willing to deal... I'm hoping to get me some gear after the nationals in whis this year...
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Nice job Chris, pros and cons were nice to see.
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The obvious reason the toe piece is built the way it is is because the people it is built for (racers and big line skiers) don't want their toe releasing upward.
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correct. however, from what ive seen, look has seen that there is a park skiier crowd that also rides these bindings, and accomodated for that with a multi-directional toe. its not widespread (i believe) because most of these bindings are purchased as race stock, and as you said, racers wouldnt want that.
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chris is basically the man
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that's interesting, I've never heard of it before. I plan on looking into it now though.
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true, but i honestly don't think half the park skiers that use race stock bindings actually need them
a park skier that weighs 150# soaking wet doesn't need a full metal 18 din binding
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i love my race stock bindings for my park skis, i destroy my other bindings like eggs on pavement.
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If said skier goes big regularly and has broken many bindings he owned previously then he could definitly benefit from a p15 or fks 155, even if he only rides his din at 7, its the durability we're after here.
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see, im 6' about 190lbs, and i ride as hard as i can. i fucking thrash bindings, if theyre not at least an s916 or an fks155.
soaking wet id probably break 200, and when you throw down on big enough gaps with my size it breaks shit.
i do agree with what you said though. 90% of the park riders who have p18s dont need them.
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awesome info man - props for the review, good pro's and con's...should almost be a sticky for a while coz it obviously took a lot of time to write all that up
i'm a bit light for the high-din / race stock bindings but thanks again
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id also like to add that the 916s are the lightest of the bunch.
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I'm riding on the FKS155 right now, what a sweet binding, I can't think of any complaints off hand, they don't release, period. With my old salomons I would randomly eject when dropping into lines (gay). Head is sending me out some freeflex17's to mount on some worldcup skis, I'm interested to see how that turns out, whats the minimum din on the freeflexes?
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I ski on Rossi FKS. But ANY big DIN binding will work.
Most (and i mean majority) of binding companies make a WC binding. You have to know how to fall though. if not, you can seriouly injure yourself. Recommendended that you go with a stock binding if otherwise...
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I weigh 160 and the only binding on this list i haven't broken yet is the 916, which im pretty sure are blessed by jesus.
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Im harder than the core of a banana, i just thought you should know.
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The freeflex's don't get enough props, I think if more people gave tyrolia a chance they wouldn't be disappointed
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I have a little question, I know that it is not a good idea to crank the din up to the max on any binding, but what about leave it at the lowest? With my height, weight, and boot sole length my 'correct' din setting is 8.5, now if I bought a binding with a minimun din of 9 say, would the binding still work properly if the din was set at 9?
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yes. its only when the springs are maxed out things start to get less precise. at the lower end theres no tension on them, so theyre accurate, yes.
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I ski my 916's at 9, haven't had any problems
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I think I might try the 916s next year.
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Just get some rossi FKS 155 I usually keep my din around 9ish depending on what the daily activities are and how disasterous a blowout would be. The din is like 5-15 so it floats in the meat of the range.
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Are the fks 120's any less durable than the 155's. I usually have my din around 8 or 9 and I was thinking about getting 155's but the multi directional release on the toepiece of the 120's sounds really nice. Anybody have any suggestions?
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no. just as durable. just lower din.
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a lot of people wouldn't know a banana core is actually quite core, well only if its 06-07, the 04-05 bananas werent that core..
has anyone seen the 07-08 banana cores? - i think you need to be spancerised to see them
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you do know that you aren't supposed to ski bindings when they are maxed out or at the minimum din...
That being said....I ski mine at about 10.5, not much more, but enough of a buffer to make sure they work correctly.
and this whole thing regarding race stocks....
If you need them than you already know it.
Most people on here don't need race stocks.
and the kid who said the s916 is light...
BWAHAHAHAHA. The p18 is a pound lighter. S916 is fairly heavy.
It is still funny that it is over a half pound lighter than the look bindings...
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why isnt it a good idea to max out the bindings to the maximum din setting?
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The springs inside get all fudged up cause they are at maximum tension... or something like that.
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basically it works like this, from a physics standpoint. a spring has a certain point where if you stretch it past there the spring wont return to equalibrium anymore. for instance, if you grab a slinky and stretch it across an entire room it will get stretched out and not go back together as well again. it is the same but opposite principle working here. if you max them out they will get compressed and end up being weaker.
hope that answers your questions.
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I used to ski my park ski at 10 until I had some close calls. So the 9 is nessecary
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i8 have my din at 8. would the fks155 be suitable(din wise)?
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i would be more comfy on a beefeyer binding
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hell yah, ive got the 916 and they are rock solid
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i didnt think the minimum would give problems. i thought it had to do with the amount of tension on the spring affecting the accuracy of the release. if this is true, minimum would still be reasonably accurate.
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see in the park I would much rather have a binding blowout than a knee blowout so if I'm hucking my dins go down to 7
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im too fat for 9 (185lbs), i ride at something like 14, and since the twisting release on p18s isnt really too much affected by din, i dont worry. ive double ejected (side release) off a flatbox 1' off the ground. im pretty confidant they'll come off if i need them to.
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