Member of the Month

theabortionator
April, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Cast vs Marker Duke

profile picture
EPfanboy
Posts: 485 - Karma: 3,554
Im 50ish kgs and wont be touring all the time and will be in the resort majority of the time. I like to jump of things and do the odd park lap, i'm quite an aggressive skier and are advanced level. What would you recommend the Cast or Marker Duke? (or if there is a better binding for me please let me know)
POLL
Edit Poll
Votes:

Take care when editing a poll; Options should be similar to maintain vote integrity.

More options will be added automatically as you type. You must supply a question and at least two options. No HTML is allowed.

5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
smh
Posts: 410 - Karma: 2,144
How often are you touring? If your truly only touring a few times a season just get daymakers...that being said, I run the CAST and I don't think anything else beats it
5 years ago
8 0
profile picture
EPfanboy
Posts: 485 - Karma: 3,554
tyler1719How often are you touring? If your truly only touring a few times a season just get daymakers...that being said, I run the CAST and I don't think anything else beats it


Yeah I’ve looked at the daymakers but i dont think they are right for me and is the cast system hard to use?
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
smh
Posts: 410 - Karma: 2,144
EPfanboyYeah I’ve looked at the daymakers but i dont think they are right for me and is the cast system hard to use?

Not at all...check their website and look at all the videos they have on them. Very easy to use and unless the Duke proves itself this year, there's no competitor to the cast
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
BigPurpleSkiSuit
Posts: 9608 - Karma: 71,466
I'll be riding a Marker Duke PT 16 on a 70-30 Inbounds v touring setup with my reckoner 112s this year on deeper days when I want to skin for fresh tracks early morning and rip the resort the rest of the day. Cast looks like it's just a better option overall since you are essentially on the pivot 15/18, but I have to go with what's cheaper through a friend since I don't make Newschoolers moderator money.
5 years ago
7 0
profile picture
snowmosexual
Posts: 1941 - Karma: 10,083
BigPurpleSkiSuitI'll be riding a Marker Duke PT 16 on a 70-30 Inbounds v touring setup with my reckoner 112s this year on deeper days when I want to skin for fresh tracks early morning and rip the resort the rest of the day. Cast looks like it's just a better option overall since you are essentially on the pivot 15/18, but I have to go with what's cheaper through a friend since I don't make Newschoolers moderator money.


Have you gotten the dukes yet? How do they look?
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
BigPurpleSkiSuit
Posts: 9608 - Karma: 71,466
Toepiece is huge
snowmosexualHave you gotten the dukes yet? How do they look?
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
snowmosexual
Posts: 1941 - Karma: 10,083
BigPurpleSkiSuitToepiece is huge


sexy or nah
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
BigPurpleSkiSuit
Posts: 9608 - Karma: 71,466
snowmosexualsexy or nah

I'm torn, I just got so used to either the attacks or pivots and I hated my griffons. These seem pretty sex, but in like holy shit that's a beefy boy. Also, something about the part on the front of the toepiece sticking up and not being aerodynamic while in alpine mode kind of fucks with the aesthetic for me. I doubt that makes any difference in pow performance, but I like going fast so I can't say I like that part. I'll probably use this setup for the next 5ish years since I won't be skiing it as a rock ski like all my other skis I've used before this.
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
.nasty
Posts: 10598 - Karma: 11,396
I'm more intrigued on the duke pt than I thought I would be once I got my hands on it. I'm honestly not surprised that a big brand made something similar to the CAST being that the CAST is gaining popularity and there are people out there who simply want something a more established brand makes. It definitely seems sturdy and strong so I'm excited to try it out.

We all know the CAST is a great system (although can be a bit finicky switching out the toe piece when its balls cold and iced up) so I like that there is a competing option. Even if the duke pt fails, at least it can give the CAST system an opportunity to learn from competition and get even better.

**This post was edited on Oct 23rd 2020 at 9:44:18pm
5 years ago
5 0
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,428
.nastyI'm more intrigued on the duke pt than I thought I would be once I got my hands on it. I do like how if you're so inclined, you could even ski downhill in the tech toe/uphill mode, not that that's probably the ultimate goal for the market it's for but it is cool. I'm honestly not surprised that a big brand made something similar to the CAST being that the CAST is gaining popularity and there are people out there who simply want something a more established brand makes. It definitely seems sturdy and strong so I'm excited to try it out.

We all know the CAST is a great system (although can be a bit finicky switching out the toe piece when its balls cold and iced up) so I like that there is a competing option. Even if the duke pt fails, at least it can give the CAST system an opportunity to learn from competition and get even better.


Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve fiddled with one on my shop and the tech toe seems further forward than where the toe of the boot would go if it were in downhill mode, meaning that when in uphill mode the heel won’t click in. Did you find otherwise?
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
.nasty
Posts: 10598 - Karma: 11,396
animatorCorrect me if I’m wrong but I’ve fiddled with one on my shop and the tech toe seems further forward than where the toe of the boot would go if it were in downhill mode, meaning that when in uphill mode the heel won’t click in. Did you find otherwise?

I’ll admit it was on the demo board and not on a ski, so I’m not actually sure if it was correct. Either way I fixed my post. Good call! May have jumped the gun a bit there
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21104 - Karma: 8,584
Anybody want to take bets on how many Duke toe pieces get lost this season?
5 years ago
9 0
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,428
ThaLoraxAnybody want to take bets on how many Duke toe pieces get lost this season?


Well like I said at the demo I went to last year I broke one and someone else lost one 😭😭 so it’s fair to say they’re gonna be found once the snow melts
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21104 - Karma: 8,584
animatorWell like I said at the demo I went to last year I broke one and someone else lost one 😭😭 so it’s fair to say they’re gonna be found once the snow melts


Too many removable parts. I'm not sure what MDV is thinking if they want people to use their whole cross-brand ecosystem. Between the removable tongues on the Lupo and the removable toe piece on the Duke. I already almost lost my tongue in the backcountry in a no fall zone on top of a couloir. It would have been disatrous had I not caught it. I cannot imagine losing both the toe piece AND the tongue of my boot in a situation like that.
5 years ago
4 1
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,428
ThaLoraxToo many removable parts. I'm not sure what MDV is thinking if they want people to use their whole cross-brand ecosystem. Between the removable tongues on the Lupo and the removable toe piece on the Duke. I already almost lost my tongue in the backcountry in a no fall zone on top of a couloir. It would have been disatrous had I not caught it. I cannot imagine losing both the toe piece AND the tongue of my boot in a situation like that.


Yupppp
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Twig
Posts: 6469 - Karma: 61,931
animatorWell like I said at the demo I went to last year I broke one and someone else lost one 😭😭 so it’s fair to say they’re gonna be found once the snow melts

How did you break one? Just out of interest really, they seem chunky but pretty burly as a result. I'd like to avoid breaking mine if I can!
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
animator
Posts: 4576 - Karma: 26,428
TwigHow did you break one? Just out of interest really, they seem chunky but pretty burly as a result. I'd like to avoid breaking mine if I can!


When I was messing with it doing the downhill to uphill conversion I pushed the piece down to pop the toe off and when I went to remove the toe piece completely the metal clips broke. It was a pre production model so 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
BOOOM! got my duke pt 16s a few hours ago, they seem SOLID

only downer, no way in hell to use the same fronttrack as regular jesters, rear might though, its basicly a superlong version of the regular royals.
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
Twig
Posts: 6469 - Karma: 61,931
animatorWhen I was messing with it doing the downhill to uphill conversion I pushed the piece down to pop the toe off and when I went to remove the toe piece completely the metal clips broke. It was a pre production model so 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

I'll be careful with that then. I'm worried about breaking the plastic pin lever/release for the toe but I assume it's stronger than it looks since it's the same as the kingpins. Looking forward to trying them out. As monstrous as the toepiece looks, the stack height doesn't seem high and on the feet it feels fine.
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
I've spent the last few hours playing with the duke pt 16, looks pretty damn solid, AFD sure wont be an issue at least.

I can see wear when switching, but not when useing it as a resort binding in regular alpine mode

The rear track is looooooooooooong, lets you use griffon/jesters without redrilling when your out of the adjustment range, just played around with it :D Wonder how it affects feel/ski flex. I am kinda dissapointed it doesnt use same spaceing for toe as regular royals, at least for the 2 of them which is like 1mm? apart.


Clipping into it seems kinda hit/miss as it likes to go kadunk in touring mode and no helpers to align pins 100%, but very easy to adjust the out again if only partly by pushing front lever



I have it sitting next to the kingpin m works and shift, I know which one I'd use if I was to use it for driving nails into something
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThaLorax
Posts: 21104 - Karma: 8,584
Do they have the same absolutely worthless brakes as the Kingpins?
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
Noop, super burly, borrows from the griffon/jester design, it also pivots in when locking heel, its less stiff and requires less effort to lift the brakes, Guessing its because it pivots less in and tucks in less than a standard royal binding brake.

Im betting 10 bux I can remove the 2 brake screws, and convert a stock jester heel, into a duke PT 16 heel. this is good, I honestly like the current jester heels.
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
Gentlemen, I give you the marker duke Pt pro 18 hybrid

This means if you have binding freedom or similar you just need a few more holes up front to go touring on any ski. Also means you can save a few grams on griffon heels.



Also means you just need new tracks (fits crampon holder) and new brakes + toe pieces, Not sure they sell thoose separatly though.

Also means the heel is SOLID as it is just a jester 16 basicly, or.. 18 if you want.



New heel track has 60mm'ish of travel, means you can fit a a few 25-30 mondo? boot on same binding/ski.
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
Twig
Posts: 6469 - Karma: 61,931
anders_aI've spent the last few hours playing with the duke pt 16, looks pretty damn solid, AFD sure wont be an issue at least.


My pair just arrived and I've been playing with them/nerding out too. Cool to see that the heel units are totally interchangeable with the Jester/Griffon. I'm pretty sure the AFD is another part borrowed entirely from the Jester. They appear to be identical, and measured toe height is also identical. Which leads me to wonder... I'm seeing the quoted stack height for the PT as 27mm... how is that calculated? With mine adjusted for a Roxa R3 130, I measure a toe height of 21mm, a 24mm heel height at the brake, with the very back of the heel sitting at 26mm.

**This post was edited on Nov 13th 2020 at 8:26:33pm
5 years ago
3 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
I agree with jester AFD as well, means we wont be having SHIFT problems, and also you can interchange parts to a pretty high degree. This means less unproven parts as well.



Have you looked at the PT 12 toe yet? is it same design as 16 with diff springs? guessing the heel is upmarked squire ? ' try to dig up a 2021 griffon heel tomorrow to compare weights on stuff.


The pricing on them makes me unsure, som has them as close as 30-50 euros, some massivly different.

**This post was edited on Nov 13th 2020 at 8:35:14pm
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Twig
Posts: 6469 - Karma: 61,931
From memory, yes they are the same toes, visually at least. It's not impossible that there are some changes in materials but I think it's unlikely. @patagonialuke might know for sure.
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
I think same toes as well, just different spring as well, this means we can use the lighter heels for longer tours if we wanna drop another 200 grams per ski and not go full ******** on the sendy part.



Honestly Im stoked to go skiiing now, good thing they closed all but 1 resort here. but hey, I can just hike up! muhahaha
5 years ago
0 0
profile picture
patagonialuke
Posts: 1627 - Karma: 8,688
TwigFrom memory, yes they are the same toes, visually at least. It's not impossible that there are some changes in materials but I think it's unlikely. @patagonialuke might know for sure.


Yeah as far as I know the only difference on the toe is the spring. Heel is the biggest difference.
5 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Twig
Posts: 6469 - Karma: 61,931
animatorCorrect me if I’m wrong but I’ve fiddled with one on my shop and the tech toe seems further forward than where the toe of the boot would go if it were in downhill mode, meaning that when in uphill mode the heel won’t click in. Did you find otherwise?


Can confirm that the tech toes are forward. I measure the difference to be 4.5cm. Which means I will be touring from ~2cm in front of true center.
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,604
TwigCan confirm that the tech toes are forward. I measure the difference to be 4.5cm. Which means I will be touring from ~2cm in front of true center.


Your switch skiiing when the skins slip with loose toe will be way better!
5 years ago
2 0
profile picture
Denseclouds
Posts: 536 - Karma: 3,193
anders_aGentlemen, I give you the marker duke Pt pro 18 hybrid

This means if you have binding freedom or similar you just need a few more holes up front to go touring on any ski. Also means you can save a few grams on griffon heels.



Also means you just need new tracks (fits crampon holder) and new brakes + toe pieces, Not sure they sell thoose separatly though.

Also means the heel is SOLID as it is just a jester 16 basicly, or.. 18 if you want.



New heel track has 60mm'ish of travel, means you can fit a a few 25-30 mondo? boot on same binding/ski.

Nice!

**This post was edited on Nov 15th 2020 at 2:53:27am
5 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 12:37PM