Åsnes Falketind with Rottefella Super Telemark Cable

[Nitram Tocrut]

My new Falketinds have arrived. They are the 196cm long, new model. I also got a 58mm Mohair short skin.
I have not skied them yet, there was a warm spell and the snow has turned to ice or melted away on my local mountains. When I get a chance I will give them a shot, hopefully soon, but I cannot go too far to find snow at the moment (it is a bit of a busy time around home suddenly, we became parents two weeks earlier than expected ).

As others have reported earlier, they are surprisingly light.

The skis are mounted with 10mm Rottefella riser plates and Rottefella Super Telemark cable bindings.

The Rottefella Super Telemark Cables are actually hardwire bindings. The wires are removable by twisting the heel piece by 90 degrees while lifting the heelpiece upwards, then the cable hooks can be disengaged from the toe piece. I'd say its a tiny bit more tricky to put them back, than the Voile cables.
On the other hand they can be nicely clipped behind the rear riser plate heel piece while skiing, in contrast to the Voile cables, provided that the heelpiece is not too far backwards

The wires weigh a bit more than the Voile cables. 300 g /pair for the Voile, 540 g / pair for the Rottefella.
I have not skied them yet and need to spend some time adjusting the spring cartridges further. From brief attempts on the workbench, it seems that the Rottefella wires and Voile cables are interchangeable.
The Rottefella bindings are a bit less stiff to operate than Voile. As others have reported earlier, the Rottefella clamp down tighter on thinner duckbills. The Crispi Bre I have, could be locked in the lowest latch of the Voiles, and in the Rottefella Super Telemark they are secure in the second highest latch.

Regardless, both my Asolo Extreme Racer and my Crispi Bre fit very well in the bindings.

Regarding the skis, they have been reported on in much more detail with hands on experience, than I can provide here. But I can confirm that they are very soft and compress almost under the weight of the boots. But I was expecting as much, these will be the soft snow and vertical tour skis, where K&G efficiency is less important; I can use the Nansens when I am expecting more consolidated snow.
IMG_20201128_141808.jpgIMG_20201128_141335.jpgIMG_20201128_142028.jpg

Just checking if you had the chance to try your FT 196... I just started a thread about the 196 in the Review forum. Mind to share your report there?

BTW I mounted mine with Traverse but looking to install Orange Hardwire for extra dh control so I am curious to read your report

[CwmRaider]

Just checking if you had the chance to try your FT 196... I just started a thread about the 196 in the Review forum. Mind to share your report there?

BTW I mounted mine with Traverse but looking to install Orange Hardwire for extra dh control so I am curious to read your report

Unfortunately we have had no snowfall since early December close to Trondheim and whatever did fall became ice if it was compacted, or rained away if it wasn't. I'm sure it's just a matter of time but It is super frustrating.
At the world cup ski center at Granåsen a few km to the south of our home there is a prepared XC track with last year's snow (they preserve a mountain of the stuff under sawdust). Typically the local elite skiers train there. I could go there theoretically, but I think the old icy snow on narrow tracks probably makes the worst imaginable conditions to try the Falketinds so I'll wait a bit.
While waiting for the snow I've been trail running on icy tracks instead... Haven't been this fit since I was in my early 20s

[magoldbe]

I just got a pair of these bindings and I am having some trouble with them.

1. When they arrived, the cable was super stiff and didn't pivot freely at all. The manual says the cable should pivot freely. This seems like a problem?

2. After removing the cable, I can't for the life of me get it back on, even doing the twist that the manual suggests. Anyone got any pointers?

I'm probably a complete idiot and doing something wrong here. Has anyone run into similar problems?

Unfortunately the binding is so new I couldn't find a video of someone demonstrating how to work the cables, or much info at all.

[Nick BC]

Hold the heel piece vertical or slightly forward and it should clip in no problem. Mine is also stiff flexing but may loosen up in time.

[Woodserson]

I just got a pair of these bindings and I am having some trouble with them.

1. When they arrived, the cable was super stiff and didn't pivot freely at all. The manual says the cable should pivot freely. This seems like a problem?

2. After removing the cable, I can't for the life of me get it back on, even doing the twist that the manual suggests. Anyone got any pointers?

I'm probably a complete idiot and doing something wrong here. Has anyone run into similar problems?

Unfortunately the binding is so new I couldn't find a video of someone demonstrating how to work the cables, or much info at all.

It's basically exactly like the Cobras, been around forever, there is nothing new here. Try a Cobra search and see if anything pops up. If you don't find anything I'll throw something up later tonight or tomorrow after I digest dinner.

The binding might feel stiff to your hand, but I bet it's effortless once you put your shoe in the boot, and the boot in the binding. Leg power > hand power

[magoldbe]

Phew! Just spent some more time with them and can now get the wires on and off. A good bit of paint has rubbed off the bindings in the process and they still go feel weirdly stiff, but maybe that's just how they're supposed to be? I've never used a 3 pin+cable before, so just learning as I go....

[CwmRaider]

I STILL have had insufficient snow locally (And a new born son who has kept me from seeking out snow further away).

Regarding the paint, I think that the anodized finish of the Voile 3 pin cable is a higher quality construction.
However from my benchtop tests I easily prefer the mechanical quality of the Rottefella. The bail is much easier to operate and they close tighter on my boots (Crispi Bre and Asolo Extreme Racer). From my hand testing I also think I will end up preferring the Rottefella spring cartridges in terms of movement to the "spring cables" of the Voile.

To remove the complete heel piece, lift the heel up past the vertical and progressively twist the heel around the boot axis by 90 degrees or more while lifting, this way the wires start crossing over each other. You then should then be able to pop them out easily.
To mount them back, put in one hook first. Then twist the heel piece as above until the wires overlap enough so the angle is good for the second hook. Once you get it, this takes literally just 5 sec.

Regarding how stiff they are, I don't think it makes a difference while skiing. But I still have had no snow here to test.

This stiffness is caused by the symmetry of the wires. which causes a somewhat tight fit:

- The left and right side steel hooks are symmetrical, and the identical for the left and right bindings, although the angle from the hook pivot on the toe piece towards the heel is obviously not the same on the left side of the left binding and on the left side of the right binding. therefore the "neutral rest" position of the hooks is to the outside, ie to the left of the left ski and to the right of the right ski. This also leaves the heel piece decentered if the wires are adjusted to the same length.

I "fixed" it by dedicating the heel wires to a specific side.
I'm not suggesting you do this but this resulted in a perfect fit and alignment for my boots on both pairs I have mounted:

- Do one binding at a time to not mix anything up!
- Remove the heel piece as above
- unscrew both hooks completely out of the spring cartridges
- place the heel latch with the cartridges on the center of the heel plate on the ski
- mount the loose hooks in the pivots
- bend the hooks gently and slowly towards the left or the right so that they can align perfectly with the spring cartridges, take care not to damage the threaded part. Perhaps only the outer hook needs to be bent a bit inwards, ymmv.
- reassemble completely and adjust to the suitable length and tension while keeping the heel clip centered on the heel pad
- mark the binding "left" or "right".

[TallGrass]

Whoa, I really like that binding!
Too bad they're not being sold in the US right now at a reasonable cost.

PSA PSA PSA

https://www.gearx.com/alpina-super-tele-75mm-w-cable

^Was $200.00, now $164.99 Save: 18%

Hmm...
SUPER TELE 75MM W/ CABLE Just the Short version, 36-44 EU.
SKU 10100074
$114.99
"Free Shipping on Orders over $49.00
Save [10%] on your first order and get email only offers when you join.* "
https://www.skiessentials.com/super-tel ... cable.html
Search via Google said 20% off via click through, but can't confirm.

Considering REI wants $100 for non-cable version...
https://www.rei.com/product/790822/rott ... e-bindings

[fisheater]

Great price on a really good leather boot binding. I can use it with my plastic T-4, but this binding shines with leather boots.
Biggest con of this binding, is the cable is a little fiddly to remove and reinstall. You learn how to do it, and it isn’t a big deal. However, to allow for quick connection and disconnection to the boot heel, I installed Voile 10 mm risers. Now I hook the cable to the heel riser. Then it’s fast and easy to hook to the heels when I want.