Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

I just picked up a pretty nice pair of F1 boots! They do not have an add on duckbutt. I know these haven’t been around for a while, but are there places where they might be found? Pretty sure they would still be usable with a transit binding without the duckbutt am I right about that?

Hello John,
The Michael Bolt on Duckbutt is no longer available. The designer actually contributes here. I think it was liability issues, on a not for profit product that was the cause of the product being discontinued.
The good news is the Transit is getting good reviews on the other site. I have some F-1 Race I will be trying with Transit this season.

fisheater wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:28 pm

Hello John,
The Michael Bolt on Duckbutt is no longer available. The designer actually contributes here. I think it was liability issues, on a not for profit product that was the cause of the product being discontinued.
The good news is the Transit is getting good reviews on the other site. I have some F-1 Race I will be trying with Transit this season.

Thanks for that, Bob. I’m reading through a thread on BC Talk. Looks like I can 3D print one. Just need the STP file. Hopefully I can get that from somebody.

Really good reviews using the F1 with Meidjo and V6 which is exactly my setup. That darn TXPro just makes my right knee feel weird. It’s preventing me from strapping it all together and bombing down a mountain. I think it’s that high cuff. The F1 and T4 are about 3” lower which, on me, is a lot. It seems to mess with the alignment of my leg, maybe tilting it outward or something? I don’t feel that with the T4 or with this F1- so far, and certainly not with an Alaska or Free.

I’ll be looking forward to a Transit-F1 report!

Hey John,
Nice boot! First generation F.1. The Transit will fit. If the boot still feels not soft enough, I recommend replacing the heel lever. You can use a Voilé strap as a top buckle.
I ski in walk mode all the time in TTS and Transit in position 1.

I’ve got the F3s and have not even considered adding a duck butt. I’ve pretty much given up on NTN bindings and NTN boots due to the icing and boot jack issues in deep backcountry powder. Ive had problems with Lynx and my friend had same issues with Miedjo. When all your friends are getting multiple laps on a run, I’m too busy trying to get the snow out of my bindings. NTN bindings biggest flaw is how close the binding sits to the ski. Well enough ranting on NTN.

So long story short, I would use that boot with TTS. TTS has Softer feeling than NTN, more reliable, and a ton of fun in deep powder and corn.

voilenerd wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 24, 2023 10:25 am

I’ve got the F3s and have not even considered adding a duck butt. I’ve pretty much given up on NTN bindings and NTN boots due to the icing and boot jack issues in deep backcountry powder. Ive had problems with Lynx and my friend had same issues with Miedjo. When all your friends are getting multiple laps on a run, I’m too busy trying to get the snow out of my bindings. NTN bindings biggest flaw is how close the binding sits to the ski. Well enough ranting on NTN.

So long story short, I would use that boot with TTS. TTS has Softer feeling than NTN, more reliable, and a ton of fun in deep powder and corn.

I’m not going to disagree with any of that. Should I be fortunate enough to keep skiing I’d love to get a Transit. At the moment I have a basically new V6/Meidjo I’d like to put to good use and without an adapter plate (which I’d have to make) the ski would not accept a Transit. I’ve downloaded the template and there’s just no way. Ergo, the duckbutt.

JohnSKepler wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 24, 2023 3:26 pm

At the moment I have a basically new V6/Meidjo I’d like to put to good use and without an adapter plate (which I’d have to make) the ski would not accept a Transit. I’ve downloaded the template and there’s just no way. Ergo, the duckbutt.

The Adapter Plate might be about as much work as the Duckbutt?
Not saying it’s the way to go, just a thought.
I thought about doing an adapter plate, but am too lazy.

Stephen wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 24, 2023 5:13 pm

JohnSKepler wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 24, 2023 3:26 pm

At the moment I have a basically new V6/Meidjo I’d like to put to good use and without an adapter plate (which I’d have to make) the ski would not accept a Transit. I’ve downloaded the template and there’s just no way. Ergo, the duckbutt.

The Adapter Plate might be about as much work as the Duckbutt?
Not saying it’s the way to go, just a thought.
I thought about doing an adapter plate, but am too lazy.

I think an adapter plate will be pretty quick. The ski already has inserts for Meidjo so it's just a matter of using a template to mark spots and drilling them for some - not all - of the Meidjo holes, and then using the binding template on the adapter plate. I think I can do it and only add a 1/4" of riser. But the Transit binding isn't cheap and I already have the Meidjo.

If I have to make my own duckbutt from scratch I'll just do that. I have access to a laser scanner for the manifold surface on the boot then just a matter of aligning the 'ledge' with the boot sole. Probably take a few prototypes to get that 'level'. I also have an idea for making one out of aluminum that has a different, possibly simpler, possibly removable, connection to the boot.

My day job is hard and it matters. It's nice to think about achievable things that don't matter.

JohnSKepler wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 24, 2023 7:08 pm

I also have an idea for making one out of aluminum…

I would be concerned about the coefficient of friction with the aluminum. It’s not slippery stuff and you’re relying on that duckbutt to slide out of the binding in a release situation.

I already wish the TXP duckbutt was made out of a more slippery plastic than it is.