THE GREATEST bindings debate on the planet (Official thread)

[Johnny]

Every forum needs one. Let it out, get it off your chest...

I'll start. I'm against everything except pins.

[Raventele]

Add a spring cable to that , and you have the simplest, toughest
and most broadly applicable binding made..Voile 3pin/cable..
sometimes I think people do not realize how well the 3pc locks the
duck bill for a really strong parallel turn or how easy it is to tour and
climb with them, even with the cable attached..The cable also provides decent
"activity" for tele turns..

[TeleKräusen]

So far I've been on targa accents, BD 02, and my axls. My targas weren't desirable at all, they iced up constantly, the tour mode was a pain, and the flex felt silly. My BDs are so free/smooth, they're killer for my nordic tour set up. My axls can really throw down. They tour wonderfully, are tough, and allow me to transfer power throughout the ski for better performance.

For now, the 22Ds.

I've yet to try 3pins or NTN though.

[Johnny]

Can't wait for NTN leather boots!

[Raventele]

Gotta go south for a week to that always-dry ski paradise
known as Colorado! Maybe I'll demo some NTN..
And then TTS..Nah , think I'll stick with 3pin/hardwires,
best resort binding..ever!

[bogon]

if TTS had solid lateral stiffness (for parallels), and decent, gradually adjustable fulcrum, and attached to "second heel" (a.k.a NTN hook - to help break the bellows), plus if it had ski crampons compatibility (non-locking), then I'd consider buying a kit sans toes (already own TLT toes).

I do not get non-gradually-adjustable fulcrum. That's plain silly.
I also do not fully get heel attachment - seems bad for helping flex the bellows, no? Well, I may be wrong on this, and maybe it is not that critical... Please comment.

But - most of all - I do not get supposedly poor lateral boot stability: the boot WILL move in TLT toe (cause that's how release works in Dynafits really), causing wear and - eventually(tm) - failure. Despite added weight, this is one of main design points of NTN Freeride - plastic flex-plate wedges into Aluminum frame and - cause it's not Delrin - wears out, but this design is good for parallel turns. And I demand the freedom to use them efficiently when terrain calls.

Oh, and easily bottoming springs are a joke.
Who pays money for such jokes?
Def. not me.
I'd better live w/o brakes...

BTW does TTS with heel latch really release in emergency?
(I mean sideways release; yes I know it releases forward when ski tip hits some obstacle)

p.s. yes in the age of 3D printing I couldn't care less about Rotte patents regarding "second heel"
p.p.s. speaking of which... I'm curious: will ABS plastic withstand the stresses of telemark turns if I'll print the TTS fulcrum plate from it?.. Not that I'm able to test that. Just theorizing.

[Johnny]

Who will be the first to post a ZIP file here with the first home-printable tele binding?

I can't wait for the day when we'll share our homemade 3D bindings... I would print myself a 6-pin binding for duckbutt leathers...

3D-Printed Gun's Blueprints Downloaded 100,000 Times In Two Days

[marc]

Still pretty new to the NTN Freeride, but I am so happy with it. Was so worried with all the negative talk on the old telemarktalk forums, but was really blown away by how nice it is. Don't think you can "learn" good tele technique on it because it is so easy to ski it, but I think once you have learned tele technique, then you can really get some performance out of it. I really only get to ski in resorts and don't do any touring, so tour mode doesn't mean so much to me.

What really blows me away with the NTN Freeride is the amount of control I have with the skiis. I can really edge hard and the ski feels like it is really connected to my foot. Previously, I always felt that the ski was able to twist underneath my foot. I have small kids of my own which are just learning to ski. Previously, I never used my tele skis when skiing with them because I felt that needed more control, for example when skiing after them in a snowplow. However, now I always ski with my teleskis and all my slalom gear is for sale.

However, my old gear was chillis, so not really an advanced binding, so don't really know how the more advanced bindings feel.

/Marc

[Zarb]

I got my first set up the other day, and had the opportunity to try out both the NTN and regular 75mm bindings (22D Vice) before buying.

In the end I went with the Vice, it felt steadier on the flex and more even/consistent. Whereas the NTN felt like there were multiple levels of resistance through the flex, which was almost distracting.

Each to their own I guess.

[Johnny]

NTN: Best binding on the planet for edge control
7TM: Best binding on the planet for releasability/safety
HH/22Ds: Best non-releasable binding on the planet
Voile 3pc: Best bindings on the planet for fun
Rotte SuperTele: Best bindings on the planet for even more fun
Dogz: Best bindings on the planet for 3pin stability

I hate them all, cause the perfect binding doesn't exist yet.
But I love them all, cause they're all very good at something.