The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

[lilcliffy]

Excellent video Tom- thank you!

After watching Tom's detailed exploration of the Xplore binding-
I am left feeling very cautious about the durability and utility of this design...

Does anyone else see all kinds of thingies on this binding that are going to freeze solid?

The design of the flexor system not only screams frozen to me- it doesn't look durable to me. How many inies and outies will it take before that little hook and/or the release mechanism breaks or wears out?
..............
I have NO doubt that the performance of the XPlore system will be a massive step up over NN-3pin and NNNBC- but I am cautious about the durability and utility of the binding...

At that price point, I will await long-term testing- especially backcountry skiing in very cold, moisture-rich climates..
This being said- Norway should offer some pretty extremes conditions to test this thingy!

[Shenanagains]

I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the structural parts of the binding are not plastic. The aluminum baseplate and wings look pretty good to me.

As for freezing, durability of the flexor parts, and the crazy price... Others will have to prove the design out, not me.

[Johnny]

New promo vids from Norway...







Bonus, half a second of the hard flexor on a soft boot:

[Woodserson]

Not measured in miles but smiles

Blegh who wrote this copy?

I'm skeptical. Balancing on 2 pins foot way in the air, all pressure on one small area. I dunno. How is this going to be a big improvement?

Then-- "better ankle support" when they show the Alpina Alaska Xplore which has less of an ankle than the Alaska.

I dunno. I was hot on this last spring but now after a summer to simmer and a good dose of healthy capitalism skepticism I better be blown away by people's reactions-- from people I trust.

[Johnny]

Not measured in miles but smiles. I'm skeptical. Balancing on 2 pins foot way in the air, all pressure on one small area. I dunno. How is this going to be a big improvement?

I know it's all about emotions and smiles. But the least they could do is to get good skiers in the vids... Or intermediate skiers at least. Not a single tele turn in the official promo vid!

I better be blown away by people's reactions-- from people I trust.

^^^ In 2021, this is the most important factor. No matter the brand. Smiles, POV and drone videos, nice Norwegian scenes, well-known ambassadors, magazine ads, facebook-idiots comments, blogs and reviews. All of this is pretty worthless. Real reviews by real skiers are our best friends...

[Nitram Tocrut]

I know it's all about emotions and smiles. But the least they could do is to get good skiers in the vids... Or intermediate skiers at least. Not a single tele turn in the official promo vid!

There is actually something that looks like a teleturn at around 2:25 in the second or third video… but it actually looks exactly like the kind of turn I do!!! So I am with you on that @johnny they did not feature good or even intermediates skiers in the video

[Johnny]

There is actually something that looks like a teleturn at around 2:25 in the second or third video… but it actually looks exactly like the kind of turn I do!!! So I am with you on that @johnny they did not feature good or even intermediates skiers in the video

Ahahahah! Remember it's all about being outside and enjoying winter!
Linking turns like an NNN rock star is nothing more than a byproduct of sheer stubbornness...

That said, (and nothing personal Martin!), seeing all the new official Rottefella videos, it's quite clear that the obvious target audience for the XPLORE system is XC beginners and Sunday skiers... (At last, unlike with older nordic norms, they now can ski "more often" with the XPLORE system!!!) All of this despite the system's huge potential for downhill skiing... (Why in the world would these novice skiers need to pay a huge premium on boots and bindings for better lateral control and more steering power?)

Rotte's original marketing campain is unfolding according to plan... Nothing to do with telemark, performance or technological progress... And that is pretty much what we see in the promo videos:

• To build as many associations as possible which is effectively done with communication about all the different
situations this equipment is relevant for, that it can used often, during the week, weekends and holidays, short or long trips.
• Inspire to get outdoors with Xplore through emotional communication

[Nitram Tocrut]

Ahahahah! Remember it's all about being outside and enjoying winter!
Linking turns like an NNN rock star is nothing more than a byproduct of sheer stubbornness...

That said, (and nothing personal Martin!), seeing all the new official Rottefella videos, it's quite clear that the obvious target audience for the XPLORE system is XC beginners and Sunday skiers... (At last, unlike with older nordic norms, they now can ski "more often" with the XPLORE system!!!) All of this despite the system's huge potential for downhill skiing... (Why in the world would these novice skiers need to pay a huge premium on boots and bindings for better lateral control and more steering power?)

Rotte's original marketing campain is unfolding according to plan... Nothing to do with telemark, performance or technological progress... And that is pretty much what we see in the promo videos:

It does make sense from a business perspective to target a wider market than the geek crowd of TelemarkTalk . They must have invested a lot of money into R&D and they need to recoup it. You are mentioning videos from Rotte but Åsnes videos are more oriented toward skiers like you so I guess it should improve the experience for hardcore xcD skiers like you. I am not planning to get the new system but, @Johnny , you will be proud of me that I finally jumped in the NNN-BC bandwagon. I was finally reimbursed after tearing through 2 pairs of Alaska 75 in a short period of time so I decided to go the NNN-BC way for most of my skis. I don’t feel like that my aging farmer body can get the best out of any state of the art binding technology… Just this season I sprained my left ankle and my right knee and I am working hard to recover my fitness… so I am just happy that I will be able to ski this winter

[bgregoire]

I am not planning to get the new system but, @Johnny , you will be proud of me that I finally jumped in the NNN-BC bandwagon. I was finally reimbursed after tearing through 2 pairs of Alaska 75 in a short period of time so I decided to go the NNN-BC way for most of my skis.

Did you not just get the most awesome pair of 75mm leathers ever, the rarer than a dodo eggs' Zenith? Why then this sudden switch to NNN. Have you been struck by lighting or contracted yet another forn of GAS?

[Nitram Tocrut]

I am not planning to get the new system but, @Johnny , you will be proud of me that I finally jumped in the NNN-BC bandwagon. I was finally reimbursed after tearing through 2 pairs of Alaska 75 in a short period of time so I decided to go the NNN-BC way for most of my skis.

Did you not just get the most awesome pair of 75mm leathers ever, the rarer than a dodo eggs' Zenith? Why then this sudden switch to NNN. Have you been struck by lighting or contracted yet another forn of GAS?

Good one Benjamin . I am not getting ride of all my 75mm binding and certainly not my Zenith . I just took the opportunity to buy the NNN-BC Alaska as the 75mm keeps breaking and I love those boots I will use NNN for my narrower skis…. for now