Binding resistance test

[lowangle al]

I was swapping out some bindings on some skis yesterday and decided to do a side by side resistance test between different bindings.

I put a boot in the binding with the ski on the floor. Then with my finger lifted the heel of the boot to see how high it would go without lifting the tail of the ski off the floor. The three pin as the worst, the heel barely came up at all and the ski came up off the floor. It even had resistance when pushing the boot down to the ski, it was just stiff. The binding was a silver voile that seems to be one step lighter than the Mountaineer.

With the Riva cable I was able to lift the heel about 3.5 inches off the riser before the ski moved. It did not pivot as easily as the SB and I had to lift the heel a little slower to get it that high.

With the SB, the hard wires allowed it to pivot freely with almost no resistance at all to four inches high. I think this is high enough that it doesn't add ANY resistance for K&G for me.

I used to think the 3pin HW was the way to go but I haven't used it since switching to the Riva. Between the Riva and the SB, they both skied pretty much the same to me but I liked that the Riva is smaller and lighter. Now I'm questioning weather the weight savings between the two is that big of a deal. I am no longer concerned about all of my Rivas becoming unusable and will gladly ski the SB.

Give this test a try, especially between a three pin and a HW type binding and see if you get the same reults that I did.

[lowangle al]

This test was an eye opener and I think it will make others question the tourability of a three pin binding compared to a cable. Something that I had suspected but never did a comparison.

[fisheater]

Hey Al, just so you know with a 3-pin HW and two
3-pin cable’s in stock I really didn’t need to think about new bindings! What I do need is Smile Plates, which are not available this year. Skiing with NNN-BC, has made really like the click-1 position with my Ski March, and click-2 with the thinner Alaska duckbill. I will need to give a test and see what the loose duckbill positions allow for heel lift, and see how that compares.
As far as transitions and putting on cables I don’t mind taking the time if the downhill is worth it. I also don’t mind skiing with cables attached if the lap back to the downhill is reasonably short. A lot of times there isn’t much glide lost with cables as the lap back is primarily uphill which doesn’t yield enough glide to be bothered by it’s loss.
It’s funny that as I find myself skiing the Gamme more often, I am also seeing the fat ski logic more.

[fgd135]

Three pin bindings are the original nordic race binding design from long ago that we usurped for backcountry skiing and tele turns. The bindings are intended to lift the tail of the ski, for better race kick and glide in the tracks; at least that was the philosophy of the time.
Nordic cable bindings were/are the original tele binding designs from that same period, not much has changed except details of construction. Coonyard's original Riva binding has a front throw lever just like old Troll and Skilom XC cables from the 1960's. Rottefella redesigned the binding a couple of times, first with the lever on the rear outside of the cable, eliminating the need for the separate lever in front of the plate, then replaced that side lever with the heel lever, a slick idea.

[lowangle al]

I'll never choose a 3 pin over a cable again just to save weight. The reasons I liked the 3pc and the HW no longer make sense. They may save weight but that doesn't make up for the extra resistance for me.

I remember the early version of the Riva and have the two later versions, but when they are all busted I'll happily switch to the SB.

[Nick BC]

I assume your Switchback in your test is the regular (non X2) with the red springs Al. I find a noticeable difference in spring stiffness between the Hardwire originally on my TTS and the X2 springs which replaced them. Voile state that the X2 spring is 20% stiffer.

[lowangle al]

I assume your Switchback in your test is the regular (non X2) with the red springs Al. I find a noticeable difference in spring stiffness between the Hardwire originally on my TTS and the X2 springs which replaced them. Voile state that the X2 spring is 20% stiffer.

I would like to compare the regular SB with the X2 but I don't have them with me. I know those black springs are stiffer, but I also thought the pivot point was further back on the X2 also.