All Things Spademan

[Joal]

This is ironic. Because of the step in the Spademan binding to accommodate a butterfly on the bottom of a boot, the integrated butterfly in the boot is cot compatible with the Spademan binding. I tried to step in the binding and the Spademan boot could not actuate the step in button.
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I am sure they would have had a binding ready to go if they ever went into high production with the boot.

I am glad you posted that. I had been thinking about routering butterflies flush into the soles of some Scotts (with a decent sized inner backer plate of course) so I could better fit into regular bindings and still use the Spademans.

 

[Philpug]

I am sure they would have had a binding ready to go if they ever went into high production with the boot.

I am glad you posted that. I had been thinking about routering butterflies flush into the soles of some Scotts (with a decent sized inner backer plate of course) so I could better fit into regular bindings and still use the Spademans.

I never even considered it would be an issue until I tried to step in. D'oh.

 

[Joal]

I never even considered it would be an issue until I tried to step in. D'oh.

Oh, but wait. The boot heel looks removable and looks to fit the raised part of the binding ??

 

[Philpug]

Oh, but wait. The boot heel looks removable and looks to fit the raised part of the binding ??

While that does work...

There is significant gap here:

But I would not to walk on this...

 

[JimL]

OMG! Just saw this. My first pair of skis were demo Rossi ST Comps with Spademan bindings, probably around 1979? IIRC eventually replaced them with Marker MR after Spademan went out of business. Dunno if I still have them sitting in a box in my garage somewhere or lost them in a move.

 

[Joal]

While that does work...
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There is significant gap here:
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But I would not to walk on this...
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Looks like there is room for a thinner heel insert piece to cover the void and am thinking the apparent wear between the butterfly and the insert may mean it has been used with said thinner insert. There is even a bit of a bevel on the edge of the wear area to prevent edge crushing when walking, I would think.

I don't think the boot has to fit closer into the cup at least for functionality. Looks a bit odd. Of the 4 boots I have butterflies on looks like 2 fit really nice into the cup of my S9, one is too tight and one is like your pic above.

 

[RickyG]

Gang: From my forth coming videos on various binding systems I want to add some pictures of the work here in the Spademan area. They are of the Super II, and the S9.

 

[RickyG]

Gang thinking about this all boots fit the Spademan binding at an angle if you were having problems stepping in I'd blame the AFD area too many shims. I skied the boot on my THEs and S9s everything worked OK...until I really skied the boot. Mushy with no rear support. Was way underwhelmed. The idea of using the volume of your foot to control the flex of the boot. Doc was not a happy camper with me when I saw him at the SIA show in Los Vegas Still OMG I want a pair for the museum.

 

[onilorak]

Not sure i am doing this the right way. First post.. alpine skier and fascinated reader of posts here. Thanks for sharing!!
Just wanted to share as well among like minded folks.. Am still (i guess, again, after massive disappointment with carving) skiing my 2meter spaghettis and after being looked at like an alien in the past few years, am now getting purchase offers at the lift („seriously, do i look like i would be selling these..?“). Skiing in Switzerland/Engadin and Zermatt; Olin Ultra (the totally black ones) with Spademan binding. Best, Charles

 

[Philpug]

These are from Alan "The Puppet" Shoenberger's collection. Alan worked with Dr. Spademan and did a lot of the prototype testing. the "SR" was a prototype and the first of the Zytel bindings just after the S4

Note the ramp difference of the spring on the S7 an S9

A few of Alan's Spademans (along with his Scott boots)

 

[RickyG]

Gang the reason the S7 looks different is that the large piece of plastic that holds the ski brake in place is not there and the housing has deformed.

RickyG

 

[Philpug]

I will have a pair of S7's here next week. They are coming from Carl Ettlinger's collection.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Nice. NIaB (New In a Box)

 

[Philpug]

 

[crgildart]

I just had a thought that some Spademan bindings would look good/display well on those hart Freestyles that Max Air sent me. Don't need to be anything cool, old rental junk would do. Don't even need to be fully functional as the skis are unskiable. Going to start looking out for some free or nearly free ones.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I just had a thought that some Spademan bindings would look good/display well on those hart Freestyles that Max Air sent me. Don't need to be anything cool, old rental junk would do. Don't even need to be fully functional as the skis are unskiable. Going to start looking out for some free or nearly free ones.

You can stop looking. I have these for the price of shipping.



I think the white and black pieces are the AFDs. I'm not sure what the black only pieces are but they were with the bindings. They're included. ;-)

 

[crgildart]

You can stop looking. I have these for the price of shipping.

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I think the white and black pieces are the AFDs. I'm not sure what the black only pieces are but they were with the bindings. They're included. ;-)

Deal thanks. You can keep the straps and butterflies if anyone else needs them. These will not be skied.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Deal thanks. You can keep the straps and butterflies if anyone else needs them. These will not be skied.

Ok.

 

[Bill Talbot]

The S-7 and S-9 seem a cost cutting step backwards from the S4 binding.
I would certainly ski the S4 after a torque test. The S-7/S-9 have the old plastic issues
and I wouldn't trust them.

 

[crgildart]

The S-7 and S-9 seem a cost cutting step backwards from the S4 binding.
I would certainly ski the S4 after a torque test. The S-7/S-9 have the old plastic issues
and I wouldn't trust them.

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I don't think many, if anyone at the time realized the plastic was going to fail miserably after 5-10 years. They had older generation plastic boots and ski layers that had done better. I honestly think weight was the main reason they went plastic. Everything late 80s and early 90s made of plastic seemed to fail miserbly. Before that, after that, not so much.