Any thoughts on best binding for Stockli laser SC?
The atomic plate for the X bindings have two fixed position for the mounting the toe track. The two sets of mounting holes are 15 mm apart.
The toe binding is install in the toe track. The toe unit can slide along the toe track to 1 of 7 locations. The locations are approx. 7 mm apart. The toe unit can be locked in position with a lever and pin set up. The heel unit is slaved to the the toe unit and slides along the heel track. This allows the binding set to be moved fore and aft in the field with the lever at the front of the toe piece.
I have recently seen a Stockli plate that has only one set of mounting holes for the toe track. That plate appears to accept either an Atomic X VAR binding or a Salomon Lab binding.
A better look at the X VAR binding can be found here.
https://www.pugski.com/threads/salomon-x12-lab-vs-atomic-x12-var-binding.16089/#post-379263
Unfortunately I do not know the deltaChino, do you know what delta you like? That is the measurement of how much higher the heel binding is than the toe binding. I like more delta, and I use the Head/Tyrolia PRX12 binding on my Laser AX. If you have some skis where you feel balanced forward & back, and others where you just feel not as well balanced, you might measure on the good ones the height of the sole contact point on the toe down to the top surface of the ski, and the same for the heel. The difference is the delta. I have one set of very good bindings where I can feel that the heel is too low for me. I put a 3 mm (1/8") plexiglass shim under the heel bindings, and that works great for me. You results may be different from mine. If you know what delta you like, someone here can tell you which bindings will feel good to you. I also like bindings on a rail where I can slide the bindings forward or back a centimeter or two to get the feeling I like out of the skis.
Thanks! Lot of info there. I will take a look and get a little more educated on bindingsI've just finished a bunch of discussions with Stockli dealers and various tech folks in the business about what binding to put on my Laser AXes, and on other Stockli Laser skis also.
Stockli itself defaults to using the Salomon (also Atomic version) N SP 12 Speed S75 adjustable binding, or one of its slight variants, including a fixed toe version, flush without a race plate or riser plate, except possibly on the Laser GS and Laser SL. That includes the SC and SX Laser models, I was told by one of the 16 dealers in this country. If I am not mistaken, this is a toe and heel adjustable demo type binding. Something like a system binding, I gather. Not sure what the toe wing width is on this binding, but probably not the widest (as per similar Salomon/Atomic setups). This binding has a different spring setup than the discredited Z 12. (This SP 12 Speed is mostly available only in Europe, where near race skis are sold.)
Those same folks prefer the Tyrolia PRD 12 instead, just slightly (toe wing width 88 mm.), which is also toe and heel adjustable. That is because, as I understand it, the PRD has a horizontal heel release feature, in addition to the standard up and down heel release of the SP 12 Speed. On the other hand, with more metal in it, the SP 12 Speed is apparently more durable. Both these bindings have a semi-race binding type of feel, designed for more direct edge to edge engagement, rather than maneuverability or playfulness. The PRD binding is used on a number of Head and Fischer skis rebranded with their names, and also on many Kastle skis, rebranded as the K 12 system binding.
For a more fixed binding option, these same folk were more divided, some still preferring to recommend the PRD 12, some the Tyrolia Sth 12.
For their own personal use, the PRD recommenders were divided also, some of them liking the Tyrolia Evo FreeFlex 12 or 16 binding mounted flush, others the Sth 12.
One liked the combination I stumbled on last year, the Tyrolia Attack2-13 mounted with a riser plate. For them, the riser plate has the initial advantage of ending toe wing drag on high angle turns; it also gives more of an authoritative edge control as a bonus. This binding toe has the most horizontal flexibility and playfulness of probably any all mountain binding available today, partly because it also has the widest toe wing width to keep off the snow (94/95 mm.). This extra width and playfulness/flexibility translates into great maneuverability turning.
These folk were able to give me rather precise, preferred race plate or riser plate heights they would suggest for each of these bindings, should a Laser skier prefer that approach.
For me, such detailed knowledge and experience was neat.
The Evo FreeFlex allows a more natural, unimpeded ski flex, and a more precise edge control.
The Sth allows a better edge to edge transition than an all mountain binding, while at the same time having a great deal of the horizontal toe flexibility of a more all mountain binding such as the Attack2-13 or the Marker Griffin - and thus a good bit of playfulness/maneuverability.