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Demo Bindings: Why or why not?

Would you buy Demo Bindings?

  • I wouldn't buy a pair of Demo Bindings.

    Votes: 6 12.8%
  • I LOVE Demo Bindings!

    Votes: 12 25.5%
  • I have them both, it just depends.

    Votes: 27 57.4%
  • other (see comments)

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Total voters
    47

CrystalRose

Putting on skis
Skier
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Posts
86
Location
Southern California
I'm looking into buying bindings and I'm sort of leaning towards buying a set of Tyrolia Attack 13 demo bindings. I like the idea of having options.

Besides weight and price, why do people not like them?

On the flip side, people who do buy them, what do you like about them?
 

SallyCat

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Jan 1, 2017
Posts
202
Location
Vermont, United States
What sort of options would a demo binding give you? What about the Schizo if you're buying new anyway?
I had demo Griffons on a pair of skis I bought because the whole package was on sale at a good price. I didn't notice anything different about the bindings; they felt fine, worked fine, didn't seem to make the skis too heavy, etc.
 

Philpug

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Hard mount bindings are just that, hard mounted into the ski, therefore a more solid interface, a more solid interface is mroe direct. Thats one of the reasons that they are better. With that said, the current generation of bindings are really good, very solid and while not as direct as their hard mount counterparts, tehy are darn close and ski nearly identical..nearly being the key word. There are some pluses, for travel, it is easy to comact the skis and where you usually only get two pair in a bag, you sometimes get three. The demo version will also give you the ability to adjust fore and aft on the ski if you are unsure of mount points.
 

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,769
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
I have no preference as far as demo vs non demo bindings. I often buy demo skis and with that comes demo bindings. I have preferences as to which bindings I like and don't but it's more of a manufacturer thing and not relevant to whether they are demos or not. I hear some people talk about the weight of demo bindings. I personally don't notice a difference. A perk of demo bindings is it also makes reselling the skis much easier.

Phil said it perfectly.
 
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Monique

bounceswoosh
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
10,561
Location
Colorado
Along the lines of this question - if you demo the ski with a demo binding and liked it enough to buy it, presumably the weight and performance didn't bother you, right?

One nice thing about demo bindings is that it simplifies resale. Almost everyone will be able to use the skis without needing a remount. Otherwise you have to go through the conversation about BSL (many have no idea what this is) and whether you could redrill etc etc ... ugh.
 

Eleeski

Making fresh tracks
Skier
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Nov 13, 2015
Posts
2,287
Location
San Diego / skis at Squaw Valley
The feel of a ski can change substantially with binding placement. Stock placements often aren't my favorite. Demo bindings allow some adjustments in binding placement. Worthwhile.

Not every demo binding is great. I'm a weight freak and some of my demo bindings have been ridiculously heavy. Find the optimal placement, remove the demo binding and replace with a quality light binding. Some demo bindings are extremely light - I love these.

@Philpug doesn't approve of some of my bindings (especially the Fisher-Price bright plastic ones). I find the light low DIN bindings work quite well for me. (Hmmm, I first met Phil ordering replacement parts for a binding I broke so he may have a point.) I'm enjoying the Marker Schizio Squire bindings and don't notice any looseness. They are a pain to put on in powder but light and reliable (so far). My Head Railflex might rattle more but I haven't felt it at all (I wish they worked on wider skis). Light and quite functional. There are good demo options.

One other nice advantage to demo bindings is that I can loan my skis to friends regardless of the boot size.

Eric
 

David Chaus

Beyond Help
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Team Gathermeister
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Stanwood, WA
I like the idea of what you're doing, @CrystalRose and thinking of doing the same thing myself.

One advantage of the Aattack 13 is that it has a similar weight to the regular version, and as Phil noted, most mortals (myself included) will not notice much if any difference in how solid the boot-binding-ski interface is. At least I didn't. I do like the idea of being able to adjust the fore-aft position without remounting the bindings.

And lastly, I have to admit, once I get my next couple pairs of skis, (intended targets to acquire are Renoun Z90 and ON3P Billygoat) I will want other people to try them for themselves when they ask stupid questions like "what are those skis", "do you like those skis" and "are they any good?"

Then they will see how wise and knowledgeable I am about all things skiing.
 

Philpug

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Demo bindings have come a long way in the past decade. They ski as you would expect/hope they would, like their retail counterparts.
 

epicentre

Putting on skis
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Posts
123
Location
MT
I have had Look and Salomon demo bindings and liked neither. They were heavy, the stand height was really high, and they just didn't feel as tight as directly mounted bindings. But they are older models and a lot of people seem to like some of the new demos out there like the attacks. Last year I bought a pair of Marker Schizo 14's to put on my twin tips. There are just some skis where you will want to mess around with the mount point. I felt the Schizo 14's were far superior to any demo binding I've tried. Much more solid, and not as heavy. That said I'm not sure they're even making them anymore. Doubt they were big sellers. Going forward if I want to move the mount point I'll just suck it up and redrill..
 

Philpug

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I have had Look and Salomon demo bindings and liked neither. They were heavy, the stand height was really high, and they just didn't feel as tight as directly mounted bindings. But they are older models and a lot of people seem to like some of the new demos out there like the attacks. Last year I bought a pair of Marker Schizo 14's to put on my twin tips. There are just some skis where you will want to mess around with the mount point. I felt the Schizo 14's were far superior to any demo binding I've tried. Much more solid, and not as heavy. That said I'm not sure they're even making them anymore. Doubt they were big sellers. Going forward if I want to move the mount point I'll just suck it up and redrill..
The new Look demos are significantly better...but they are still higher than most. The new Salomon Warden demos are money.
 

jmeb

Enjoys skiing.
Skier
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Nov 13, 2015
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4,490
Location
Colorado
Demo bindings have come a long way in the past decade. They ski as you would expect/hope they would, like their retail counterparts.

Now if only they'd make them available retail, with ability to by tracks and bindings separately. That would almost be enough to give up the hope of a Pivot 15 returning.
 

Philpug

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Now if only they'd make them available retail, with ability to by tracks and bindings separately. That would almost be enough to give up the hope of a Pivot 15 returning.
Buying tracks seperate is not going to happen...let it go. There is a better chance of the Pivot 15 returning #bringbackthepivot15
 

kayco53

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Posts
174
Location
BC Canada
My current Dynastar Cham 97 skis are demos and came with look demo bindings. Don't notice them at all as being demos. The Look bindings seem to have a nicer smoother release than other bindings I have had. Mind you first pair of Look bindings I have had. Mostly Salomon bindings and Rossi before.
 

John O

Getting off the lift
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Nov 21, 2015
Posts
423
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Seattle, WA
As others have mentioned, the current crop of demo bindings ski very well. I'd happily buy a pair if the price was the same, but it isn't. In general, I haven't found the need to adjust my mounting point via demo bindings, so the price penalty isn't worth it to me. But if I was buying used/demo, then demo bindings wouldn't worry me at all.
 

fatbob

Not responding
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Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,288
Travel travel travel. I have Griffon plates on 2 sets of skis but am desperately trying to get hold of a couple more of the old type for more quiver versatility.
 

SpikeDog

You want Big Air, kid?
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
823
Location
Wyoming
I like being able to move around fore and aft on demos. Loaning to friends is also very fun, especially when they are on crap skis and you want to open their eyes a bit. "Dude, those Scream 10 Pilot Hots are what, 12 years old?" You can get into a bit of trouble there, what with DIN settings, worn boots, etc. I'd feel bad if they got hurt on my skis.

Bad thing is the weight and height. It's hard enough getting my long legs under the chairlift bar without the bindings contributing to the misery.

Demos on fatties - might contribute to a vague feel, like you're not getting 100% of your boot angle to the edges? I've got that issue with a set of Deathwishes set up with Railflexes.
 
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dlague

Waitin' for Wintah
Skier
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Posts
224
Location
Colorado
I will be skiing on Demo Bindings for the first time this season since I bought a pair of demo skis. I have skied them on demo days on many different skis and really did not notice a difference IMO.
 

skibob

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Posts
4,268
Location
Santa Rosa Fire Belt
If you're really geeky you can tweak a utility ski between fwd for hardpack and aft for pow too.
I even make little adjustments based on my mood. Most good "all mountain" skis get noticeably more like a GS ski when you move them back one notch (usually about 1 cm). And noticeably more playful and easier in bumps when you move them forward one notch.

Renoun z-90, Motive 95, Monster 88 all respond thusly, with the result most pronounced in the Renoun's.
 

Philpug

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I have skied them on demo days on many different skis and really did not notice a difference IMO.
Theoretically you shouldn't because you are using them to demo a ski, not to demo the binding, they should be like a good umpire, seen but not there to sway the outcome. We are in age of having the best demo bindings ever which makes our job testing skis a helluva lot easier.
 

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