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Q about bindings...

teejaywhy

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64 yo returning to skiing after a long layoff. Looking to buy skis this season after renting the past two seasons. More background in this thread: https://www.pugski.com/threads/whats-the-best-ski-for-me.14521/

I think I've taken the advice in that thread to heart... A) start back with something in the ~80mm range to build skills... and B) perhaps give up the demo idea for now and just buy something that will get me going for a season or so... perhaps find a gently used pair at the upcoming ski swap.

Which brings me to my questions about bindings.

I see skis offered with pre-mounted bindings. "System" bindings - is that the right term? They are adjustable. Would those be the same as "demo" bindings? Is there difference?

For example, the Atomic Vantage 82 ti comes with binding.
https://shop.atomic.com/en/products/vantage-82-ti-ft-12-gw-aa4168.html

Would that be properly called a demo binding? Want to have my terminology straight - helps for communication purposes.

I remember back in the day, rental bindings seemed like only the heel was adjustable. This bothered me mentally because I have a large foot (29.5 boot) and in my mind, that put me back from the ideal mounting center.

But it seems that the new adjustable bindings can move both the toe and heel ?

If that is the case, maybe finding a used pair with such a binding could be advantageous. Avoids having to remount the binding. Is remounting a binding a bad thing anyway?

Thanks for your help!!
Tom
 

cantunamunch

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System are not -quite- the same as demo - demo are set up for fast adjustment and generally make no concessions to the overall weight of the package and to improving the feel of the ski. The specific pair you link to is a binding with a demo track - a rep can adjust the binding to suit a lot of boots - but it would be perfectly fine as a daily driver binding and not take away much from the ski at all.

The new adjustable bindings can generally move both toe and heel.

BUT - not so fast grasshopper - what are you doing for boots? Not all swap bindings and certainly not all adjustable swap bindings will be compatible with new sole standards like Gripwalk. The skis you link to do have Gripwalk compatible bindings.
 
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teejaywhy

teejaywhy

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Thanks @cantunamunch, To further my return to skiing, I have taken the first step of getting boots. I've been fit into a Salomon X-Pro X90 boot. 2018 model.
Would those affect or limit my choice of bindings? (I don't think they are Gripwalk)
 

Lilia

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- demo are set up for fast adjustment and generally make no concessions to the overall weight of the package and to improving the feel of the ski.
.

Do you meant to say that demo bindings don't usually improve the feel of the ski?
 

cantunamunch

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Do you meant to say that demo bindings don't usually improve the feel of the ski?

I don't think anyone expected actual improvement.

Equivalent feel to a fixed binding is decided on a case by case by skier basis, and there are a lot of skiers here who have disliked demo feel.

That's about all we can say without specifics on which bindings, which ski, which boot and which skier.
 

Henry

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TJ, powder7.com is a good source for used demo skis. The ones I've seen and bought are in very good condition, and the price is right. The ones I bought were listed at 8.5/10 condition, and I'd rate them as 9.5/10. They were newly tuned. These will be a year or two old. In a ski swap be sure the skis are a recent vintage. If they're too old the bindings will no longer be indemnified...the shops won't work on them. And, the skis will be old tech and not ski as well as more recent skis.

The system bindings will be a usually be a brand related to the skis. Atomic & Salomon have the same owner, and the identical Salomon & Atomic bindings are very good. Ditto for K2, Völkl, and Marker...same owner. And ditto for Rossi & Dynastar & Look. Tecnica (Nordica & Blizzard) buy bindings from Marker. Elan and Fischer buy bindings from Head/Tyrolia. My new Elans have a unique implementation of a Tyrolia binding (Elan Fusion), and have the Elan label on them. They're all very good. You can't go wrong, binding wise.
 
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teejaywhy

teejaywhy

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Thanks @Henry.
I did end up at the local ski shop two weeks ago and brought home a new pair of last year's K2 iKonic 84ti 170cm. They have the Marker system binding.
 

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