What is the oldest binding you would still use?

[Philpug]

I was bored and threw this out on Facebook and it grew legs so I will ask here. What is the oldest binding you would feel confident in using? Indemnification..inshmenification...IMHO, there are bindings that are no longer indemnified that really are jsut as goo..and safe as any new binding offered today but they are not indemnified and most shops will not toush them for the obvious reasons. Sure, some of these bindings are limited by brake width options, they were designed for skis that were no more than 70mm uderfoot. Granted the brakes might be able to be bent out, they are still limiting. Some of these bindings actually can accommodate wider options and even be updated to be Gripwalk compatible.

An example of modernizing a 25 year old binding...

If you note, that is a 2013 (or so) Blizzard Bonafide. When I did this, the Blizzard rep at the time went balistic. He said "How can you put a 20 year old binding Salomon 997E (11-17) on a brand new ski???" Well, that binding was about as good as any binding offered and the same binding as the $499 Salomon Sth916 Steel that was offered at the time. I would still mount that binding on any ski today.

 

[brian avery]

I just found a pair of Salomon 747 Equipe bindings in my basement. I bought them new in 1987 when living in Lake Placid. Still in great shape.

 

[François Pugh]

Early 1980s, the year before they went to Delrin plastic and had to recall them. They have been well treated and protected from road salt. Skis are same age.
I like to live dangerously.

 

[Mothertucker]

Just like an old car, I would drive a Model T, but I wouldn't go 100mph downhill in it. It helps to know the history.

 

[Don in Morrison]

If the ski season would have lasted until now, I would have taken out something with Solly 502/505 or metal 727 by now. I used a pair of skis with 11-year-old Z10 Ti this year and they still seem to be fine but I don't think they're good for much longer. Same with some C610s that I have. I didn't use them this year but I'm not sure they have much left either. Kind of weird to have more trust in a 45-year-old binding than something a quarter of that age.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Every once in a while I ski these Dynamic VR17s with Look Nevada toes and N17 heels as well as the ROCs with the Marker M4-15 toes and Rotamat heels. Not as daily drivers, but I have every confidence in these bindings that I have for any modern ones.



All my race skis still have 18 year old Solomon 914 and 916s. What me worry?

 

[Doug Briggs]

Just like an old car, I would drive a Model T, but I wouldn't go 100mph downhill in it. It helps to know the history.

It wouldn't go that fast in a free fall. ;-)

 

[Nobody]

Any of the Salomons from 957 onward (even if I had two composite 957 heels broken off mounted on a pair of 205 Dynamic VR27 - same pair , not while skiing though, and more than one 727 toe spring as well). I have 997s mounted of some 198 and 188 Volelkl P40F1, which I'm tempted to take out from storage for a ride, from time to time...maybe next winter...

 

[Bob Simpson]

I still have some Volkl Explosives mounted with the Marker M4 toes and Rotomat FD heels. Still feel fine skiing them. In addition, I have some Elan Comp GS with Marker M48's I feel the same about.

 

[Philpug]

Any of the Salomons from 957 Equipe (worm heel) onward (even if I had two composite 957 heels broken off mounted on a pair of 205 Dynamic VR27 - same pair , not while skiing though, and more than one 727 toe spring as well). I have 997s mounted of some 198 and 188 Volelkl P40F1, which I'm tempted to take out from storage for a ride, from time to time...maybe next winter...

FIFY. But yeah. The previous 747 with it's shorter wings did not have the elasicity of the 957 and when the 956 was released is when i switched over to that binding from the Marker MRR's I was skiing prior. The 957 is about the oldest binding that I woudl go back to, simple because it is forward compatible with wider Gripwalk AFDs and wider brakes.

For those who ski Squaw and Mt. Rose, I am susre you have seen Andy, the big curly haired guy who is alway sporting old Drivers. When I condensed the binding museum at Pugski's headquarters, I boxed up a bunch of singles and various 957/977/997s for him.

 

[NE1]

I kinda feel like the Indemnification List is somewhat akin to the "Best Used By" date in the grocery store - probably fine to use for awhile. (I do realize there are exceptions such as a model or run with faulty plastic, etc., that should be pulled immediately.)

 

[Doug Briggs]

It wouldn't go that fast in a free fall. ;-)

Here is my grandfather's 'T' along with my grandfather, father and yours truly.

 

[Tom Co.]

+1 on Philpug's Salomon 997 Equipe. I saved a couple pair of these just in case I want to mount something up and take them for a spin. Mine are the 6-14 DIN

Toes adjust for spread and height

that great worm drive forward pressure adjust

no notches here, infinite adjustibility

 

[Philpug]

+1 on Philpug's Salomon 997 Equipe. I saved a couple pair of these just in case I want to mount something up and take them for a spin. Mine are the 6-14 DIN

View attachment 98944

Toes adjust for spread and height
View attachment 98945

that great worm drive forward pressure adjust View attachment 98946
no notches here, infinite adjustibility

Good colors. 6-14? That cute . These start at 14

 

[Scruffy]

Voile 3 pin, Rainy Super Loop.

Oh...wait...is this an alpine only thread?

 

[Muleski]

Our son was a comp'd athlete, with a couple of companies that used Salomon bindings back in the early/mid 2000’s. Our daughter was comp’d by Rossi in the mid 2000’d then Dynastar. And nobody was bashful back then. All new bindings every season. Like 6-8 pair each. So, we {meaning now I, as they have other deals...working in the race world these days} have a lot of stuff.

Salomon 916’s and 920’s. With shims, a few pairs NIB.
Rossi FKS 155’s and 185’s....with the accessories.
Look P-15 and P-18. A couple NIB.

I like this bindings better than anything made today. Bending brakes on the Rossi/Look takes some practice and skill. The Solly wide brakes have been easier. Back a few years ago I hoarded “a few.”

Our son has a few older big boy Markers and Head/Tyrolias sitting on some older skis.

Would not hesitate to ski any of them. Love that solid metal clunk!

 

[crgildart]

444s

 

[Bad Bob]

After fully servicing and cleaning would trust pretty much any model of the Look all metal water towers.

 

[Don in Morrison]

444s

View attachment 98953

I've got a couple sets of those too. One on the wife's skis, which she doesn't use any more, so I take them out once in a while, and another I pulled off of the K2 Shorts (they were rentals), which aren't in such good shape. The rollers on the toe pieces are going flat, so those are officially retired. I also have some 555's on the hart ballets, but those skis need some base work before I can use them again.

 

[Posaune]

After having broken my leg due to a non-release of an old binding I would not put a used pair on any new ski. I'm sure that I'm over-reacting but that's OK with me.