What is the oldest binding you would still use?

[Philpug]

I really like this mystery plate setup that came with my first gen Kastle RX's.
The Marker 14 bindings do have some plastic but the wear parts are all metal.
Unless somebody can talk me out of it, I plan to mount them on my soon to arrive AM-77's
All of the rubber and plastic parts are in VG condition, a testimonial to the longevity of high quality polymers.
I really like the free flexing design of the plate (somebody on Epic identified it as German made) and the worm adjusters allow a lot of mount position adjustment without slop.
This plate would cost a fortune if sold today because of the complexity and high precision machining.
It sure looks German or Swiss, twelve big screws hold the plate to the ski.

View attachment 100805

Heel cups and heel body are plastic. I loved the binding when I ran it on my original RX..which I owned four times and sold three times. But they are 12+ years old at this point and personally I would not put them on a $1,200 ski. If it was a M16 heel, no problem but this is the same heel they use on the 12. After hanging around a good amount or race gear, I have already seen this heel break.

Lastly, unless you are planning on free mounting these, it will be near impossible to find a shop that has the jig to mount them.

 

[Uncle-A]

I believe that the previous owner had done that. The split rings are 'after market'. These came off a pair of (badly delaminated base) Atomic Powder Guides. Apparently the Powder Guides are what the guide used while the clients were on Powder Plus Fat Boys.

I think that the 390 was one of Tyrolia's earliest 4 hole toes, previous ones used the three hole configuration.

 

[Dakine]

I can mount them OK Phil, I have precision machinist credentials, but I'm still thinking about the heel.
Only other system I currently love is the Marker Piston Plate and it is totally made from plastic.
Per se, plastic isn't necessarily a problem but most plastics stress craze if exposed to solvents and I think that happens more often than folks are aware.

 

[Philpug]

I can mount them OK Phil, I have precision machinist credentials, but I'm still thinking about the heel.
Only other system I currently love is the Marker Piston Plate and it is totally made from plastic.
Per se, plastic isn't necessarily a problem but most plastics stress craze if exposed to solvents and I think that happens more often than folks are aware.

The piston plate isn't under hundreds of pounds of pressure that a heel peice is. I would be all for supporting using a Piston Plate with a new X-Cell bindings.

 

[cantunamunch]

I believe that the previous owner had done that. The split rings are 'after market'.

I wonder if anyone has tried to rig a near-ski pulley to yank backwards on a Look heel. Hmmm..

 

[Rod9301]

1980 for sure, unless it's a marker

 

[Philpug]

1980 for sure, unless it's a marker

An M4-15, M30 or MRR are as solid and reliable as the best of anything from that era.

 

[Dakine]

The piston plate isn't under hundreds of pounds of pressure that a heel peice is. I would be all for supporting using a Piston Plate with a new X-Cell bindings.

OK, plan B.
Time to take a hard look at some Excel 16's and see if I can mill up some pieces to put them on that plate.....
Engineers with machine tools are dangerous.
That should keep me off the street for a while.

 

[DanoT]

I believe that the previous owner had done that. The split rings are 'after market'. These came off a pair of (badly delaminated base) Atomic Powder Guides. Apparently the Powder Guides are what the guide used while the clients were on Powder Plus Fat Boys.

In the early or maybe it was mid 80s, I got wind that Mike Weigele Heli Sking were selling off their fleet of powder skis. By the time I contacted them the Atomic Heli Guide skis were gone so I ended up with Atomic Powder Plus Fat Boys. This was pre shaped skis era, and they wide and heavy and I nicknamed them The Cafeteria Trays because that is what they skied like. I only owned them for a short time before re-selling. The Heli Guide skis OTOH were reputed to ski like 2x4s.

 

[Doug Briggs]

In the early or maybe it was mid 80s, I got wind that Mike Weigele Heli Sking were selling off their fleet of powder skis. By the time I contacted them the Atomic Heli Guide skis were gone so I ended up with Atomic Powder Plus Fat Boys. This was pre shaped skis era, and they wide and heavy and I nicknamed them The Cafeteria Trays because that is what they skied like. I only owned them for a short time before re-selling. The Heli Guide skis OTOH were reputed to ski like 2x4s.

I only skied the Guides once for a few runs knowing how badly delaminated they were. The defect overwhelmed any ski feel. I have a few pair of powder pluses. The 165 was my first real powder ski. I used them a lot in the trees at Breck. A Chubb was my first ever powder ski. I liked the 165s but did get 180s for more open field skiing.

 

[cantunamunch]

Engineers with machine tools are dangerous.
That should keep me off the street for a while.

Double plus like.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Tyrolia 360D’s are my oldest and I would still use them without question, followed by 380RD’s and then Marker M48R’s.

 

[Bill Talbot]

How'd I miss this thread?!

My direct answer would be LOOK Nevada/Grand Prix from the early 60's once they were cleaned, inspected, lubricated, set and torque tested. No problem what so ever!

As we get newer, I love the LOOK 77R's, then the 99RS. Others would be a Marker M4/Rotamat FD and some decendents, Marker MR (MRR DIN too high), Salomon 727E, 737E 747E with of course the 957E basically full modern.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

any binding that is compatable with the sole of my boot.
I worry way more about a binding releasing too easy than not releasing at all
However when I have occasionally taken out my old vr17s, Olins IV and tried a few others friend's old skis I ski them like driving a vintage sports car.
All have original bindings
I never thought some of the old bindings were that great when they where new, being frozen in place may have improved a few.

 

[Jim McDonald]

I loved that generation of Tyrolia bindings with the separate locking lever.
You could flip them up with the pole tips as you coasted to the gondola entrance, then just step right out of them...admiring glances from any nearby ladies!

 

[John Webb]

How'd I miss this thread?!

My direct answer would be LOOK Nevada/Grand Prix from the early 60's once they were cleaned, inspected, lubricated, set and torque tested. No problem what so ever!

As we get newer, I love the LOOK 77R's, then the 99RS. Others would be a Marker M4/Rotamat FD and some decendents, Marker MR (MRR DIN too high), Salomon 727E, 737E 747E with of course the 957E basically full modern.

Absolutely would use the old Look Nevada's I have from the early 70's. Have a pile of them. All metal parts. Simple toe design with a lot of anti-shock range. OTOH only one set is on a ski I might use !

 

[Philpug]

The limitation of the 70's bindings are the brakes...they were either not available or not wide enough.

 

[Dakine]

Most of the springs in the heels of older bindings are cracked due to stress and exposure to salt.
(Cartop ski carriers)
Don't be surprised when the spring suddenly collapses and you get spit out.
I have several sets of old Looks in my attic and they all have cracked springs in the heels.

 

[Philpug]

Most of the springs in the heels of older bindings are cracked due to stress and exposure to salt.
(Cartop ski carriers)
Don't be surprised when the spring suddenly collapses and you get spit out.
I have several sets of old Looks in my attic and they all have cracked springs in the heels.

I will disagree with that, it is the delran housing that were insuffucient to handle the pressure of the springs. I pulled brand new, ever used bindings out of boxes that has compromised heels. Salomon has an issue with early plastic heel cups that the heel treddles were cracked, this went back into the 90's. while it was a poor design (and many were covered under warranty) it was the inferior plastics.

 

[Dakine]

Want me to post a pic of a bunch of cracked and broken Look springs?
High carbon steel like binding springs are made from is very susceptible to stress corrosion cracking.
I'm not talking about plastic bindings, I'm talking about the all metal Looks from the '70's and '80's that are still good except for the springs.
Course, you are a young'n who may not remember all metal ski bindings.