While there weren’t any official announcements of new ski specific products at the recent Outdoor Retailer summer show, the rumor mill wasn’t exactly silent either. There wasn’t a peep about anything from the locked heel crowd, but I wasn’t seeking it out that much either. Once you lock the heel there’s little to discuss or distinguish performance differences except with regard to weight and that can be measured with a scale. Hardly worth a discussion except for the conversationally challenged.
On the tele side however there was talk of at least three new bindings for next season. One might argue that these are just version updates to existing products but the degree of change is dramatic enough that they practically qualify as new bindings. Who are they coming from?
One you can guess pretty easy, the other is only known by regular readers of this site (all three of you), and the third I’m sworn to silence about except to tease you. The details are still fuzzy as my sources won’t really say much other than general things like lighter weight, less icing, better touring, adjustable power. However, those generalizations should be clue enough to let you figure out who is coming to the table with new hardware to consider.
© 2011
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Dostie – you tease! So the Dostinator is coming out, maybe something from BD, and perhaps that Dynafiddler you show cased?
Basically your post says there’s three new things – good, better and something else, and maybe if you’re nice I’ll tell you.
Oh Craig….
Looking forward to the other two of us getting on your case too.
What we really need is new boots to compete with the sub-1000 gram boots the AT folk are getting.
Joe
Author
Indeed, the biggest thing we want in the tele world isn’t a better binding, but some feather weight boots. Not that we wouldn’t mind more improvements in the binding arena, but for things to get significantly better than they are right now (mid-2011) us pinners want more boot choices.
Alas, I think the main thing limiting development of boots for tele right now is a distinct lack of business in the tele world. By that I mean that even though there are plenty of active telemarkers still earning and burning turns, as a group we haven’t been ringing the registers of the retailers with any indication we’re ready to buy new gear. I know…it’s a catch 22 thing. Build ’em and we will come seems a gamble these days to manufacturers. They put their gambling stash in to NTN and there isn’t much gambling cash left until that investment pays off the debts it incurred. But I’m with ya on the boots.
PS: You hit 1 out of 3 on the guessing game. 😮
One binding is the TTS, the other is the Voile Switchback X2 (or whatever it’s called, the new one with a different pivot point location). The third? No idea.
I’m guessing telefiddly, switchback x2 and NTN bc model. But then again, the last time rottefella did some inventing it took 10 years.. 🙂
Author
Gettin’ warmer. That’d be 2 out of 3.
Man this is like silly season for telemark! 😀 The TTS is definately in, and it’s either voile or rottefella. Hmm.. What could be the third binding if it’s not BD? Maybe a new 7tm?? 🙂
hey….hoping BD has upgraded, lightened and improved (or replaced) the 01. Anything on that? My third pair is developing that notorious loosening and wobble at the pivot point after 132.5 days. Cheers
NTN cracking problem has needed fixing, so I think we’ll see a new update of that one. Or perhaps hope just springs eternal . . .
Got the Backcountry gear guide yesterday, nothing much in the tele binding section that hasn’t been revealed before (except it seems like the NTN’s only change is color; the Switchback changes have been out there already)- so are the other things you reference coming out mid-season Craig?
Author
Other changes than NTN changing the color of their binding? Most definitely, but mums the word ’til I spill the beans. Stick around, you’ll see.
Until I get more details, how ’bout a more comprehensive update on NTN than any print publication can afford to say. Like the minutia behind the color change of the baseplate frame. I’m sure you’ll be able to embellish that review with plenty of first hand experience and I look forward to your comments. 😉
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