Sep 23 2019

Review: G3 Escapist climbing skins

G3’s new Escapist climbing skins may be the climbing skins of choice from the 2020 season onward. There’s nothing revolutionary about these skins, just a solid mix of good components from the grip and glide of the plush, to the stickiness of the glue, but my fave ingredients are the tip and tail kits.

Tip Fix Kit

G3’s Escapist Tip Kit. Easy to install. Solid connection that won’t pop off when you want it to stay on, and pops of easily when you rip the hide.

For the most part, tip and tail kits, those wire/metal/plastic hooks that secure your climbing skins at both ends are functional and they work. Though all of ‘em do work, most are mediocre. Twenty years ago G3’s were in that class. Good, but not inspiring. Today’s next gen Escapist tip kit conjures up a different M word. Mmmmm, I’m thinking — magnificent. Seriously!

Keep making backcountry turns

Aug 17 2019

Telemark Binding Mounting Patterns

Thinking of changing your tele rig, but not your skis? Will the old binding holes be in conflict with the new one? Find out here so you know whether you have to get creative with the mount position, or buy new skis.

What follows below is an attempt to provide comparisons of all the relevant mounting patterns for telemark bindings. If one is missing, just comment below and I’ll address it.

All the tele holes. Don’t forget – measure twice, drill once.

It is most likely that you’re migrating from a 75mm binding to NTN, or one of the new hybrid 2-pin tele norms. Go to the page of the brand you’re migrating to. Each manufacturer has their own page of mounting template comparisons in a table with links to downloadable PDF files of each model alone and compared to other brands/models to help anticipate if there might be a conflict when replacing one with the other.
Keep making backcountry turns

Pages:

Feb 13 2019

22D issues Tech Bulletin on Lynx v1

Updated 24feb19

The beta Lynx was hardly flawless, but there were no show stoppers. As more people get a chance to ski the Lynx in 2019, things the beta team never found are being uncovered. In early February 2019 22 Designs issued a technical bulletin to deal with some of these. Most are notes on the proper care and feeding of the new cat in town. One is a warning worth heeding. A new flaw in the claw surfaced after this was first published (icing issues).

Lynx: the new 2PTN binding from 22 Designs.

Lynx: the new 2PTN binding from 22 Designs.

We have found several issues with the Lynx that can lead to breakage or release, but can be dealt with easily.

Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 12 2019

Meidjo mounting tips

If you’re mounting a Meidjo binding yourself, be aware this requires you to drill 13 holes in each ski, and that’s only if you don’t make any mistakes. Sobriety is advised. So is the Carpenter’s Rule.

Looking at what makes the Meidjo tick - for better and for worse - the magic red stub, cocked for tele turns.

Looking at what makes the Meidjo tick – for better and for worse – the magic red stub, cocked for tele turns.


Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 07 2019

Review: 22D’s Lynx 2-pin tele binding

Lynx — the long awaited 2-pin tele binding from 22 Designs has arrived. And how!

Cat scratch fever coming to a tele crew near you.

22D’s Lynx has arrived. Cat scratch fever reigns.

Whether you earn your tele turns or not, Lynx has a lot to like. The inherent functionality remains the same as the beta binding — 2-pin toes deliver better edging and unsurpassed touring. An NTN mid-sole connection makes smooth tele turns with instant engagement. Hard to not like that, even if you’re a duckbilled tele zealot. Nearly all the short comings of the beta version are addressed and cleaned up in the production version.

  • New Compression Springs
  • Case-hardened steel pins
  • Stronger 7075 aluminum jaws
  • Stronger, flexible toe bumper
  • Deeper notches in claw mode-switch cam
  • Simpler spring pre-load adjustment

Keep making backcountry turns

Jan 27 2019

Review: DPS Phantom — Base Treatment

The dope on wax is Phantom, v 2.0. Kit includes gloves, pad, cork, 'n brush.

The dope on wax is Phantom, v 2.0. Kit includes gloves, pad, cork, ‘n brush.

The promise of Phantom from DPS sounds too much like a fairy tale to be believed — you never have to wax your skis again and your stick(s) will slide forever like they have been. As with many stereotypes, there is some truth in the pitch, but there are exceptions to the rule. When you read the full description DPS makes clear that Phantom won’t glide as well as the right wax done right, but as Thomas Laakso, VP of marketing at DPS says, “it gives a baseline level of glide that is better than a dry base.”

…Laakso’s claim is understated.

My experience would add some qualifications. For the temperatures you prefer to ski in, Phantom is far better than a dry base, potentially as slick as an unbuffed wax job when the temps are in the teens or twenties. In super cold (near or below 0 F) or sticky wet spring conditions it improves glide, but not dramatically. As with wax, a lot depends on how you attend to the details, especially for the finish. If you’re an avid waxer, you have the tools and know how. If you don’t, pay a pro to do it right.
Keep making backcountry turns

Jan 14 2019

Review: The Badass MF from Bishop Bindings

Meet the Fockers: The Badass MF Family.

Meet the Fockers: The Badass MF Family.

When the Bishop was introduced over a decade ago the telemark world got to experience a true heavy-metal telemark binding. At the time it was certainly the heaviest telemark binding around. Fast forward to the present and Dave Bombard and crew have unleashed the overdue descendent of the Bishop, the BMF-R, which stands for Badass Mo’ Fo’ – Randonnée, and in the heavy metal genre, the most decadent, or if your superlatives are a shade goth, the most degenerate version and by any objective measure, the most active telemark binding evah! – making its moniker oh so appropo. It’s still the heaviest too.
Keep making backcountry turns