Buying used stuff!

[X-Linked]

Originally Posted by snoseek

Whenever I need something I check goodwill before I go out and buy it. Some amazing stuff in there, along with a lot of crap. Most of my kitchen stuff (excluding knives, they need to be quality) came from goodwill. I can afford to buy new, but then I wouldn't be taking winters off.

Yeah, the goodwill place was awesome. I might buy up a few of the skis just to rip the bindings off. If I can find better Bindings than my tyrolias to put on, I just might. I should have nabbed the poles as well.

[billski]

Originally Posted by X-Linked

Thanks, I wasn't sure If i was going to sill have some adjusting to do. Like I said, I wanted to use them as backups, but I may switch. Really I bought them for my new Elans which are my backup ski's just to have a full set. I figure at very least they can serve as a free rental for a friend if need be. They seem to match Sole Points perfectly. The heel lip and top lips are pretty much exact with the current boots I am using.

Definitely do the adjustment. A friend of mine bought new boots and didn't adjust, they "seemed to fit" . Fifth day out he hit a bump hard (like he often does) and came flying out of both bindings.

[NJSkiBabe]

I WOULD NOT buy old equipment no matter how cheap it is.

Be very careful buying old skis and old bindings. Most ski shops WILL NOT work on old bindings because they are off the indemnified list (insurance purposes). Each year when NEW bindings come out - older bindings fall off the list of the ones the ski shops are legally allowed to work on. Any bindings over about 6 years old is taking a chance. If you do buy old bindings YOU can take the choice to adjust them yourself if you want to. Remember it is your life.

Same with the old straight skis - that's why they are in the Salvation Army. No one wants them anymore.
If you buy them - use them for decoration and hang them on the wall. You're working harder to ski than you need to.

Buying old ski boots is also taking a big chance.

[NJSkiBabe]

Almost all of the new skis are packaged with particular bindings for that ski. Unfortunately there is no more switching bindings on skis.

[Hawkshot99]

Originally Posted by wa-loaf

Look up your bindings online, see if you can find a service manual to check your forward pressure. Markers have a screw that needs to be flush to the back, most others have a tab (on the track) with hash marks and an arrow (on the binding) that should fit in the middle. My info may be dated.

Your info is somewhat dated. Older markers, were supposed to be flush. Then their were several notches on the forward pressure indicator(what notch depends on your DIN). Now their is 1 notch that must be flush with the housing.

You are correct on the remainder of forward pressure indicators.

[Hawkshot99]

Originally Posted by X-Linked

I will just see if they can make both sets of bindings interchangeable with either pair of boots. That's what I would really like. The option to use either boot with either ski.

Is this possible to have work? Yes, but if you came in my shop it would not work out.

Each boot is different. They have different wear patterns on the bottom, and possible different Boot Sole Lengths. Both of these effect the release.

[X-Linked]

I appreciate all of the advice and info guys, but I think a lot of you are just a bit too commercialized. Straight skis worked for over 100 years without clip in bindings at all. Somehow I don't think they all of a sudden won't work. They might have not have the same feel as a shaped ski, which I would hope they don't because that would defeat the purpose of owning shaped skis. The tyrolia bindings I am putting on my new elans are coming off a very similar set of elans. It's a flat deck and not raised rails. That is the real issue as to why bindings won't work on a lot of new skis. Worst comes to worst, I buy new bindings. I personally did not like the bindings that were going to come with the ski and said I would rather put on ones I have at home. The owner of the shop said, thats fine and that I could bring them in to be done.
As far as the ski boots go, they are newer and in better shape than the boots I have been using for about 10 years now. Somehow, I think they will also be alright. I will heed the advice of the senior members of this forum and have them checked specifically with my current bindings and then have the new skis matched to them. The boot sole length is only off by about 4-5 MM and I am pretty sure there is an adjustable point on the bindings that willl cover the difference.
Thanks for everyones concern though.