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Binding Question.....AT use

peterk123

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One of my girls grew like a weed over the summer and it is time for a ski change. She is 15 years old, about 5'3" and weighs 105lbs or so. She is an excellent skier and skis approximately 50+ days per year at Sunday River. I just put her into a new pair of Fischer's RC vacuum boots, which should be a game changer since she almost has a size and half difference between her two feet.

I was thinking that as we begin to swap out skis for all of us over the next few years, it may be worth going with a solid AT setup that is also well suited for the trails, since 90% of our time is spent on them. The AT setup would be nice for the days when we are bouncing around in the woods and end up in an area that will require a climb out, or those epic days when there is three feet of snow; but everything is on wind hold.

She will probably end up with a ski in the 155 to 160 range. Would the Baron be overkill ,and is the weight difference significant compared to a regular adult alpine binding?

Thanks
Pete
 

fbrissette

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Touring bindings are significantly heavier than standard binding. Even the 'light' touring binding are heavier than standard bindings (besides the dynafit system).

I think the Baron would be overkill for a 105lbs skier. These bindings are a full two pounds heavier than standard bindings, and that's a lot for a 105 pounds skier. I would suggest Marker Tour F10 which is the lighter version of the Baron and it is much closer in weight to normal bindings. For occasional use, alpine trekkers (inserts) are good. Not as convenient as true alpine bindings, but OK. You can also look for used naxo alpine touring bindings (also branded as 'dynastar early tram'). They are quite light in the small size.

Salomon and Atomic are getting in the market this year also, but only for heavier skiers (Din 6 or 7+ I think).
 

Nick

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I've been batting this this year as well. I really want to get into some AT skiing ... although TBH this year with the newborn baby I probably will be entirely lift-served again with some potential sidecountry.

Next year I might pick up some new skis with AT bindings and give those a whirl.
 

riverc0il

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I would ask yourself how much touring you expect to do. How often do you ski "in the woods and end up in an area that will require a climb out"? It seems like you did something wrong if that was the case or you went into a touring area (a la backside of Bolton). How often do you have an "epic three foot day" and the lifts are down? Can you just hike for that once a season phenomenon? Not trying to dissuade you from going the touring route. I highly encourage it! There just seems to be this big marketing push that everyone should have an AT capable binding and I notice a lot of folks buying them and not using them. They do incur a weight penalty (that is binders that double as alpine and touring a la the Markers). I am not convinced that there isn't at least a minor performance decrease for any binding with the heel linked to a locking mech instead of bolted right into the ski.

In any case, fbrissette's suggestion of the F10 is good one. Baron would be fine as well if she is really aggressive and needs more beef.
 

Puck it

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Head has the Adrenaline AT binding now also, but heavier than the Tour line by Marker though.
 

farlep99

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It sounds like you're looking for more of a 'sidecountry' AT binding. At 5+ lbs per pair I consider Barons/Dukes 'sidecountry' bindings, in that, you can certainly move uphill with them just fine, but I wouldn't want to tour a full day (or even a half day for that matter) on them. Eventually that weight will tire anyone out, especially someone who is only 105lbs.

But for just short hikes & quick uphill capability, I think the Barons would work fine, as would the others mentioned above. The plus side to Barons is that there's no downhill tradeoff. Can't really speak for other AT bindings. Actually I can only speak for the Dukes, haven't skied Barons, but they're similar. I don't think Barons would be overkill at all. They have a 4-12 DIN setting (I think 12??), so no worries there.
 

snowmonster

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I have both the Barons and the Dukes. It seems that you will be buying new skis about two years down the road. At that time, your daughter will be 17 and perhaps a little taller and heavier. If you'll be going sidecountry, the Baron should be fine. They ski like regular alpine bindings on piste and are off-trail capable. They are heavy but your daughter will be able to drive them and grow into them as she moves on to college and beyond. I've done half and full day tours on them.
 

fbrissette

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It sounds like you're looking for more of a 'sidecountry' AT binding. At 5+ lbs per pair I consider Barons/Dukes 'sidecountry' bindings, in that, you can certainly move uphill with them just fine, but I wouldn't want to tour a full day (or even a half day for that matter) on them. Eventually that weight will tire anyone out, especially someone who is only 105lbs.

The main problem with the Barons for a 105 pounds girls is not with the weight going uphill, it's the added weight for everyday skiing. You have more than one additional pound in each foot. If you are 180 pounds, with long skis and big boots, the one pound per foot is not that big of a difference. Not so much for a small girl. The idea of sidecountry bindings is to keep the on-piste performance, at the cost of uphill performance, which is not a big deal for occasional use.

The use of very heavy bindings for a 105 pounds girl would end up sacrificing both uphill and downhill performance.

The Tour F10 has the same construction as the Baron. It uses lighter material (plastic). You get the same functionality, but less durability. But she is only 105 pounds. Not too hard on the equipment. With her weight, you either use lighter AT bindings or you go with regular bindings and alpine trekkers.
 

Hawkshot99

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The main problem with the Barons for a 105 pounds girls is not with the weight going uphill, it's the added weight for everyday skiing. You have more than one additional pound in each foot. If you are 180 pounds, with long skis and big boots, the one pound per foot is not that big of a difference. Not so much for a small girl. The idea of sidecountry bindings is to keep the on-piste performance, at the cost of uphill performance, which is not a big deal for occasional use.

The use of very heavy bindings for a 105 pounds girl would end up sacrificing both uphill and downhill performance.

The Tour F10 has the same construction as the Baron. It uses lighter material (plastic). You get the same functionality, but less durability. But she is only 105 pounds. Not too hard on the equipment. With her weight, you either use lighter AT bindings or you go with regular bindings and alpine trekkers.

I agree with everything you said but the last paragraph.

Baron:
http://www.markerusa.com/binding/baron/


F10:
http://www.markerusa.com/binding/tour-f10/

The Baron is based of of the Griffon Freeride binding, while the F10 is based of of the Squire freeride binding. The Baron is just built much heavier duty, but weighs more. For someone of her size I would definitely choose the F10 over the Barron. I would love to have the F12 on my powder ski instead of my Dukes, but I way much more than 2 of your daughters....
 

bigbog

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Seems like the F10 would be nice. What reviews I've read seem ok..but no experience in them though.
*Maybe about time!.(F12)....lol.

$.01
 
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peterk123

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Thanks for the responses. I was eyeballing the F10s. Marker markets it as a touring binding, which is why I had reservations. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what the real difference was, other than more plastic. It is interesting to have someone compare them to the Squires, which is what I would put her on if I were to go with a regular binding. My wife uses the Squire. It is wicked light (compared to my Griffon) and has held up fine.
 
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