Stowe Thread

[drjeff]

Do you guys buy bindings for your new skis or do you swap the bindings from ski to ski?

I buy them with bindings, and often pre used/mounted demo skis

 

[Smellytele]

I buy them with bindings, and often pre used/mounted demo skis

Demo bindings seem to be very heavy.

 

[Kingslug20]

Swap them off the used up ones. I use marker f12 tours...pretty light.

 

[cdskier]

Considering that by the time I usually buy new skis the old ones have quite a few years on them...I definitely get new bindings. No point in putting on bindings that are getting anywhere close to their end of life.

 

[Hawk]

New bindings pretty much all the time. I have a rubbermade container with about 6 sets of bindings in faily good condition. I cant make myself reuse them though. not sure why. I think there is something in the back of my head that says it might be a bad chose and result in injury. I have however fixed broken brakes with the spare parts or helped out friends with a set.

 

[Hawk]

Demo bindings seem to be very heavy.

Ya I hate demo bindings. They are heavey with that adjustable mounting plate. In the past I have swaped them out on the couple of used demo skis I bought. It been a while.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Do you guys buy bindings for your new skis or do you swap the bindings from ski to ski?

When there’s a dead ski and the binding isn’t super old, I swap. For these I have a pair of look pivot 14s on a dead pair of black crows

It’s rare for an east coast ski to last me more than 2-3 seasons. I bash the shit out of them early and late season.

Never ever ever buy used skis and if I did I wouldn’t use demo bindings.

 

[deadheadskier]

Do you guys buy bindings for your new skis or do you swap the bindings from ski to ski?

Swap if I'm buying flat skis and I have a binding with the appropriate brake width. I'll replace with new if the shop mounting them alerts me of any potential safety concerns due to wear.

I still have most of my old skis collecting dust in storage and will eventually turn them into porch furniture

 

[cdskier]

Never ever ever buy used skis and if I did I wouldn’t use demo bindings.

I disagree with the "never buy used skis" comment. Buying a pair of demo skis from a reputable shop isn't an issue. If they're a good shop, they'll also be honest about how much actual usage they've seen. The last pair I bought was only demo'd a handful of times. The bindings on the demo pair was also the same binding the ski came with retail...so that wasn't an issue either.

 

[Hawk]

If there is a good deal on a ski that I like and the ski looks to be in good shape I have bought a used demo ski. I have done that a few times. Usually as a rock ski. I go to Alpine options and Joe or Anya will ususaly tell me approximately how many days the ski had. Then I make the decision.

 

[cdskier]

If there is a good deal on a ski that I like and the ski looks to be in good shape I have bought a used demo ski. I have done that a few times. Usually as a rock ski. I go to Alpine options and Joe or Anya will ususaly tell me approximately how many days the ski had. Then I make the decision.

Yea...exactly where I bought from and Joe was exactly who told me the ski was barely demo'd. The base looked like it had never even been skied at all with how perfect it was.

 

[drjeff]

I disagree with the "never buy used skis" comment. Buying a pair of demo skis from a reputable shop isn't an issue. If they're a good shop, they'll also be honest about how much actual usage they've seen. The last pair I bought was only demo'd a handful of times. The bindings on the demo pair was also the same binding the ski came with retail...so that wasn't an issue either.

Yup. The one's I have bought I was able to either personally inspect them, or if they've been online the shop, I have found to be an accurate desciption of the condtion of the skis (both bases and topsheets - not that I care at all about some scuffs/knicks in the topsheets) as well as multiple pictures of the topsheets and bases of each ski in the pair. I haven't yet found that I pair I have bought, and I am closing in on probably 10 pairs now across my family, haven't been accurately reported with their condition. For typically 40-70+% off a pair of skis, I am totally fine with some topsheet scuffs and some minor, non core shot, base scratches

Personally to me the weight of a demo bnding isn't that much of a factor to me, as in many instances there isn't that much of a difference in a non demo binding system and a demo binding system with the types of skis I am typically buying.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Yup. The one's I have bought I was able to either personally inspect them, or if they've been online the shop, I have found to be an accurate desciption of the condtion of the skis (both bases and topsheets - not that I care at all about some scuffs/knicks in the topsheets) as well as multiple pictures of the topsheets and bases of each ski in the pair. I haven't yet found that I pair I have bought, and I am closing in on probably 10 pairs now across my family, haven't been accurately reported with their condition. For typically 40-70+% off a pair of skis, I am totally fine with some topsheet scuffs and some minor, non core shot, base scratches

Personally to me the weight of a demo bnding isn't that much of a factor to me, as in many instances there isn't that much of a difference in a non demo binding system and a demo binding system with the types of skis I am typically buying.

That’s the main difference for me. Nothing I ski uses a system binding. And I ski pivots, which are probably the lightest alpine binding. Demo bindings just feel so clunky to me compared to my standard/ideal

 

[drjeff]

That’s the main difference for me. Nothing I ski uses a system binding. And I ski pivots, which are probably the lightest alpine binding. Demo bindings just feel so clunky to me compared to my standard/ideal

I fully get that. It's all relative to me though, especially if I pick up a pair of my daughters GS race skis. Those by far and away weigh more any ANY pair of skis in my entire families quiver!

 

[thebigo]

I fully get that. It's all relative to me though, especially if I pick up a pair of my daughters GS race skis. Those by far and away weigh more any ANY pair of skis in my entire families quiver!

Daughters 138 SL skis are the heaviest I recollect ever picking up.

Count me in the camp of demo bindings, I destroy skis far too fast to worry about binding weight. Not just skis, was looking through my bag last week: pockets torn off coat, plastic hanging off helmet, duct tape repaired holes in pants, snapped strap and bent buckle on boots, two cracked goggle lenses, broken pole baskets. My gloves however are in good shape.

 

[Kingslug20]

The thing with ski and binding weight..and boot weight is the effect on your poor knees.
I went with light weight everything for this reason. I discovered all this when I had to buy AT boots and bindings for my climb up alta.
It's like losing weight...your knees really feel it.
I know so many people who..at around 60 have had or are due for knee replacement.
Skiing is not friendly to legs..not sure if we are really designed for it.
Mine are good so far. Working out for 45 years I'm sure has helped...but anything to reduce strain on them is a good thing.

 

[drjeff]

Daughters 138 SL skis are the heaviest I recollect ever picking up.

Count me in the camp of demo bindings, I destroy skis far too fast to worry about binding weight. Not just skis, was looking through my bag last week: pockets torn off coat, plastic hanging off helmet, duct tape repaired holes in pants, snapped strap and bent buckle on boots, two cracked goggle lenses, broken pole baskets. My gloves however are in good shape.

Yup!

My daughter's pairs of 154 SL skis are the 2nd heaviest in the family quiver next to her 181 GS skis!

Just wait until your girls BigO grow a little in a few years and you area adding 15-20cm of what feels like pure lead to their race skis!

 

[raisingarizona]

That’s the main difference for me. Nothing I ski uses a system binding. And I ski pivots, which are probably the lightest alpine binding. Demo bindings just feel so clunky to me compared to my standard/ideal

If I'm free skiing in natural snow terrain, moguls steeps etc. weight is a massive factor in my stamina and ability to go hard for longer periods of time.

 

[drjeff]

If I'm free skiing in natural snow terrain, moguls steeps etc. weight is a massive factor in my stamina and ability to go hard for longer periods of time.

The reality for me, is that most of my hours on snow, are on firmer, non bumped terrain, which has me skiing on stiffer, narrower, heavier skis that just eat up the firmer snow, so the added weight associated with those really doesn't bother me. It also has the added benfit in my head atleast as when I am on some softer snow conditions and I am skiing on a pair of my wider, softer, lighter skis, they really do feel light, and I am willing to sacrifice some of that added grip that a race based construction ski and it's bulk has in those specific conditions. That's just my own preference given the reality of what I am skiing conditions wise more days than not.

I will say that when I switched from my old go to Lange Race boots to a pair of heat molded Atomic Hawx 6ish seasons ago (on my 2nd pair of those now and likely going to re-up them for the latest model this Fall as it's time for a new pair) that I do appreciate the fact that they are significantly lighter, even if they do give up a little on the hard snow performance where I want a really laterally stiff boot that a bunch of plastic provides.

There are definitely compromises that we make at times with our gear choices as the conditions we ski in certainly can/do vary day to day

 

[raisingarizona]

The reality for me, is that most of my hours on snow, are on firmer, non bumped terrain, which has me skiing on stiffer, narrower, heavier skis that just eat up the firmer snow, so the added weight associated with those really doesn't bother me. It also has the added benfit in my head atleast as when I am on some softer snow conditions and I am skiing on a pair of my wider, softer, lighter skis, they really do feel light, and I am willing to sacrifice some of that added grip that a race based construction ski and it's bulk has in those specific conditions. That's just my own preference given the reality of what I am skiing conditions wise more days than not.

I will say that when I switched from my old go to Lange Race boots to a pair of heat molded Atomic Hawx 6ish seasons ago (on my 2nd pair of those now and likely going to re-up them for the latest model this Fall as it's time for a new pair) that I do appreciate the fact that they are significantly lighter, even if they do give up a little on the hard snow performance where I want a really laterally stiff boot that a bunch of plastic provides.

There are definitely compromises that we make at times with our gear choices as the conditions we ski in certainly can/do vary day to day

That's fair, I don't really think about weight when I'm skiing groomers.