Hot Take; Binding inserts created a monster...

Never in the history of skiing has it been so easy to have so many skis.

This summer, as I sat contemplating what i would do with all my time and what little money I have this winter, the realization dawned on me; If I stopped using inserts, I could not feasibly have as many sets of skis, and I might actually just go skiing.

For years, it has been possible to swap bindings, mount skis with inserts, decide I didn't like them, or find something better and repeat the process. "Well, maybe I'll ski them again someday" I say as if I'll like the tossed aside skis more down the road.

So this year, I'm changing up the playbook. I mounted a pair of sparkly on3p's that share a similar shape to a ski I used to love. AND, it's the first pair of skis i used regular screws to mount the bindings in years. Those bindings are staying on, and I'm going to learn to love those skis (it won't be hard...).

I'm pairing down, you'll see some skis on the gear swap soon. I just wanted to share this hot take, and potentially save another from wanton cycles of buy and sell, and remind everyone to spend money and time on more experiences and less on gear. Not that anyone asked, and maybe it's actually just me with a problem, but I doubt it...

How many skis do we really need? By the end of the season, I'll have 5 ish, down from a lot more... :smile:

Pray for Snow,
L

An unpopular take but you're not wrong.

My problem is, people give me stuff. Not new stuff but skis they tried and didn't like and they're too lazy to sell them. I do sell the ones that are actually worth something but most of them end up in my utility room.

Like you, I stopped using inserts. Of the 8 pairs of skis I have (might be more...) they're all mounted with screws into the skis' cores.

For the EC, we need 3 pairs. Skinny scalpels, high 80s/low 90s all mountain, and maybe a 102-110 ski for those late season 2+ footers we've been getting the past few years.

I tell myself this, yet I still have 8 (or more) pairs of skis.

Off the top of my head (waist widths):
74
81
84
88
99
105
105
114

Same. Stopped bothering with inserts. I mount the ski, and if I like it, I keep it. If I don't, I get rid of it (unless it's something uniquely cool that I want to keep around). And it's easier to sell stuff without inserts.

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Originally Posted by toast2266

Same. Stopped bothering with inserts. I mount the ski, and if I like it, I keep it. If I don't, I get rid of it (unless it's something uniquely cool that I want to keep around). And it's easier to sell stuff without inserts.

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I'm in the same place, except I tend to keep mid-tier cool skis and mount them with demo bindings for friends to use when they visit. Great way to have a line up of rock/skinny/pow skis that people don't need to worry about beating up.

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Originally Posted by teleluke

How many skis do we really need?
L

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N+1.

Duh.

edit: ^^ this, one day you wake up and you own a lot of skis

I have 7 skis that will tour, I think 5 with alpine bindings and I've never used inserts

they are either used and came with bindings or I got bindings cheap

Never done inserts and guilty of having to many pairs. All my resort skis are drilled for pivots and get moved around depending on whims. I'm sure I'm doing it wrong. Whatever! I only use plain ole Elmer's glue, no epoxy or Guerilla glue and don't over torque binding screws.

Hot Take:

The only reason to use inserts is to be able to pack more skis in a bag when traveling. Otherwise, they are a waste of time and money.

It’s funny I’m in the exact opposite boat. I’m now up to 9 pairs and all mounting directly into the cores. I’m eyeing three more skis atm and was considering using inserts so I would also have to get 3 more sets of bindings. It’s one thing if I can snag a really good set of bindings for super cheap but not always the case. I ski sth2 16’s strive 16’s and pivot 15/18. They add up quick.

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Originally Posted by californiagrown

Hot Take:

The only reason to use inserts is to be able to pack more skis in a bag when traveling. Otherwise, they are a waste of time and money.

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Yep

Or. Having options. Like pin and alpine or tele.

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Originally Posted by Fred Pabst

Never done inserts and guilty of having to many pairs. All my resort skis are drilled for pivots and get moved around depending on whims. I'm sure I'm doing it wrong. Whatever! I only use plain ole Elmer's glue, no epoxy or Guerilla glue and don't over torque binding screws.

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Wait what you unscrew the pivots and move them between skis all the time? Just crumple some double sided tape in the holes... this is awesome

Well, he shoulda armed himself if he was gonna be talkin bout having fewer skis.


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Yep, I tried out inserts for a few years and moved on. Mainly because I rarely found myself swapping bindings from ski to ski.


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I had a pair of garmont boots with swapable AT soles and i only did it maybe once a season which i timed with a BC trip

so wanking about with boot or binding swaps was not a thing I could see wanting to do

so i didnt even bother trying binding swaps

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Originally Posted by californiagrown

Hot Take:

The only reason to use inserts is to be able to pack more skis in a bag when traveling. Otherwise, they are a waste of time and money.

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Yeah, makes it so I can fly with three pairs of skis and only one set of bindings. I like that.

I, for one, swap bindings fairly often. I can do it with a drill in under 15 minutes. Stop buying them so the price drops.

edit-- because this is the only useful sentence I typed--

Inserts are the condoms at the cruise ship party.

I own a stupid amount of skis. Most collected here on gs over 20+ years (sold some too). I usually acquire lightly used on the cheap. Practical? No. Inserts to blame? No. Senselessly sentimental about most of the collection despite most sitting dormant.

I do insert skis that I want to both alpine and tele but that is rare. I tend to gravitate to different styles of ski for each discipline.

Just a nod to one other value aside from the travel points above. I do have a 120 ski and a 105 ski inserted for travel purposes. Gaijin will be happy to hear that I make my decision the night before.

*never-mind, I now see Core Shot beat me to this point awhile ago….

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Originally Posted by jj111

Wait what you unscrew the pivots and move them between skis all the time? Just crumple some double sided tape in the holes... this is awesome

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Yeah no! Guess that does sound dumb. Just the older semi-retired skis will get a pivot put back on for a few sessions.

sure I got a doz pair of skis but of those I will really only use 4 or 5, the rest are old/ no longer relevant not worth trying to ski swap cuz i would just be picking them up when they didn't sell

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Originally Posted by XXX-er

... one day you wake up and you own a lot of skis

...

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Same as it ever was ...
Same as it ever was ...

Inserts are addictive. I’ve also dialed back the quiver to 4 “skis”… as in kinds, but have 3 hoarded for 1 kind, and 2 of another.
But I still do the insert thing for travel and to have resort and AT options. I do swap binders and can do it pretty quick.
But I’ve weaned myself off cheap Craigslist skis that I put $40 of inserts into.

well there is also that ^^ inserts are not free and add 25% to that 40 $ up here

I have to travel to ski and use a sportube so I can only bring two pairs. If I do inserts that can bump me up to three. Three’s always better than 2. And it’s not just about different skis for the conditions. I typically like to take two styles with me. So a wildcat with the ghost trains. Or the meridians with the blades. So being able to do those combos and add say a deathwish would just make for more ski types I can rock on a trip.

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