Hucking on Dukes

**couloirman** · 12-16-2007, 07:25 PM

20 and 25-30 footers today felt SOLID. Im 175-180 lbs, landings were crusty pow so not the softest and they felt as solid as a 916, they even make a similar satisfying noise when clicking in as a 916. Im very happy with them so far but this was my first day on them so we shall see how they hold up over a season of abuse.

**Schmear** · 12-16-2007, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

$.0002

Two hundredths of a cent?

**Core Shot** · 12-16-2007, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by trainnvain

I can see the dukes just skiing hard everyday (they rail Gotamas like GS skis, whoa!), but if money is on the line I really want 9 screws in each ski.

Dukes have 9 screws in each ski, so you should be fine if that's the requirement.

**couloirman** · 12-17-2007, 04:08 PM

So, after one day on the dukes skiing maybe 4 runs of soft snow on loveland pass and after a few under 20-30 ft hucks there seems to be a little play in the binding, one worse than the other. If I hold the ski still and try to push the toe piece forward, the whole binder moves forward a little bit. I didn't try this before I skied them so the play could have been there the whole time and I not noticed it but I will be keeping an eye on it. Its still way less than the play in naxos or freerides, and nothing I noticed while skiing, but just something I thought I'd share. Now someone go fondle their own pair and let me know if its the same...

**Sirshredalot** · 12-17-2007, 04:32 PM

I was skiing inbounds and hitting some kickers and little drops on my Dukes. I noticed that I developed some lateral play resulting from the heel plate being a bit loose. So I went and tightened the screws on the heel plate down some more and everything seems better now.

**=FLO=** · 12-17-2007, 05:06 PM

My Duke broke on the second run, the plastic housing for the lock lever snapped in half, leaving me stuck in touring mode. This was after an 8 foot 180 to pow on the side of a groomer. It is complete bullshit that all that holds the lever down is ONE screw that can easily be stripped out. If a ski flexes against the camber, it pulls the plate away from the ski, which pulls up on the one middle screw. If that screw pulls out there is nothing keeping you from freeheel mode, or in my case, snapping it in half. I guess we are all suckers - paying Marker to do their R&D. I would never trust this binding in the backcountry, let alone hucking anything.