Volkl Explosive mounting question

[cmsummit]

I just picked up a pair of older explosives(like 10 years old), and I noticed there is no center mounting mark on them. They do have a mark indicating "front of boot tip". Does that mean, no matter how big you or your boot is, the tip of your ski boot sole is supposed to be mounted on that line? Wierd, never seen that before.

[homerjay]

Not uncommon. My K2 Lawnchairs have a boot toe mark as well.

[Oslo T. Norway]

here are some numbers (in cm, to bootsole midmark; measured from the tail)
Volkl Explosiv 190-79
180-73.5
173-69
165-65.5
See how the appropriate number works on what you have, see how it jives with the toe mark.

[cmsummit]

here are some numbers (in cm, to bootsole midmark; measured from the tail)
Volkl Explosiv 190-79
180-73.5
173-69
165-65.5
See how the appropriate number works on what you have, see how it jives with the toe mark.

So, I measured up the 73.5cm from the tail(for a 180) and marked where the midsole is on a newer Explosiv and then put my boot in the bindings. Turns out that the midsole on the boot is about 3.2cm(1.25") further back than the midsole mark that I just made on the ski. The front of the boot, however, lines up perfectly with the toe mark. These skis are around 10 years old, but I can't believe that there would be that much difference between how the ski used to be mounted and how they are mounted today. Also, this ski has the squared-off, slightly turned up tail very similar to today's Explosiv, so I think measuring from the tail should be an accurate means of establishing the midsole mark. Just looking at these skis it looks like the bindings are mounted too far back. Guess I could just ski 'em at mach 2 in the back seat all the time.

[Hicks]

I am not sure about the mark but the deviation in the figures might result from length differences old versus new. The CMH Explosives I just picked up are 4-5 cm shorter than their labeled length 180. Maybe that's what why, take a rule and check the true length. Best is prolly if you got a demo binder adjusted most forward to start with the boot toe position and 'work' your way back from there. Just my 0.02.

[PlayHarder]

Just looking at these skis it looks like the bindings are mounted too far back.

My 180 cmh's are way back if I mount on the line, for packed snow I've been sliding the demo bindings forward ~2cm and they feel a little more normal.

[descender]

I had a conversation on the lift with some guy on old school blue explosivs while I was on the new red ones. He was went into a tirade about how Volkl “ruined” a great ski my messing with the mounting and length even though I thought the ski was unchanged. He might have been full of shit, but he was old and smoking a cigarette in intense wind so he might have been the master.

[13]

So wait, the mounting line for my Explosivs that I bought from mntlion is the TOE line?

That can't be right.

[milkman]

So wait, the mounting line for my Explosivs that I bought from mntlion is the TOE line?

That can't be right.

No. Only older Explosives are boot toe mount. The CMH's are boot center.

[PlayHarder]

So wait, the mounting line for my Explosivs that I bought from mntlion is the TOE line?

That can't be right.

Heh - I think if you mounted a cmh with the toe on that line, your heel would be hanging over the back of the ski.

[Oslo T. Norway]

CMH Explosivs are marked about 2.5cm back of "regular" Explosivs.
Supposedly this is to help the customers from tip dive. I went about
1.5cm in front of the CMH mark. (71cm vs. 73.5cm @ 180)

[syrneh]

I just finished mounting the boot mid sole mark for my 180 neon explosivs at 74.3cm from the tail which puts by boot tip at 2.5cm in front of the boot tip mark. That makes my boot (which is 323mm) mid sole mark five inches behind the boot tip mark. This site has been a great help for these skis that are at least seventeen years old!

I weigh just over one sixty when fully suited up so i figured mounting forward wouldnt lose me that much flotation but will give me an extra measure of performance on hard pack.

[Damian Sanders]

They are going to dive like a submarine. Do not recommend mounting forward on these, the rearward mount is their best feature.

[El Chupacabra]

They are going to dive like a submarine. Do not recommend mounting forward on these, the rearward mount is their best feature.

If you're going to drive the tips old-school-style, and/or want to ski the Explosiv in deep pow, I agree.

Otherwise, move forward anywhere from 1-3cm, and it becomes a lot more versatile ski in everything but deep pow. I don't use the Explosiv as a powder ski anymore; it's long since been surpassed in that field. But as a crud/hardpack/indestructible rock ski, it's still a great choice.

[Onward]

They are going to dive like a submarine. Do not recommend mounting forward on these, the rearward mount is their best feature.

Sanders might be making a funneh that I don't get, but my 190 neon sploders are mounted at +3 (of boot tip/schuhspitze mark) and that feels far back and real old school. Could easily have gone +5 or +6. These are my inbounds windbuff/crudbusters, I've got protests for pow.

[Damian Sanders]

Sanders might be making a funneh that I don't get, but my 190 neon sploders are mounted at +3 (of boot tip/schuhspitze mark) and that feels far back and real old school. Could easily have gone +5 or +6. These are my inbounds windbuff/crudbusters, I've got protests for pow.

Not making a joke, but it's true that they are very far back by modern standards. Keep in mind that when they were designed in 1993 (?), the reference expert men's pow ski was a 208cm GS. Thus the length in front of the boot is very long, tail is short, and yes they float when mounted like that. They became legendary from people skiing them on the recommended line, they are designed for the line, so I would say to mount them on the line.

[El Chupacabra]

my 190 neon sploders are mounted at +3 (of boot tip/schuhspitze mark) and that feels far back and real old school. Could easily have gone +5 or +6. .

190 neon Explosivs mounted such that your actual boot tip is approx. +3cm in front of the schuhspitze mark = approx. +1cm more forward than the later generation 190 Explosivs that used a boot center line marking.

In other words, the later Explosivs (big wizard, small wizard, and buddha) have approx. +2cm center line marking in comparison to the original neon ones. I don't know what the Explosiv 2 or 3 used; I never owned those versions.

[Damian Sanders]

Keep in mind that at some point they took 3cm off the overall length, I think at the wizard vintage. So the original neons, expo 2's and 3's are a bit longer, along with having the boot tip mount. Thus these skis really are different than the CMH/budda/wizards.

[SiSt]

I had my neon 190's mounted at about +6 from schuspitze. Felt really good, about the same as my legend pros on the line. On the line is way, way back, very old school and IMO a mispercieved mount from the time when these were considered to be pow skis...

[El Chupacabra]

Keep in mind that at some point they took 3cm off the overall length, I think at the wizard vintage. So the original neons, expo 2's and 3's are a bit longer, along with having the boot tip mount. Thus these skis really are different than the CMH/budda/wizards.

I don't think mine were any different; the rounded-tail versions might have a tiny bit less running length due to the tail though.

I've had 2 pairs of the neon yellow, 3 pairs of the black big wizard, 1 pair of the small wizard, all in 190cm. I only have the small wizard ones left. They all skied about the same, and I never noticed any length difference.

Old quiver pic showing a couple pair side by side (I don't own any of the skis in this photo anymore):

[IMG][/IMG]

[Lahar]

old thread bump / historical record post -

My old 190 neons were 80cm from the tail and felt fine as a west coast crud, rock, spring ski. Mounting another newer blue gen 2 set, and going to move the mount up a little and mount 81cm after holding them up to a 187 xxl.