The new -2017- CAST touring system thread

[eSock]

About to do exactly this (cast on bentchet 120s for a Japan trip) and extremely pumped to hear this!

That's a great setup for Japan, you'll have a great time.

[thefortrees]

Risers . I hate risers and never use them because they are akin to high heels but they are no harder to engage disengage than any other mfrs.

So you’re telling us you know what it feels like to wear high heels? Pics please. Actually, no. No pics.

[Judo Chop!]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ppyZF88xZjvhkuPZA

That’s what I’m talking about. Mount was with the jig as well.

you can fiddle with the little extra metal tabs to help take up some slack. they should be tight against the posts.

[CHAIR_97]

So you’re telling us you know what it feels like to wear high heels? Pics please. Actually, no. No pics.

[emoji8]

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[banzai]

Anyone looking to get rid of their 1.0 system for cheaps, drop me a PM.

[Gnar_Shralp406]

Any of you folks know if compatibility issues between the new K2 Mindbender walk mode and the Pivot heel piece?

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[halliday]

Anyone looking to get rid of their 1.0 system for cheaps, drop me a PM.

Ive got everything except the toes. Brand new. Check your PM.

[tschoppe9@gmail.com]

Not tech related but wanted to drop a shoutout to Cast for standing by Looks voided warranty. Hooked me up with new parts real quick. Great group of people.

[altacoup]

Rant here. I’ve been very satisfied by the binding part of my cast 1.0 set up. The boot conversion however is an absolute nightmare of piss poor craftsmanship, using the word craftsmanship is a stretch. I have very narrow feet and ski in a 93mm last Doberman with pretty minimal work. There isn’t a touring boot on the market that is even close to giving me a performance fit, Hawk ultra xtd is the best I’ve found, but needed a MV intuition liner to snug it up with all the disadvantages that come with a thicker liner. When I got my dobies back from CAST last summer I wasn’t exactly stocked with how the boot conversion was performed. CAST soles weren’t exactly lined up with outline of boot sole, there was bulging on the sides of the plastic soles due to the CAST soles being installed without pre drilling holes for screws. I just figured this was part of a boutique company having too much demand. The CAST soles need 5 screws (unlike the 2 pictured on the website) to keep the toe tight. Well the CAST soles lasted about 50 days of skiing, no rock scrambling. I ordered replacement soles, and the first set that I was sent were pathetically finished. Zero attention to detail, tons of tooling marks, cutouts for tech fittings weren’t even close to matching tech fittings. Soles came chamfered for 2 screws (not 5 like the picture I sent) this is a big issue as the rubber is very difficult to chamfer after routing as the rubber is too soft. I tried everything to make them work but to no avail. CAST was nice enough to send me another set of toe replacement soles and the finishing is better. But there is no way to get them perfectly snug. I currently have the in bindings with the toe pressure set tight and shoe goo to attempt to get them flush. But my level of frustration is massive. I’m out the cost of the boots and the conversion and have a boot with 50 days on them. I usually get 300 out of Doberman plugs and only replace due to sole wear. The replacement soles aren’t ever going to meet exact DIN standards, and it is obvious that is due to the initial conversion was poorly executed. If you fit a boot with tech fittings out of the box the system seems great. However I am extremely dubious of CAST’s ability to properly perform a boot conversion which was the only reason I went this route (marker duke pt 16 works great and I’ve always hated marker). If you have a conversion with 2 screws at the very tip of the toe they probably work ok, but if the conversion is slightly botched and extra screws are added to snug up the CAST sole. Then durability of the sole is massively reduced and the chances of getting a replacement sole to work is extremely low. I’m beyond disappointed.


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[mr_pretzel]

Pics?

[altacoup]

I’ll provide pics tomorrow. Right now boots are crammed into bindings with increased downward toe pressure in order to attempt to get a somewhat useable fit. Luckily I have another set of boots I can ski tomorrow. Lars and Silas know the risks (liability) of performing boot conversions. At the blister summit Lars was quick to lecture how tech pin fittings have a massive discrepancy across manufacturers. But I’ve never seen any tech pin binding have such rough finishing. Also I’m a commercial/industrial level journeyman electrician. I know good and bad work when I see it, my work is legally-potentially criminally binding if performed incorrectly.


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[east or bust]

That’s sucks.

Hate to even float this out there, but wonder if the situation was caused by a bad/inexperienced employee. It seems small companies that don’t have a dedicated QC program can fall victim to a bad apple in the production ranks. Didn’t one of the smaller boutique ski brands have a year or two where a couple bad builders caused their reputation to take a hit?

The only reason I say that is I had my old boots modded by Cast and it held up for probably 300+ ski days over 7 or 8 years. In fact, got rid of the boots and the converted toe was still holding up.


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[tgapp]

Damn dude I am so sorry you had such an awful experience.

New CAST user here - no boot conversion needed, so I'm really just talking about the binding system, and I fkn love them. So psyched on the ability to tour with pivots.

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[altacoup]

Photo dump of first replacement soles. First 2 photos are a comparison to originals. I’m a skilled and licensed craftsman. Second set is marginally better. I’ll post more photos tomorrow. I have no doubt that CAST is employing ski bums (not a derogatory statement, but they’re not employing skilled craftsmen ) to manufacture these goods. It’s understandable to make the company more financially viable. But at the same time poor craftsmanship like this is equal liability to totally crater the entire company. I can’t imagine they have the capital or insurance to deal with a law suit due to injury caused by manufacturing. Which is exactly what building boots to DIN standards exposes a company to. I can’t imagine Dynastar/look would pass off on this as they must have some exposure. I was never friends with Lars and Silas (always shy guys) but knew them and have skied with them as I was a friend of Crossman. I’m sure they are skilled craftsmen but as the company has scaled up the skill of the employees and execution has dropped.

[waveshello]

Those pictures are almost painful to look at... That is much worse than what I was expecting to see. They owe you new boots and a refund for the work they did.

[mr_pretzel]

That looks terrible.

I think they had the first batch of lifters made somewhere else and now they are running low and trying to cnc the lifter stock they have without the pin whole inserts. Shitty

[Eluder]

Those pictures are almost painful to look at... That is much worse than what I was expecting to see. They owe you new boots and a refund for the work they did.

That seems a little extreme. They need to remedy the fit for sure. I am kind of shocked they didn't make the OP send it in if they knew it was suspect. It seems like some flexible epoxy and some shaving of the rubber could clean up the shit cut job. https://www.tognar.com/urethane-green-pack-3-5g/

Bummer though...

[gaijin]

K2 Recon 140 is the boot recommended to me to avoid cast boot conversion.

No walk mode. A 140 flex. Essentially a Lange last.

Doesn’t excuse that garage-level horror— but it’s where my head has been focused the last few months.

I have always been terrified of sending my langes to cast. Thanks for the validation to my fears. I hope this works out for you in a positive way soon.

It’s Spring.


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[altacoup]

Photos after a night in bindings with glue. You can see the bulging from the screws. The heel shot is the original install, to show how its not lined up. To say I’m pissed off is an understatement. It took 5 emails to get second set of soles. I can’t imagine they’re going to be very cool with a warranty on the entire boot. But they’re really setting themselves up for lawsuits with crap work like this.

[Judo Chop!]

K2 Recon 140 is the boot recommended to me to avoid cast boot conversion.

No walk mode. A 140 flex. Essentially a Lange last.

Doesn’t excuse that garage-level horror— but it’s where my head has been focused the last few months.

I have always been terrified of sending my langes to cast. Thanks for the validation to my fears. I hope this works out for you in a positive way soon.

It’s Spring.


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I think I might have been one of the people pointing you towards the recon.

FWIW, I bought a pair but had to return them since they were too big(long). Now I'm back in Langes. So don't commit to them before you get a chance try them on with a fitter.

they look like good boots otherwise though.

[Judo Chop!]

anyone done Lange Shadow conversion yet with GW?
Or even another Lange gripwalk boot?

How did it turn out? Pics?

I'm off skis for a few weeks after surgery, so I thought I'd send mine in; but now I'm a bit worried.

[Stuntmonkey]

That looks like complete dogshit. I'd be embarrassed if that left my shop.

[2FUNKY]

Holy hell that is garbage work. They should be ashamed that left their shop. For me that is a boot replacement on them and I would go with a different boot with pins from the manufacturer.


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[altacoup]

To further add to the story. Just to get a second set of soles took 5 emails. They suggested I use a dremel to alter the replacement soles in order to get a better fit. And then the second set they sent me didn’t come with the extra 3 holes chamfered. These boots were sent to CAST during the summer, so it’s not like they were in a rush to complete the job. Just total hacks. I did just order some k2 recon teams. Not as precise of a fit as a Doberman plug boot, but they did feel pretty good in the store. Liner does seem a bit thick.


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[kc_7777]

In an effort to get this thread back to somewhat positive….just CAST’ed my Pilsner Hojis.

Feeling lucky that I have pin boots (Nordica Striders) cause I’m not sure I’d ever want to do a CAST conversion on any alpine boots…. seems very sketch.






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