2020-2021 Gear Rumors / Pictures etc

[roQer]

New Katana rips. If you liked the old one, you owe it to yourself to try the new one. You can still brake it loose fairly easily, it’s maybe a bit nimbler. Still totally quiet when you get up to speed. Intuitive turn initiation. Wants you to go faster.

I hope they learned something about modern freeride technique and adjusted the recommended mounting point. -11 like on the Mantra 102 is pretty outdated unless you like to stick to your good ol pressure the tips technique. The markings on M102 are pretty obscure on their own. Why don’t just print two lines saying „freeride traditional“ and „freeride progressive“ or whatever so everyone has at least an idea where to mount his own fuckin binding.

[klauss]

I thought the mount line is further back on a Mantra 102 because it has relatively more front early rise than tail rocker

[bry]

I thought the mount line is further back on a Mantra 102 because it has relatively more front early rise than tail rocker

I think so too... Also sort of the same situation with the v werks katana.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[Lord Thomas]

A few quick highlights from the WWSRA demo. Conditions: shitty. Rained on and refrozen (think standing water and slush on the groomed runs) Spent almost all of my time on the groomed as the off piste would give you a concussion just from the sound alone, only got off the groomed track a few times for testing purposes. Need to test all of the below in their natal environment before any firm opinions can be drawn.
* All you Monster 98 fans - check out the Salomon Stance 96, you might be pleasantly surprised
* Fischer FR 102 now available in a 191 and...... in blue or bright pink topsheet! The 184 felt last year like it was just too short. The 91 has a much better balanced feel and is a pretty fun ski. Fairly strong and playful. Will post pictures if I get around to it.
* Blaze 106 could be a really cool light, wide, DD or 50/50 ski as it held up much better than anticipated at speed and on the boiler plate. From the rocker profile (significantly higher tip splay than, say, the M5) it should float really well.
* And lastly, the one you've all been waiting for, the Katana 108. Let's just say that all you guys earning your beer and ski money giving $5 hand jobs in the Burger King drive-through better get busy. It kicks ass, enough so that it probably merits it's own thread. Stay tuned

[tomh79]

BD changed the Helio 105 to Helio 104 losing 1mm for 2021? Does anybody know more - new construction? Are they still produced by Blizzard?

[CaliBrit]

BD changed the Helio 105 to Helio 104 losing 1mm for 2021? Does anybody know more - new construction? Are they still produced by Blizzard?

Hope they changed more than the dims. The 105 sucked balls. Mount point was wack.

[alpinevibes]

Are they still produced by Blizzard?

A BD guy stated in a video from the show that all skis are still made in Austria, so I would guess they’re still coming from that factory


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[tomh79]

Hope they changed more than the dims. The 105 sucked balls. Mount point was wack.

I still ski the original Helio 105 - and I like it! OK...don't have many skis to compare it to. Why didn't you like it?

[Ritalin Kid]

They have said they dont do a booth anymore. Been a few years. The preview site should go live shortly though, its usually around this time of year.

http://www.mmntskis.com/

Password anyone?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[XavierD]

Hope they changed more than the dims. The 105 sucked balls. Mount point was wack.

Skied great at -2cm. Hopefully they changed up the sizing 10cm breakdowns are wack. Give me 7cm intervals for every ski; 5 if you want to be generous.

Password anyone?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Try Lukeisafilthyhipster

[CaliBrit]

I still ski the original Helio 105 - and I like it! OK...don't have many skis to compare it to. Why didn't you like it?

Mount point way forward makes them feel like tooth pics. Moving back like 3cm helps. Tail is silly stiff for the ski design and gets hooked up in any less than stellar 3D snow.

I was on the 185.

[ak_powder_monkey]

GOD DAMNIT MARKER ONLY A FUCKING 10° RISER ON THE NEW DUKE?!?!?!??!?!?!??!?!??! Might as well buy a shift.

[skibrd]

GOD DAMNIT MARKER ONLY A FUCKING 10° RISER ON THE NEW DUKE?!?!?!??!?!?!??!?!??! Might as well buy a shift.

Marker has only a small riser on the Alpinist too. My sister is so annoyed by it, her fault for not buying Kingpins.

CAST 2.0 > Kingpin 13 > Shift. Prove me wrong. Get over your weight weeny issues, do what you know is correct.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[HAB]

The only thing that I find a bummer about Cast 2.0 is the lack of support for an ISO 9523 sole boot.

I actually don't mind the riser height on Shift for the way I use them, but I've got other, much lighter touring bindings with more riser options for doing lots of elevation on. Horses for courses.

[Rob Stokes]

Marker has only a small riser on the Alpinist too. My sister is so annoyed by it, her fault for not buying Kingpins.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

The Alpinist has two risers...I only every use the middle ‘flap on pins’ riser. Any steeper than that I get tired and I’m lazy.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Prove me wrong.

Kingpins: Made by Marker. High failure rate with multiple failure modes. Doesn't ski as well as Shift. Pointlessly heavy for long tours. Not quite damp enough or durable enough for inbounds. Zero reason to choose them over a Tecton or Shift depending on use.

Cast: Need to take the fucking binding on and off the ski. Doesn't work with Zero G Pro Tours or Maestrale RS/XT. Great option if you want to huck to flag in the backcountry or pretend you're just too big and strong for all the other bindings that have worked perfectly well for many skier who are probably bigger, stronger and better than you.

Shift: Fiddly set up but they just work. Adequate for short tours. Ski like an alpine binding inbounds. If they don't you probably set them up wrong.

Here is the real kicker: If you know how to skin and have ankles that work properly, you don't need a high riser. High risers are for people with fused ankles, jongs and dudes who are too fat to see their dick or touch their toes.

Prove me wrong.

[CaliBrit]

The Alpinist has two risers...I only every use the middle ‘flap on pins’ riser. Any steeper than that I get tired and I’m lazy.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Agreed. The tall riser is all the height you ever need. I normally just use the lower one. Which is a great height.

[Lord Thomas]

Fischer's bold new move, the choice of pink or blue.

[altacoup]

Kingpins: Made by Marker. High failure rate with multiple failure modes. Doesn't ski as well as Shift. Pointlessly heavy for long tours. Not quite damp enough or durable enough for inbounds. Zero reason to choose them over a Tecton or Shift depending on use.

Cast: Need to take the fucking binding on and off the ski. Doesn't work with Zero G Pro Tours or Maestrale RS/XT. Great option if you want to huck to flag in the backcountry or pretend you're just too big and strong for all the other bindings that have worked perfectly well for many skier who are probably bigger, stronger and better than you.

Shift: Fiddly set up but they just work. Adequate for short tours. Ski like an alpine binding inbounds. If they don't you probably set them up wrong.

Here is the real kicker: If you know how to skin and have ankles that work properly, you don't need a high riser. High risers are for people with fused ankles, jongs and dudes who are too fat to see their dick or touch their toes.

Prove me wrong.

Truth. Haven’t had one problem with the stupid steep skin tracks in the wasatch. Only problems I have is with the morons who set them that way. Set a track so that is useable for days for multiple users! Or start earlier, so you’re not in such a hurry to get back to your desk job!

[Tailwind]

The shape on the left doesn't seem to match anything that's currently in Moments lineup. Looks like it might be a new frontside offering.

[skibrd]

Kingpins: Made by Marker. High failure rate with multiple failure modes. Doesn't ski as well as Shift. Pointlessly heavy for long tours. Not quite damp enough or durable enough for inbounds. Zero reason to choose them over a Tecton or Shift depending on use.

Cast: Need to take the fucking binding on and off the ski. Doesn't work with Zero G Pro Tours or Maestrale RS/XT. Great option if you want to huck to flag in the backcountry or pretend you're just too big and strong for all the other bindings that have worked perfectly well for many skier who are probably bigger, stronger and better than you.

Shift: Fiddly set up but they just work. Adequate for short tours. Ski like an alpine binding inbounds. If they don't you probably set them up wrong.

Here is the real kicker: If you know how to skin and have ankles that work properly, you don't need a high riser. High risers are for people with fused ankles, jongs and dudes who are too fat to see their dick or touch their toes.

Prove me wrong.

Kingpins - I see more KP’s inbounds and touring then Shifts. They work better for any application then Shifts because your skis actually stay on your feet. People who know, know, those who don’t, I’m tired of trying to get you to open your eyes. These are simply the best skiing pin binding there is.

I’m 95% sure CAST works with both, call and get the correct AFD. I asked before I got my set up because I’m probably switching from the XT Free to Zero G Pro Tour blah blah blah. I don’t huck, just like to have the correct tool for the job. I prefer to walk up hill and actually enjoy the skiing, instead of having my knees feel like I skied coral reef all day. Using the bigger/stronger/better excuse to get crap is just fine, simple fact is CAST skis better. And if you are walking long distances in CAST, you are using the wrong tool for the job. Just cause you can use a 10lb sledge hammer to put a finishing nail in, doesn’t mean you should.

Shifts, simple, don’t keep you in unless you set them up to where you might as well bold your boot to the ski. Oh, and they ski like shit, and tour worse. Gimmick that made Solomon/Atomic a ton of money. But I can’t stand any Atomic/Solomon binding, Pivots all the way.

Know how to skin with fused ankles? Good thing I’m not fat and can touch my toes, maybe?

Tool for the job, that simple. If you are a weekend warrior who has one pair of skis and wants to tour once every few weekends, buy Shift, they are the correct tool for the job. If you have a few pairs of skis and don’t plan on 7k plus days, Kingpins are great. Will ski closest to what you are used to. If you have a quiver, CAST for a side country set up is your single best option.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[SkiLyft]

God this discussion on KP vs Shift is entertaining. I’ve skied over 100 days on my shift, and the wife put 150 on her KP. This year we have her on shifts and she is blown away with how they dampen the ride. With the KP all that transmitted energy goes from the skis to the pins to your boot then straight to your fucking soul.
But agreed, right tool for the job! Do I still have a pin setup YUP, do I have shifts YUP! In fact just traveling back from Japan with my shifts and had some long touring days on them — I easily matched other athletic dudes with full pin setups on the way up but had significantly more fun charging downhill!

/thread drift

I’m stoked for the black color way


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Lindahl]

you Monster 98 fans - check out the Salomon Stance 96, you might be pleasantly surprised

That doesn't make any sense to me. The Monster 98 is more than a pound heavier PER SKI. Totally different weight class. There's no way the Stance skis just as well in firm snow.

[Lindahl]

Here is the real kicker: If you know how to skin and have ankles that work properly, you don't need a high riser. High risers are for people with fused ankles, jongs and dudes who are too fat to see their dick or touch their toes.

Not just ankles, but just anatomy in general. I was born with short Achilles tendons - very limited dorsiflexion - which means I either blow out my calves using lower risers than I want, or I use high risers. Back when the Dynafit Speed Radical 1.0 was all the rage, I would typically be on my high riser when many were on their middle riser. Your point makes some sense, but maybe soften up your attitude a little with respect to high risers? There's a lot of people who just can't reasonably tour with the 'pin flap' riser height.

[Lindahl]

The new Dukes look like an great option for people who are sponsered by Marker/Volkl. Shifts probably make more sense because they're a proven product and less faff and moving pieces to jam up with snow. But we'll see, I guess.

Kingpins - I see more KP’s inbounds and touring then Shifts. They work better for any application then Shifts because your skis actually stay on your feet. People who know, know, those who don’t, I’m tired of trying to get you to open your eyes. These are simply the best skiing pin binding there is.

Kingpins are more prevalent because they were the first binding with an alpine-like heelpiece. First-to-market makes a big difference in terms of market share. The Tecton skis a bit better, is lighter, and has a more reliable release mechanism (lateral release at the toe). It also has had less in-field problems, at least from what I've heard and seen. There's just no reason to buy a Kingpin after the Tecton came onto the market.

Shifts, simple, don’t keep you in unless you set them up to where you might as well bold your boot to the ski. Oh, and they ski like shit, and tour worse. Gimmick that made Solomon/Atomic a ton of money. But I can’t stand any Atomic/Solomon binding, Pivots all the way.

I have no problem staying in my Shifts and I huck a ton. At 185 lbs in street clothes, I set the heels at ~11.5 because that's the point where I get minor calf strain before releasing. Toes at 10 and my skis stay on in high speed carves through chickenhead bullshit at speed. They release just like the other alpine bindings I've used. I'm not sure if people are failing to set them up correctly, or if there's a quality control issue, but myself and many others don't have the problem in Shifts that a few have had. If you personally have had problems, I'd suggest having a professional set up a different Shift binding before just writing it off entirely. But I get if you don't want to do that and just use CAST instead. Personally, myself and many others would rather not mess with the faff of juggling extra gear if we don't need to.

I have other skis with pin bindings when long distance skinning is in the cards, but I generally use Shifts here in Europe, since long distance skins aren't common but having a touring binding for mobility if shit hits the fan is pretty important.

Also... it shocks me how many people here in Europe ride with avalanche gear but not touring bindings - aka no way of quickly reaching their buried partner in powder.