Anyone know when the Marker Duke AT binding is coming out, and how much it will go for?
Also, should I get NX21 or Freerides (if Markers aren't out soon). I'm a big guy, I will not be doing anything crazy on them, but want them bomber enough for big guy, occasional skiing on fat ski days at the resort, and probably some not very wild BC stuff.
Im 6'3 210lbs and have the naxo 21's they are definately bomber enough for me I ski them preety hard too. The one drawback they have is that the locking mechanism will catch if you are touring in really soft snow with 0 degrees of lift. The problem is the ski flexs enough that the latch catches, it is really annoying. Most of the time this hasn't been a problem but when the conditions are right it is very frusterating. I like the way they tour with the 2 pivot points. My girl has the freerides and they are designed differently and don't have the catching problem. Can't speak to they're strenght. I don't know anything about the markers. good luck
I have been skiing the Freerides for 4 seasons now as my main binder. I have them on two pairs of skis and have been really happy. I am sure there are people out there that would destroy them, but I am not one of them. I am 6' 170lbs and ski mostly in the bc. But when I am inbounds I like to go fast and jump off things and I have rarely had any issues.
The Naxos are great too I just like the Freeride tour mode much better.
The Markers are super heavy (4lbs I think, correct me if I am wrong) I think they are going to cost around $450.
Dave, I would not get the freerides, I have had two pairs and broke them. they have this stupid little screw on the bottom of the forward pressure set screw that hold the entire heel piece from sliding, no bueno. get the naxo's, or wait for the duke. are you coming back this summer? we'd love to have ya'!
Thanks guys. Doug, were you using yours on your daily rig at the Beav, or were they your BC specific setup? Also, bumps and cliffs, or powder, etc?
I'm planning on making it back this summer, already getting excited for it! I may need some help on the scheduling this time around as my business has kept me really busy. I'm going to try to put in some training mileage so I can get TL status, and check out on some other sections. Karl also said I could try to check out for oar boat for overnighters possibly since I have experience with that.
I was reading in 2008 gear guide, that the SRP is around $500, extremely steep sounding to me. that's a pair of alpine skis, and bindings. But, then again, i'm an alpine skier, with a little telemark experience. A/T / telemark are completely different beasts then alpine.
I took a run w/ a patroler at highlands who was demoing the dukes. They look ultra beefy but they weren't near as skin freindly as the freerides. The dukes heel rest is really lame compared to the freerides mutiple positions that you can adjust on the fly. With the dukes its all or nothing. You have to take the dukes off to switch back to apline mode and they pack w/ snow??? I don't know much about the naxos but i broke my first pair of freerides at that same little screw as above. My freeride pluses have two little screws and i haven't had any problems yet. I also think the freerides work a little better if you bump up the foreward pressure. I think the dukes are for the big guy agro ripper who skis mostly in bounds. if you want to go light and fast there might be better choices. p.s I weigh just under two bills.
I was reading in 2008 gear guide, that the SRP is around $500, extremely steep sounding to me. that's a pair of alpine skis, and bindings. But, then again, i'm an alpine skier, with a little telemark experience. A/T / telemark are completely different beasts then alpine.
I think they are priced about right. I think $475 is MSRP, and I'm not sure about MAP. They are a little higher than other 16 din bindings, or AT's, but not bad. I don't know where you shop, but of my last 7 pairs of skis all on pro-forms, or deals of some sort only 1 pair cost me less than 5 bills, and the average was probably closer to $800.
As far as the Dukes, I agree with Porkchop. They aren't really a touring binding, they are an alpine binding that you can hike with. For sled skiing, side country, cat skiing and patrolling I'd say they will be great. For a dedicated AT set up I'd go with the freeride pluses, although I have 2 pairs of NX01's at this point that I haven't had any problems with, so I'll be sticking with them for a while.
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