Binding advice...

[Affix Snow]

OK.
Im gettin HOOKED UP w/ BD gear.

Im getting T1's and O2 bindings, but was unsure which flex is should get.

O2 comes in Free Flex, Midstiff, and Rediculously Stiff.

Now i want these for In bounds and for BC, so im not sure what would be best do to the fact ill be also touring for turns.....

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Dave

[Tommy T]

O2 comes in Free Flex, Midstiff, and Rediculously Stiff.



Why not 03? If you really are getting 02, be absolutely sure that they are the redesigned, 2003 or later model, sold after the interruption in 02 production. The originals were retrofitted, then recalled, then taken completely off the market because they tended to explosively deconstruct in the middle of gnarly descents. (I had a set that went through all three stages -- I finally replaced them with Hammerheads and then retrofitted the new Hammerheels because the original heel lifts were unusable.)

In either case, with T1 you want mid or rid. If you are a polished telemarker who is used to a neutral binding go with the mid. If you are a beginning telemarker who is used to alpine bindings, you'll like the feel of the rid and will initiate your turns with more authority.

Basically, the stiffer the spring, the more "active" the binding is in flexing the boot and loading the front of the ski. There are some tradeoffs, like heel launch and more resistance for the hike in. A really good telemarker will flex the boot with a technically correct lead change and is apt to dislike the spring generated loading and to think that an "active" binding makes the ski twitchy and less predictable.

T1's are stiff enough that long hikes aren't going to be that great anyway, so stay away from the free version. After all, if you didn't want an "active" binding, you wouldn't have chosen 02 in the first place -- You would have gone with G3s.


Tommy T.

[el-bagr]

I agree generally with Tommy T -- are you sure you want O2s? I can't speak to the modern incarnation, but they've had a checkered history.

If you are going with them, get the medium or ridiculous springs. Personally, if I had to pick one of those springsets, I'd choose the med -- maybe more of a learning curve, but you've got to take those crutches/training wheels off some time.

I was going to disagree with Tommy's statement, "A really good telemarker will flex the boot with a technically correct lead change and is apt to dislike the spring generated loading and to think that an 'active' binding makes the ski twitchy and less predictable." After more thought, I don't strictly disagree, but might qualify that statement. I'd say that a really good telemarker will flex the boot with a technically correct lead change, but that quite a few "new school" telemarkers use active bindings. (Note that I am not the "really good telemarker" Tommy mentions. I learned on leather boots and three-pins, but use more active bindings these days for what they let me do.)

I also don't mind T1s for touring when the objectives match the equipment. For a 50km tour through the Pemi, I'll be on much lighter gear, but for almost any day trip involving substantial descent (e.g. King), T1s work fine.

[Affix Snow]

Why 02's?

Well. Im not sure.
My options are 02's and 03's.....major discount!!!!!

Im gonna be doing more resort than BC on my tele's this year, but I WILL BE DOING BC.
Ill be on me new splitboard for most BC. So i thought the 02 would be better.

Frankly i dont know that much about the 03......any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dave

[Tommy T]

... I learned on leather boots and three-pins, but use more active bindings these days for what they let me do.)...



I may have overstated the position a bit.

I didn't start as an alpiner -- I came from cross-country racing. I learned to tele on leather and three pin too and I now use Hammerheads on the highest setting.

Regardless of tele ability, those of us that learned by flexing leather and stemming the lead ski appreciate the help active bindings provide.

Tommy T.

[RR]

.............Regardless of tele ability, those of us that learned by flexing leather and stemming the lead ski appreciate the help active bindings provide.

Tommy T.

There are active bindings? ;)
Leather is all I have for tele.....Voile 3pin cable. Next season, T-2's, Karhu Tour mounted on 'Bows.

Right foot release set to 8, left to 7....5 surgeries so far is plenty

[elwood]

"Binding advice..."

Try Ex-Lax,that usually loosens things up. :D

[Affix Snow]

"Binding advice..."

Try Ex-Lax,that usually loosens things up. :D

Bahahahaaaaaw!
Took ya a while on that one. :D

I perfer coffee or Budweiser for that.

[Affix Snow]

O3:
Mgear.com said the 02 was for area and 03 for backcountry.....
Ok...but does that mean the 03 would suck for area?

As you can tell, i dont know too much.
I learned on 3pin, but defiately want a more agressive "active" binding.

[el-bagr]

Affix, both O2 and O3 are acceptable for both bc and area -- but O2 is better at area, while O3 was designed with some touring-specific features. I understand O3 has a more neutral swing at the low end (though it gets progressively more active as the boot is flexed). I like the O2's method of underfoot cable routing. (I also like the O2's color -- like many a good binding, blue is key.)


Here's the ttips O2 review (http://www.telemarktips.com/NewBindings.html). I was going to cut-n-paste, but it's rather long and I suspect Mitch at ttips would prefer I routed you there. Scroll down to the O2 entry.

A few ttips threads on the O3: 1 (http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=18263&highlight=o3%2A%2A) 2 (http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=21575&highlight=o3%2A%2A) 3 (http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=18377&highlight=o3%2A%2A) 4 (http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=14893&highlight=o3%2A%2A). Note that many of these voice skepticism, but "your mileage may vary".

I'd get the O2.

For what it's worth, there's a guy who calls himself "Crazy" Scott Schield who has used them in freestyle telemark competition around the world, with apparent success.

[RR]

The O2 problem is long gone into the dark well of history. The new O2 is making testers happy all over the place. You have large and beefy skis, seem all over large and beefy boots....why change direction? O2 makes sense.

My set-up may well be Crossbows (depending on this season's AT results), T-2's and O3's or Karhu Tours...but I intend to spend 30% or more time BC and want plenty of stride and glide mobility to go with my somewhat less aggressive tele.

[Affix Snow]

Thanks all for the Advice.

Me go w/ O2's.

I do wanna ride halfpipe and kill myself on rails!