Thread: New Marker touring binding

In another thread it was noted the Markers have the same hole pattern so you can try them--Duke, Baron, etc-- w/o re-drilling.

I too am very interested in these. The Baron would be a good choice but the single climb bar is a no go for me. Im thinking these could be a great inbounds and slackcountry/powder backcountry day binding.

Checked out Snowcovers and they don't have them yet, they will have the F12 soon apparently though.

Originally Posted by Boddysurfer

Duke 110mm brake tips the scales at 150.9 grams (nice guess Johnny) and looks like the brake they will be using on the F10 and F12.

Weights for large per pair with 110mm brakes:

Marker Duke.................5.80 lbs

Marker Baron................5.47 lbs

Marker F12...................4.60 lbs

Marker F10...................4.45 lbs

Dynafit FT 12................2.38 lbs

Fritschi FR+ ..................4.51 lbs

Naxo NX21 ...................5.25 lbs

(weights off of wild snow - I think including brakes)

Originally Posted by doublet

I've done a bit of skiing on some Marker Tour 12s in the last few weeks and I've been really impressed. I think they ski much better than Fritschi's and are noticeably lighter. I'm a pretty light guy but I could see myself using these for my everyday inbounds/slackcountry binding.

I'm thinking that next season I'll have one pair of skis with Dynafits and the rest will have Marker Tour 12s.

Yes, you have to take the skis off to switch modes but I think it's worth it for the improved downhill performance.

Doublet,

Why both Dynafit and Marker Tour 12?

As one who is going to try to get back into b/c this winter, I may try the Tour 12 on my 'dedicated' b/c ski. If I pussy out and decide to just go lift served, I can replace the Tour 12 with more alpine lift oriented Dukes or perhaps regular Markers () with the same hole pattern and not drill a swiss cheese pattern into the ski.

Originally Posted by Jim S

Doublet,

Why both Dynafit and Marker Tour 12?

As one who is going to try to get back into b/c this winter, I may try the Tour 12 on my 'dedicated' b/c ski. If I pussy out and decide to just go lift served, I can replace the Tour 12 with more alpine lift oriented Dukes or perhaps regular Markers () with the same hole pattern and not drill a swiss cheese pattern into the ski.

My thinking here is that one pair of skis will be a dedicated backcountry rig and mounted with dynafits. All the other skis in my quiver will be more 50/50 inbounds/BC so I want to have a more versatile (and less expensive!) binding on those. Tour12 seems to fit that about right for me.

I'm a pretty committed BC skier so I don't envision myself ever taking the Dynafits off of my 120s so that eliminates one of your concerns above.

Here is what I'm thinking my quiver will look like:

+Pure Lotus 120s with Dynafits: used for big tours with occasional use inbounds on pow days.

+Hybrid Wailer 112 RPs with Marker Tours (or possibly Dukes since I already own a pair): my go to inbounds ski but I'm sure it'll get plenty of sidecountry use.

+Pure Lotus 138s with Marker Tours: epic pow day ski...inbounds or out.

I'll be primarily skiing in the Wasatch this season and I think that will have me covered for most days.

Tours certainly aren't as burly as Dukes but I personally think they're sufficient for the type of skiing I do. I skied Dukes most of last year so come January I'll have stronger opinions about the pros/cons of each. I probably have less than 5 days on the Tour 12 so take my advice with a grain of salt at this point.

for what its worth, i have NOT skied them yet but i have a pair (F12) mounted on skis that i am going to use for my everyday setup this season.

the ring to switch modes is not leather but that industrial rubber material with an interlayer, like a badass floor mat or something. the ring is pretty big, it would be pretty hard to tear it nor should it require taking off a glove to switch (of course depends on the glove). besides that they are more like dukes (or a hybrid duke/ jester) than i expected- the way it engages the rear fixed part is exactly like a duke.

What are your thoughts on the climbing bars? Do the two settings feel ample enough?

Anybody ever file down the sharp edge on Baron/Duke heels where it digs into Pebax boots? I was looking at it last winter and it didn't look like you'd have to take much off to help spread out the load on the boot heel a bit, and reduce the gouging.

It's just tough to file it at the right angle, so I haven't messed with it yet. It's on the to-do list though.

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

Anybody ever file down the sharp edge on Baron/Duke heels where it digs into Pebax boots?

Never thought of it. Would it potentially reduce energy transfer from boot->ski because of reduced surface contact?

Can someone explain the 'gouged heel' issue with dukes and pebax boots?

Was reading my ski magazine for the 5th time and noticed in the marker ad that the tour had what looked to be the same toe and heel as the kids squire. Have jesters and dukes but a kids toe, seems sketchy. IMO give it a year of Beta like the duke. Just my 2 cents

unless your 140 lbs and 13...........

Originally Posted by whyturn

unless your 140 lbs and 13...........

What does my fiancee have to do with this?

Found this:
http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/vi...6422d16589565c

http://www.wildsnow.com/2550/marker-baron-duke-review/

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Originally Posted by whyturn

Was reading my ski magazine for the 5th time and noticed in the marker ad that the tour had what looked to be the same toe and heel as the kids squire. Have jesters and dukes but a kids toe, seems sketchy. IMO give it a year of Beta like the duke. Just my 2 cents

unless your 140 lbs and 13...........

The Tour12 isn't beta -- it's already been out for at least a season as a beta, and its cobbled from existing designs that have been well worked out. Out of many binding launches, this one should be more of a sure thing.

CROSS POSTING - THESE QUOTES COME FROM ANOTHER THREAD

Originally Posted by marshalolson

marker recommended against using the f12 on a ski like the lotus 120. said it would be better on something like a w105 or w95 width.

take that for what its worth.

Originally Posted by squaretail

The F10/F12 are touring bindings...they are not Duke "Lites."

If you're skiing aggressive lines with air, you need Dukes.

I have been hearing a lot of folks talk about the F12 Tour and planning on using it inbounds 50% of the time on a wide 110 ski.

I am probably wise to avoid them at 220lbs 6'4" but would they be a good choice for my wife to use (90% INBOUNDS) at 130 pounds of finesse skier?
She has Barons now and hates the weight.

I'm 6'2" 190 lbs and will put the F12 or Dynafits on my Praxis BC which have a 105m waist. I don't plan on any big airs out in the field.

Hell, I don't do big airs off lift served.

They seem burlier than Fritschi's and people beat the crap out of those inbounds. I saw a pair used in SA for 10 inbounds days on S7's by a girl the same size and THEY DIDN'T BLOW UP! They must be well-tested...

I had Fritschi Freerides (with the 13 DIN) back in 2004 and used to drop up to 35 feet on them. They never blew up on me. In fact, I would occasionally take them through the park, too.

I'm considering puderludering a pair of skis for Marker F12 Tour and Duke swappage...that way I can huck sidecountry/lift-served with the Duke but have a light, well built binding for days with more up-vert.

Why no Dynas? I have 'em...my problem is my ridonculously wide feet. I'm really tired of hurting all day so I'm going to maximize my time in my Strolz alpine boots from now on. I tour lots at Berthoud and there is NOTHING there that cannot be comfortably done in a good pair of alpine boots.

But, back on-topic...my system will be on some 110 waisters and 122 waisters. I'm taking what Marker says with a grain of salt. I won't be attempting to rail groomers on a 122 waisted ski with F12 Tours, but I think they'll surf Colorado backcountry variability just fine on a wide ski.

^^Marker seems overly concerned. Given the number of riders who ride Dynafit FT12s on a Lotus, riding Marker F12 Tours on a >120mm ski shouldn't be a problem. Dynafits have a much smaller hole pattern... and they do fine.

Unless they know something we don't.

Dynafits do fine on any ski until you put a significant amount of force through the binding, then they rip the core out of your ski, the insert out of your boot, or just release (if you have them in ski mode). F12 have a place in this world.

Are the old Duke crampons going to be compatible with the new FT12 binding?

Originally Posted by climbhoser

I

I'm considering puderludering a pair of skis for Marker F12 Tour and Duke swappage...that way I can huck sidecountry/lift-served with the Duke but have a light, well built binding for days with more up-vert.


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I had the same thought. I know they share the same hole pattern,
but DO THEY SHARE THE EXACT SAME REAR PLATE?

It would be nice to only have to change the 5 front binding screws and not the back four.

I guess not, unless they´ve changed the climbing bar on the latest version of the dukes.

Got to inspect a pair of these at a shop the other day. Definitely sit low against the deck, seem pretty sturdy for mostly plastic. The switch loop is as mentioned not leather, but heavy industrial rubber. The only thing that I worry about is the middle touring position groove underneath the heel. It's just a plastic groove and I wonder how it will last.

That said, I'm getting a pair this season for my main/long distance b/c setup.

For duke/baron owners or those who have fondled these new bindings - how easy will it be to flip the climbing bar up and down while skinning? Seems like that's a big disadvantage the duke/barons have compared to FR's.

Originally Posted by squirrelmurphy

Dynafits do fine on any ski until you put a significant amount of force through the binding, then they rip the core out of your ski, the insert out of your boot, or just release (if you have them in ski mode). F12 have a place in this world.

In your experience, what is a significant amount of force and how does one achieve it? Are we talking normal skiing here?

Sheez squirrel, sounds like you've had some really awful luck with Dynafits.

Other than the obviously defective Salomon Quest insert, what Tech boot inserts have blown out?

I've seen one ripped out Dynafit -- bad ski, i.e., soft spots in the core. It should have been helicoiled on the original mount. IME, (non-HH) tele bindings rip out far more often than Dynafits.

ETA: I ought not contribute to this thread drift. Seems to me that the F10/F12 compete with Fritschis, not with Dynafits.