Thread: Plum guide tech binding

Maybe this is obvious, but I was thinking about this some more: a heel-pin failure, while not ideal, is not terribly worse than a pre-release. You can switch into tour mode and make it back to the car just fine.

The concerning failure is the one thin cover experienced. And so far, that appears to be an isolated incident.

I guess I'll mount them up and see how they fair...

Just a heads up... I bought three pair during the group buy a few weeks back. The two pair that I have used so far, have each seen 5-7 days - BOTH had the 4 top screws come loose on all heel pieces. I first notice while on the chair lift and when my skis dangles I could feel a little slop in the heel. At first I thought maybe it was a small diameter problem with the pin matching up to the boot.

Here was problem.


May need to put serviceable Loctite on these screws. Could have been bad news had I lost the screws on the hill. (imaginations run wild... now!)

Another good use for Vibra-Tite reusable threadlocker.

^are you fucking kidding me? seriously, what the fuck is going on here?
the whole 'group buy' of the 'hot' new product should end here! you want the economy to turn around, how'sa bout walking into a local shop and buying a Fritschi or Markah and not spending the coin on shit! if the weight really matters, lose five lbs. problem solved. FUCK! it's about the Down, dweebs! fuck the Up.

yep - always a roll of the dice with first year AT bindings, beacons, "hot" lifties

Originally Posted by buttahflake

. FUCK! it's about the Down, dweebs! fuck the Up.

absolutely right on! (if you want to keep skiing little girl runs your whole life)

Isn't it past your bedtime boys?
Anyway perhaps with the heel piece having some vertical play in it, because of the screws loosening, might that allow for the heel pins to be more susceptible to breakage?

Originally Posted by buttahflake

^are you fucking kidding me? seriously, what the fuck is going on here?
the whole 'group buy' of the 'hot' new product should end here! you want the economy to turn around, how'sa bout walking into a local shop and buying a Fritschi or Markah and not spending the coin on shit! if the weight really matters, lose five lbs. problem solved. FUCK! it's about the Down, dweebs! fuck the Up.

Easy.
In my experience Fritschi is no sweetheart dependable gem. I remember when folks used to backcountry on Fritschi, it was almost more vital to pack a spare toe assembly unless you wanted a one way trip to BFE. Dont forget the famous Fritsche Telemark experience. It has gotten better out of necessity. Because guys were sending the bad stuff back in droves.

I for one am grateful for the "group buy" on gear I can't access pro-form on my own. I hope there continues to be few people here who want to advance the evolution of gear by getting it out on the mountain and getting feedback. Any discount on unproven items is the best way to protect yourself from being screwed on overblown retail when a product does go bad... and your obliged to give constructive feedback when & If you can to advance it and make it better.

Im not pissed because I need to be aware of my gear, and maintain it from time to time. Educating yourself is the best way to stop being a victim and start being part of the solution. That is a universal truth you can apply outside the realm sking... even into our economy if you have to bring that to TGR as well. I don't mind "taking one for the team", giving feedback to make a better product.
If you don't like a group buy... don't participate.

Originally Posted by marshalolson

just out of curiosity, since i, personally, was a notable early proponent of the bindings that i would guess you are at least in part referencing...

should i have not reported my findings? are any of my findings wrong? namely that the bindings release at a much closer value to alpine bindings than a dynafit, and they ski stiffer than my ft12's did.

my pair of plums have not broken after numerous hard days of skiing... so i guess i cannot post that they did? certainly there was an adequate number of runs prior to my review being posted.

it looks like TC has had the only toe failure i have seen, and there have been a couple heel issues, mostly around the black spacer cracking, and then causing other issues....? which yeah, sucks, and clearly needs to be fixed by plum.

should i post the several 2nd and third hand accounts of radical 12's breaking that i have seen? or my, and several retailers conjecture, about the fatal design flaw that causes them to break?

Only speaking for myself but I don't think anything was meant to be negative about any review that you or anyone does about any product. Its a nice addition to the info out there on the many products we, the users of this site, use. I think its a bit funny how people react though, which is not your fault at all. Ex. I bet there is a bunch of guys that tried tires because kidwoo recommended them even though they probably suck for the users conditions. Go on mtbr.com and see how many people worship what shiggy says about a pile of poo. What you recommend or enjoy using has more weight than what I do, and for good reason, at least to people other than myself. Keep doing what your doing because your good at it man, there is a reason you get play with toys you love. The TGR mob should be psychological study really.

Originally Posted by auvgeek

The concerning failure is the one [thin cover] experienced. And so far, that appears to be an isolated incident.

Also remember he's a big dude and that was on the first release of Plum bindings from last year.

Originally Posted by rludes025

Only speaking for myself but I don't think anything was meant to be negative about any review that you or anyone does about any product.

Speaking for myself as well.

how about some more stoke? My first lightweight touring setup! (been on naxo/dukes since 2004)


In case you are wondering, these are custom skis made by a friend in Jackson, NH. 140-113-126 with about 30cm rocker and regular camber underfoot. They're called 'Rocket Skis' and I designed the topsheet. Calling 'em the 'tabloid'.

Took these out and up 3k+ vert in GTNP to shred some pillows the other day for a test run. didn't even think about the binders on my feet. stoked for sure!

^^^^^ STOKED 4 U
those loook sweet

Originally Posted by buttahflake

^are you fucking kidding me? seriously, what the fuck is going on here?
the whole 'group buy' of the 'hot' new product should end here! you want the economy to turn around, how'sa bout walking into a local shop and buying a Fritschi or Markah and not spending the coin on shit! if the weight really matters, lose five lbs. problem solved. FUCK! it's about the Down, dweebs! fuck the Up.

I'm sorry I can not walk into a local shop and overpay for a +2x heavy crappy binder that skis like ass. Specailly when I can get that (dukes) from ptex1 over the webz.
I know a lot of those gear whores we sold to on the group buy the $$$$ they saved just goes into other bc products.

More Stoke. Have skied 6 backcountry days thus far, no problems. Fat skis, 200lb aggressive skier. Every time I ski on them I like them more.

[IMG]<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51860656@N06/6511041139/" title="Darkside Plum by dkozski, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6511041139_22dacf03b2_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Darkside Plum"></a>[/IMG]

I was one of the first people who had these (and Plum 145s) and wrote glowing reviews of both. I've got hundreds of thousands of feet up and down on them with zero problems but the failure reports are disturbing. I would never have thought heel pins would be breaking like this, or at such apparently high rates (not sure how to measure). Its very disappointing.

If my writeups got people excited and bought something they don't trust now I apologize.

Originally Posted by Cosmic Suncloud

yep - always a roll of the dice with first year AT bindings, beacons, "hot" lifties



absolutely right on! (if you want to keep skiing little girl runs your whole life)

not the first year. read back through the thread.

Still the best?


Less prone to breaking than Comforts or Verticals (stronger heel post, more compact toe, no plastic volcano), and, perhaps, Plums. Maybe shorter heel pins were a good idea. Anybody ever break a Classic/Speed heel spindle or pin?

Originally Posted by dynamike

--perhaps with the heel piece having some vertical play in it, because of the screws loosening, might that allow for the heel pins to be more susceptible to breakage?

+1

I cant imagine that Black plastic piece, or the Pin, being able to break like that without having extra flex/wiggle room and then giving it leveraged force to break. I'd be interested to check the Screws on the the heel that did not break and see if its mate was loosening up too.

If you use 1000oaks Vibratite which sounds happier than Loctite... regardless, remember it may be easier or safer to take one screw out at a time to apply the thread locker. replacing it before you take out the next screw. --- If you take all four out at one time and have not done it before (knowing how it assembles and taking the dins all the way down.. etc) you may open a can of worms than be a tough to get back together properly.

If anyone has a direct line to Plum and run it by them directly... it may be best to get their input on this before we TGR home tech remedy this to death. Ill pm Marshall to see if he has a direct contact.

Looks like a cool ski. That side cut spec sounds like a beloved recipe. Does he have a website or contact info?

Originally Posted by snomaster

how about some more stoke? My first lightweight touring setup! (been on naxo/dukes since 2004)

In case you are wondering, these are custom skis made by a friend in Jackson, NH. 140-113-126 with about 30cm rocker and regular camber underfoot. They're called 'Rocket Skis' and I designed the topsheet. Calling 'em the 'tabloid'.

Took these out and up 3k+ vert in GTNP to shred some pillows the other day for a test run. didn't even think about the binders on my feet. stoked for sure!

@Olympus: I had that same prob. with the screws loosening. A little loctite on all of them and I have not felt that slop since.

Originally Posted by Olympus

If anyone has a direct line to Plum and run it by them directly... it may be best to get their input on this before we TGR home tech remedy this to death. Ill pm Marshall to see if he has a direct contact.

From Marshal:
"blue loc-tite. i would also do a drop on the screws that hold the heel on the track. no big deal, but worth doing, while you are at it.

cheers! "


Thanks Marshal

ha! thanks for posting that!

anyhow, my contact at plum no longer is there, which is a bummer, because he was super helpful and great to work with. i do not really have a new contact, other than just the standard info email on their webspace, but the responders to inquiries have all been quick to help anyhow.

Originally Posted by marshalolson

ha! thanks for posting that!

anyhow, my contact at plum no longer is there, which is a bummer, because he was super helpful and great to work with. i do not really have a new contact, other than just the standard info email on their webspace, but the responders to inquiries have all been quick to help anyhow.

Yeah Alexis was awesome. and responded promptly. Trying to get Albert to respond within a reasonable amount of time is tough and the answers are nebulous at best. Alexis may be coming to stay with me in VT. I have his personal email and contact info if you want to ask him some questions. He is gearing up for a move to the US.

I put some blue stuff on heel track screws also.

nice man, he is coming thru colorado too. hopefully i can make some runs with him. i am going to try and introduce him around the scene here a bit.

Originally Posted by marshalolson

nice man, he is coming thru colorado too. hopefully i can make some runs with him. i am going to try and introduce him around the scene here a bit.

sweet!, get him involved, dude is way cool

Three questions for him.
How many failures have they dealt with.(and nature of them)
Is the current binding going to see a brake.
What is the plan for the update.