G3 ION tech binding

[Jonathan S.]

Actual elasticity numbers/percentages?

How about actual quantitative information on "elasticity" for any alpine binding, whether AT or downhill?
Then again, maybe even just a definition of "elasticity" in this context should come first...

BD only make tele bindings... why compare a tele binding to a tech?

He meant the Fritschi Vipec AT "Tech" binding, distributed by BD in North America.

[lynchdogger]

Sure JS that would be right up your quantitative alley. Bring it.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TGR Forums

[LeeLau]

Nice writeup from Louie Dawson - http://www.wildsnow.com/11812/g3-ion...#comment-58018

Note that all Ion's right now are pre-production / protos

[shirk]

http://www.doglotion.com/ion-landed

Well no denying that the marketing machine isn't firing on the new binding.

[hway2]

Lee - nice video. Is that the G3 Synapse? thank you

[dynamike]

Any word on the hole pattern? Match any existing tech patterns?

[whatsupdoc]

^ according to wild snow's blurb today the mount pattern is different than Dyanfit's, so looks like no

[skiitsbetter]

I skied a pair mounted on some demo boards at the Coldsmoke Festival this weekend. This binding interests me more than the Vipec, and I only had a couple of runs.

A bit of an unconventional setup. I've only ever skied those boots in autolocking race bindings. First of all, the plastic tabs were no help with stepping in, I imagine that on other boots with short boot welts (TLT6, Alien, etc...) they probably wouldnt help much. But what was really scary was that although I'm sure I was properly stepped in, I could feel the toe inserts moving out of the sockets on hard turns. Probably not much of an issue on Dynafit spec inserts, but something to look out for if you have something else...

[LeeLau]

That is insane that tech fittings are still so badly out of spec. What boot is that? No issue with Dynafit, Scarpa, Technica fittings in the ION for now but it seems so whacked that manufacturers can have such variation

[LeeLau]

Finally got around to getting these for testing.

G3 Ions and G3 Empire Carbons

Aluminimum shiny 7005 alloy anodized for all the Plum look-how-shiny-it-is form over substance gear fappage crowd.



Demo track has 60mm adjustment. Standard binder is 22mm adjustment



Forward pressure via spring in the heel


Getting ready to shred the gnar of Ego Bowl for the TGR cred



Meadowskippy pow turns on Whistler Bowl at 2pm



Positive engagement in the toe. Doesn't seem have to the vagueness of tech binders with the heel spacing. Having skied icy moguls or slammed them sideways into crud to test how "elastic" they feel. Easy to setup. Looks pretty. Brakes that are nice and long and seem to deploy easily. That's it for now

[neck beard]

I really hope G3 are rewarded with a solid binding for their efforts. I'll happily Sell Dynafit/Buy G3 if so.

Lee - off topic question, but you mentioned it first: is the Empire as fully rockered as the Empress? A friend of mine has left some Empress skis in my ski room a few times this season and they are curvey. Your last photos does not look so much.

[LeeLau]

They seem a lot less craptastic than the Onyx with that stupendously impractical mechanism of toe entry. But I'm old and cautious and will very slowly sneak into the backcountry with them rather than wholesale drink koolaid. Always remembering that 1st generation backcountry products are destined to have failures and quirks

Empire is really rockered but curiously the tips don't flap around like say a Megawatt (which is just as rockered) so maybe its because they're not as banana-floppy as BD offerings. I'll snap a picture at some point

[neck beard]

Thanks Lee.

I reckon those plastic flaps will break under full-time/professional use. I just can't imagine them being durable enough to handle the work-out that comes from shoving your toe at them 400+ times a season, including resetting the pincers with your foot before stepping in, and standing on the toe piece rather than the slippery top sheet in deep snow (my bad habits will have to change). At least a flap failure will not affect the safety of the binding, which is always the real first season concern.

[N1CK.]

I saw a couple guys skiing, er, 'testing' these today. They were mounted to a new G3 carbon 109-waisted somethingorother. I have nothing of value to add aside from they looked stout. Maybe just metal vs plastic?

Skier had positive things to say; Preferred the toe and said they climbed and descended great, better than his Verticals.

[LeeLau]

I saw a couple guys skiing, er, 'testing' these today. They were mounted to a new G3 carbon 109-waisted somethingorother. I have nothing of value to add aside from they looked stout. Maybe just metal vs plastic?

Skier had positive things to say; Preferred the toe and said they climbed and descended great, better than his Verticals.

G3 Carbon Synapse wonderski. Climbed better? Biting tongue there

[N1CK.]

Yes, Synapse. that was it.

As far as doing anything 'better', again I have NO idea if they even worked, just passing along what random guy had to say.

[LeeLau]

No problem Nick. The Ion binding brought me up hills on the wings of unicorn



Brakes on the Ion actually work


Plastic towers help guide the boot into place

[Lakelander]

Is the mount pattern the same as either Dynafit or Plum bindings? Read through the thread but didn't see any definitive statements about the mount pattern.

[LeeLau]

Is the mount pattern the same as either Dynafit or Plum bindings? Read through the thread but didn't see any definitive statements about the mount pattern.

No. Wider. Thx geoffers - edited "Toe is wider; heel is different but about the same"

[geoffers]

http://www.wildsnow.com/11763/ion-g3...kcountry-tech/ says this

The screw pattern of the rear is about the same width as other tech bindings, but is designed to mount over other hole patterns without unacceptable overlap of screw holes -- a smart sales touch for the 'new kid on the block.'

[Judo Chop!]

Lee - It looks like you've tried them with a beast-heel-spur equipped boot. Any issues with that?

[LeeLau]

Lee - It looks like you've tried them with a beast-heel-spur equipped boot. Any issues with that?

None. Same setup as with other boots. G3 heel must just touch the back end of whatever boot you have. I also tried them with Tecnica Cochise 120 boots which didn't have the Beast fitting but are amazing performers. The Beasts feel like an alpine binding. Ion feels less twitchy then regular tech bindings with heel gap (ie think rattly) but not as solid alpine-feeling as Beasts.

[steff]

I had a chance to try these bindings on the G3 Synapse 109 and liked it. Comparing to the Radical ST they feel more solid, especially stepping in the toe, it seems to clamp onto the boot with more force. There's not really much need to lock the toe for easy/moderate climbs, it takes quite a bit more twisting force to lever out of the toe piece compared to the ST. They have a more secure feel riding the resort runs than the ST. The toe lever is big/easy to grab onto and also solid feeling.

The heel piece works well with the twist-either-way tour mode, and easy return to ski mode with a boot kick or smack with a ski pole. The brakes staying deployed until ready to step in is a nice feature after de-skinning on a slippery slope. The heel lifters are easy enough to hook'n'flip with the pole. The pair I used was a bit sticky flipping them over, they weren't as light/snappy as the ST, but maybe with some time, or lube, they'd be better, but they were still ok. Forward pressure is a great feature. Overall, seems G3 did a good job with this binding.

[Wunderkind]

How did that synapse ski?

[steff]

Synapse was good fun in anything soft/deep/untracked. Very lightweight, easy to move around, semi-soft flex, but still lively (I'm 200lbs), reverse camber, very pivoty, super easy short turns, good med/long turns on edge to avoid feeling too loose at higher speeds. They kinda felt like Vectors but sportier, surfier and more fun in deeper, steeper, tighter places.

One day BC, one day at the resort. At the resort, by mid afternoon the deep, soft snow was sun-roasted, tracked and getting heavy, the skis still handled it well enough for slower, shorter turns, but were getting knocked around a bit, at speed it took some paying attention and getting tiring to keep them under control. The last few runs, I switched back to my Infidels, narrower, same camber, more weight/ramming speed, stiffer... all was good again, it felt like a fresh start to the day.

G3 also has the Synapse 101, which is similar, obviously narrower but with camber underfoot. I didn't try it but seems like it'd be more versatile and not so pivoty/loose feeling. Reverse camber is fun and all, but I like a bit more edge contact in the BC, which is where these lightweights work best anyway.