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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    If you were choosing from these 3 tech bindings.

    OK so yes I have poured over numerous threads and have been watching a few diligently. I also know this is a super subjective issue, but I'm going to ask anyway.

    Between the kingpin, viptec, and beast 14 which would you choose?

    These will be used both inbounds and out and would mostly be on a daily driver. Mostly ski Salomon bindings. Strong skier never huck anything more than 10 feet and rarely that. Primarily Alta and periphery. 6'3" 195lbs.

    Go.

  2. #2
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    Nov 2011
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    Search jong... I kid. Seriusly though I can't imagine what else could be said.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by daught View Post
    Search jong... I kid. Seriusly though I can't imagine what else could be said.
    Yeah I been following all the various thread, was hoping I could get a better concensus just based on these 3. Beast is last on my list unless someone can really come up with a strong argument for a soon the be discontinued binding. Though they also seem to be cheapest now, sooo....

    I know getting a dead solid answer is a pipe dream, but maybe I just pick the choice that gets the most nods?

    Thanks.

  4. #4
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    Oct 2003
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    Short answer: I bought Kingpins last spring, mounted them this fall, skied them and added a 3/16 shim under the toes to get rid of the ramp angle. Happy with them, skiing them hard.

  5. #5
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    Mar 2008
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    the only one of those 3 bindings I have actually seen in use is the kingpin

    seems to work for bigger guys and people who are skiing fairly hard
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Having skied none of them, my understanding is that the Kingpin has a solid heel means better power transfer on hard snow while the Vipec has lateral toe release, which means less chance of tib/fib break (but increased risk of tearing ACL if you're backseat). No ability to lockout the toe precludes use in no-fall terrain, at least for me.

    I would choose Vipec for a pow-only touring ski if I were planning to push my limits and drop stuff. Doesn't sound like your intended use, so I'd read up specifically on comments comparing the Beast 14 to the Kingpin. People seem to disagree as to which feel more like an alpine binding, but reading between the lines, my speculation is that the Dynafit might have more elasticity while the Kingpin has better power transfer.

    Durability another question, and I'm not sure any of these will really stand up to daily charging in the resort.

    Edit: sounds like maybe you should add a poll and buy the one with the most votes? Kingpin 13 and Beast 14 can be had from spyderjon for pretty cheap.
    "Alpine rock and steep, deep powder are what I seek, and I will always find solace there." - Bean Bowers

    photos

  7. #7
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    Nov 2007
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    Tech binding as a lift-served daily driver? Why? IME you can get decent life if you put tech bindings on your pow skis and limit lift-served use to soft snow days and have proper alpine bindings for other-than-soft snow days. OTOH, friend o' many mags S. Wild has skied hundreds of lift-served days on Dynafit TLT Superlites.

    Of those three I'd probably not get any of them and would go with the Ion.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by DIYSteve View Post
    OTOH, friend o' many mags S. Wild has skied hundreds of lift-served days on Dynafit TLT Superlites.
    Silas should probably get an alpine rig, but it would cut into the sleeping space in his Tercel.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by DIYSteve View Post
    Tech binding as a lift-served daily driver? Why? IME you can get decent life if you put tech bindings on your pow skis and limit lift-served use to soft snow days and have proper alpine bindings for other-than-soft snow days. OTOH, friend o' many mags S. Wild has skied hundreds of lift-served days on Dynafit TLT Superlites.

    Of those three I'd probably not get any of them and would go with the Ion.
    Ion could be added to the mix. I had neglected to add it. Maybe it replaces the viptec as I have read better things about it over viptec.

    Thanks for the replies so far.

    As for a why not 1 alpine and 1 touring? Pairing things down maybe? Less thinking or choices on any given day? Just grab and go with what you have and make it work.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
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    My wife has 1st gen Ions and is not thrilled with them. At least once per tour, one of the heel pieces rotates back into ski mode. Also, it's surprisingly finicky getting the brakes to stay tucked up when rotating to tour mode. I would not buy them again after the experience we've had with them. Can't comment on how they ski though.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    I have both the Kingpins & Ions. I would say for daily resort binding, I would do the Kingpin. It has an extra spring in toe & that heel drives a ski better for inbounds skiing. Plus Kingpin heel has less stress on it, than the pins from Ion would have on them skiing inbounds. The draw back to the Beast is having to install metal stirrups to your boots & some have complained about ramp angle. That being said, I love my Ions for touring/backcountry days. The Kingpins do both exceptionaly well.
    "... when I turn, I just hope it hits me in the face."--Shroder Baker/Under the Influence

  12. #12
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    May 2011
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    Kingpins for sure because of the heel. As someone who's been using Guardians on a couple of setups for inbounds / BC the past few years, I was kinda shocked at how little difference I noticed when skiing on the Kingpins.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by TahoeJ View Post
    Kingpins for sure because of the heel. As someone who's been using Guardians on a couple of setups for inbounds / BC the past few years, I was kinda shocked at how little difference I noticed when skiing on the Kingpins.
    This is good to know as I have skied reg dynafits, and almost all the frame style bindings. Dyna comforts had an odd ramp angle to me. Not that they were bad, I just had to adjust the way I ski when I was on them.

    Ill poke around and maybe find somewhere that has kingpins I could demo.

    Agree with the Beast, not really jazzed on adding hardware to the boots. Yeah I know its not "really" an issue, but if i can avoid I gladly will.

    Thanks again mags.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by gregL View Post
    Silas should probably get an alpine rig, but it would cut into the sleeping space in his Tercel.
    Damn his new car is ugly, especially when the windows are fogged up in the morning after a stayover. Maybe his ugly car is his apology for living in a fancy house.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
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    just chiming in late: Kingpins FTW. I recently picked up my 2nd pair. 1st pair has 30+ days of agro skiing in all conditions. I swapped out the dukes on my JJs with a set of kingpins, and rode them last week. I did not notice ANY difference re power transfer and overall stability. The felt more playful and easy to maneuver, mostly because of the reduced weight.
    The Hardest Workin' Man in Snow-Business

  16. #16
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    Mar 2008
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    I'm questionable as to how well kingpins would hold up under resort use. I have a buddy who's 220, skis pretty hard, and has sheared a pin on his first pair of kingpins while skinning (not falling out like the known kingpin issue for first gen), and broke his heelpiece off on his 2nd set...

  17. #17
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    Aug 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by FatKidFromFL View Post
    just chiming in late: Kingpins FTW. I recently picked up my 2nd pair. 1st pair has 30+ days of agro skiing in all conditions. I swapped out the dukes on my JJs with a set of kingpins, and rode them last week. I did not notice ANY difference re power transfer and overall stability. The felt more playful and easy to maneuver, mostly because of the reduced weight.
    This has been addressed somewhere else, I'm sure, but do the Dukes and Kingpins share any holes? Thinking of putting a tech binding on a Lhasa Pow, and would love to avoid extra holes.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
    I'm not a part of a redneck agenda

  18. #18
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    Sep 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by plugboots View Post
    This has been addressed somewhere else, I'm sure, but do the Dukes and Kingpins share any holes? Thinking of putting a tech binding on a Lhasa Pow, and would love to avoid extra holes.
    IIRC, no shared holes, no overlap.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    I got vipec
    1) weight
    2) din cert
    3) no boot mod required
    4) I hate marker
    5) it sounds euro
    6) I only will tour on them
    7) I learned that there is no such thing as "one of these (skis, boots, binding) can do it all"

    PS it's spelled Vipec
    I need to go to Utah.
    Utah?
    Yeah, Utah. It's wedged in between Wyoming and Nevada. You've seen pictures of it, right?

    So after 15 years we finally made it to Utah.....


    Thanks BCSAR and POWMOW Ski Patrol for rescues

    8, 17, 13, 18, 16, 18, 20, 19, 16, 24, 32, 35

    2021/2022 (13/15)

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by whyturn View Post
    I got vipec
    1) weight
    2) din cert
    3) no boot mod required
    4) I hate marker
    5) it sounds euro
    6) I only will tour on them
    7) I learned that there is no such thing as "one of these (skis, boots, binding) can do it all"

    PS it's spelled Vipec
    My apologies for the typo

    I know there is no unicorn do it all setup. If it's even marginally close that fine I can adapt a bit. I'm not overly hard on gear, in fact never broken a binding, or ski. Poles are another story. I might give the kingpin a whirl.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    The question should be how well your knees will hold up to resort use with pins. Which pin system has elasticity in the toe?

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skidog View Post

    I know there is no unicorn do it all setup.
    I might give the kingpin a whirl.
    This

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
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    SW, CO
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    Bought Beast 14s last year. Have about 35 days touring and 25 days inbounds on them so far. They are burly bindings that ski well and have held up to the abuse.

    That said, I'd have probably gone with the Kingpins instead simply because the Beast's heel piece requires putting the metal bar on the back of your boot which has made swapping back to regular bindings difficult. Love the Beasts but the Kingpin does the same in a better and simpler way imo.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by DIYSteve View Post
    Tech binding as a lift-served daily driver? Why?
    Dynaduke plates.

    I found I was so rarely actually switching back to Dukes that I just went full time tech.

    7(?) years ago.

    hundreds of lift-served days
    ^

    Edit: Overheard in gondy line a few weeks back. Some muppet describing his new skis with Beasts were his, "AT setup" and that he was, "probably getting skins next season"
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

  25. #25
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    Dec 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by PNWbrit View Post
    Edit: Overheard in gondy line a few weeks back. Some muppet describing his new skis with Beasts were his, "AT setup" and that he was, "probably getting skins next season"
    Standing joke in shops, Brit. They come in the next year and still no skins . . .

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