2006 Salomon AK Rocket Lab Swallowtail mount points

[altasnowbirdripper]

OK, first I'll apologize up front to the few of you who I have already asked this question to:

2006 AK Rocket Lab Swallowtail (black & gray color) mount points: Should bindings be mounted at or back of suggested mount points?

I had a pair of 2004 orange AK Rocket Lab Swallowtails and MUCH to my horror, I had the same experience that some of you out there did, the tips would dive in softer deep powder. I have read over the years in different TGR posts & in other ski forums out that the mount points on some of the AK Rocket Lab’s may have changed and the people who were experiencing the tip diving problem were mounting and/or remounting their bindings 2 to 3 to as much as 6 centimeters back from the suggested Salomon mount points. Does anyone know if Salomon changed the mount points on the 2006 black/gray AK Lab Swallowtail model and if it would be wise to mount bindings back of the suggested mount points on them as well ?? The skis will be used primarily for powder/off piste skiing at resorts & nearby back country. The skier in question is 6'0", advanced/expert level skier, around 210 lbs with all ski gear in tow, if that makes any difference. Any help & suggestions with this mounting dilemma are greatly appreciated! Have a most bitchin’ly epic ski year!

[Cirquerider]

This is the 05 - 06 ski recently offered on SAC. The rearward small line is 843 mm (84.3 cm) from the tail measured flat.

The dimple is 870 mm from the tail, and the blue line is 960 mm from the tail and appears to be the center of the effective edge..



Mounting boot center at the rear line with my boots (323 mm) brings the toe about 44 mm in front of the center line. We are still waiting on snow here and I haven't done the mount yet, but based on El Chupacabra and others will probably go boot center to rear line. Karl, if you read this, would you mind measuring the boot center from tail distance on yours. I don't know how these marks compare to older models. They were changed several times from when Alka first reported. FWIW, Leroy Jenkins strongly advocates a more forward position at that dimple which is about +3 from the rear mark. I think for my size it would be bad to be that far forward.

[Bandit Man]

This is the 05 - 06 ski recently offered on SAC. The rearward small line is 843 mm (84.3 cm) from the tail measured flat.

My Orange "Scream" Versions are mounted at the rear line which is the exact same measurement from the tail that is listed above (84.3 cm). I love them and don't have any diving problems in pow. I'm only 5'8", but do weigh in at 180 lbs. I've been in as much as 4' of fresh on these and dig them. Anyhow, my 2 cents...

[El Chupacabra]

My Orange "Scream" Versions are mounted at the rear line which is the exact same measurement from the tail that is listed above (84.3 cm). I love them and don't have any diving problems in pow. I'm only 5'8", but do weigh in at 180 lbs. I've been in as much as 4' of fresh on these and dig them. Anyhow, my 2 cents...

^^^ Ditto for the mounting point on my orange "SCREAM" skis. Mine were at the more rearward 84.5cm line (no metric tape measure, so I converted to inches).

So much of this is personal preference. I mostly haven't liked more forward-mounts on skis, with the exception of the Spatula. Though I know many people like more center/ forward mounts, even on skis like Explosivs, where the manufacturer recommended mount (and my preferred mount point) are quite far to the rear of the ski.

[IE]

The more of these I read, the more I wish that there were some demo binders that don't suck and can be moved around to adjust the mount point. How hard would it be to make a binding that isn't super heavy and is pretty bomber, at least DIN14, or something? Can't be that hard, can it?

"Curing AlDS? Shit, that's like Cadillac making a car that lasts for 15 years.

And you know they can do it... but they ain't gonna do nothing that fucking dumb. Shit, they got metal on the space shuttle that can go around the moon... and withstand temperatures of up to 1000 degrees.

You mean to tell me you don't think they can make an Eldorado... where the fucking bumper don't fall off?"

I guess Fischer's got their rail system, not sure if that works well or not.

[altasnowbirdripper]

Gentlemen, thanks for your reply's and your help in this! I really appreciate the effort! Cirquerider that picture really helps & I think I’ll mount at the rearward line and pray for NO Diving!!! Sounds like this should work. Have a safe & EPIC year everyone!

[leroy jenkins]

Yea, I guess its just personal preference, but I HATED the rearward mounting point.

I have a two year old pair that are mounted at the forward mounting point, and a pair of last years at the rearward line.

I have never had any problems with tip dive with the forward mounting point, in fact I am amazed by how aggresivly forward you can be on these things and they just kill it.

The rearward point seemed less stable, and whenever I got airborne, I just felt the tips wanting to rise up, which was a really fucking strange feeling.

Because of this I've probably spent about 150 days on my forward mounted pair, and 4 days on my rearward mounted pair.

I thought there was a fairly old thread started by alka when these things come out, with posts in it up to almost the present, discussing the different mounting points, and other aspects of this ski, but I can't seem to find it. Wierd.

Anyways, if anyone wants to try the rearward mounting point, I've got some of last years mounted with tyrolia mojo 15s at 295, and drilled once before for sollys at 310something, both on the rearward line. The skis have abotu 20 days, the mojos have 4 days. $300 w/bindings +shipping.

[El Chupacabra]

I thought there was a fairly old thread started by alka when these things come out, with posts in it up to almost the present, discussing the different mounting points, and other aspects of this ski, but I can't seem to find it. Wierd.

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...swallowtail%2A