SNEAK PEAK of a new product (Duke/Baron related)

**samhop** · 03-16-2009, 01:34 PM

maybe something like

small duke - solly your bsl or choice of bsl depending on hole pattern.
Fritschi Diamir Med. fks 315
to many choices = the root of anarchy

**Fejj** · 03-16-2009, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by BigLineSeeker

duke/whatever; I just want to be able to move them forward and back and between different skis

What he said.

**TyWebb** · 03-16-2009, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by jondrums

Marketing study question here. Which would you rather buy:
*plate that swaps between Salomon STH16 (or 916 ect) and Dynafit
*plate that swaps between Duke/Baron and Dynafit

If I had the ability to put dynafits or 916s on any of my skis, I don't see the need for dukes anymore. I guess for those that want to skin AND huck. But that's about it.

Comments?

I think that having the duke compatibility on the plate is key. Whether it is Duke/Sally, Duke/Look, Duke/Dyna....personally, I would be in the Duke/Look camp for two reasons....ability to move 1 pair of Dukes around the quiver and have the Look's on the other skis in the meantime.

**jondrums** · 03-16-2009, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Duffman

Perhaps I'm just stupid, but how would this work for a fixed length binding mount like a look, solly, etc. The duke I understand, since there would only have to be one set of front holes and two sets of rear holes, one each for size large and small, and then the binding itself adjusts for the correct BSL.

good questions. I think you missed that the toeplate and heelplate are separate pieces. As far as dukes go, you'll have to mount the heel plate in the correct spot to work with your size of dukes. The toeplate only needs holes for duke toe + dynafit toe. The heelplate needs one set of holes for the duke back plate, and three sets of holes for dynafit heelpiece (to accomodate the range of BSL possible on a duke)

Originally Posted by Duffman

How would you accommodate for different BSL with look, solly, or any other traditional two piece bindings?

Actually a Look/Dynafit swap set would be even easier, since the heelpieces of both bindings have fore/aft adjustment. So both plates only needs one set of holes each for look and dynafit.

Originally Posted by Duffman

what would be the ramifications of having a long, non flexing metal plate on the ski. I figure BC skiers generally aren't looking for the equivalent of a world cup metal stiffener plate in the middle of the ski.

agreed. two plates, each with a reasonably small hole pattern, should have very little effect on ski flex.

Originally Posted by Duffman

Another issue, even if you have a way of putting multiple sets of rear binding mount holes in the plate to accommodate a wide range of BSLs, there is still going to be a limit which might place the mount either slightly fore or aft of ideal.

nope! no overlap between:
duke/dynafit
look/dynafit
fks/dynafit
sally/dynafit

sweet huh?

Originally Posted by Duffman

Im not trying to crap on this idea, as an eastern skiier who crams two pairs of skis and a ton of garbage in a bag 3 or 4 times a year to get out west, I would love the idea of bringing one pair of Baron binders and swapping between the skis depending on conditions, and would buy this in a second if that could be made to work.

Great! me too.

**Telecrat** · 03-16-2009, 02:25 PM

I am in the Duke/Baron and Dynafit camp.
Although in my dreams, I would love to have something with Duke/Std 4 hole tele pattern to allow me to really have fun with my quiver, mmmmmmmmmm that would be sweet.

**jjrckd** · 03-16-2009, 03:00 PM

I would strongly suggest that the holes for the bolts keeping the bindings in place were equipped with Helicoils as threaded alu holes wear out pretty fast.

**jondrums** · 03-16-2009, 03:19 PM

^^ anyone have the bishop 2cnd ski kit? do those threads wear out? are they helicoil - it doesn't seem like it.

**frorider** · 03-16-2009, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by jondrums

no plans for a tele version right now, since I know nothing about tele equipment, so I wouldn't know where to start.

no need for a tele version -- there already is one. the NTN binding slide mounts to an included, separate plate, and extra plate kits are about $60 with heelpiece.

another plus of the NTN system is you can quickly move the binding + 1.5 or -1.5 in the 3 position detent.

this season i covered a nine-ski quiver effectively with just two sets of NTN bindings. glad to see AT bindings starting to get attention paid to this swappable binding concept...AT is catching up to tele slowly but surely.

**altis** · 03-16-2009, 03:43 PM

Before long you're going to end up with a pair of notched or perforated rails screwed to each ski onto which you slide different adapter plates to accommodate different bindings. Great for taking your bindings off for transport and servicing and great for playing with the fore/aft placement of the boot too.

Great idea except that all the manufacturers chose to implement different standards. Now if someone were to come along and create a common standard then possibly, just maybe, it would catch on and eventually all bindings would be compatible.

**bennettc14** · 03-16-2009, 05:35 PM

I like the idea of a Duke/PX Look swap plate. When's the first proto going to be ready?

**Sinecure** · 03-16-2009, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by jondrums

^^ anyone have the bishop 2cnd ski kit? do those threads wear out? are they helicoil - it doesn't seem like it.

I have Bomber bindings on all my boards. I swap tops back and forth all the time. No problems. The great 5mm hex bolts that Bomber uses work very well. They'll hold up to hundreds of swaps.

**arne_and** · 03-17-2009, 05:52 AM

Great idea!

Originally Posted by jondrums

Marketing study question here. Which would you rather buy:
*plate that swaps between Salomon STH16 (or 916 ect) and Dynafit
*plate that swaps between Duke/Baron and Dynafit

I'd definitely prefer Duke/Baron and Dynafit. I only have one pair of boots, and they do not have swappable soles. To get consistent DIN settings I'd need Duke/Baron. They're still burly enough for my resort skiing, and they'll allow some side country.

**Conundrum** · 03-17-2009, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by jondrums

^^ anyone have the bishop 2cnd ski kit? do those threads wear out? are they helicoil - it doesn't seem like it.

Originally Posted by Sinecure

I have Bomber bindings on all my boards. I swap tops back and forth all the time. No problems. The great 5mm hex bolts that Bomber uses work very well. They'll hold up to hundreds of swaps.

Same here. I swap quite a bit. I'll dab some blue loctite on every once in awhile but they are going strong after three season. My buddy does the same.

**turnfarmer** · 03-22-2009, 10:57 AM

Any updates?
Nice tele to dynafit are already available.
Both BND

http://www.bndskigear.com/adapters.html

And Voile

http://www.voile-usa.com/Merchant2/m...duct_Code=2050

your product looks cool, I'd buy a set- duke to dynafit and probably solly to dynafit

**I've seen black diamonds!** · 03-22-2009, 11:35 AM

Duke/Dynafit please. That would be brilliant.

**Ted Striker** · 03-23-2009, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by jondrums

good questions. I think you missed that the toeplate and heelplate are separate pieces. As far as dukes go, you'll have to mount the heel plate in the correct spot to work with your size of dukes. The toeplate only needs holes for duke toe + dynafit toe. The heelplate needs one set of holes for the duke back plate, and three sets of holes for dynafit heelpiece (to accomodate the range of BSL possible on a duke)

You probably already know this, but I'll mention it anyway just in case. Large and small duke heels have a different hole pattern.

**jondrums** · 03-23-2009, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by pisteoff

You probably already know this, but I'll mention it anyway just in case. Large and small duke heels have a different hole pattern.

yeah. You'll have to mount the back plate at one of two positions depending on if you want a large or small duke to fit. Thanks for all the comments so far. Its really helped form my ideas. I'll be skiing on the prototypes this weekend...

**focus** · 03-23-2009, 03:54 PM

marginally interested in the swappable plate thing.

Really interested in a ramp angle adjustment that wouldn't involve drilling new holes. I've been toying with the idea of making my own shims, but it sounds like you might be brewing up something better that doesn't require me to actually create something.

**LightRanger** · 03-23-2009, 04:10 PM

jondrums,

You got a price estimate on these guys yet? I'll probably be in for three, and I'm curious what that's gonna set me back.

And is this gonna be a single production run with a pre-order, or continuous production? If you're only doing it once, I might suggest you get some markup on it and then when you're done, maybe sell the design to B&D Ski Gear?

Just some idle thoughts. Please report back with the prototesting results. Cheers.

**SunshineTom** · 03-23-2009, 06:30 PM

Another strong vote for the Duke & Dynafit combo. Put me down for 3 & Duke shims. Thanks for making this happen Jondrums. Beers are on me any time your in AK.

**jondrums** · 03-23-2009, 06:41 PM

targeting $60-80 per kit (includes plates, ski side screws, binding side screws, allen wrench). available this summer. My first two prototype sets cost me $100/each.

as you guessed (correctly) I am working on the ramp angle shim solution, but price for that is up in the air, because the only really good way to make that is injection molding, which has a large upfront tooling cost.