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  1. #1
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    another new tech binding - La Sportiva RT

    seems to have slipped in under the radar

    initial impressions from the blurb:

    - toe release looks interesting
    - freakin light!
    - pricey

    http://sportiva.com/products/prod/66B

    http://www.pitchengine.com/lasportiv...201011/103544/

    fur bearing, drunk, prancing eurosnob

  2. #2
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    I believe this is really this: [ame="http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200431"]http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200431[/ame]

    RandoSteve mentioned in the above thread that a deal was struck last winter.

    La Sportiva is the distributor? The binding is made by ATK. [Edit - Or they bought them out?]

    What I like most are the comments by Johnathan Lantz, President of La Sportiva NA: “Skiing is a part of La Sportiva’s heritage and an obvious extension of our brand. The new RT ski binding is just the beginning of our presence in the ski marketplace,” continues Lantz. “Expect to see the RT binding followed by a 2011 ski line designed and positioned for the ski mountaineer who sees no boundaries.”

    Being a world leader in climbing/mountaineering footwear for decades this is a good thing and my feet already are happy. La Sportiva is one of those companies that seems to get it right and they must be very impressed with this binding to bring into the family. Look forward to seeing what comes down the road . . .
    Last edited by lynchdogger; 11-22-2010 at 04:36 PM.
    The Passion is in the Risk

  3. #3
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    hmm... you could be right - they certainly look quite similar
    fur bearing, drunk, prancing eurosnob

  4. #4
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    soaring on the shitwinds
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    two numbers stick out at me.

    175 grams

    $700


    Wow on both counts!
    "If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise." -Robert Fritz

    Quote Originally Posted by skifishbum View Post
    not enough nun fisters in that community

  5. #5
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    those are, for sure, ATK RACE RT w/ optional heel block

    http://www.verticalworld.it/magento/...hp/atk-rt.html

    ATK Race opens big in the winter 2010/2011 season featuring the revolutionary attack "RT".


    The result of a long process of designing, RT enters the market as the attack Touring the world's lightest with its 170 grams of weight. The name itself, RT, which stands for "Race-Touring", contains and illustrates the distinctive features of this product that is perfect for use during the races, thanks to its lightweight, and during leisure time, thanks to the extreme reliability.


    RT is equipped with an advanced patented calibration TRIS ® (Triple Regulation System) that ensures the highest reliability even in extreme conditions. TRIS offers three types of regulation: two for the release front and side of heel and was one for the release of the tip that guarantees a perfect setting (5 to 10 DIN) for the ascent.


    This marvel of mechanical efficiency in its 170g contains all the convenience and accuracy designed to bring out the best in your performance during the race as the most peaceful and pleasant outings. The probe RT is in fact designed for the attachment of rampant ATK, which will soon be added to the new ski-stop patent (can be used both uphill and downhill) RT el'alzatacco good for the most challenging climbs.


    ATK Race RT should therefore complement our line of innovative products and blends perfectly with our philosophy: THE BEST PRODUCTS FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE.
    go for rob

    www.dpsskis.com

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by lynchdogger View Post
    “Skiing is a part of La Sportiva’s heritage and an obvious extension of our brand. The new RT ski binding is just the beginning of our presence in the ski marketplace,”
    This seems contradictory. Is skiing part of their heritage, or are they new to the skiing marketplace?

    Whatever, binding looks cool. and light. and expensive.
    Makes me want to get some super soft boots and start listening to techno.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    A Chamonix of the Mind
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    Will go nicely with these. . .

    "Buy the Fucking Plane Tickets!"
    -- Jack Tackle

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arno View Post
    seems to have slipped in under the radar
    Been on the ATK website since around late February:
    http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/vi...r=asc&start=15

    Quote Originally Posted by Arno View Post
    they certainly look quite similar
    "Similar" as in . . . exactly identical? Even the model name is identical. The only thing new is the different paint job in North America and the distribution by the La Sportiva distributor:
    http://www.wildsnow.com/3895/atk-rt-...kiing-binding/

    Quote Originally Posted by JoeStrummer View Post
    Will go nicely with these. . .

    No, here's the ATK binding for those boots:


  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    403
    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    This seems contradictory. Is skiing part of their heritage, or are they new to the skiing marketplace?

    i think they mean that many of their employees and people who surround la sportiva have been immersed in or have been big fans of skiing...as well as climbing...for a long time.

    either way...the RT looks pretty slick and i can't wait to try them out.

    http://www.tetonat.com/2010/11/la-sp...t-ski-binding/
    Teton AT
    Live to Ski!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by DoWork View Post
    two numbers stick out at me.

    175 grams

    $700


    Wow on both counts!
    The actual weight does go up a bit (especially when mounting screws are included), but still, only by just a bit -- click on the image here to see the binding weights as measured by a WildSnow.com reader (not me!) who already bought a pair from Europe:
    http://www.wildsnow.com/3822/tech-bi...summary-chart/
    (Quick summary: without the brakes, but even with optional higher heel elevator and fore/aft adjustment track, total real-world weight including binding screws is under a pound per pair, as opposed to a bit over a pound and a half for the Dynafit Speed and a bit under two pounds for Dynafit Vertical ST/FT when stripped of brakes.)

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    466
    Cut the price in half and I'll order a pair asap. They do look like a simple light weight design. Hopefully in a couple seasons the price will come down some.

  12. #12
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    Does the ATK/La Sportiva use the same mounting pattern as the Dynafit when used with the fore/aft mounting track?

  13. #13
    Join Date
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    What's their intended use? Rando racing or full on b/c skiing?
    Something about the wrinkle in your forehead tells me there's a fit about to get thrown
    And I never hear a single word you say when you tell me not to have my fun
    It's the same old shit that I ain't gonna take off anyone.
    and I never had a shortage of people tryin' to warn me about the dangers I pose to myself.

    Patterson Hood of the DBT's

  14. #14
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    Bump to see if anyone has been on these yet...
    Quote Originally Posted by SpinalTap View Post
    I'm really troubled by whatever pictures the Don had to search through to arrive at that one...

  15. #15
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    Jan 2011
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    17
    I have skied the ATK RT (La Sportiva) on my DPS 112RP skis. What can I say? With about 80,000 vertical downhill, no problems. I ski at Crystal Mountain, WA. We've had challenging conditions lately, with lots of ice and death cookies under a few inches of snow. So far, no pre releases. But I'm a small balanced skier, with more skill than brawn.

    The toe DIN adjustment is interesting. They use a tapered screw that you turn to adjust the DIN. But the DIN only changes when you have the toe in the upward locked position, or touring position.

    I’ve been told that some European ski tourers have concerns about being able to have a releasable toe when skinning up in case they are caught in an avalanche. Hence the design to work in the touring mode only.

    I’ve done a little bench testing of the ATK RT vs the Dynafit TLT Speed. This is with the boot locked in the toe and not in the heel, and using my arms to twist the boot with the ski braced.

    In the downhill, unlocked mode, comparing the ATK RT toe to my Dynafit TLT speeds, they seem to have about the same toe release DIN, i.e. it takes the same amount of effort to release either toe. With the ATK RT in the locked touring position, and the DIN at the lowest setting, about a 4, I was just barely able to release the binding by hand.

    With the DIN changed to 7, I was unable to get the toe to release by hand. But I think a bigger, stronger person could get it to release by hand. With the Dynafit in the locked mode I was also unable to release the toe by hand.

    I’ve done just a little bit of easy uphill touring, in soft snow, with the ATK RT. I haven’t had any problems with the toe releasing while in the locked touring position with the DIN at 7. I’ll need to get on some steeper, harder snow to see if there are any issues.

    So, the toe adjustment does work, but only in the touring position. If you are the kind of skier who regularly locks out the toe on your Dynafit binding to avoid pre releasing, the ATK RT may be a solution. You can ski with the toe locked but vary the amount of release tension. I think it would take some experimentation to find what setting works best, but it could be done.

    But I've been skiing it with the binding in the unlocked, downhill mode, without any problems.

    The heel doesn’t really accommodate a ski pole for changing the heel position. Yes, you can put the tip of the ski pole through the binding top, but it’s just as easy to bend down and do it by hand. Also, the heel lift isn't really designed for this purpose, and it is easily moved out of position with little effort.

    The heel also doesn’t have the lateral elasticity that the Dynafit speed has. I don’t know if this makes a functional difference. I tested this by just twisting the heels by hand and seeing at which point they will return to center all by themselves.

    Dynafit crampons do work well in the binding. I don’t have the ski brake and just use the B&D ski leash, which I like.

    I mounted my DPS Wailer 112RP with the Quiver Killer binding inserts so I can moved them back and forth between skis. Total weight skis and bindings 3.46 kg (pair).

    The DPS Wailer 112RP and the ATK RT binding together is a great combination. The ski is very light and quick, with better than expected stability in hard packed snow and ice. It's fun, stable and it'll make any turn shape you want. Like a sports car, the DPS ski takes a good driver to get the most from it. Also, it skis very short. I have the 168 cm (I'm 5'5" and 145 lbs) and could easily ski the 178 cm. But I like a playful ski in tight trees and narrow chutes, so the 168 cm works great for me.

    I bought the carbon version for BC use. I'm slow skinning uphill, and I appreciate the super light weight. If I were to use the ski in primarily lift served purpose, I'd get the DPS Hybrid version. It's a lot cheaper, more damp, and just a little heavier, and I'm guessing a little more forgiving. Also, I'd get a longer length (178 cm) for pure lift served skiing.

    Jon

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    17
    ATK race RT (La Sportiva) Binding Update:

    I just finished 5 days of Cat skiing with 3 days of touring in the Monashee Mountains in British Columbia.

    The combination of the ATK RT binding and the DPS Wailer 112RP ski was fantastic. Light, light, light. Did I mention that this was a light setup? (3.46 kg/pair). My boot is the Dynafit TLT 5 Mountain with the Inuition Pro Tour liner.

    No problem skiing hard chutes, wind slabs, sun crusts and total powder. The binding performed great. In and out just like Dynafit. I released from the heel a few times when I hit snow drifts in whiteout conditions. But no pre-releases. Ice build up under the toe is a concern like on the Dynafit. I was careful to keep it clean. I found that a 1/2" wood handle paint brush, with the bristles cut short, does a great job of removing snow and ice without damaging the ski surface. I don't use ski brakes and use the B&D ski leash.

    It is a bit of a pain to have to change the heel lift by hand. It's not designed to use a ski pole. But I was never good with using ski pole on the Dynafit's anyway and I think the lightweight design more than makes up for the added nuisance.

    All in all the ATK race RT is a fine, very lightweight touring binding and even works well as a lift served sidecountry binding.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
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    Sandy
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    Talked to Mark H the other day and found out he skied these puppies all last spring. Good enough endorsement for me.

    Now, do I do a fatter light rig or go all rando on with these?


    Click image for larger version. 

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    When life gives you haters, make haterade.

  18. #18
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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Not bad for a ski that's 96 underfoot.
    When life gives you haters, make haterade.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    West CO
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    45
    Question: I just got these and am really stoked. I’m using them with F1s and so, as it follows, I’m going to be needing to be putting the shim under the toe AND under the heel. I hate adding such bulk and weight to such a simple and elegant binding and I really hate drilling more holes into my skis (for the heel shim).

    Here’s a hypothetical: could I use the bindings without the shims? I know the boot flexes withouth them which could lead to inadvertant pre-release, sure. But, seeing and hearing about how strong and beefy the toe-lockout mechanism is (equivilant to a RV of 16?!), whats the likelyhood of having a prerelease when the toe’s lockedout at 10?

    I’m thinking about ditching the shims, cranking up the toe screw to 10 and locking it out for both touring and skiing.

    I’m 6′-4” 200lbs with a boot sole length of 334. Obviously, I’m going to have these near or at the RV 10. I’m mounting these on some soft ski trab skis basically for a super light touring setup (ie not tons of hard skiing involved).

    What do you guys think?

  20. #20
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    Dec 2011
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    231
    Quote Originally Posted by reukk View Post
    I’m 6′-4” 200lbs ........ I’m mounting these on some soft ski trab skis basically for a super light touring setup (ie not tons of hard skiing involved).

    What do you guys think?
    i think you shoud get different skis.


    WFT r shims?
    Ski more blog less - Foggy Goggles

  21. #21
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    Apr 2004
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    I know you need the toe shims with F1's, but why do you need the heel shims?

  22. #22
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    Aug 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by harpo-the-skier View Post
    I know you need the toe shims with F1's, but why do you need the heel shims?
    if you are not using the climbing risers (ie boot on ski mode), then you will find that the toe shim becomes quite uncomfortable under your foot as the boot has to flex back over it for the heel to contact the ski. I found I didn't really need them (it was tolerable). I left my shims on the skis and used them with TLT5s and skiing with the shims (heel on ski mode) is unbearable as the TLT5 flex zone is stiffer with less travel.

    I would recommend toe shims. The boots ski better with them. Tonnes of rando race mods for that where you dont have to drill (hint: half a wine cork and some adhesive)

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by dos bolsas View Post
    WFT r shims?


    Shim.
    It doesn't matter if you're a king or a little street sweeper...
    ...sooner or later you'll dance with the reaper
    -Death

    Quote Originally Posted by St. Jerry View Post
    The other morning I was awoken to "Daddy, my fart fell on the floor"
    Kaz is my co-pilot

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    West CO
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    So, I figured it out. I know no one really cares, but i guess this is for the books:

    I'm going to ditch the scarpa shims and build a custom, smaller, lighter, simpler shim, as seen here.

    I thought heel shims were necessary since these bindings don't have brakes, but that's kinda unnecessary. I'm going to use the binding in it's "middle" touring platform, (i.e. the lower heel elevator) the majority of the time. I'll still have an additional lift when necessary. I'll probably never use the binding in it's lowest platform (i.e. boot sole against the ski). SICK. im stoked.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by reukk View Post
    So, I figured it out.
    Really, how did you do so?
    Mo' skimo here: NE Rando Race Series

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