Look PX 18

[ACHTUNG]

What are people's take on this binding? Can anyone give their experience with these bindings?

Thanks

[Damian Sanders]

Heavy.

Dooody.

[Bandit Man]

I don't have the PX18's, but do have the PX15's on my XXL's. Been running mine at 11 and pretty happy with when they release. They are pretty heavy, though. I thought that I heard the heel piece on the 18 was beefier and added even more weight, but that could just be a rumor.

I'm not sure that I'd say they are as good as 916's, but for the closeout price on these ($150-$160), I bought a few pair for next year.

One downside is that the brake housing is different than the other PX12/14 models, so finding anything wider than 105-mm brakes has proven to be tough.

[bossass]

but for the closeout price on these ($150-$160), I bought a few pair for next year.

This tells me two things:
1. "Few" which is more than one or a "couple".
2. You're planning on getting a "few" more skis next year.

You've got the sickness, but I knew that.

[PNW Skier]

I've got a set of px15's and px18's both from this year. The 15's have a plastic heel (the part that actually contacts the boot is plastic.) The 18's are ALL metal, even the part where you push with your pole to release the binding is metal. The only plastic on those heels is for cosmetics on the outside of the housing. Oh and the housing is taller and more blunt on the 18. Better for racking your ass on? The toes seem to be identical.

I haven't weighed them but the px18's are obviously heavier than the 15's. They are a freaking heavy binding. I don't know how they compare to a solly 16 but they are damn heavy. I haven't put enough days on either binding to tell you about their durability. I can say that they feel more solid than my px12's and seem to have better elasticity. Especially in the toe since there is no possible upward release on the 15 and 18 toes.

One of my friends did develop play in the heels of his 15's this season. A vertical play that looks like it can be fixed by replacing the little plastic pieces where the binding slides in the track. The 18's from what i can tell have the same design, I haven't actually taken the heel pieces apart yet. I can attest to the fact that those bindings took daily beatings this season though.

[Phill]

px18s are nice. Stiffest binding i've ever skied. amazingly responsive. You might break a pole trying to get out.

[ACHTUNG]

I've read that they weigh 6Lbs.

[Smails]

I've read that they weigh 6Lbs.

This is just from my memory of what I have read here and I am pretty sure the 916 weighs more than 6+ pounds and the PX18 is even heavier. Feel free to call me out if I got this wrong but that is my memory.

I considered getting the PX18 XXL (starthaus has them cheap) for my my Legends XXL 187s but ended up picking up some p18's and also a set of brand new FKS 15 dins. Each of these seem substantially lighter tham my
916's so I am happy with my choice whichever ones I mount.

[milkman]

I've got a set of px15's and px18's both from this year. The 15's have a plastic heel (the part that actually contacts the boot is plastic.) The 18's are ALL metal, even the part where you push with your pole to release the binding is metal. The only plastic on those heels is for cosmetics on the outside of the housing. Oh and the housing is taller and more blunt on the 18. Better for racking your ass on? The toes seem to be identical.

Really? My px15 heel cup is metal, and only the "bottle" part is plastic. I have a PX14 as well and the heel is definitely a different material than the 15.....PX15's weigh the same as a 916, a little over 6 lbs....PX18 is 7 lbs....

[Smails]

Sorry for the partial threadjack but what is the weight of the p15, p18, FKS, style bindings. They are clearly lighter just from fondling but was curious about the actual weight. This was my main reason I bothered to find turntables, deal with the bending, etc as opposed to just buying the px18

[PNW Skier]

well I only say that the 15's heel cup isn't metal because when the paint rubs off at the boot it exposes another dark sparkly surface that doesn't look or feel like metal. It sure looks and feels like plastic. When the 18's paint wears off it exposes a shiny obviously metal looking surface. I'll go inspect my 15's heel some more.

[milkman]

well I only say that the 15's heel cup isn't metal because when the paint rubs off at the boot it exposes another dark sparkly surface that doesn't look or feel like metal. It sure looks and feels like plastic. When the 18's paint wears off it exposes a shiny obviously metal looking surface. I'll go inspect my 15's heel some more.

Interesting. Mine certainly feel like metal, and Look/Rossi advertised that the 15/18 had all metal heel and toe housings....There are a bunch of threads saying the same, and a Look product video on biglines somewhere....

[milkman]

Sorry for the partial threadjack but what is the weight of the p15, p18, FKS, style bindings. They are clearly lighter just from fondling but was curious about the actual weight. This was my main reason I bothered to find turntables, deal with the bending, etc as opposed to just buying the px18

About 5 and a half pounds per pair....

[Sockerfarsan]

I'll go inspect my 15's heel some more.

Did you check them out? I've killed one plastic PX heel myself, and seen a few cracked ones so I'd be bummed if it's plastic on the 15.

[CarlE]

I considered getting the PX18 XXL (starthaus has them cheap) for my my Legends XXL 187s but ended up picking up some p18's and also a set of brand new FKS 15 dins. Each of these seem substantially lighter tham my
916's so I am happy with my choice whichever ones I mount.

If you got easy access to lots of P1X and FKS-bindings, I'd go for those any day of the week... So much lighter, so much sweeter!

[njfreeskier]

PX18 = bomber. bomber = heavy. PX18 = heavy. Great binding, really bomber and really heavy, rode em on a pair of ravens out at snowbird last week. I enjoyed my p18s a lot more. Unless you're going to crank em up to 16, 17, or 18, i'd go with the px15.

[PNW Skier]

Alright here's my px12 vs px15 vs px18 look binding heel piece comparison TR. Sorry my other px18's that are actually mounted are on a pair of skis that are getting tuned at a shop right now.

heel pieces


Notice the different construction/shape of the px18



The px18 is wider, rounder, and has metal where you push with your pole to release the binding


18 vs 15 notice how much smaller everything on the 18 is. There's also no bump in the middle of the 18 heel like there is on the 12 and 15


closeup px18


closeup px15 - note all the extra reinforcement on the heel. Especially on the part that you step on with your boot. There's an entire web of plastic there that isn't on the 18.


The rear of the 15 also has a support strap that goes around the heel to both sides of the pivot point where the 18 housing is just attached to the sides


One more showing the rear of all three binding heels



I know it's hard to tell from the pictures, and some of the shots of the 15 make it look like shiny metal is exposed but it's just the flash. I'm 99% sure that there is a ton more metal in the 18 heel than the 15.

[PNW Skier]

i just noticed, looking at these pictures. if you look really close on the second to last shot where you can see the bindings in the tracks the 15 is just plastic. The 18 has a plastic bushing that looks to be replaceable around a piece of metal. No wonder my buddy's 15's have developed so much upward slop in the heels...

[milkman]

Is it just me or are the pics not showing up? Thanks for the comparison. I knew the 18 had more metal than the 15, just wan't sure how much more. Slop in your buddies 15's? When he's clicked in? Weird. I would assume the 15 to be at least as tough as the 14, and after 3 years on the 14, I haven't noticed any slop....

[PNW Skier]

Is it just me or are the pics not showing up? Thanks for the comparison. I knew the 18 had more metal than the 15, just wan't sure how much more. Slop in your buddies 15's? When he's clicked in? Weird. I would assume the 15 to be at least as tough as the 14, and after 3 years on the 14, I haven't noticed any slop....

Weird. The pics are showing up on my computer. Are they still not for you?

In the bindings defense my buddy who did develop slop in his 15's is really hard on his equipment. I rode with him almost everyday at whistler this season and it was rare we'd go a day without hucking something. That said the bindings saw a lot of hucks to less than desireable landings. IE hardpack snow, flat landings, the occasional rock. The px15's were mounted on 189 squads fwiw.

I also watched him wear out his mojo 20 heel piece twice (he kept wearing out those little replaceable plastic bits way faster than they were designed to) so it might be safe to assume that he skis on the outer limits of any bindings design...


edit - I just went and looked at my px12 heels now that you mention it. I stood on the ski, grabbed the heel piece and moved it side to side. My 12's have some play in their track with no boot in the binding - they've got around 70 days on them. My 15's wiggle around a whole lot more - they've got about 15 days on them... This is interesting. I don't think I'll be buying another pair of 15's.

[milkman]

My 15's wiggle with no boot in the binding as well (always have since new), but they're rock solid when my boot is in. All my solly's wiggle without a boot in the binding too....

[PNW Skier]

Yeah, I'm just saying that my 15's have more play than the 12's do and seem to be developing it faster. I also noticed yesterday that one of my 15's heel did have some play in it after I had clicked in... I'll keep you updated on them next season if I ski the bindings more. Maybe I'll put them on whatever I use for my comp skis and see how long they last as right now they're on a set of skis that don't see much use.

[ACHTUNG]

Thanks for the comparison PNW Skier. I'm going to pull the trigger on a pair of 18's now.

[PNW Skier]

No problem. I don't know what you run your dins as but just remember they start at 10!

Oh and you need a 8mm allen wrench to adjust the heel din, there's no place for a screwdriver in these.

[milkman]

Cool. Thanks for the info. Perhaps the heel is plastic and the marketing was BS....I guess I'll just hope my heels stay nice and tight. I almost went for the 18, but thought the 15 was just as bomber with a lower DIN (like the p15 was). I suppose I'll pony up for the 18 if the 15 lets me down. I've broken a few 14 toes, so I definitely wanted the metal toepiece...