HELP: Marker Duke and Garmont Radium not compatible?

**pesmith** · 02-15-2010, 05:43 AM

So, I planned on putting marker dukes on some volkl mantras and using garmont radiums as my boots. The ski shop called and said that they couldn't get the radiums into the dukes and that it just wasn't going to work?? Any help out there? What boots should I have for this setup?

**SouthCentralShralper** · 02-15-2010, 07:30 AM

I'm pretty sure any AT or Alpine boot is totally compatible with the Dukes. You just have to adjust the the AFD plate to get the correct toe height. If your shop doesn't know how to do this, you might consider taking them to another shop!

**cdlv** · 02-15-2010, 07:37 AM

sounds like your shop sucks.
if you can't find another shop you trust,bring in a set of alpine boots that are same bsl and set the the toe rise for the radiums yourself

**merlinmassoud** · 02-15-2010, 07:39 AM

The only diffÃ©rence is touring boot higher on the front

**Boddysurfer** · 02-15-2010, 07:51 AM

Go to an authorized Marker dealer.

**SiSt** · 02-15-2010, 07:53 AM

Do a search here, learn how to set the toe height yourself, it´s very simple, and should be checked regularly.

Your shop people are completely useless if they don´t know this, do everyone a favor and never go there again.

**Chowda** · 02-15-2010, 07:54 AM

Sounds like one of two things:

Your have the wrong size duke for your BSL, and the shop is trying to tell you that.

Or, the rubber sole is hanging up on the heal piece when the forward pressure is set correctly, making it difficult to get the boot in and out of the binder. This is common with AT boots in dukes. It will function fine on snow, but can be a real bitch on a work bench. The shop mounting your dukes should know about this, so if they don't...

**merlinmassoud** · 02-15-2010, 08:33 AM

Sand paper AND little work = mega. Ski boot

**merlinmassoud** · 02-15-2010, 09:25 AM

Or put dynafit binding : 700 g AND work better, but you loose the alpine compatibility boot

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 02-15-2010, 10:16 AM

They either got confused when the heel didn't slip right into the heel cup, don't know how to adjust the toe height, or it's the wrong size. That boot works great with the Duke when you know how to adjust it!
Either way, your shop should not have mounted the Duke before they made sure that all of your gear was compatible in the first place.
DO NOT trust them for any further ski service. Find a better shop.

**pesmith** · 02-15-2010, 10:27 AM

its actually REI which I was hoping could do it right.

does that change anything?

but now the dukes are mounted on the skis so unless they can get them working, i gotta get new boots.

thoughts?

**pesmith** · 02-15-2010, 10:29 AM

by the way, thanks for all your responses... all great info.

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 02-15-2010, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by pesmith

i gotta get new boots?

thoughts?

Hell no! They need to adjust the bindings to your boots. Tell them that it works!!!

**Tye 1on** · 02-15-2010, 10:51 AM

So find out why they aren't working. Exactly why not.

Are they S or L dukes? What's the bsl of your boots?

**Chugachjed** · 02-15-2010, 10:58 AM

At the REI I worked at we set up tons of dukes with AT boots. The only reason they wouldnt work is if you had the wrong size. Demand to talk to the master tech and he should be able to square you away.

**whyturn** · 02-15-2010, 11:23 AM

The afd has two positions
one setting says alpine and the other says radium (AT)
mine are set at alpine but adjustment on side of the afd
others have hit on it but bsl of small is good to 324
large is 324 and up so also check boots

**khyber.pass** · 02-15-2010, 12:38 PM

I have Radiums and Dukes. They work fine.

Assuming the Duke is the correct size for the BSL, and that the AFD is adjusted correctly, you will need to adjust the forward pressure a little looser than Marker's recommendation for DIN boots. (Marker acknowledges this in the fine print btw.)

The forward pressure screw will not go flat like a DIN boot due to the touring sole, specifically the heel. Adjust the forward pressure so you can *just* pull the heel out; usually this means the screw, instead of being flush, is one or two screw turns out of the socket, a slight bump in difference.

Remember the Duke slides backwards to accomodate the boot, so get into the boot and click in to make this adjustment. Then yank up on the toe and make sure the AFD is good. Use a glossy business card to check for 0.05mm clearance from the AFD as the touring sole is much more sticky and will too easily rip normal paper.

If what you're saying is correct, REI has no idea what they are doing.

**farmer** · 02-15-2010, 01:47 PM

REI totally knows how to mount bindings. I would trust them on this

**merlinmassoud** · 02-15-2010, 02:54 PM

Rear pivot binding in the wrong way !
Pas mal!

**merlinmassoud** · 02-15-2010, 02:56 PM

Keep your radium AND find a good skishop

**pesmith** · 02-21-2010, 02:10 PM

UPDATE: I finally got back to REI today to talk to the tech and pick up my gear. You all are correct, they had never mounted randonee bindings with an AT boot before. They had only done Dukes with alpine boots. So, I took my stuff and I'll figure it out myself.

I think you're absolutely correct from what the tech showed me. I just need to losen the forward pressure slightly and its all good. He said I'd "pop out of my my skis" if I loosened it to make it work, but I trust you guys.

Thanks for all your help.

Originally Posted by khyber.pass

I have Radiums and Dukes. They work fine.

Assuming the Duke is the correct size for the BSL, and that the AFD is adjusted correctly, you will need to adjust the forward pressure a little looser than Marker's recommendation for DIN boots. (Marker acknowledges this in the fine print btw.)

The forward pressure screw will not go flat like a DIN boot due to the touring sole, specifically the heel. Adjust the forward pressure so you can *just* pull the heel out; usually this means the screw, instead of being flush, is one or two screw turns out of the socket, a slight bump in difference.

Remember the Duke slides backwards to accomodate the boot, so get into the boot and click in to make this adjustment. Then yank up on the toe and make sure the AFD is good. Use a glossy business card to check for 0.05mm clearance from the AFD as the touring sole is much more sticky and will too easily rip normal paper.

If what you're saying is correct, REI has no idea what they are doing.

**skimaxpower** · 02-22-2010, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by pesmith

I just need to losen the forward pressure slightly and its all good. He said I'd "pop out of my my skis" if I loosened it to make it work

Egads! don't adjust your release settings. You need to adjust your toe height.

Read more here.

**jondrums** · 02-22-2010, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by pesmith

I just need to losen the forward pressure slightly and its all good. He said I'd "pop out of my my skis" if I loosened it to make it work, but I trust you guys.

NO, DO NOT DO THIS. you will pre-release if the forward pressure isn't set right. whoever said to loosen the foward pressure is wrong. I tried this and hurt myself because of it.

**zombinate** · 02-22-2010, 11:34 AM

Indeed all you need to adjust is the toe height, assuming that the release settings were set properly, which they weren't because the shop wasn't able to figure out the binding AND because the rubber sole wouldn't have passed the release tests consistently anyway.

Long story short here folks is know your shop. As C.Jed noted, the tundra REI would have managed this fine (I used to work there). The shop I work in now (in MN) might only because I am there, but I would be hesitant about the other guys. Why? because we never mount these things. It is MN and no one even carries AT boots in the state (at least as far as I'm aware). When it comes to as niche a market as AT is (and really, there are only a handful of states/places where I would just assume that the shop is familiar enough), you really need to know your shop.