Plum guide tech binding

[harpo-the-skier]

I have two days on my 12/13 guides with no problems or complaints. Installed with b&d shims (I think they helped me get more forward) and sollyfits. Skied on older billy goats with mecuries.

One day touring. One day inbounds. Felt like I was skiing my alpine setup on the inbounds day, maybe just not as damp but it wasn't too hard so I didn't really notice that. Released when they should of when I buried at tip in a pile of chowder.

Inspected them last night, all screws and pins tight no play, no cracks I could see.

[Lakelander]

BDoubleYou, Where did you buy the brakes?

[SouthCentralShralper]

Blah Blah Blah...

Dynafit... Plums...
Dynafit... Plums...

Brakes, no brakes, leashes, not leashes - brakes!

Just shut the fuck up and ski! I don't give a shit if you ski with brakes or leashes or Dynafits or Plums... just go ski!

Anybody that has a hard time getting into tech bindings, with or without the "power towers", get some fucking glasses! Or get some Dukes!

I've skied Dynafits for over 10 years. I've skied Plums for 4. Both have their merits. I may drop both for the new G3 Ion though...

[skian1]

One hundred % agree....+1

[pfluffenmeister]

wait a minute, these things are for skiing?!?


[\facepalm]

[jesski]

Does anyone know where to get replacement screws for the forward pressure adjustment screws on the heels on these things? I have been calling shops all over the US to no avail...

Or, is there a place that makes really specific screws where I could find some the same length and stuff?

Halp! I'm a total screws jong.

[swerve]

They are just flathead M5 machine screws. Same thing that are used for binding freedom inserts. I forget what length you need for the heel adjustment, probably 6 or 8mm

[LC]

They are just flathead M5 machine screws. Same thing that are used for binding freedom inserts. I forget what length you need for the heel adjustment, probably 6 or 8mm

8mm M5 countersunk. I got some easily from an online fastener supplier.

[skian1]

Send me a pm I'll send you some not made of cheap Asian crap.

[Stairmaster]

So whats the deal with warranty on these guys? I'm running into a dead end here. No answer from Plum and Apex Mountain Product doesn't seem to exist or they are not distributing them anymore(North America).

Busted one of the pins on the toe, broke the heel housing(plastic part) and cracked one the heel pins. So I tried contacting Plum directly and haven't revived any answer. So I tried reaching out to Apex mountain products has not been helpful at all. I was basically told to hit up the email on the Plum website(where I didn't get any answer).

Any tips would be great

[Hugh Conway]

don't by the flavor of the day TGR binding in the future.

[harpo-the-skier]

ST, I haven't been in contact with apex or plum for a couple of months so I can't help you there.

To help other maggots, what vintage are you plums and what use have they seen? I think (hope) Plum durability does depend on vintage.

So whats the deal with warranty on these guys? I'm running into a dead end here. No answer from Plum and Apex Mountain Product doesn't seem to exist or they are not distributing them anymore(North America).

Busted one of the pins on the toe, broke the heel housing(plastic part) and cracked one the heel pins. So I tried contacting Plum directly and haven't revived any answer. So I tried reaching out to Apex mountain products has not been helpful at all. I was basically told to hit up the email on the Plum website(where I didn't get any answer).

Any tips would be great

[davidof]

don't by the flavor of the day TGR binding in the future.

Indeed.

Well my Plum Guides have four seasons touring on them now. My main issue with them is the toe piece is less easy to engage compared to the Dynafit TLT. The heel pins wobble now - but then they do exactly the same on my Dynafit bindings. The ski crampon holder is still harder to use than the Dynafits, but at least it doesn't break when skinning on hardpack like the Dynafit plastic version. It is true that the toe lever does not have as positive a lock as the Dynafit lever, but at least it doesn't break like the plastic Dynafit parts.

Issues I've seen others have in Europe are toe pins falling out (Plum have modified the riveting process since) and a breakage of the aluminium toe piece arms.

[TG]

but at least it doesn't break like the plastic Dynafit parts.

what?? 2 posts above yours :

Busted one of the pins on the toe, broke the heel housing(plastic part) and cracked one the heel pins

if you're going to generalize with bullshit, at least do it with bullshit that is not so transparently bullshit.

[zerkman]

This weekend I was skinning up a slope and I was doing a kick turn when I started to slide a bit. In the process the toe pin on one of the bindings broke off. It was such a minor amount of pressure that I was completely in shock that the binding broke!

I have only used the bindings a handful of times. They were previously mounted to a pair of skis that I despised skiing, and this fall I switched them over to a new pair of back-country skis. I would have to guess that they've only got 10-15 days of use on them. I didn't use them at all last year.



Luckily I had a Volie strap and was able to McGyver my boot to the binding and ease my way 5 miles back to the truck. What a bummer of a way to end a trip...

[LC]

This weekend I was skinning up a slope and I was doing a kick turn when I started to slide a bit. In the process the toe pin on one of the bindings broke off. It was such a minor amount of pressure that I was completely in shock that the binding broke!

I did exactly the same thing to my 11/12 Guides about a month ago in a pretty small fall, so small that I'm sure it must have been stressed/cracked before it happened, so check your gear regularly! Luckily it happened near a piste for an easy return to the car, and even luckier I live half an hour from the Plum factory so I paid them a visit. All staff were very helpful and the tech guy stripped and rebuilt everything on the spot with the new black toe arms (stronger, he said) and also replaced some parts in the heels to get rid of the slight rotational play in the whole unit and the vertical play in the heel pins which had developed.

He also recommended greasing the toe lever interface at the start of each winter (he used white grease) and backing off the springs over summer.

[pfranc]

LC - which heel piece / brake are you susing with the plums? doesnt look like a plum brake

[SB]

^^^ Onyx?

[LC]

LC - which heel piece / brake are you susing with the plums? doesnt look like a plum brake

Modified G3 Onyx brakes, inspired by Wildsnow's post from a few years back, with an added block for heel support. See http://www.lornecameron.com/2013/plu...inding-brakes/.

Not as effective as any alpine brakes out there due to weak springs and short effective arm length (had to bend them up a bit for clearance, but not as much as shown in the link above with my old boots) but they do OK. Plum's workshop guy liked them.

[dynamike]

Did he like them enough to drop their own design?

[XXX-er]

The ski crampon holder is still harder to use than the Dynafits, but at least it doesn't break when skinning on hardpack like the Dynafit plastic version. It is true that the toe lever does not have as positive a lock as the Dynafit lever, but at least it doesn't break like the plastic Dynafit parts.

.

the dynafit crampon mount is metal

the plum has a plastic body but many people think they are all metal I had to point this out to a shop owner who is telling me they are all metal

[shroom]

god damnit this thread scares me

[neck beard]

Did he like them enough to drop their own design?

I've heard of people using bolt cutters to remove their forward pointing toe mounted brakes whilst away from home and unable to get the right tools to remove them.

[neck beard]

god damnit this thread scares me

Me too. It makes my stomach turn in fear when I think how much I trust my bindings, especially in spring. Both those wings failed at the same spot, and you can kind of see why. Design flaw?

How to test for possible failure like that in tech bindings? Give the toe wings a crack with a hammer once a week? Inspecting for cracks only goes so far I think.

[zerkman]

I got an email from the Plum factory this morning. They said to ship both the toe pieces to New Hampshire and they'll ship them back under warranty.