FS: Almost-new G3 Ion 12 Binding with swappable 85mm, 95mm & 130mm Brakes

[1000-oaks]

SOLD

Selling an almost-new pair of metal-top Ion 12's which have only FOUR runs on them, with new 85mm, used 95mm, and two sets of 130mm brakes. Used this pair of bindings at a weekend avy class, so mostly skinning pit to pit and very little actual skiing. Except for a few boot heel scratches on three heel lifters and pole tip marks in the toe lever pockets, the bindings could not be distinguished from brand-new.

Here's the unique part: when I first got the bindings, I disassembled the heels, removed the brakes, and clearanced a corner of the aluminum housing eyelets for the brake arms a bit with a Dremel and round file, and reassembled the heels. Now the brake arms can be removed without disassembling the heels, and swapped with Onyx/Ruby brake arms (Ion uses Onyx arms), which are cheap (~$40/pair) these days.

Use the same pair of bindings on your fatties mid-winter, then swap them to your skinny skis for Spring. G3 didn't design them this way because they sell more Ions if the brake aren't swappable. Onyx brakes are also available in 115mm width.

With this mod, you can do a brake swap in about 20 minutes:
- Remove the four little Torx screws under the brake pedal. (Getting the two rear screws back in is the hardest part.)
- Swing open the hinged flap so the arm ends drop out of the pedal.
- Pull the arm ends out of a little plastic sleeve.
- Rotate the loose arms out of the heel housing.
- Installation of different width arms is simply the reverse. (Put a block of wood or something between the back of the brake pedal and the turret, so you're not fighting the spring while lining up the arms with the slot in the pedal.)

Includes
- G3 ski screws, still brand-new (I used M5 screws with inserts)
- Original box & manuals
- 85mm, 95mm, and two pair of 130mm brake arms (you tell me which width you want installed when I ship)
- Torx wrench for swapping brake arms
- Little zip-lock bag containing some G3 binding grease for the plastic sleeves
- I could throw in the M5 screw set if you want to use the bindings with inserts

SOLD $350 net to me, shipped to lower 48. Also have Ion crampons for sale, all widths.

Yeah you can buy a new pair for this price online, but this pair is only four runs from new, has the cool mod that took many hours to figure out and perform, and includes three brake widths.

PS: Unless you're a mechanical engineer, you don't want to do this mod yourself. Disassembly is easy, but reassembling the Ion heel is very tricky and has to be done right, using a caliper to carefully set the brake carriage spacing to exactly where it needs to be.

[comish]

So why selling?

[1000-oaks]

Biggest reason is all my bindings are 916/STH, and the Ion toe pattern is incompatible with STH inserts on the same ski. So I converted the quiver to a couple pair of black Vipecs which work fine, but feel like cheap plastic toys compared to forged-aluminum Ions. It's like Vipec = Marker Squire, and Ion = metal 916/FKS quality-wise, but you gotta run what fits.

Never had any issues with Ions, they're actually way easier to get into and out of compared to Vipec (which I have to hold down the lever 80% with my pole to carefully align toe pins to get in, and often have to wrestle the boot toe out of sticky pins even when lever is 100% open). Ion just step in or out and go.

[1000-oaks]

Just found a second set of four 130mm brake arms I forgot about, one of which I bent to ~112mm real late one night and then called it a night. Bend the other three arms to 112mm or whatever you need, and you're in business for your 110-115mm sticks. Loose arms are easy to bend in a vise.

SkiMo sells Ion brakes/baseplates for $140 per pair, so if you buy these bindings with three extra pair of brakes, it's almost like you're getting $420 worth of additional brakes for freeeeeee, lol.

Late summer deal: $330 shipped to lower 48, net to me.

[ticketchecker]

I should've just traded those vipecs for these

[retirwntm]

You buy now!


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[1000-oaks]

You buy now!

^ This!

Bump for snow on the peaks.

[rnkrussell]

Those Ions still around. Not sure what I think about the modifications so would be willing to take them off your hands for $250 if t that is something you would be interested in. Can text 719 221 3155 to Robb

[1000-oaks]

^ Sorry, these need to go to someone who will appreciate and use the mod.

[SB]

We're these affected by the recall?

I will call dibs, PM incoming.