Race AFD: An intelligent Race AFD gliding element which moves together with the ski flex enabling constant contact between boot and binding in all flex situations.Improved ski control and direct power transmission without wobbling between boot and binding guarantee precise turns, powerful energy transfer and minimal response time resulting in even faster runs.
Fischer Fs10 Binding Zip
Marker has refined their light-weight touring binding the for the 2012 season - the Marker Tour F12 Alpine Touring Binding now weighs in at 2036 grams (with 110mm brakes) which is just a tad lighter than the tried and true Fritschi Freeride Pros, which have dominated the market for many years. This additional weight savings is always a plus when slogging up the skin track but they also need to be able to perform on the down and be smooth in the transition from ski to skin.
The Marker Tour F12 Alpine Touring Binding has the same basic design as the very popular Marker Duke and Baron bindings only a significantly improved touring weight to performance ratio. Have a read below to better understand how the weight savings was achieved and how they transition from ski to touring mode.
So how did they get essentially the Duke binding down almost 2 pounds in weight without sacrificing performance and reliability? Hollow Frame Technology: The frame is fibre-reinforced and gas injected. As well, the heel linkage is also hollow and made from aluminum, as is the strut brace in the toe. This saves again on weight while not compromising torsional stiffness. Finally the climbing aid under the heal is made of titanium and uses as little material as possible while still including an elastomer pad to limit that annoying 'clack' while climbing.
Markers heritage of alpine and race bindings proved itself in the Baron and Duke bindings and now in the Marker Tour F12 Alpine Touring Binding. With less weight you would expect less performance, but the power transfer to the ski is easily evident and the stability is unmatched in other AT bindings. The wide binding platform enables the F12 to drive skis well over 100mm and provides a secure feel in the backcountry and on the groomers at the resort.
Because the mechanism to switch between ski and touring modes is neatly stowed under foot this means you have to remove your ski in order to switch over (similar to the Dukes). So no more fancy pants skin peel with skis on - this is something I did miss while testing these bindings. It is not the end of the world but it does add an extra step when transitioning and if you are in deep powder snow it can become a bit of a pain as you sink up to your hips in snow and then fuss to get back up and onto your skis.
In order to switch from ski to tour mode you will need to free the binding of snow by hand and then lift up the leather loop so that you can effectively pry the locking mechanism back and release the heal. This sounds like a bit of work and it is, but like most things you get better with repeated use.
The key in transitioning from touring to skiing mode is to smack down the Tour F12 heal piece onto your ski repeatedly to remove any snow or ice build up on the underside of the binding so that it is as easy to engage as possible. Because some force is necessary to lock the heel down you will need to have a firm surface on which to push down and since you are hopefully skiing in bottomless POW you may want to use your other hand or I find my thigh works well.
My first question was "why not place the locking mechanism behind the heal similar to Fritschi and the new Salomon AT binding?". This would improve access and and allow for leaving your skis on while transitioning. After speaking with the Marker representative they told us that it was for safety as other AT bindings with the mechanism behind the heal can accidentaly switch into tour mode. With the mechanism under foot it does make for a sleeker design but some may say at the cost of usability. I think Marker has done an admirable job at integrating the locking mechanism between the toe and heal piece - not an easy feat. It does provide additional issues as mentioned above but overall you get used to the new way of doing things pretty fast.
The Marker Tour F12 Alpine Touring Binding brings a lot of its design from the ultra sturdy Marker Duke and this shows, the F12 is super beefy. No toe wiggle and a solid heal locking mechanism - one that instils confidence. The F12's are built sturdy and you can feel it in every aspect. This translates into a better ski and touring experience for this reviewer and instils confidence that these suckers will do the job they were designed to do. The Marker Tour F12 Alpine Touring Binding can drive a big ski without hesitation and feels almost like an alpine binding - I cannot say that for other AT bindings on the market.
One item worth noting after extended use is that I found that when stepping into the binding you need to use a lot of force to assure that the binding is fully engaged - you may think you are locked in tight but a quick test and you will find some play underfoot. Avoid a surprise release by being diligent when getting into the Marker Tour F12 Alpine Touring Binding.
Final verdict? If you would like a solid AT binding that skis and tours with the confidence of an alpine binding, yet weighs less than most others on the market then this is your binding of choice. You will get used to operating the new locking mechanism and appreciate how solid and at one with the ski you are.
UPDATE APRIL 2013:After two seasons on the Marker F12 AT Bindings I can attest to their durability and rugged design. I have over 150 days on these bindings and they are just as solid as the day I got them. I have been running them on the Volkl Nunataq skis which won our gear of the year last season. Together with the Marker F12 this is a killer resort and backcountry set up. The bindings allow me to ski the hill with confidence and then zip out of bounds for a few laps or even a full day. I highly recommend these bindings and we look forward to reviewing the F10's this coming season.
Dit artikel is ter informatie en niet bedoeld als een doe-het-zelf gids. Het artikel legt uit hoe skibindingen afgesteld worden en waarom dit alleen kan met de eigen skischoen. Wij adviseren altijd de binding te laten afstellen door een gekwalificeerde ski professional. Gebruik je deze gids om zelf je bindingen af te stellen dan is dit op eigen risico.
Skibindingen werken alleen veilig als ze zijn afgesteld op de skischoen van de gebruiker. Om skibindingen te monteren gebruiken wij de zoollengte in millimeters om de positie van de boormal goed te plaatsen. De schoen past dan in de binding maar moet nog wel worden afgesteld. Dat kan alleen met de skischoen van de gebruiker. Skibindingen moeten namelijk zo worden afgesteld dat de juiste druk op de skischoenen komt te staan. Eventuele slijtage van de skizolen moet hierin ook worden meegenomen. Alleen met de juiste druk op de skischoenen zullen de bindingen veilig en bij de juiste kracht uitgaan. Zonder de skischoen van de gebruiker kunnen skibindingen dus niet veilig worden afgesteld.Gelukkig is het afstellen van skibindingen niet heel ingewikkeld en iets wat je zelf kunt doen (op eigen risico), mits je met een schroevendraaier overweg kunt. Nogmaals adviseren wij het echter door een expert te laten doen.Let op, er zijn online shops die zeggen de binding voor je te kunnen afstellen zonder jouw schoen in handen te hebben. Hoewel een globale afstelling op afstand best mogelijk is kun je zonder de daadwerkelijke schoen nooit de beste afstelling bereiken.
Er zijn vele verschillende bindingen maar het afstellen is in essentie bijna altijd hetzelfde. (Raadpleeg de handleiding van je skibinding voor de precieze afstel mogelijkheden van jouw binding.)Stap 1: Plaats de neus van de schoen in de voorbak.Stap 2: Draai met de stelschroef de achterbak naar de juiste positie zodat de schoen goed in de binding valt.Stap 3: Klik de schoen vast en controleer de positie van de stelschroef in de achterbak. Hiermee pas je de aandrukspanning aan. Check de handleiding van de binding om de juiste positie van de schroef te bepalen.Stap 4 (optioneel): Sommige bindingen hebben de mogelijkheid om de hoogte van de voorbak te stellen. Stel de hoogte correct in zodat de schoen, onbelast, net niet (0,5 mm) contact maakt met de AFD.Stap 5: Stel de correcte DIN-waarde in op de voorbak en achterbak. De juiste waarde voor jouw gewicht, zoollengte, lichaamslengte en skiniveau kun je berekenen op www.dincalculator.com. De DIN-waarde bepaalt hoe stevig je in de binding wordt vastgezet. Hoe hoger de waarde hoe meer kracht er nodig is voordat de binding openschiet bij een val.
Marker skibinding handleiding (pdf)Salomon skibinding handleiding (pdf)Look / Rossignol / Dynastar / Movement skibinding handleiding (pdf)Fischer / Head / Tyrolia skibinding handleiding (pdf)Elan / Tyrolia skibinding handleiding (pdf) 2ff7e9595c
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