I have not experienced this issue with the Madshus Panorama boot. See photo below (notice the second image is of the opposite side of the boot). On some boots, Alpina and Alfa per this report, the spring plunger can get stuck in. It’s a manufacturing problem that Rottefella knows about and has arranged to fix. These people thought of everything.Īfter this glowing report,I need to share one known issue. That said, this is likely a useful feature on long steady ascents. Doing this on a steep slope while also removing a glove seems like a recipe for dropping something down the hill. Ice builds up around the heel risers (see photo above) which might require getting out of the ski to clear the ice. I also found it challenging to lift the heel risers without removing thick gloves.
I don’t use risers on AT bindings until it gets quite steep so it seems unlikely I’ll use them on Nordic gear where climbing is generally less steep. I haven’t used them and might not for a couple of reasons, I am quite flexible, and they don’t seem convenient to use. In the 10 or so times out so far, I’ve had ice clog the pin slot on one side of one binding once it was easy to clear. Be sure to give the boot a test twist before launching off. Lining up the spring plunger pins to snap into the bindings requires precise foot placement and if you haven’t done it just right, one side might not have snapped-in. Because I rarely get in and out of the bindings other than at the start and end of the trip, bending over to close the binding isn’t a big deal for me, but Rottefella thought about this too and it’s a nice feature. The Xplore solves this problem too.Įntry and exit while standing. Multiple attempts are sometimes required even after clearing both the mechanism and the boot. My other big complaint about the NNN-BC is when snow/ice clogs the pin clamping mechanism making it difficult to snap binding closed. Yes, some build-up does happen, especially on the heel plate, but it is easily cleared by stomping down once or twice. One of my main complaints about the NNN-BC is the wad of snow/ice that builds up in the central slot of the binding that puts an annoying upward pressure on the bottom of the foot between toes and the ball. I haven’t tried them, but I can see the advantages – zero push-back insert for long flattish tours where getting the most out of the kick and glide is important, and the stiff push-back insert when working through challenging terrain with lots of direction changes.
#FISCHER OTX 88 FREE#
The zero push-back (free pivot) and stiff push-back (hard flex) inserts need to be ordered separately (Rottefella calls them the Free Pivot and Hard Flex). With the regular insert, the push-back feels less than the NNN-BC, which allows for a longer stride before the ski lifts off, and yet it is still stiff enough to keep the heel of the ski up when lifting the ski through corners. The Xplore binding pushes back against the toe of the boot just as the NNN-BC binding does. Some of this improvement might have been the Madshus Panorama boot, which is a bit sturdier than the Madshus Glittertind that I previously skied on NNN-BC bindings. On the first few strides and turns, it was immediately apparent that the connection between my foot and ski was more solid. This yields the wide and stiff connection between boot and binding of the AT binding, along with the ability to step-in and release while standing.Ĭontrol. Custom-engineered spring plungers are installed in each side of the boot, and the plungers snap into slots in the binding. Rottefella borrowed from AT bindings with a twist. Yes, my skills have improved, but I think it’s mostly the equipment. What I can say for sure is that I’m executing tele turns way better this year. This is a lot of change, which makes separating the impact of the bindings from the other equipment a bit difficult. I paired the Xplore bindings with Fischer OTX Excursion 88s and Madshus Panorama boots. This is Nordic backcountry not AT backcountry I do that too, but not on this gear. A perfect ski day is 8-12 miles of breaking trail with plenty of climbing and tele turns. I’ll never go back to NNN-BC.īefore sharing details it’s important to know that I ski Nordic backcountry – away from forest roads, away from trails, never in groomed tracks, and I rarely encounter other skiers or even another set of tracks. In short, they are fantastic, and I love them. I’ve been out on them about 10 times, and it’s time for a review. I learned about the Rottefella Xplore binding last winter and purchased a pair along with new skis and boots for this winter. By Jeff Hawkins, Mazama Nordic Backcountry Ski Instructor
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