Marker dukes-yes or no??

[tbnomore]

Hello all,

This is my first post-love your site. Sorry if it's a long post but this is doing my head in.

I am contemplating whether or not to part with the cash for these. I am heading for my first ever USA trip next week and cannot wait. I have just purchased a 160 Phat luv and am considering putting the Dukes on them. (This is the 3rd friend to go with my skinny carver and mid fat).

About me-I am a strong advanced (not expert) skier. I have a DIN setting of around 7, I prefer to ski off-piste and am becoming more interested in slack country skiing.

My Duke question is around my "dimensions". I have baby sized feet, yes the small dukes will fit but only just. My weight is right at the lower end for this binding, taking a day off eating would put me under. I am 5 foot nothing. I do not want to break my leg on the first day of my trip, this would truly suck. I do not huck, really ever. I have no interest in any other AT binding.

Do I bite the bullet and buy them or wait until a more girly friendly version is available??

 

[climber.girl1]

Can we ask your weight and boot sole length/mondo size?

Is there are specific reason you're not interested in any other AT bindings? If you're not interested in hucking at all, there may not be a need for the burliness of the Duke. You could also consider the Fritschi FreeRide and the Naxo Prinzzess, which is women's specific (by dint of shaving off a little weight and having a slightly lower din range).

 

[tbnomore]

My weight is approx 130, boot sole is approx 275.

I want an Alpine binding primarily-like 99.9% of the time currently. I like the "idea" of the minor freedom these could give me. I refuse to compromise alpine binder ability.

I am unconcernd about the weight, Ive slackcounty'd with a lot heavier plus downhill boots in long slogs (and yes i WHINGE). Phat luvs and these bindings I would not ever even contemplate a multi day with. That is unless I can find a cheap porter slave.

 

[climber.girl1]

Well, if you really don't want to compromise the ability of your alpine bindings, you could always get a set of alpine trekkers! :D

I'm 130#, 5'8, advanced (not strong advanced) and I've been skiing the Freeride (on the Phat Luv until last year no less!) for quite awhile and am happy with it (80% resort/20% backcountry.... but.... ignoring that...

I would say if you want the markers, get them. The fact that your boot is on the short side actually makes you MORE likely to release, rather than LESS likely (physics, leverage) so I wouldn't be worried about breaking a leg/knee by not coming out of them.

Performance wise, another consideration is whether you want to switch to an AT boot or stick with an alpine boot. That can make a bigger performance difference than your bindings.

And after all of that, wait for one of our "more expert than me" experts to chime in! I'm not an all-round expert, but know a good bit about the AT stuff!

 

[tbnomore]

That is an excellent post. You've almost sold me. Is that really true, the low weight/short boot is going to make me more likely to lose them in a crash?? This goes against my rational. I would think they are waiting for a moose to throw them.

I have average looks( the binding-I do OK!!) and average salomons on my current skis. I can honestly say whenever they have been ditched apart from the "oh god its 15 inches and 37 degrees" factor I have never lost a ski when I didn't need to. Adding to that Ive never kept one on when I wish I'd ditched.

This is my major concern.

 

[climber.girl1]

Nothing to do with lower weight... only with shorter boot sole. If you look at a DIN setting chart, you'll see that the shorter the boot sole, the higher the DIN.

I'm no physicist or engineer, but I believe it has to do with the amount of torque applied and the distance over which that force is spread. Here's a link to TGR that explains is a little bit

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-66377.html

Also, I found a really good post about how most releases are "user error" in technique rather than the DIN being set too low.

https://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=64648

It's long, confused, troll-y thread, but look for the first post, half way down, with red highlighting. It's really interesting.

Again, not the biggest expert here, but it sounds like you should stick with your recommended DIN on the charts unless you have specific experiences that dictate otherwise! :D

 

[climber.girl1]

Where are you planning to ski in the US, by the way?!!? And where do you ski now/home base?

 

[tbnomore]

Well miss Climbing girl-Im in your world!!

Me and my 9 bros includin three other very lovely ladies, will be in Sandy from 31 jan to 10 feb the off to Jackson till 16 feb. We have decided our first ever US trip is go hard or home.

If you would like to meet the girls rest assured we would like to meet you. PS at least one of us is american which may help to outweight the too much aussie factor!! PM me if you are keen to tour guide us (I mean an hour, half day, full day-completeley in your court) even if your tolerance level is short.

PS to make you feel a bit better we all ski pretty OK but also like a schnapps!!

 

[climber.girl1]

A bunch of us divas will probably be skiing at Solitude on Feb 7 (Thurs) if you're interested! :D

 

[altagirl]

My question is only...

Where do you plan on finding a pair to buy?

My husband had a pair ordered and they cancelled his order because they're sold out for the year. :(

 

[ski now work later]

My question is only... Where do you plan on finding a pair to buy? My husband had a pair ordered and they cancelled his order because they're sold out for the year. :(

Try this:
https://www.untracked.com/p2360-08_marker_the_duke_16_ski_binding.html

I have purchased several pair of skis from Al's Ski Barn and they ship very quickly and efficiently.

 

[astridhj]

I'm very glad I decided to go for the Marker Duke with my Völkl Aura. For me, they work very well... Especially offpiste.

 

[tbnomore]

After much deliberating I bought them. Thanks all.

Now does anyone know where I can get them mounted in SLC (staying at Sandy). Thanks