Voile 3-Pin Hardwire Binding
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 6:55 pm
Ski Binding Review: Voile 3-Pin Hardwire
This is certainly not the first telemark binding that I have tested, but it is the first one that I have reviewed! I do wish that I had more comprehensive and complete experience with much of the current telemark bindings available, but- other than some demo tests at resorts- the only other telemark bindings that I have a lot of experience with are Voile’s 3-Pin Cable and 3-Pin Mountaineer; as well as Rottefella’s Super-Telemark. I am afraid that this review will be somewhat limited due to my lack of experience with modern Telemark technology.
The Voile 3-Pin Hardwire (3PH) is a Nordic Norm (NN)- 75-mm- 3-pin binding- with a rod and cartridge spring assembly that attaches to the heel of the boot. It has a standard NN 3-pin base plate to be mated to a standard 75mm-3pin- boot duckbill. The 3-pin baseplate’s bail has three settings to accommodate duckbills of varying thickness (I have been told it is identical to the Mountaineer). The binding is mounted on a 20mm riser that ramps upward. The heel pad has two different-sized climbing wires.
The heel “cables” are available in two different sizes:
• Short Rod: 24-26.5 Mondo
• Standard Rod: 27-31 Mondo
I have the standard rods (size 27 Mondo). Both the short and the standard rods have the same spring-cartridge. I have not spent any time thinking about the physics of whether the shorter or the longer rod gives more resistance…
In communications with Voile they have told me that the cartridges on this binding are identical to those on the Switchback. (A friend has told me that the old-school 3-pin-cable has more resistance (i.e. stiffer springs) which is a real kick in the ass- I bought these bindings assuming that they would offer more resistance...) Without holding a Switchback next to this binding the attachment-point of the rod seems further back on this binding. This would at least suggest to me that this binding is more “active” than the Switchback…I do not know how the clamping of the duckbill in the bail affects binding “activity”, versus the Switchback. A friend of mine has switched out the stock rod-cartridge for the stiffer springs that come on the Switchback X2- they have the same attachment.
This binding is designed for Nordic-Telemark touring in the backcountry. It is an incredibly versatile binding. In standard mode it can be used like an old-school NN binding without the heel cables- old-school XC and telemark ski touring. Use this mode for distance-oriented skiing as well as climbing. The heeling cables can be easily clipped to the heel riser when XC skiing and climbing. When you need resistance/action and torsional stability for downhill skiing- simply lift up the cables and clip them to the boot heel- wow- POWER!!!!
These bindings do not have the free-pivot mode of a binding like the Switchback- therefore, they have more resistance and are less efficient when climbing. HOWEVER- the 3-pin bail clamps the duckbill producing resistance that improves traction and kick and glide when XC skiing. A free-pivot Telemark touring binding is definitely more efficient for up-down “touring”, but the 3PH binding is a more efficient touring binding if your touring involves much XC skiing over flat to moderate rolling terrain.
In my neck of the woods- at mid-elevation in the New Brunswick hills- the terrain is rolling with predominantly moderate slopes- punctuated by steeply cut ravines down into streams and rivers. XC-mode is all I need for 90% of the terrain I tour on- and many of the sweetest stashes of high, steep and snowy glades take several kilometres- or more- to reach. The 3PH binding is the PERFECT binding for downhill-focused touring in my backcountry context.
I have this binding mounted on two skis:
• 188cm Asnes Storetind
• 162cm Altai Kom
I am currently using it with two different boots:
• Scarpa T4 (old version)
• Alico Ski March
I have been having fit problems with the cavernous Ski March boot- not using it much unfortunately…
Love the T4.
The Storetind is a perfect match for the 3PH binding. The Storetind- like the binding- has remarkable XC skiing performance for such a downhill-oriented ski. I can get up to some serious cruising speed on the Storetind in 3-pin mode. I would put NNNBC on the Storetind, but the heel cables of the 3PH- and more supportive T4- completely unlock the downhill potential of this ski.
The Kom is much more of an up-down yo-yo ski- and as such- I think that a free-pivot binding might be a better choice for it. I cannot get enough XC momentum on the Kom to truly take advantage of the 3-pin bale- I feel that I might as well be in free-pivot mode when shuffling along on the Kom…
The “Swiss army knife” of Nordic touring the 3-Pin Hardwire certainly is!!
XCD Scale:
• Cross-Country: 75/100
• Downhill: 100/100
Is this binding “better” than the old 3-pin-cable binding and worth the extra dough? Hard for me to say yet. The heel cable clips to the heel cable quite neatly and securely- better than the old 3PC. The 3-pin-hardwire at least seems to offer better torsional stability than the 3PC.
This is certainly not the first telemark binding that I have tested, but it is the first one that I have reviewed! I do wish that I had more comprehensive and complete experience with much of the current telemark bindings available, but- other than some demo tests at resorts- the only other telemark bindings that I have a lot of experience with are Voile’s 3-Pin Cable and 3-Pin Mountaineer; as well as Rottefella’s Super-Telemark. I am afraid that this review will be somewhat limited due to my lack of experience with modern Telemark technology.
The Voile 3-Pin Hardwire (3PH) is a Nordic Norm (NN)- 75-mm- 3-pin binding- with a rod and cartridge spring assembly that attaches to the heel of the boot. It has a standard NN 3-pin base plate to be mated to a standard 75mm-3pin- boot duckbill. The 3-pin baseplate’s bail has three settings to accommodate duckbills of varying thickness (I have been told it is identical to the Mountaineer). The binding is mounted on a 20mm riser that ramps upward. The heel pad has two different-sized climbing wires.
The heel “cables” are available in two different sizes:
• Short Rod: 24-26.5 Mondo
• Standard Rod: 27-31 Mondo
I have the standard rods (size 27 Mondo). Both the short and the standard rods have the same spring-cartridge. I have not spent any time thinking about the physics of whether the shorter or the longer rod gives more resistance…
In communications with Voile they have told me that the cartridges on this binding are identical to those on the Switchback. (A friend has told me that the old-school 3-pin-cable has more resistance (i.e. stiffer springs) which is a real kick in the ass- I bought these bindings assuming that they would offer more resistance...) Without holding a Switchback next to this binding the attachment-point of the rod seems further back on this binding. This would at least suggest to me that this binding is more “active” than the Switchback…I do not know how the clamping of the duckbill in the bail affects binding “activity”, versus the Switchback. A friend of mine has switched out the stock rod-cartridge for the stiffer springs that come on the Switchback X2- they have the same attachment.
This binding is designed for Nordic-Telemark touring in the backcountry. It is an incredibly versatile binding. In standard mode it can be used like an old-school NN binding without the heel cables- old-school XC and telemark ski touring. Use this mode for distance-oriented skiing as well as climbing. The heeling cables can be easily clipped to the heel riser when XC skiing and climbing. When you need resistance/action and torsional stability for downhill skiing- simply lift up the cables and clip them to the boot heel- wow- POWER!!!!
These bindings do not have the free-pivot mode of a binding like the Switchback- therefore, they have more resistance and are less efficient when climbing. HOWEVER- the 3-pin bail clamps the duckbill producing resistance that improves traction and kick and glide when XC skiing. A free-pivot Telemark touring binding is definitely more efficient for up-down “touring”, but the 3PH binding is a more efficient touring binding if your touring involves much XC skiing over flat to moderate rolling terrain.
In my neck of the woods- at mid-elevation in the New Brunswick hills- the terrain is rolling with predominantly moderate slopes- punctuated by steeply cut ravines down into streams and rivers. XC-mode is all I need for 90% of the terrain I tour on- and many of the sweetest stashes of high, steep and snowy glades take several kilometres- or more- to reach. The 3PH binding is the PERFECT binding for downhill-focused touring in my backcountry context.
I have this binding mounted on two skis:
• 188cm Asnes Storetind
• 162cm Altai Kom
I am currently using it with two different boots:
• Scarpa T4 (old version)
• Alico Ski March
I have been having fit problems with the cavernous Ski March boot- not using it much unfortunately…
Love the T4.
The Storetind is a perfect match for the 3PH binding. The Storetind- like the binding- has remarkable XC skiing performance for such a downhill-oriented ski. I can get up to some serious cruising speed on the Storetind in 3-pin mode. I would put NNNBC on the Storetind, but the heel cables of the 3PH- and more supportive T4- completely unlock the downhill potential of this ski.
The Kom is much more of an up-down yo-yo ski- and as such- I think that a free-pivot binding might be a better choice for it. I cannot get enough XC momentum on the Kom to truly take advantage of the 3-pin bale- I feel that I might as well be in free-pivot mode when shuffling along on the Kom…
The “Swiss army knife” of Nordic touring the 3-Pin Hardwire certainly is!!
XCD Scale:
• Cross-Country: 75/100
• Downhill: 100/100
Is this binding “better” than the old 3-pin-cable binding and worth the extra dough? Hard for me to say yet. The heel cable clips to the heel cable quite neatly and securely- better than the old 3PC. The 3-pin-hardwire at least seems to offer better torsional stability than the 3PC.