Voile 3p binding question

[MikeK]

Voile claims that:

"The Heavy-Duty Mountaineer 3-pin is a solid, light touring telemark binding. Made from the same manufacturing tools as our 3-pin Cable it has a 3-pin bail height to accommodate a 13-19mm thick duckbill telemark boot. You can use this binding with virtually all telemark boots available. Mostly suited for mid-range to light duty boots. "

If your bill is less than 13mm thick, I'd be surprised. Mine came in at 15mm+.

Soooo... is Voile lying about the tooling being the same between the cable and the mountaineer? Or is your bill abnormally thin?

They don't give any specs for the cable bindings as to the bill thickness they will accept. It would be nice to know if there is a difference.

[Johnny]

Yep, mine is 15-16mm too.

I measured all my boots last week, and I was about to do some research on the "Nordic Norm"... I wanted to go thru all my old cross-country books but everything is still packed... And I need to fix this leaking roof...!

Voile is definitely lying here...

But that's the funny part: Only the latest version of the Voile bindings are problematic...

[MikeK]

Just got my cable bindings for my Annums. I measured the lowest bail height, it's almost exactly 15mm.

If you get a chance, measure yours. It's a bit tricky but it looks like if you have a bum pair, it might be a fluke.

[Johnny]

15 mm to secure a 15mm duckbill. Does that make any sense to you? Does the rubber from your boots get stuck over the binding when you turn, like in that first picture?



Thanks for the idea. I measured all my bails at their lowest point. All my old voile and Rottefella Super Telemarks are 12-13mm. Which is perfect for all my boots.

But my 3 pairs of last year's Voile bindings are 15-16mm. Which is fucking useless. What, is it cheaper to make the bails higher?!?!?

Thanks for pointing this out. I think it's very clear now, you solved the mystery. Don't buy Voile's new bindings. True spirit telemark is dead. *Sigh*...

[MikeK]

My bill is slightly preloaded with those, so it's right on the hairy edge.

And yeah I thought the scars on my boots were from falling, it's not. It's just how the bail hits the boot. I'm going to take the Dremel to it and reshape the boot.

It's not like your's though. Mine doesn't get stuck on the wing. It's easier to trim the boot. I'd just put a slight chamfer on the bottom edge of the tread so it won't get caught like that. Maybe also file a bit of a chamfer on the wing... It shouldn't affect the performance on the other bindings.

So yeah, they were lying. 13mm they are not. Mountaineers are the same. It's all the same tooling.

It's those plastic boots man... they all have a thicker bill. Voile is just keeping up with the times.

And once I figure out those inserts you won't have to worry about you pin holes getting all shitted up... the pins themselves look to be steel (I should check with a magnet) but they are probably soft... I'll check with a file. Bronze will surely work. Steel might be OK.

[MikeK]

Thanks for pointing this out. I think it's very clear now, you solved the mystery. Don't buy Voile's new bindings. True spirit telemark is dead. *Sigh*...

PS It ain't dead... I think it's trying to tell you something.

Pull all those cable bindings off and put on good old Super Teles. No cable. That's true XCD!



XCD Lives on!

[Johnny]

I never, never use cables! (Unless for some strange reason I decide to go XCD skiing on ice...) They are too heavy. Plus I don't like the feeling. Not to mention they crush your feet.

Cables... Buckles... Pivot... Beurk!
While we're at it, why not ski with handcuffs? Or a chastity belt? Or a ball and chain?

I have a couple of pairs of SuperT. They are actually my favorite binding. I love them WAY MORE than the Voiles. But they are harder to find around here.

All my old SuperTs are ok. But what if the new ones are 15mm like the Voile ones?

Gee, I think that's the nail in the coffin: I'm not a Voile guy anymore. Never thought it would come to this...

[MikeK]

I think I'm going to switch as well.

I'll measure a pair. There are none in town but I know who carries them and I'll likely be there this season. For now, look for used ones.

[Raventele]

I never, never use cables! (Unless for some strange reason I decide to go XCD skiing on ice...) They are too heavy. Plus I don't like the feeling. Not to mention they crush your feet.

Cables... Buckles... Pivot... Beurk!
While we're at it, why not ski with handcuffs? Or a chastity belt? Or a ball and chain?

I have a couple of pairs of SuperT. They are actually my favorite binding. I love them WAY MORE than the Voiles. But they are harder to find around here.

All my old SuperTs are ok. But what if the new ones are 15mm like the Voile ones?

Gee, I think that's the nail in the coffin: I'm not a Voile guy anymore. Never thought it would come to this...

Right..or grace, or control, or authority, or maybe at speed ?
Voile 3pin/Cable/Hardwire forever!! With or without cable as desired..

[Teleman]

Voile is good but Rotta Super is superior in the bush....Found the cable is a waste of effort but could give a psychological boost at a ski area...With a double buckle boot or one buckle it's about the comfort and flex of the boot at the balls of your foot...Plastic can't equate that and voila there is the big difference.....Teleking raves and gives me mucho crapola about buckles but the ancient and would love to have them again (Fabiano's) ???? had a leather strap buckle....A really good leather boot...Best so far were the Merril Ultras....Combine that with Rotta pins and off you go...TM