Rottefella Xcelerator 2.0 Binding Review

[Johnny]

Why is there always progress and advances in technology? It's pretty simple: All major breakthrough technologies come from racing. Whether it's ski, cars, planes, boats, horses, rockets, racing against the clock in any situation, the race to reach other planets etc, any progress and R&D is always the result of the racing aspect of things. Why is the AT gear so advanced and light? Because there are AT races. Why is the XC gear so advanced and light? Because XC racing is an official sport at the Olympics.

So what the hell is going on in the XCD world? Nothing. We are still using 50yo cable binding technology. We are still skiing pins. There has been no improvements in leather boots in the last 50 years. The old vintage Asolo boots are just as good as the new 400$ Andrews or Alico boots. Madshus are still using 20yo molds for their skis. Why? Because we don't race. We don't care about that. We couldn't care less about going faster than our friends, we don't care about reaching the hut half a second faster. We just hang out in the woods with our skis for the fun of it. For us, it's all about fun and enjoying the great outdoors.

That said, I don't see why we, XCD skiers and New Nordic Nerds, couldn't enjoy new technology too. This, my friends, is the future of telemark. Meet the Rottefella XCelerator 2.0 NNN binding. Okay, it's not yet a downhill binding, but here's why it's just the greatest thing, and how this could change the XCD world forever.

1. WEIGHT
Man, these babies weight 183g a pair. Yep a stunning 183 grams for two bindings.This is a 45% weight reduction compared to their basic NNN bindings. And this is less than half the weight of NNN BC bindings, which are 472g a pair. Wow, what an improvement. And the feeling on snow is amazing. I never felt that light before.

2. MOUNTING
No more swiss cheese skis. You will never mess with jigs or paper templates again. No more misaligned screws and bindings, no more epoxy. No more drilling and tapping. You just grab the Xcelerators and slide them in the integrated FIS plate on your favorite skis. Click! You're done. Mounting takes about 2 seconds, no tools or scientific reflexions required. And your binding is perfectly aligned with the skis.

3. ADJUSTMENT
A lot of XC skis already come with integrated FIS plates (Or you can screw a FIS plate on your favorite non-FIS ski...) You slide the binding in and click, you're mounted according to the manufacturer's recommendation. But this is the greatest thing about the Xcelerators: Once you have "mounted" the binding into the plate, you can adjust the mounting point at the touch of a button. Want better glide or skiing fresh powder? Click, you slide the binding towards the back. Want better grip or carving turns? Click, you just slide the binding forward. As simple as that.

This is simply all I ever dreamed about a binding. Well okay, it's a XC binding, not yet XCD. But if they were able to reduce the weight in almost a half compared to their recreative bindings, imagine for a second what they could do with NNN BC bindings. It wouldn't take much to take the Xcelerators into a BC version (Or to "Xcelerate" the current NNNBC binding, add the plate system and replace plastic with something stronger...) But hey, who's going to buy a 200$ NNN BC binding besides me? People are still skiing pins with cheap boots, people are waiting until the summer to buy gear at discount. People are making their own gear instead of encouraging the industry and R&D. So all I can do is keep dreaming, or make my own bindings. Or wait until XCD becomes an official Olympic sport.

[MikeK]

I'll buy once the adjustment is on a remote like a dropper post.

[Cannatonic]

very cool, they eliminated every bit of extra weight. Don't worry about the price, they will show up on Sierra Trading Post eventually, most Rottefella stuff does.

[lilcliffy]

Awesome review- greatly enjoyed it. I have this binding on my current classic track skis- incredible.

NNNBC Xcelerator- even at $200- as long as they will stand up to the abuse of the backcountry- I am in!

[lilcliffy]

I have this binding on my current classic track skis- incredible.

Forgive me- my mistake- I don't have this binding- I have the touring version.

[StormyMonday]

I like the concept. Back many decades ago I was alpine racing when the ESS VAR came out with the fore/aft adjustment. I got some on a pair of stiff, straight (pre-shaped skis) Atomic SL skis - the adjustment really did make a big difference even though the range seemed small. I used the same skis for SL, GS and skiing bumps sometimes just by sliding the binding into different slots. Heavy though. Dropper post is a great idea - switch from gliding to turning without breaking stride, yeah When you read all the treads on mounting position this would certainly make that easier...

[solipskier]

I'll buy once the adjustment is on a remote like a dropper post.

Actually, new for 2017/18 it looks like Rottefella is going to do something like this. It's just rumors at the moment but it looks like motors will move the binding around while you ski for the best kick and glide.