The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Real reviews by real skiers. What a concept! Add your own today. Reviews only please, questions can be posted as replies but new threads looking for opinions should be posted to the main Telemark Talk Forum.
User avatar
Johnny
Site Admin
Posts: 2256
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
Location: Quebec / Vermont
Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
Occupation: Full-time ski bum

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by Johnny » Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:37 am

fisheater wrote:
Thu Oct 07, 2021 6:04 pm
I have a simple question, if the pins are more forward mounted on the boot, would the pin line than be forward of say BP on a more traditional ski?
Not sure I understand...?
For most people in most XCd situations, the pin line / pivot point of a boot will always be the best at the ski's balance point... No matter where the pivot is located on the boots...?
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."

User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by lilcliffy » Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:10 pm

Alfa's Xplore line up on the Norwegian site: https://www.alfa.no/pages/search-results-page?q=xplore
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
Nitram Tocrut
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2018 10:50 pm
Location: Quebec, Canada
Ski style: Backyard XC skiing if that is a thing
Favorite Skis: Sverdrup and MT51
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska NNNBC
Occupation: Organic vegetable grower and many other things!

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by Nitram Tocrut » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:06 pm

Woodserson wrote:
Wed Sep 29, 2021 4:48 pm
Nitram Tocrut wrote:
Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:14 pm
:idea:
bgregoire wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 9:04 pm


Did you not just get the most awesome pair of 75mm leathers ever, the rarer than a dodo eggs' Zenith? Why then this sudden switch to NNN. Have you been struck by lighting or contracted yet another forn of GAS?
Good one Benjamin :lol: . I am not getting ride of all my 75mm binding and certainly not my Zenith :shock:. I just took the opportunity to buy the NNN-BC Alaska as the 75mm keeps breaking and I love those boots I will use NNN for my narrower skis…. for now :D
What size Zenith did you get
Hey Woods! They are either 121/2 or 13…. I can’t read the label… Bougth them from @Cannatonic so maybe he will recall.



User avatar
Butterfield
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:45 pm

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by Butterfield » Tue Nov 02, 2021 6:56 am

I’ve been searching for these since November hit with no luck. Has anyone seen some available from U.S. retailers?



User avatar
Tom M
Posts: 333
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 9:01 pm
Location: Northwest Wyoming USA
Ski style: Skate on Groomed, XCD Off, Backcountry Tele
Favorite Skis: Fischer S-Bound 98 Off Trail, Voile V6 BC for Tele
Favorite boots: Currently skiing Alfa Vista, Alfa Free, Scarpa T2
Occupation: Retired
Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCam0VG ... shelf_id=1

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by Tom M » Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:24 am

It looks like we have longer to wait. The initial target date of Nov 1 on https://rottefella.no/xplore has passed. Alfa has updated their preorder page for the boot I'm most interested in showing "after December 1" https://www.alfa.no/products/free-a-p-s-gtx-m-black Alpina doesn't even show the new Alaska XP boot on their web page. https://www.alpinasports.com/us/nordic/backcountry. It will be sad if the bindings and boots show up in the stores after all the skis have been sold. The skis seem to be selling out quickly and most of the country doesn't even have skiable snow yet.



User avatar
brwilkinson
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2021 1:14 am

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by brwilkinson » Thu Nov 04, 2021 1:29 am

So do you think the boots /bindings will be sold separately?

It seems strange to get boots from ALFA, without the bindings?

I was assuming the advertised 599 was just for the boots? (although that seems like more of a fair price, If the binding were included).



User avatar
Tom M
Posts: 333
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 9:01 pm
Location: Northwest Wyoming USA
Ski style: Skate on Groomed, XCD Off, Backcountry Tele
Favorite Skis: Fischer S-Bound 98 Off Trail, Voile V6 BC for Tele
Favorite boots: Currently skiing Alfa Vista, Alfa Free, Scarpa T2
Occupation: Retired
Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCam0VG ... shelf_id=1

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by Tom M » Thu Nov 04, 2021 10:29 am

brwilkinson wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 1:29 am
So do you think the boots /bindings will be sold separately?

It seems strange to get boots from ALFA, without the bindings?

I was assuming the advertised 599 was just for the boots? (although that seems like more of a fair price, If the binding were included).
I expect that the boots and bindings will be sold separately and yes, they are very expensive when compared to NNNBC and 3 pin soft boot options. Alfa has posted its prices for their Xplore boots, but I don't know what the retail price will be for Alpina's Alaska XP boot. Hopefully they will be more reasonable than Alfa's offerings. There may be some retailers offering a package deal of boots, bindings and skis, but only time will tell.



User avatar
telerat
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 7:09 am
Location: Middle of Norway
Ski style: Telemark, backcountry nordic and cross country skiing.
Favorite Skis: Any ski suitable for telemark or backcountry skiing, with some side-cut for turning.
Favorite boots: Scarpa plastic telemark. Asolo and Alfa leather boots.

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by telerat » Thu Nov 04, 2021 10:30 am

I'm sure the boots and bindings will also be sold separately, at least here in Norway, but there might be package deals some places. If supply is limited, then things might change. The Alfa prices are list prices for just the boots, which we are often able to get some discount on, like in a package with bindings and skis or if you're a member in various organizations that get discounts in specific shops, and also at the end of year sales.

The Alfa Free APS boot is quite expensive. The reinforced cuff looks interesting, but the rest of it looks made for fast/short tours, spring skiing and tour ice skating. The other boots have almost the same price as the corresponding NNN-BC versions. I'm (luckily for once) most interested in the cheapest model so I plan on buying the Alfa Skaget and test that.

The binding is quite a bit more expensive than NNN-BC, which is bummer as I want to get 3 of them for my Åsnes Ousland, old Fischer E109 and tour ice skates. The construction doesn't seem much more advanced than NNN-BC, but I assume Rottefella also wants to recover some of the development cost and charges a premium for the Xplore. I hope it replaces NNN-BC eventually if it performs as I expect, but it will anyway take quite a while if it works like NTN and 75mm. Hopefully the market will stay strong (unlike telemark) and we'll get many options for boots. I do wish we could get competing bindings, and that the sole/shoes had the possibility of a heel wire.

I'm waiting for an Xplore review in Fri Flyt on 11th of November (a Norwegian skiing magazine - part of the conglomerate that also has utemagasinet.no). Hopefully more/new info will come out then and not just a rehash of the earlier review. I'll report back as soon as I know more.



User avatar
brwilkinson
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2021 1:14 am

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by brwilkinson » Fri Nov 05, 2021 8:56 pm

Tom M wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 10:29 am
I expect that the boots and bindings will be sold separately and yes, they are very expensive when compared to NNNBC and 3 pin soft boot options.
telerat wrote:
Thu Nov 04, 2021 10:30 am
I'm sure the boots and bindings will also be sold separately.

I'm (luckily for once) most interested in the cheapest model so I plan on buying the Alfa Skaget and test that.

I'm waiting for an Xplore review in Fri Flyt on 11th of November (a Norwegian skiing magazine - part of the conglomerate that also has utemagasinet.no). Hopefully more/new info will come out then and not just a rehash of the earlier review. I'll report back as soon as I know more.
Thank you for the replies Tom M and telerat...

Confirming they will be sold separately.

Yes, I think we are all looking forward to any reviews that come about. So far Tom has the only reviews or preview that I have seen :) Tom, I guess you had to send that Alpina Alaska that you demo'd back to the supplier then?

That Alfa Skaget model looks like a nice solid leather boot with a nice high top, definitely looks good for colder temps.

I found out that one of our largest outdoor stores here in the US "REI" is supposed to take some stock of the Boots/Bindings. However they are not listed on the site, until they actually get some stock. I am also looking for some "Asnes Rabb 68" to pair with them. However this year I think I will need a few backup plans, just in case stocks are short. I know I will snap up the first pair I see.



User avatar
Butterfield
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:45 pm

Re: The new Rottefella XPLORE OFFTRACK Binding System Review

Post by Butterfield » Mon Nov 08, 2021 8:56 pm

I contacted Rottefella and was told the last part of December for the xplore. Bummer.



Post Reply