Anyone have pre-release issues with the Marker Jester?

I've sworn off Marker bindings since my last pair in the early 90s. I experienced so many pre-releases with them that I shelved the skis. I've had similar issues with Demo skis running Markers.

But I'm intrigued by the new design of the Jester. Because it's such a significant change in design I'm wondering if the pre-release problems have been addressed.

I'm looking for a binding to go on a pair of Mantra 191s. I like to ski just about anything, bumps, powder, groomers, and steeps. I'm 6'4" and 215 lbs.

My choice is down to the Jester and the Mojo 15s. Any opinions?

BTW, I've searched the forum for pre-release issues with the Jester and haven't found anything. I did read a lot about the Mojos though.

Thanks.

I have 7 days on the duke on a 177s mantra ski east hard and soft conditions din 8+ no pre-release but the jester is flat apposed to AT so might be differences w forward presser. the duke is rock solid.

Jester.

My family has Dukes and Jesters on several skis this season. They've released, but nothing I'd call a pre-release. Overall use ranges from pretty mellow from the older end of the family (=me) to routine pretty hard skiing on the younger end - including routine jumps of 5-20 feet. I think the binding gets a thumbs up.

PhilT has had premature release problems with his Mojos - and has commented here &/or TGR about the specifics...

There are a few reports of breakages starting to filter through:

CLICKY

Admittedly this is all to do with Dukes so far, not Jesters

Breakages due to mounting issues, not necessarily binding issues. Read Mashalls comments. Or why not start another mindless/baseless bash Marker because I'm cool thread. :

Every system has a weakest point. That screw seems to be it on the Dukes. One of the posters came up with his own modification of a small plate so the binding is held in place by 3 screws instead of 1.

Thanks, guys. I'm aware of the issues with the Dukes. But that's definitely a different animal. Any issues with the Jester?

The Duke issue is related to poor mounting/anchoring. Other than the free-heel mode, the Duke and the Jester are identical, so to answer you question, no.

Pooks,

What bindings did you end up deciding on? I'm looking at the same choice for an Icelantic Nomad for next season.

Heard from a Marker service guy today that many of the athletes using the jester in competitions are getting no life out of them. Now, to be fair, I haven't actually seen this problem or heard of it anywhere else but... The tech told me that at events like the x-games and some of the other comps the freeride guys were blowing up the Jesters in one or two runs and by the end of the x-games most of their athletes were riding 916's because Salomon had a bunch of those available for quick use.

I'd take it with a grain of salt but the guy has worked for marker for about 15 yrs

Is it just me, or does it seem like Marker should just stick to the clothing business

RR, what is your experience with them?

I can't speak to comps, but I can say that my family probably has, in aggregate, something approaching 100 days on Dukes and Jesters this season. Groomers, powder - "kids" (athletic ones 175 to 200 pounds) jumping stuff up to 15 or 20 feet, etc. Pretty happy all around. If there are real issues, I'd sure like to be made aware of them. And to be able to sort out whether I'll ever run into them. FWIW - the runner up days-wise is this year's RFD 14 which has been working well too.

OTOH, I've looked over a moderate amount of Marker branded clothing, just to geek out, & the stuff I've seen is a joke in the context of typical conditions demanding technical wear here in the PNW...

Different perspectives...

None, just making an observation.

helpful...

I have 20+ days on my Dukes (184 Mantras, DIN @10) and have had zero releases at all. The things are solid.

I have been using my Jesters on Monster 88's since the midlle of the season and have had no problems at all. With that said I did just order my son some Mojo's due to his lighter weight and din setting.

Good Luck

The "middle screw" issue is pretty well known at this point. There's been a decent amount of discussion about the presence/lack of ski mounting reinforcement material at that location as well as the general need for caution with setting that screw (esp wrt that material). The techs I know are all over that.

I also had prerelease problems with Markers.  I had to replace Marker 12.0 Freeride with Salomon 12TI on my 170 Volkl Mantra (my all-purpose ski).  Current DIN is 8 and I haven't had any prerelease problems with Salomon.

 

I'm 5'8" and 145 lbs, expert skier, and now wonder whether I should get Marker Jester, Marker Griffon, or Salomon STH 14 for my new 175 Volkl Kuros (my specialty powder ski).  I'm not sure I need the hiking function on the Marker Duke.

 

Any thoughts?  Is it necessary to get bindings with a max 16 DIN or is it better to get a lighter pair?  I also have a friend shopping for his 177 Volkl Mantra and 175 Volkl Kuro skis.  He's 6'2", 213 lbs and an intermediate skier.

 

I question the Marker brand given the problems I had with the 12.0 Freeride, but nobody seems to be complaining about the Jesters.

I have my gotamas mounted with Griffons and so far no problems with pre-release. I love the setup because it's quite light but feels super solid on the snow. Since I don't crank my din past 8.5 I have no need for the Jesters. I'm 5'8'' 165lbs advanced skier FWIW.

Excellent!  Are they less durable (more likely to break or malfunction) than the Jester because they are lighter?  That is, are they using more plastic than the Jester?  I wish Marker could be more specific on their website.  I heard the Griffon squeak.

 

Should my friend get the Griffon also despite his weight?  I'm guessing his DIN will be 7-8 because he's an intermediate skier.

 

Interesting that people rarely mention the Salomon STH 14s to put on Volkl Kuro...they must be an older design than the Jester or Griffon, or not as good.

 

Overall, which bindings use the most plastic and is it a concern?

Edited by woofcyn - 5/9/2009 at 05:30 am GMT

 

I'd be looking at Look (Rossi,Dynastar) bindings. A PX12 (or better still a PX15) with a wide brake would be my choice. I don't personally like to see a lot of plastic used in a binding, mostly because I'm interested in long term durability and don't care about the weight.

 

 

I don't because I quit using Marker Bindings years ago because of pre-release issues.

 

I switched to Look and Rossignol bindings and have never had an issue since.

I'm no where near as hard core as all these people who pre-release with Markers, but I've used Markers pretty much exclusively for many years.  I have some Dukes on my Titan Argos and haven't had any problems with durability or pre release.

 

You might not want to listen to my experience, though, since I don't pre release out of regular Marker race bindings either.

 

I skied 74 days this year, and was either racing or skiing trees, cliffs and chutes, so it's a fairly good sample size.  I actually only had one release at all that I can remember.....   and it was with the Dukes.

You Pee, you kill me!!!

 

I only hope that some day I can suck like you.

 

 

 

 

U.P.Racer,

What are your boot sole length, weight, and DIN setting on your racing bindings?

I've got about 10 or 12 days on first-year Dukes.  They squeak.  I'm not sure why.

 

7-8 is high for an intermediate, assuming that he isn't overweight.  I weigh 200, list myself as Type III, and the DIN chart suggests that I should be in the 8-8.5 range.  (I bump to 9-10, depending on binding and use.)

 

I've never heard of an adult intermediate skier breaking a binding.  And most of the bindings they'd use have a lot more plastic than a Griffon.

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

 

The STH is actually a new model this year, although the technology is certainly tried and true.  They're fine bindings for most skiers, and probably overkill for your friend.

 

(^^ responding to Ghost)

 

I set my bindings the same as everyone should.  The DIN is set so that they will release when they are supposed to to avoid injury, and will not release during the course of normal skiing.

 

The number isn't really important.

It is important enough that you don't want to disclose it.

Not only has the JEster held me in but has also release when I needed them to.  

 

The only reason that I didn't disclose it is because I've been in enough of these conversations already....  

 

Skier weight, boot sole length and skier type is a good starting point to determine your DIN setting.  After that it becomes kind of trial and error.  The speed at which you normally ski, the terrain, the relative softness or firmness of the snow, slope angle and even an individual's skiing style can affect whether or not a ski will release in a given situation.  

 

I weigh 185 and have a boot sole length of 311.  My bindings are set on 12. 

 

That doesn't necessarily mean that someone else with my same boot sole length and weight should set theirs the same.  For me, it is correct. 

 

(for the record, in addition to my Dukes and Comp 18.0's, I also own a pair of Look P18 turntables and a pair of PX18's too.  I used to have a pair of Salomon 914's that I used for a whole season a few years back.  I set them all the same, and they all have worked well.)

Thanks UP. 

I appreciate your giving me that data, and understand your reluctance to encourage to set their DIN number higher than the charts calculate.  I do find the data very interesting with regards to what one person feels is a sufficiently high compromise for the type of skiing done in races, even if it is only one data point.