Blizzard IQ binding on a non IQ ski

 Last season Lola had 2 Blizzard IQ skis in her quiver, Viva 7.6 and a Eos, the system is hyper easy use but best of all it was great for traveling west, I could pack 4 pair of skis (her 2 IQ’s, my 1 pair of IQ’s and my powder skis) all in a double bag and still be just under the 50 lb weight restriction of the airlines.  FOr this season, Lola decided that she wanted to replace her Eos’s, the first thing I thought was, that makes traveling more expensive (yes, I am frugal). We considered a few flat skis in the 90mm range, the whole time I was thinking about the best way to travel with any of them. Bindings were the issued in all the cases, I knew I didn’t want to go with a Griffon due to the force that is needed to get in the binding with a short BSL. I was thinking about a Tyrolia railflex in that I can remove the binding for travel too. At that point, I happen I was looking through our consignment skis at the shop and noticed an older Blizzard Firebird ski w/ IQ plate, it was basically  a flat ski with an IQ adaptor a la Tyrolia Railflex.  The wheels started turning, now I have been down this road before what I will just refer to as “Binding Misapplication”, putting a Salomon Driver on a “system” Atomic Metron, while it did work, the Neox turned out to be a better choice. But I digress. 

 

I called my connection at Blizzard and asked if he happened to have any of these plates around and I could hear the befuddlement in his voice when he asked a distrusting..”wwwhyyyyy?” So I explain to him and I can hear his eyes rolling over the phone. He chuckles and says, yeah we have some of those around I will send them out to you. 

Plates:

 

When they arrived I thought (a la Dr. Frankenstein)..This...could...WORK!. Before I drill Lola’s new Icelantics, I thought I need to do a test drill on another pair of skis, I I put them on some old wider skis I had, my concern here was that they would be laterally ridged enough for a wide ski since there were designed to work on a narrow ski. 

IQ plate:

 

Here is the plate (sitting on) the Icelantics:

Test Mount on a wide ski:


How the binding will look on the Icelantics:



 

With the binding in the plate with the Viva next to it.

 

 

What are your thoughts on this, I know it is something I “can” do, but is is something I “should” do? 

YES!

It looks like something "they" should have thought of....

Mount'um up Look like a factory mount, but from here on out will be called a "Pugmount"

I'm equally excited about being able to mount the binding of my choice, on the Blizzard of my choice, as in the new MAX Slider option

btw...got any more of those rails? I could use my Blizzard Dukes on another flat ski...

 Its Alive!!!

They would be nice if they were a little more rigid..maybe a billet aluminum? 

Bet she'll never notice, especially since it will be for "softer" snow applications......

 What Rossi said ^^^^
I think this is a great set up, especially for this particular application.

 I do think this will work. Now to hold my breath and start drilling. I an trying to figure out a way to add a "quick release" adaptor. I have it in my head, now to figure how to add it to the plate.

Well???

Mission accomplished?

Payoff pix?

ummmm wow.....

Can I buy these any more, even off you? One Duke to rule them all!!

Not yet...still working on some details



With a "misapplication" of this channel, I don't think Blizzard will be selling them any time soon especially since they are 5-6 years old. Your best bet is to start keeping an eye in swaps and Ebay for Blizzard Firebird skis, you should be able to find some. But quite frankly, as I mentioned earlier, there is a bit of torsional flex under load, I think because of the vylon type that you aren't going to get the performance on a wider ski that you would hope for. 

 I put  2 T-nuts in the rails  for a forward back position, like the skis have. They are ready to mount but I haven't fired up the drill yet. I am still wondering should I do this? My main reason behind this is for traveling. SHould I do it? With this Pilgrim being pretty good in mixed conditions, will we even need to bring her Viva 7.6's west to Jackson or A-Basin? If not, I could just hard mount some Jesters on these for her and bring just one pair west with us. It comes back to, just because I can do this....should I do this?

I'd go for it.

For a backup plan, I'd check the mounting pattern for a pair of bindings you'd use if these don't live up to their promise, drilled to the appropriate BSL, and make sure there'd be no hole conflicts.

But with that qualification, I'd go for it.

The hole pattern doesn't match anything.

Here are pics of the integrated T-nuts with the Blizzard inspired two position mount points.

So Philpug, the second position you added is at -20mm for soft "western" conditions?

Nice.

Pretty much. I am going to mount these up tonight. 

Did you ever finish this up?

Yep, they are mounted up. I had to epoxy the T-bolts in and I can use the same screws that I use in her Viva 7.6's. 

Where did you find the T-nuts?  Blizzards center mounting screw has a pretty steep thread.

I went through some snowboard parts. I did have to dremel them in height. 

Ok,  might be something i can find around the shop in one of the Bins.

Yup. I also had to dremel the bottom of the plate so the plates sat flush. The T-nuts have to be flush on the top since the IQ binding has very little tolerance.