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Race plates required?

post #1 of 7
5/19/12 at 4:41pm
Thread Starter 

I have the opportunity to pick up a new old stock set of Volkl Racetigers (GS) but they are flat. Most of my extra bindings are for flat skis but all the race skis I have had in the past have all had race plates. I am well aware of the benefits to race plates but now that I am more of a recreational skier I was curious if having a set of Markers with a little heft underneath is enough or is it worth the time and money to track down plates for them? 

 

My main concern is the skis will feel too soft without the rigidity and support of plates.

 

If anyone has a cheap set of plates really for any binding and wants to save me the trouble of deciding let me know...

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post #2 of 7
5/20/12 at 7:02am

What do you want to do with the skis? Race or just free ski and go fast? 

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post #3 of 7
5/21/12 at 5:21am
Thread Starter 

I am not racing anymore, just free skiing. 

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post #4 of 7
5/21/12 at 7:24am

I'd recommend carving plates, give you slight increase in rigidity, but nothing like a race plate, many are coupled two-piece so the ski flexes more roundly, and some height that you're used to. Depends on your size and aggressiveness too; you could go all the way from a Tyrolia plastic and elastomer carving plate plate for freestyle jolts to a VIST WC Air that - if you don't cut the link in the middle - is basically a metal race plate for lighter skiers. 

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post #5 of 7
5/21/12 at 7:27am

Get the Marker WC Piston plate and set it up in slalom mode.

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post #6 of 7
5/21/12 at 5:45pm

Definitely recommend a plate.  The skis have been designed to use one so you would be short changing yourself not using one.  The Volkl also tends to be at the softer end of the GS spectrum as well.    The Marker piston plate Epic recommended is the design one but more expensive than most.  If you want a non binding specific plate your options are pretty much limited to the various Vist plates, the Fischer/Tyrolia RDX, Nordica/Blizzard X-balance.  I do have some Salomon race plates available if you have salomon binders in your spare stock. 
 

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post #7 of 7
5/22/12 at 10:30am
Thread Starter 

Thanks everyone for the advice, final result was to just get a full package with plates installed, hunting around was taking awhile and was proving to not really save me any money. Went with Fischer as well since they were the same price and besides a single year with Atomic I was always on Fischers.

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