Those universal ski bindings.......

[Spiny Norman]

even BD has one now. https://www.mountaingear.com/black-diamond-glidelite-universal-binding/MG253365P.html

Do they work?

My new and improved dream is to ski/hike from Penacook NH to the top of the Mt Kearsarge in central NH. Primarily following snowmobile trails.

I have, in the past, skied on my nnn-bc setp quite a bit in the area but as i become more risk averse I see my self walking up, and more likely, down the steeper and icier sections. So I think I want a set-up that will let me scoot thru the flatter sections and and bare boot or snowshoe the rest.

I have tricky feet so hiking in the nnn-bc sole is right out. The Alpina Alaska 75 has got my attention but the duckbill seems problematic for the uphills.

What say the masses?

Thanks

 

[TCD]

The classic was always Berwin:

https://www.akers-ski.com/product/37B8.html

Less than half the price. And you can find used on eBay for $25.

Any of these bindings will keep the skis on your feet. But you should not expect much control for downhill skiing with them.

The Alpina Alaska is pretty warm, but not as warm as your pac boot or double boot. If you only plan on using the skis on the flats, try it first with your nice warm existing boots and a pair of used Berwins, before investing any bigger $.

 

[RickB.]

You can also hike in your nnn-bc boots. They will take microspikes and are fine with snowshoes. Just be careful of that front bar...

 

[bcskier]

+1 on the Berwins. I've got a pair mounted on some old wooden downhill skis from the 50s that came to me by way of my grandfather. They work great. Wouldn't say I get the greatest glide on the flats with them but waxed up they move along pretty well. I use army surplus climbing skins for going up long grades. You can leave the skins on for the downhills if you want more control on tight turns. I use them with my Kamik pac boots.

 

[skiguy]

+1 on the Berwins. I've got a pair mounted on some old wooden downhill skis from the 50s that came to me by way of my grandfather. They work great. Wouldn't say I get the greatest glide on the flats with them but waxed up they move along pretty well. I use army surplus climbing skins for going up long grades. You can leave the skins on for the downhills if you want more control on tight turns. I use them with my Kamik pac boots.

Very nice. You also need one of these.

 

[bcskier]

I actually had one of those. It was reversible with a green on one and a white side (pretty yellow though when I had it) on the other. I've still got a couple of 10th Mt. Division rucksacks kicking around too. Used one of them on a trip from Aspen to Crested Butte via Pearl Pass in '75. Got a bit of kidding from one of the other members of our group. He called it my "Moss" pack. Not sure what the exact reason for that was. Maybe because it was green. He was sporting the latest and greatest, which at the time was a Rivendell/Jensen. Only one member of the group was on metal-edged skis. I had a pair of EMS 7000s (wooden) and I wasn't the only one in the group on wooden skis. It was a different era. I doubt anyone does that same route on that kind of equipment anymore.

 

[David Metsky]

Do they work?

On flat or rolling terrain, sure, they work. They will allow you to move on skis, glide where applicable, and hopefully make good time. Are they bindings for going downhill in hiking boots? Absolutely not.

 

[dave.m]

I found that Berwin bindings really impeded kick and glide. The issue was that as the binding plate flexes, it shortens the distance between the toe and heel of the binding. Eventually, it can't squish the boot any more so flex comes to an abrupt end. Maybe it works better in soft mukluks, like Steger used when he used the Berwins to cross Antarctica.

Another approach might be to find old plate-based AT "approach" bindings made to be used with plastic climbing boots (or similarly stiff 3/4 shank leather boots). Again, I think they would restrict you to a shuffle.

I find that hiking in stitched down leather 3 pins boots to not terrible and the closest to hiking in an actual hiking boot. There is a huge trade-off between back and forth ankle mobility though. High boots that are stiff in terms or rearward flex feel clunky as you roll off your toes as they backs can dig into the back of your calf. Lower cut boots walk more naturally.

For what you describe, I would pick my Fischer BCX-675. The old Asolo Snowfields were another possibility. Perhaps the Alicos are still available? I found the BCX-675 to be so good I sold off all of my Norwegian welted boots.

Lastly, another example, if you can find them, are soft 2 buckle plastic boots like the old T4s. I'm not up on what is available. Probably nothing.

La$t, la$t option would be to look into relatively low cut AT race boot and pair them them AT bindings.