Thanks for the response. I ended up finding some Naxo crampons used in my area. I just used them for the first time this weekend and they actually worked pretty well. I never put the heel lift to the highest setting because the crampons don’t work very well in that position. Overall though for morning spring skinning, I think they’ll do me just fine.

As for the bindings, they have also treated me well so far. I like the natural pivot system for skinning. They stride so well, half the time, I forget to put my boot in ‘walk’ position and don’t even notice. I just hope they wear well and don’t break on my like some have said. These are my first AT bindings though and I spent less than $200 on them new so I think I’ll get at least that out of ‘em.

(I must admit though, I’m already wanting some lighter Dynafits on some wider skis for touring next season!)

Reviewing an essentially dead product is kind of pointless, but I had a good time with these bindings, so I feel I kind of owe the engineers who came up with them:

I am using the NX21 since 2007 (so this winter has been their third season, if I count correctly). I probably don’t tour as much or as intensively as most of you guys do (maybe 15 days a year with making around 1500m in height on an average day). Never had a problem with these bindings per se. No heel-peace broke, no pivot arm broke, I never even experienced the sloppiness or the flex that other people report. The heel-lift-sytem was a bit awkward in the first season, but I think it simply had to be broken in – I can nowadys flip the heel-lift up and down with the basket of my poles.

The crampons, however, are pure, undiluted crap.

I bought the Naxo because (i) I weigh 90kg, (ii) I am clumsy as a child, so I tend to break things and (iii) downhill-performance is more important for me than uphill performance. The Naxos just looked sturdy. In my opinion they are sturdy, too. Weight was less of an issue, because I ski Shuksans, which are heavy anway, so I felt I might as well go the whole way. With the amount of climbing I do in a typical day, the weight has never really been an issue.

Any help/ideas are much appreciated!

Thread on it can be found here.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183719&page=2

Even better, what about a Dynafit/Onyx direct comparison, like this one? I’m looking for a binding to do a few days of resort with a bunch of BC days per year, maybe a 30/70 mix? I’m light (150lvs) and try to ski with a “fine touch”, would either of the Tech bindings work for me? Is the marketing hype really correct? Is the G3 really just a “less fiddly, slightly heavier” Dynafit?

P.S. As long as I’m nitpicking, the Fritschi Eagle hasn’t been added to the Fritschi section, either.

Thanks!