Voile Nordic Release Plates

Last week I gave my knee a serious tweak when out on my cross country skis due to getting crossed up and having my foot firmly attached to my skis. When I bought my skis I could have had a release mechanisim fitted but they were pretty expensive and at the time my knees were fine. The ones I'd seen were made by Voile and allowed you to attach a standard 3 pin Telemark binding to a plate which in turn was held in place by a spring loaded plunger, on release the entire plate/binding detached from the ski.

I looked on a few UK based websites but couldn't find anything but after posting a question on the Outdoors Magic gear forum I was kindly offered a pair of Voile release bindings by another member (thanks Peter) I later found a retailer, Telemark Pyrenees and discovered that Voile still make release bindings in a variety of styles, similar to but in updated form to the ones I remembered.

Peter told me that the ones he was sending were a cable binding rather than the 3 pin type I'd been using but I figured it was worth giving them a try. The one thing I dislike about the 3 pin type is that snow/ice can clog the corresponding hole on the boot sole which can make them tricky to attach at times although I've read that cable binding can crush your foot if your boots are too flexible or the binding too tight. Fortunately my boots are pretty stiff.

The Voile plates arrived in double quick time but as there were no templates for drilling the skis I spent some time mounting both the standard 3 pin binding and the Voile mounting on a length of wood so that I could make a template to ensure that once fitted the Voile plates placed my foot in the right place. It took a bit of trial and error to get the template made but it was worth the effort as the Voile bindings ended up placing my boot within 2mm of the original binding.


Original Binding Removed


Voil Plate Mounted on Piece of Wood


The Line Marked 'Toe' Indicates the end of the Boot Sole


Still Not Quite Right, The Binding Needs moved back about 4mm.

I set about drilling the skis, setting the depth to 10mm but didn't fit the new binding immediately as I wanted to plug the existing holes with wooden pegs/epoxy but once this was done and the epoxy had time to harden I went ahead and fitted the Voile bindings. I didn't mount the heel wedges until after the bindings had been fitted and I had the skis on, this allowed me to place the wedges in the right position.


Skis Drilled


Making Wooden Plugs to Fill Existing Screw Holes


Plugged And Epoxied

The skis are now ready but most of the snow we had has now gone and my knee isn't quite up to walking too far in search of snow. Weather permitting I'll probably attempt to try them out on Monday, I'm hoping not to need to use the release mechanism but I'm interested to see how I find the cable binding, at this stage I'm unsure just how tight the cable should be but I'll figure it out as and when.


Bindings Fitted, The Plate Detaches from the Ski but Remains attached to the Boot

Once again I'd like to thank those on Outdoors Magic who offered advice, thanks Matt and Chris and especially Peter who kindly sent me the bindings and wouldn't accept payment.

Very Much Appreciated Guys.


Spring Loaded Plunger, I have it set at 1, the lightest Setting

Stealin' Time

Looking West from Colin Top
I had to go into the town yesterday afternoon and as we had sleety rain all morning I hadn't done much except footer around in the garage. As I left the village I glanced in the rear view mirror and noticed snow on the hills, a closer look and I asked my wife if she had her mobile phone with her. She got the picture immediately and asked if I was phoning in to work to book the next day off (Should have been starting my shift on Wednesday) Less than 2 miles after leaving the house the job was done and the die cast.

I decided to take my old Telemark skis in the off chance that there would be sufficient snow, not entirely a wise decision as I haven't skied in over 10 years and I wasn't all that good anyway. Set off this morning and was on the approach through the forest by 10.00am but as sods law would have it the snow cover was thin and icy!!. I ended up carrying them most of the time as any attempt at downhill running resulted in being forced to adopt the 'Luge Style'. They came in handy on the uphills though once I put the skins on so it wasn't a total waste of effort. Seems that there were 2 temperature ranges today, too warm and too cold but a good day all in all. I used the Minibull GWK again and it works well.



I invented a lightweight compact teaspoon last night too, searching for a plastic teaspoon at 1.00am I could only find a double ended medicine spoon. I cut a slit across the small end and it now clips/slips onto the handle of my GSI long spoon. It isn't robust enough for anything other than spooning coffee/sugar/etc and stirring but thats all I need it for anyway so I'm happy enough with the result. I've included a pic for clarity.



Loughgarve

I think this about sums it up though. ;-)

Gone Retro

I was messing about yesterday and decided to unearth my XC skis. They've been hanging in the loft for a few years so I gave them a bit of a clean, dug out my boots and gave them a little polish. I don't think they've been used in about 10 years, maybe we'll get enough snow this year to give them a run out.



I bought this little lot from Colin and Karen at Braemar Nordic Ski Center (Braemar Mountain Sports)while on a course,they were selling out of a wooden shed at the back of the bunkhouse then. I remember Colin demonstrating an MSR XGK, I was still using a Trangia 27 at the time but I went on to buy an MSR Whisperlite Int.

I still have the sales catalogue from back then, a few A4 pages with a list of prices, looking at the current range there have certainly been a few changes.

Gro-nell Telemark Boots





The Bunkhouse/Cottage at Braemar Nordic Ski Center as it was then.