Gear Review
So you just scored a sick deal on a new pair of skis, and you’ve still got enough cash leftover for pizza, beer, and gas. Fist bump.
Then you remember. You need bindings. Crap!
A crew of guys out of Colorado is aiming to solve this problem, with the Crossover Ski System. The concept is simple – use one binding, on multiple skis, and interchange everything with no tools involved. Sounds too good to be true, right?
The Crossover System uses 5mm glass filled nylon plates that mount to your skis in place of a traditional binding mount. Aluminum lock nuts attach to the binding screws, the bindings slide onto the nylon plates, and everything snaps securely into place. Swapping binders from one ski to another requires nothing but functional hands and a few seconds of time. The system adds minimal stack height and weight to your set up, and will save space in your bags next time you fly.
Right now, the Crossover appears to be in the final concept phase, with a campaign on IndieGogo looking to raise additional funding for mass production. From afar, it looks like a solid idea. After four years of design and engineering, hopefully it’s pretty dialed. Only time will tell if it will be durable enough for everyday abuse, or will suffer issues like icing or the sloppy fit that was common among the “system bindings” of years past.
By launch, the Crossover boys are looking to be compatible with:
- Rossignol FKS & Look Pivot (DIN 12-18)Â
- Marker Squire, Griffin, Jester
- Salomon STH2 WTR 13-16, Warden MNC 13
- Salomon Shift MNC 13
By late winter ’18 — early ’19, they hope to include:
- Rossignol SPX familyÂ
- Marker Kingpin
- Salomon Z12, Warden 11
Personally, I’d love to throw these on a few pairs of touring skis to have options for all conditions without spending thousands on tech bindings. Hopefully they branch out to Dynafit and other pin offerings in the future. Pricing is currently at $75 to outfit three pairs of skis, which will leave you with enough gas money to get to the hill.
