Ski Trab Gara Titan Binding
Kudos to Ski Trab for an innovative toe piece! With a patented design that doesn’t require coiled springs, the Gara Titan approaches the 100 gram weight barrier that only recently seemed implausible. With the toe lever angled against included striker plates, the pins are pressed into the boot for a locked position. There is of course an unlocked ski mode to comply with ISMF rules, with the release based on an ultra-reliable titanium wire-spring. As with “traditional” race toes, pressing down on the Easy Lever allows the wings to open for exit. The heel is the same proven design used in the TR-Race model. The bindings come with either steel or titanium U-springs; the latter version is officially named Gara Titan World Cup.
- Patented toe piece weighs just 66g (2.3 oz) with both locked & ski modes.
- Design is less susceptible to pre-release caused by improper closure due to ice build-up.
- Heel piece has a pin-cover flap for basic skinning and rotates for a flat-on-ski position.
- Toe pins have grooves to help clear boot inserts of ice and dirt during rotation.
- Included removable crampon attachments (+4g) accept all Dynafit-style ski crampons.
- Included leash loops (+2g) provide convenient attachment points.
Update 2016/17: Trab has introduced a version with a thinner heel spring (4.5mm vs 5.0mm) for lighter skiers. Also, the toe piece has been redesigned slightly to better accommodate certain carbon race boots.
Update 2017/18: Trab added an even thinner spring (4.0mm) for an even softer release.
Update 2018/19: Ski Trab anodized the bindings with Skimo Blue! The build remains the same.
Specifications | |
Weight |
111g [Titanium] 118g [Steel 4.5] |
Weight (pair) | 222g [Titanium] 236g [Steel 4.5] |
Boot |
Tech |
Brakes |
None |
BSL |
Accessory plates |
Riser |
1 + emergency flat mode |
Vertical |
Fixed |
Lateral |
Fixed |
Crampon |
Included Option |
Specs Verified | Yes |
Design | |
|
Ergal aluminum, titanium/steel, high-strength plastic |
Skimo Co Says | |
Usage | Racing |
Notes | Next gen toes without coiled springs |
Bottom Line | Crazy light, strong, and simple |
Compare to other Race Bindings |
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Questions & Reviews
Regards, Erlend
Lots of folks would say go for it, people with more care for their limbs might be horrified. I would tend more towards "go for it", especially if they're more of a soft snow setup. For charging on crud, a binding with some elasticity might be nice to help prevent prerelease/injury. Overall depends on your use-case and personal risk tolerance.
The Gara Titan would be an excellent match for the Mistico.2, and very light. Whether you use an adjustment plate or not is up to you! Fixed mount is lighter, but adjustability can be nice sometimes.
I have fixed mounted Gara Titans on my Ortles 90 which are the same exact dimensions as the Mistico.2, and it's great! I also know folks who put them on 108-115 underfoot freeride skis. Perhaps not the most recommended, but it seems to work fine. I think it will be a perfect match for the PG Black boots and that ski. Nice setup!
Has any one used the Gara bindings on Vario.2 adjustment plates to reach some kind of compromise between features and weight? With that combo, one'd have the fore-aft elasticity with a smidgeon (1-2mm?) of lateral elasticity. You could even throw on the clunky brakes, if you fancy.
If so, what was the feedback? Thanks!
Hi Ben,
If the combination of Gara and a Vario.2 adjustment plate, ticks most boxes, I don't think I'd go for a slightly better but heavier original Vario Adjustable heel piece. The mentioned combo seems just too similar.
I would go for a Vario.3 that drops the bulk of the Vario.2 but keeps its features. I guess the adjustable plate could be slimmed and simplified. And the brakes could use a trim too.
That, and it's hard to imagine Ski Trab reverting back to an old product. They seem to focus solely on innovation.
There's not really anymore to say; the Titan is simple, strong and lightweight. What else could you want from a binding?
I am a big fan of this binding. I have about 100 days on it, on snow ranging from perfect powder or full depth hoar to various crusts, hard steeps, corn, and deep slush.
I am 6', 166lbs, usually carried a 15-30lb pack. I bought this binding new with the 4.0mm spring, directly from SkiTrab, with a discount.
The performance of this tiny binding impresses me. For reference, I spent a season, about 30 days on an ATK Freeraider 14, dialed down to setting of 8, on some DPS C2s in 184cm length. It was a lot of fun, but there were a few times when I was bouncing over some wind chop and zastrugis, and a binding would prerelease. I thought that binding was one of the better freeride touring bindings. Since switching to the SkiTrab bindings, I have bounced over plenty of rough and rougher spots, and have yet to have a binding erroneously release. In my limited experience the SkiTrab bindings have the best retention of all the pin bindings. The weight to performance ratio of this binding seams unmatched.
I rarely would lock the toe when skinning. I never felt the need to lock the toe for the descent and thus never have.
I have never had icing issues with this binding, on ski traverses up to 10 days in length.
On the simple rear piece, I never had the heel flap come up by itself. I used the unofficial flat setting alot and wore down the aluminum where it rubbed on the boot.
This and the Vario.2 are the only bindings I take into the backcountry, and the only pin bindings I trust. This may not be the most aesthetic binding, but it's performance at this weight seems to be years ahead of other manufacturers.
Sometimes a little snow/ice has built up and made it hard to transition, but less so than most other bindings I've used. Overall, transitions have been smooth and fast. I'm usually racing up with heel risers engaged, and so simply having to flick back the heel riser and stomp down to get into descent mode without ever having to rotate the tower is pretty sweet.
Trab generally ascribes RVs of 8/10/12 to the 4/4.5/5 respectively. The Ti typically tests between the 4.5mm and 5mm spring in forward release.
Is this pretty much the same binding? Does the heel snap back to senter in the same way as the gara titan? Does the release have the same predictibility?
Looking for some light weight bindings for a skitrab maestro and bd helio 88. Can not live without the trab toe, but does not think that I ned all the bulk on the heavyer versions..
For the most part, these bindings have just worked and I have had almost no issues. The biggest positive I would point out would be how much better the toe is to get on than the normal tech toes in sketchy transition spots. I have been lifting the ski up and using my hand to put the toe on and have on numerous occasions been able to transition much faster than friends on steep terrain. The heel riser has been more than adequate paired up with the F1 LT boot.
The only negative I'd mention is sometimes in compressions skinning the back of my boot rubs against the binding in flat mode. Not sure if this is a not properly adjusted binding, or the binding itself, but something to look out for nonetheless.
That is correct! The 4mm steel spring will equate to a release value of around 8.
Does anyone know what the 'ramp height' is? (The relative height of the heal pins Vs toe pin)
I prefer this to be flat and wonder if I'll need to shim the toe to achieve this.
Thanks
Rob
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