BIRTHRIGHT | A Beau James Wells Film in an hour

Member of the Month

abjectwoe
May, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Rossignol FKS 180 overpricing or not?

profile picture
Noha
Posts: 1281 - Karma: 2,684
I have been looking at ski bindings to buy now for a while and i stumbled on the FKS's. i have noticed that they are $400, so they must be quite a good binding. but can someone PLEASE explane to me what is so special about these bindings and why they are worth $400?
Thanks
13 years ago
5 5
profile picture
Elg
Posts: 2998 - Karma: 3,881
do you really need a 18 din?
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Noha
Posts: 1281 - Karma: 2,684
i dont want to buy them im just woundering why people like this binding so much
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Static
Posts: 8590 - Karma: 4,091
turn table heel, and yea $400 is too much, but they will last forever.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
BennyBagels
Posts: 494 - Karma: 2,689
bombproof
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Noha
Posts: 1281 - Karma: 2,684
Whats so special about turn table?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Che~
Posts: 2108 - Karma: 296
Since when did people ski around with their dins maxed out all the time? Your supposed to ski a binding in the middle of the din range, with an fks 180 it would be 13, which is a manageable setting that I ski on a lot
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,798
The good thing is there's always discounts on these, I would never pay 400$ for them, but they're often discounted to 200$
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SlugInfinite
Posts: 666 - Karma: 192
Turntable heels are consistent, rarely release when they're not supposed to and less damaging to knees. FKS180s are also metal, hence bombproof, hence last forever. $400 is too high, but you'll have a pair for many years.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Alex.B
Posts: 302 - Karma: 337
I would save 100 dollars and just go with the fks 140. I have had two sets and never had any problems. The only difference between the 180 and 140 is that the 180 has a metal toe.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
JaphyRyder
Posts: 1766 - Karma: 113
FKS are the exact same binding as the Rossi Races (black and gold ones), just $150 more and painted orange...
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,798
With a completely different din and brake size.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
nellyyy
Posts: 1676 - Karma: 3,270
Albeit I use the 14 din, but I (and a lot of others) swear by this binding. I can't think of a time off of the top of my head when I released when I didn't absolutely need to. I trust turntables far more than any other binding (way more than marker and wayyyyy more than Salomon and Tyrolia).

I wouldn't say they're bomber just in that I always seem to fuck up the breaks but I don't really rip turntable bindings out of my skis like I have with other brands, namely Marker.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Crispy.
Posts: 6126 - Karma: 7,758
Everyone always says that they're FKS's are super durable but mine were terrible as far as durability goes. I'm not a big guy either, only weigh 145. This year i destroyed the brakes on mine, and pretty much exploded the heel piece...twice. The first time the white tab fell off, and the brake plate thing fell off, I could just lift my heel up and they'd release. After getting them warrantied once I snapped the metal right in half where the legs connect to the metal plate. Currently they are at Rossi's HQ being warrantied a second time.
13 years ago
2 0
profile picture
Static
Posts: 8590 - Karma: 4,091
weird how everyone else on the internet says they are durable but you, only weighing 145 lbs, break multiple pairs.... must be everyone else doing something wrong.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
DripDrop
Posts: 128 - Karma: 29
I'm pushing 200 pounds and haven't broken anything on mine.  I'm not sure how that kid did more work than me.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12811 - Karma: 1,971
they're not indestructible, but are significantly more durable than a standard retail binding. the few plastic parts on them are prone to breaking such as the crescent disk in the heel as well as those little plastic stops where the arms attach to the heel dildo. and brakes can snap on every ski, but FKS are a much bigger hassle to replace. for most bombproof binding i'd have to go with the old 916s and 920s (what's now called the STH16 STEEL).
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
TravelsTI
Posts: 1000 - Karma: 353
I weigh 270 and they are perfect for me, bombproof.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
If you pay retail they're expensive. But if you're worthy of an 18 DIN binding, you should have enough contacts/hookups/whatever to be paying significantly less than retail. All of a sudden they don't cost much more than a Jester, and it's a total no-brainer which one to buy then.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
buddychaps
Posts: 1817 - Karma: 584
very first day i rode my fks's, one of the brakes bent forward, so i had to bend it back. Never really had any other problems with em other than that but they really need to stop making aluminum brakes and use steel or something cause it's too soft of a metal.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,798
Im probably wrong on this but isn't steel a lot not brittle so it would snap rather than bend?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Alex.B
Posts: 302 - Karma: 337
dang! i weight 180 pounds and put 83 days on them and only once did I have break issue it was pre season and i just bent it back. Was your forward pressure set correctly? because I have had to help a ton of friends with their forward pressure. If you set your ski on the ground and put your boot in the binding with out your foot in there, hold the ski down and pull up on the boot and if the heel piece moves at all you can tighten down the forward pressure a bit until it no longer moves. ( This is what I do so i'm not sure if it is 100% correct)
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
Jesus Christ.....

So while this thread is up here, thoughts on the pivot-14/fks140 VS. pivot1-18/fks180. I only weigh about 135 and am looking to buy new bindings at some point. Mechanically and construction wise is there any difference between the two besides softer springs?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Alex.B
Posts: 302 - Karma: 337
18 has the metal toe piece. get the 14s save your self 100$
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
Mobile so i'll try not to screw this up.... The 18 has a one-piece metal toe that pivots around a cammed lobe. This gives a full 180 degree release as the toe can rotate in any direction to let you out. The 14 Din binding uses a plastic toe where the main housing is fixed with a traditional toe wing design where the toe "splits" to release you. Hence they don't do a vertical toe release, but are still a very good toe. The heel is the same apart from the metal housing on the 18. The very upper pice of both heels, which is more cosmetic than anything, is plastic on both.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
dbchili
Posts: 2555 - Karma: 1,658
If you're 135 chances are you're still growing, get yourself a binding that can adjust
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Crispy.
Posts: 6126 - Karma: 7,758
Weird how you're not contributing to this thread at all. I posted my experience with them and you have to come in here and hate. If you're gonna reply to my post maybe give tips or reasons why I break them.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DaysToCome
Posts: 1601 - Karma: 86
916's are the truth
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Malcolm
Posts: 15953 - Karma: 9,501
FKS are the best bindings out there right now. 180's might be a little much though. They last for a super long time so you can find a pair of older 120's on race skis for cheap if you go to a ski swap.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
So you would recommend old 120's over newer 140's for a smaller guy like me? Who know's maybe I'll just buy another pair of STH 14 Drivers, bindings work fine for me.

And to the guy's talking about the 916's, pretty sure I was reading some pro's setups and a few of them still list these as the bindings their using. Pretty incredible IMO.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,536
Just because he is realistic in his evaluation of his experience with the binding does not make him wrong. They have a cult following and are therefore more prone to fanboys not wanting to say anything bad about them. This is normal, but the fact is I've seen just as many "FKS Broken, Need Help!" threads as there are "Griffons Suck, Need Help" threads.

Having said this, both are common bindings for freeskiing nowadays so with more people owning them, there will be more cases of things going wrong regardless of which binding is superior.

Also, I don't know where people get the idea that it actually protects the knees that much more because I think that is mainly a rumor that has been perpetuated on this site.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
RyandaGod
Posts: 2842 - Karma: 44
LOL, you obviously know nothing about bindings.
13 years ago
0 1
profile picture
SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,536
Explain yourself like an adult please. Otherwise go troll somewhere else and masturbate to overpriced clothing. This is Geartalk, keep that shit out of here.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
RyandaGod
Posts: 2842 - Karma: 44
what shit? I work at a shop, and you have no idea what you're talking about. The release of the heelpiece on the fks is more elastic compared to any other binding, and the heel releases side to side, unlike the heel piece of say the griffon or jester. Not to mention the consistency of the binding is by far the best, meaning it will release when it should, and not prematurely, much like other said bindings. This is why it "saves legs." Not to mention the FKS goes back further on the indemnifiable list then any other binding. But yeah keep talking about things you know nothing about, like I said....
13 years ago
0 1
profile picture
SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,536
If you read my post, I never refuted that it was a good binding. I merely stated that it has it's problems just like other bindings and is not "invincible". I agree it releases and retains more consistently than other bindings due to the elastic travel, but once again I don't think that means it necessarily protects knees better than a regular heel piece. It just performs better.

On a side note, there are plenty of idiots who work at ski shops, so that's not really a credible source for me to believe you know so much more than me.
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
The heel doesn't release sideways. Seriously, put a boot in some and try to kick the heel out. The bars that hold the dildo are in the way.The turntable just means that when you come out of the toe with the heel loaded i.e. backwards twisting fall, the heel should allow your leg to pivot around the axis, approximately, of your tibia.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Crispy.
Posts: 6126 - Karma: 7,758
Thank you.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Static
Posts: 8590 - Karma: 4,091
now kiss
13 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Crispy.
Posts: 6126 - Karma: 7,758
Click for larger image
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,536
I've always wanted a summer fling.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
cjh4skiing
Posts: 4 - Karma: 51
so I just got the FKS 180 and i weigh 145 I'm 5"7.5 and I'm pretty aggressive. So i thought i might be able to pull off the lowest din which is 8. First day with them I went for a backflip and rotated to slow and clipped my tips and my skis didn't pop. then i did like one roll with them on. Is this only because I just don't fit the Din setting? should i have gone with the FKS 140?
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
jca
Posts: 4180 - Karma: 6,366
cjh4skiingso I just got the FKS 180 and i weigh 145 I'm 5"7.5 and I'm pretty aggressive. So i thought i might be able to pull off the lowest din which is 8. First day with them I went for a backflip and rotated to slow and clipped my tips and my skis didn't pop. then i did like one roll with them on. Is this only because I just don't fit the Din setting? should i have gone with the FKS 140?


In theory it should be fine but it's really best to have the din set in the middle of the range. I personally wouldn't go lower than 10 on an FKS 185 and ride mine at 13. If you'e curious, get them tested at a shop and make sure your forward pressure is set correctly, FKS forward pressure can be kind of finicky.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
rozboon
Posts: 1642 - Karma: 868
cjh4skiingso I just got the FKS 180 and i weigh 145 I'm 5"7.5 and I'm pretty aggressive. So i thought i might be able to pull off the lowest din which is 8. First day with them I went for a backflip and rotated to slow and clipped my tips and my skis didn't pop. then i did like one roll with them on. Is this only because I just don't fit the Din setting? should i have gone with the FKS 140?


Thread necro, but clipping your tips creates a purely vertical toe release force. On the 18's this takes a LOT of force to pop out, I've scorpioned a couple of backies with mine and didn't come out and I weight a lot more than you.
However, they really really won't release that way if there's too much forward pressure, so maybe get that checked too.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
saskskier
Posts: 4774 - Karma: 10,005
nellyyyI trust turntables far more than any other binding (way more than marker and wayyyyy more than Salomon and Tyrolia).


My 285lb body disagree's with your assessment of Tyrolia's. The only time I've ever had an issue was when my forward pressure wasn't properly adjusted. This is coming from a large guy who butters, nollies, etc without every having a retention problem, but still gets released when needed.

I will continue to buy Tyrolia's and it's rebranded counterparts (4frnt, Head, etc).
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
RyandaGodwhat shit? I work at a shop, and you have no idea what you're talking about. The release of the heelpiece on the fks is more elastic compared to any other binding, and the heel releases side to side, unlike the heel piece of say the griffon or jester. Not to mention the consistency of the binding is by far the best, meaning it will release when it should, and not prematurely, much like other said bindings. This is why it "saves legs." Not to mention the FKS goes back further on the indemnifiable list then any other binding. But yeah keep talking about things you know nothing about, like I said....


So what you are saying is that there is a different DIN standard for turntable bindings? And it releases side to side?

What shop do you work at so everyone can avoid it.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
japanada
Posts: 13785 - Karma: 1,959
RyandaGodwhat shit? I work at a shop, and you have no idea what you're talking about. The release of the heelpiece on the fks is more elastic compared to any other binding, and the heel releases side to side, unlike the heel piece of say the griffon or jester. Not to mention the consistency of the binding is by far the best, meaning it will release when it should, and not prematurely, much like other said bindings. This is why it "saves legs." Not to mention the FKS goes back further on the indemnifiable list then any other binding. But yeah keep talking about things you know nothing about, like I said....


In my years of mounting, adjusting and testing FKSs on an electric wintersteiger binding tester, I always found that FKSs would release closer to the indicated DIN chart release value than a comperable STH/PX/Royal Family binding. It is true that they have a ton of elasticity in them, that was why racers loved them for so long as well as free riders.

As far as the side to side heel release, all bindings should do that, its just that the turntables make it feel and operate more smoothly.

In my mind the tyrollia/peak/4frnt 15 DIN+ and FKSs are the best bindings on the market right now. I did just get some STH16 WTRs tho so ill see how those workout this winter.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Session
Posts: 5408 - Karma: 22,545
japanadaIn my years of mounting, adjusting and testing FKSs on an electric wintersteiger binding tester, I always found that FKSs would release closer to the indicated DIN chart release value than a comperable STH/PX/Royal Family binding. It is true that they have a ton of elasticity in them, that was why racers loved them for so long as well as free riders.

As far as the side to side heel release, all bindings should do that, its just that the turntables make it feel and operate more smoothly.

In my mind the tyrollia/peak/4frnt 15 DIN+ and FKSs are the best bindings on the market right now. I did just get some STH16 WTRs tho so ill see how those workout this winter.


As a system the STH2 has more elasticity than the FKS.

Just as many free skiers have been STH devotee's as have FKS lover's. While no doubt the FKS is a great binding. I believe the popularity in the NS crowd is equally due to fashion.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
japanada
Posts: 13785 - Karma: 1,959
SessionAs a system the STH2 has more elasticity than the FKS.

Just as many free skiers have been STH devotee's as have FKS lover's. While no doubt the FKS is a great binding. I believe the popularity in the NS crowd is equally due to fashion.


I have yet to be on the STH2s, and am only familiar with the older STHs, which the FKSs did have more travel then. I just had to reinform myself after being outta the shop scene for some years now that the new STH2s are indeed the new elasticity leaders! Ive got a few pairs of the older sally toes that I do like, but they def do feel different on the feet than the FKSs do. The click in noise/feel of sallys is something that I love tho.
9 years ago
0 0
profile picture
shin-bang
Posts: 4106 - Karma: 7,037
does anyone know the difference in ramp angles and stand heights on fks vs sth2? i like both my sth and fks, but the fks feel better under me. do they have less of a ramp angle?
9 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 6:49PM