Universal bindings for touring skis: Review of Hagan, Sporten, OAC models

Introduction

When I started getting into winter tourism, from the very beginning I doomed myself to the search for the perfect set. I didn't know anything about ski tourism and had only done one winter hike before, but I knew for sure that I couldn't live without it)).

Time passed and I tried different bindings, walked in different boots and tried out a dozen skis in different lengths. So I will share my experience to help with the choice.

When considering a binding for myself, I immediately ruled out outdated options like cable bindings and looked only at modern ones. Cable bindings make sense with a limited budget, because nothing should prevent us from going on a winter hike!)

The choice line was divided into universal bindings and specialized ones. Among the universal ones, there are 3 main models:

Sporten Outlander, Hagan X-trace pivot and OAC EA 2.

Among the specialized ones, there are 3 models, but from the same brand Rottefella: NN 75mm, NNN BC and the 2022 binding - Xplore.

These are the main tourist bindings on the market, in this article we will look at universal bindings.

Sporten Outlander

Bindings from the Czech company Sporten, are assembled in their factory in the Czech Republic. I used them a lot and actively. For two winter seasons at the School of Tourism, we had 18 pairs of skis with these bindings, which we used and serviced weekly. The cheapest option from the list of normal universal bindings on the market. They were sold at Sport-Marathon for a while, but did not show themselves ideally, so they temporarily stopped ordering them. Since I often browse manufacturers' websites for work, I make some conclusions about the product based on how the manufacturer positions the product and provides information about it. So, there is nothing about Sporten Outlander.

I didn't like that the buckle adjustment faces down, not up like Hagan and OAC, because of this the bindings come undone, especially when the ski sinks into dense snow, catching the hard crust with the buckle. The screws for installation are too short, about 7 bindings were torn out of the skis over two years of intensive and ruthless use. Not a very reliable platform clamp, I mean the metal wire that adjusts the size for the boot. Hagan implements the same principle, but better.

There is no hinge on the plate in the toe area, which increases the load on the plastic and reduces the freedom of movement of the foot. That is, it is made according to the principle of the old Hagan X-Trace standart model. Although the bindings are working, I'm not enthusiastic about them.
 

OAC EA 2.0 UNIVERSAL BINDING

Bindings from the Finnish company OAC, this is the company's website, and to view the product, you need to go to the site of their division Skinbased. They are completely assembled in Europe.

Unfortunately, I haven't held them in my hands, they are not officially supplied to Russia, so my opinion on the bindings is based on experience and collected information. Sergey Savelyev was planning to order them, I hope sanctions will not affect and we will see them in Russia. They should be on par with Hagan X-Trace pivot, or maybe better. If anyone has them and lives in Moscow, drop me a line in private, I would like to touch them and get a real review on their use.

• Weight: 1.050g per pair
• Suitable sole length: 37-48 cm.
• Permissible temperature range: -30C.
• There is a binding for children, with a smaller size range.
• BD produces similar bindings GLIDELITE UNIVERSAL BINDINGS, under the OAC license

OAC installation occurs at the hole points, so that in the future they can be replaced with Rottefella Super Telemark bindings or their analogues. In general, it is permissible to change up to 3 bindings on one ski by drilling fixing points, but it is always more pleasant to keep them to a minimum.

Overseas there is a lot of information, OAC EA 2 are very popular and have many positive reviews. 

Hagan X-Trace Pivot

Austrian brand Hagan. They produce two types of bindings under the license of the ancestor OAC. outdated X-Trace standart and new X-Trace pivot Binding. Unlike the standart, the pivot has a hinge in the toe area, which improves the foot movement without loading the plastic. The plastic cheeks in the toe area are wider and higher, which allows the boot to be better secured. Choosing one of the two, I would definitely consider only the pivot, because of the hinge.

• Weight: 1.150g per pair
• Suitable sole length: 35 - 47.5
• Permissible temperature range: -30C.
• There is a binding for children, with a smaller size range.

I used Hagan X-trace pivot on a hike, my comrades had them and one binding was in the School of Tourism. The binding is excellent, known and available in Russia. Unlike Sporten and OAC, the leg clamp is made wider and softer, so it distributes pressure better when the strap is tightened well.
 

The buckle faces the right way, it doesn't come undone on its own, unlike Sporten. Visually, all the details and plastic inspire more confidence than Sporten. Friends used the bindings in severe frosts, down to -40, they withstood, but you need to clearly understand that the risks of breaking in severe frosts are much higher. If you plan to use it in such conditions, then it's better to look at specialized bindings NNN BC, NN 75, Xplore.

You can often find comments about the breakdown of the Hagan X-trace standart binding, which was in Denis Doropei's video. We always need to understand the details, what kind of shoes did the user have? It's not clear from the video if the sole is hard, but as you understand, this is an important point. Is this the user's first ski hike in the mountain region? As far as I understand, yes. Does the user know how to move correctly on skis? I don't know, if it's the first experience, then the chance of making your own mistake is high. Was the binding size set correctly? It's not known, and very often they are set incorrectly without tensioning the spring, which leads to breakage. Were there severe frosts?

Yes. Judging by the words of the guys in the video, the binding broke after a fun descent, where everyone rode their own line, which may indirectly indicate a user error or just an accident. Each aspect influences, so I can't draw any conclusion from the video except the obvious one, you can break everything. Just like Chegodaev tore the bracket out of the Alfa NNN BC boot, and this is the most reliable system. Oleg, of course, is tough. Study the rules of use, take care of your gear, duplicate vital elements and prepare a repair kit. On a difficult hike, take a spare ski for the group, and on a winter solo hike, usually take a pair of snowshoes.

Conclusion on models

We have 3 universal bindings. The cheapest is Sporten Outlander, it has shortcomings, there are косяков, but it works.

OAC and Hagan are assembled in the same factory, have the same build quality and some parts. The main difference lies in the setting of the binding platform. According to reviews and videos, OAC is easier to adjust. But this may only be significant for rentals and tour clubs. For example, at the School of Tourism, I set up a couple of hundred bindings for participants and messed with them in the snow and it didn't really bother me. For personal use, the setting changes so rarely that it doesn't matter at all. A more important aspect is that the OAC clamp, under excessive load, especially with a hard sole boot, should fly out backwards, thereby avoiding the chance of breakage.

Both bindings are the best in the world in their category and have minor differences, so you can definitely take them, focusing on несложные hikes and daily temperatures down to -30C.

Tips from personal experience

• All universal bindings creak, just accept it.
• Bindings provide good torsional and horizontal stability. Compared to cable bindings, the handling is noticeably better. They have buckles at the toe and heel to keep the boot securely in place.
• The skis are identical and do not have a “right” or “left” marking, but when using a universal binding, this difference appears. The strap latch should be on the outside, otherwise they will point inward and catch, unfastening the binding.

• The straps are adjustable in height. Set them so that the wide part presses the boot in the middle. Do not tighten the boot too much, otherwise you can impair blood flow in the legs, and in winter this is very critical.
• For autonomous hikes, take spare parts with you. For example, I unscrewed the plastic straps from my snowboard and took a spare buckle. Screws with a screwdriver, wire, reinforced tape, стяжки and so on. A kit repair set is sold for OAC.
• The binding should not be used with shoes that have too stiff a sole. These are climbing, ski and ice climbing boots. Otherwise, the plastic of the binding may break.

• Bindings are not suitable for skiing and aggressive descents.
• Check if the bolts on the mount are loose. Inspect the spring under the binding plate before each hike to spot any potential damage in time.
• Do not use bindings at temperatures below -30C. If you go from mid-March to April, it usually fits within the daytime temperature in most regions. In the Moscow region, in principle, it doesn't get that cold. If you want to go to the Polar Urals in February, this is not the best choice. The bindings have been tested and used in harsh, northern conditions, but it is possible that some part of the binding may be damaged if the binding is used incorrectly or in too harsh conditions.

• From experience, if you wear size 46-48, you should understand that a bulky boot may not fit into the binding and it's better to check in the store.
• To adjust the size, it's not enough to just insert the boot and move the heel, as the boot will pop out around the toe on uphill climbs and difficult terrain. The heel of the binding has a spring-loaded system and moves back. Therefore, you need to first insert the heel of the boot and move your foot back to create tension and then insert the toe of the boot. This way, the spring clamps the boot and ensures proper, secure fastening. The tension should not be too tight, but also not too loose. This is the most important setting!

Conclusion on universal bindings

Bindings are great for short walks in the city park, in the nearest forest at the dacha or on long hikes. It allows you to easily use skis with different family members or lend them to friends. Universal bindings are preferable to specialized ones in the off-season, when part of the way you have to walk without skis due to a lack of snow, and part on skis.

Combined routes where skis are not the only means of transportation. Do not forget that universal bindings should not be used with stiff boots. The binding bends not at the tips of the toes, but at the metatarsal area, which can cause stiff boots to break or tear off the binding. We have repeatedly gone in stiff boots with Sporten Outlander and Hagan X-Trace bindings and didn't break anything, but you shouldn't tempt fate.

A combination of trekking leather boots, which you use on summer hikes, with insulated gaiters will do. It is important that the gaiter fits and does not hang at the toe and heel, otherwise the boot will slip out of the binding. Even better, warm boots like the world-famous Salomon Toundra, Sorel, Baffin. Just don't forget that these shoes don't have support and if you go to mountainous areas, there will be a high load on the ankle and there is a chance of injury.

Universal bindings are a good option for all of the above, but if you are planning more serious hikes where the temperature drops below -30C, difficult mountain terrain, high autonomy, or just want the best on the market, then you should look at specialized bindings.