Jesters vs. FKS

5choffield

5choffield

Member
I feel like these are the two top bindings on the market (maybe look pivots as well) and anyone with an opinion on them is either all on one side or the other. I've had jesters for 3 years now and am so comfortable with them that I don't trust anything else. I know some people swear by FKS's but to me they seem heavy and flimsy - when they eject and the heel piece spins around - (and some people will disagree completely with this), but I know they are a generally solid binding because so many people swear by them. Basically I want to know what people ski on and why they prefer it (not start a pointless internet turf war) and if people have ever had either of these bindings actually break because I've also never heard any stories of either of these ever breaking. Go.
 
Just to let you know FKS and Pivots are the same thing, just re branded basically, so you will find no difference between the two. I just picked up pivots and have ridden them twice and have mixed feelings so fsr. One, they chip like shit and it's kinda annoying but just cosmetic. Two, they aren't the easiest step in and had markers and liked the step in better, and have attack 13s and have had no problem with either. The one thing I have noticed is the easy release and dependability. Honestly, I like my Attacks more just because I've had no problems with releases and like everything else about them more, but that's just me.

I don't take to big of burly falls or anything, so it's not a huge deal for me anyway.
 
I have the fks, can honestly say i haven't had any problems with them. Super durable, look steezy, you'll enjoy them. The only problem that they pose is how expensive new brakes are if you mess yours up. Jesters you can replace brakes for 20$
 
I personally havent owned any but markers. That being said I absolutely love my jesters and my griffions I've never had a problem with them. Great poll.
 
I run pivots and they're just fine. Haven't skied any marker products but no one I know badmouths them. Seems like bindings are one of those few things where you can't go wrong no matter what you pick in the mid to higher price range. Except for knee bindings which are a controversial topic.
 
I like the feel of my Look pivots, I feel closer to the snow and that they're super sleek compared to the Jester. I also like the mostly metal construction and because of the way they spin and disengage your less likely to hurt your knees.
 
topic:5choffield said:
I know some people swear by FKS's but to me they seem heavy and flimsy - when they eject and the heel piece spins around
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The heelpiece spinning around is completely by design... I'm not sure how you interpret this as them being flimsy?

Put it this way, I broke 3 pairs of Jesters in 2 season (every time the toepiece pylon attachment failed) and 2 of the people I ride with has broken them.

I then change to FKS, I've had 4 seasons on 2 pairs now and the only thing that has gone wrong is I broke the AFD off one.

13536451:SKInny_ said:
because of the way they spin and disengage your less likely to hurt your knees.
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This is a complete myth, they are no safer (knee-wise) than anything else.

The pivoting is designed to protect your tibia.
 
my griffons feel no where near as sturdy as my fks. fks are bombproof and will last much longer than markers. i prefer the fks/pivot compared to the markers, but its all preference, maybe the heelpiece scares you off but im sticking with fks from now on. its a different step in but im much more comfortable in my fks than my griffons, i know that they griffons dont really compare to the jesters sturdiness wise.
 
Huge fan of the jesters, never had any issues so i bought myself the new 2016s this season. shouldnt be any different.
 
fks all the way, ive had mine for one season and im already a buyer for life. My friend has a pair of griffons an hes broken them 3 times. Fks last longer, look better (imo) and are safer, there was atleast 3 times this season that mine released. And if they didnt im pretty shure that i would have torn or twisted somethin.
 
I own FKSs and all the technical stuff is good and good safety and blah blah blah… but it really kinda pisses me off when you keep having to adjust your heel piece cause it goes every which direction. Kinda gets to you if you are hiking features. Other than that I would recommend them.
 
the only bindings I've ever broken are markers. I have a pair of jesters but they are my least favorite binding. I now have 3 pairs of fks/pivots and will only pick up the pair with jesters if the skis are ideal for the conditions.
 
I work at a ski shop and have almost always stuck to marker. My main reason is not the weight (jesters are a little lighter) but that other than brakes I've found marker to be absolutely bomb proof. The other thing is if you do break a marker brake for 20$ you are good to go, with fks either it's a really expensive part or it's going to be a new binding, (we've already had two broken fks in the store and the season hasn't started.) also the new blacked out jesters are just straight sexy, click on real consistent, are very stiff and fit all your worn out fulltilt toe peices with its adjustable afd plates
 
Im not sure about the newest models, but i know that the old griffins were made of plastic (vs the jesters that were metal). I had a set of griffins, broke both heal pieces clean off because they cracked and then broke where the heal peice meets the bottom mounting plate. if you ride hard NEVER BUY GRIFFINS.

i have owned 3 different sets of pivots. i love them. best binding i have ever ridden. They are a little tricky to set forward pressure properly for (and if that is set wrong you will pre release) but when set properly they offer a lot of forgiveness for hard riders.

cosmetically the pivots/fks scratch easily. i personally dont care what my gear looks like, only how it functions, but if that is a huge deal to you then you probably dont want them.

pivots/fks > Marker
 
I have two different pairs of park skis, one with jester pro's and another with FKS 18's. They are both extremely high performance bindings. The jester has better technology (Look/Rossi has been changing that recently). The jester has a toe rail that can be raised as your boot wears down. Also, it has easily replaceable brakes. Not to mention the steel bar at the top that can be used to get snow off your boot; probably my favorite feature.

My FKS's are also extremely useful. They are definitely more durable than the Jesters. I haven't been able to break either binding yet, after having both for the past 3 years, and I hit decently large features (30-60ft jumps). I have noticed a wobble in my jesters heels but when I click in, that goes away. Both bindings are extremely well made and are some of the best bindings around.

Hope this helps.
 
IMO Jesters

I've had binding issues in the past and Jesters are the only bindings that have EVER been flawless for me. I can vouch for them. Bombproof.
 
I like my pivots, but I have a few major complaints.

a) the toe on the 12 and 14 din is kinda shitty, and the 18 is a big price jump.

b) if the brakes get fucked, so is your wallet

c) when you cant get all the snow off the heel of your boot at the top of a sketchy line and your boot either wont click in or you release in the middle of a steep chute. Fuck that

The short mounting pattern and pivot heel and the 18 din toe are great and all, but as long as I can still find 15/18 din tyrolia's with the race toe, which is getting harder sadly, I will pick those over pivots any day.
 
I currently ride Griffons on my mantras so I don't need park bindings.

After some park ski's and I love the idea of getting Volkls and it seems rude to not put Markers on them.

So I'm torn on these. Great poll
 
can anyone give any insight into how durable the brakes are on the FKS?

I have a history of breaking quite a few brakes when I had some rossignol axials. Im pretty scared how expensive FKS brakes are.

currently have some griffons which im happy with, but I need to get a new binding and I can find the FKS for the same price as a set of griffons.
 
13539194:gbloomers said:
can anyone give any insight into how durable the brakes are on the FKS?

I have a history of breaking quite a few brakes when I had some rossignol axials. Im pretty scared how expensive FKS brakes are.

currently have some griffons which im happy with, but I need to get a new binding and I can find the FKS for the same price as a set of griffons.
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ive had 3 sets of pivots (same biding as FKS) never had an issue with a brake once. I ski everything with them, urban park, all mountain etc

griffins i completely destroyed. i cannot say enough bad things about all plastic construction. pivots/fks will last significantly longer than griffins. if they are the same price its an obvious decision.
 
13539301:DorianF said:
ive had 3 sets of pivots (same biding as FKS) never had an issue with a brake once. I ski everything with them, urban park, all mountain etc

griffins i completely destroyed. i cannot say enough bad things about all plastic construction. pivots/fks will last significantly longer than griffins. if they are the same price its an obvious decision.
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The main issue with people breaking brakes is having your DIN set too low, 90% of kids with broken breaks that come into my shop have low dins and they broke em while landing switch. The reason for this is if you land hard and you're low din binding starts to release and put the breaks down when you put weight back onto the heel piece the breaks are bent one way by the snow and the other way by your force if that makes sense. Ive broke lots of breaks on both systems when i was younger but since I started cranking dins I haven't had an issue. Also the reinforced nylon construction on markers is almost as still as the metal on FKS (If not stiffer because of the better Toe piece) And is unaffected by cold. You might have had the old versions if you had issues with cracked bindings (Beware squires still use the cheaper plastic i believe)
 
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