Blister Gear Reviews skied the Core 12 binding. Hard. And liked it!
Blister does in depth reviews of ski gear. Last spring they put some miles on the Hagan Core 12 binding. Some of their thoughts:
I found the Core 12 to be the easiest binding in our test when it came to stepping in.
I’m actually a bit surprised by how light it is.
I felt more confident skiing hard downhill on it than on any other binding in this test.
The only binding in this test with independently adjustable vertical and lateral release values in the heel.
The heel risers of this binding are easily the best in the group.
Its overall performance makes it my favorite binding of the group. Its construction is solid, its downhill performance is excellent for its weight, and it is easy to operate in the backcountry.
Important Note: Blister skied the Core 12 without the Freeride Spacer. They wondered if the downhill performance would be even better with the Freeride Spacer. It would. The Freeride Spacer eliminates the gap between the sole of the boot and the top-sheet of the ski/binding, as well as reducing the stress on the boot/binding interface by directly transferring force to the ski. The torsional and vertical movements (“slop”) common to tech bindings, which the Core 12 Rotational Cam System® heel makes so minute as to be almost imperceptible, are entirely eliminated with the spacer — particularly noticeable and appreciated during larger impact loads.
