G3 Targa Ascent Icing Problems

Has anyone found a good solution to keep the G3 Ascents from icing up?
I never had any problems in cold winter weather, but the last 2 spring trips with lots of heavy wet fine snow caused the slots under the binding plate to fill with hard ice [where the hook/pins stick in to lock it down in ski mode]. The slots the hook slides on the ski side of the binding on also filled with ice that was tough to remove with a ski pole. No problems with the switch in the front, which I've heard can be an issue in very cold weather. a waterproof lubricant spray didn't seem to help (Boeshield).

Thanks

Steve

I've heard the quickest and best way to deal with that is just get a Voile' setup. Your story is fairly common.....

good luck!

I use these, and have occasional annoying ice issues in certain conditions. I still tour w/these exclusively (over standard targas, not other hinged set-ups). The benefits outweigh the icing probs. G3 recognizes the icing issues and has posted de-icing procedures on their website. I use a hybrid of their technique mixed with my own (mostly verbal cursing and requests for damnation) with fairly succesful results. Does anyone ever have issues w/ Switchbacks, or are they impervious?

I use the Switchback (Voile's free-pivot). I love them. They are IMO the best tele binding currently on the market, all things considered. Occasionally the tour mode will not switch immediately when wet snow is packed on the ski, and requires a stomp or two, but it always locks in after that. The only other problem I had was my own fault. I boot packed a short way with the binding in tour mode and the heel unit fell off! Having it in tour mode allowed the binding to flop up and unhook itself when it was carried upside down. I never found the missing piece, but found that a pair of Voile straps threaded into the slots in the bottom of the toeplate made a perfect replacement. They skied as well with the straps as they did with the springs. Good to know in case something were to happen on a longer tour

Anyway, they are bomber binding, the whole design is really quite slick and they cost less than the G3 and BD designs.

I've always had to chip the ice out with the end of my pole. The cursing and damnation is probably what does the trick though. A bigger issue I've had with the G3 Ascent is the binding plate tearing away from the mounting screws where the metal has cracked. I've switched to the Hammerheads. Not a whole lot of weight difference and a whole lot more solid.

I still use Voile' three pin side throws and three pin hardwires which both work pretty well when the heals are unlatched (for less calf resistance when skinning). Never have tried the voile swithback but glad to hear that it is pretty sweat-- or is that sweet? Possibly next season.......