NTN in backcountry

Here's the skinny on NtN. The higher the spring tension the less likely to get the ski to release in a fall. The white ones at their highest settings, with such low pressure will release easier and climb/kickturn easier than a Blue Powertube at it's lowest setting.
So theoretically it would be better for me to be on Red tubes and set them on the lowest settings than to be on the blue tubes at a higher setting.

I believe you have that backward Joe. If you follow your weight class across the chart and both white and blue power tubes are appropriate for your weight at different settings, the more powerful tube at the lower setting will release easier than the less powerful tube and a high setting.

...so I can ski my blue tubes at 3 or my red tubes at 1 and get a similar resistance, but the red tube with have a better release because it's less compressed in the heel down position... At least that's how I understand it to work.

Re: NTN performance The only thing I notice about any bindings is deficiencys. The binding is invisible to me unless it's giving me a problem. I am not looking for excessive activity from the binding to drive pressure into the tip to make turn... Hell, turning is surrender anyway!    NTN works well for my technique.

As far as a backcountry binding goes, it works for me, but I am not "Mr backcountry" by any measure. I do have 2 pair of boots. One pair are the notoriously stiff Orange evo's which are resort boots. I did tour in them and they are stiff and heavy and suck for touring. I also have the garmont prophets, which are very versitile and light weight. I like them a lot. They have the shell tongue attached to the bottom of the boot shell, so when you sinch the cuff it captures the tongue adding extra stiffness to the boot. It works great. When you are striding with skins on, you don't tighten up the boot cuff so the boot feels much softer. Sometimes I ski it at the resort too. I like it that much. It seems like a great touring boot, that doesn't give up much on the descent. Of course it's not T1 or orange evo, but they aren't as good a touring boot, so pick your poison....

One caveat is that I like neutral bindings so NTN is plenty active enough for me. I think Hammerhead #5 guys find it less powerful than they prefer. The same goes for the prophet boots. The bellows are softer than most of the boots for NTN, so they don't help you drive tip pressure into the ski like a stiffer resort boot will if that is your preference, but they are nice to tour in and have the typical garmont all day comfortable fit factor. I did have to thermofit them 2 times to drive my heel back and create a decent heel fit. some people have complained that the prophet has a big heel space.

I think NTN can work well in the backcountry, but you need to get the right boot to tour it comfortably.

I believe you have that backward Joe.

...so I can ski my blue tubes at 3 or my red tubes at 1 and get a similar resistance, but the red tube with have a better release because it's less compressed in the heel down position... At least that's how I understand it to work.

That would not be the first time

What you said is the message that I was trying to relay.
It may take a little more to figure out the right settings of the springs.

Great thread gang!  Here are some observations:
-For touring, the resistance (green 3) is a bit inferior to free-pivots but better than the G3 Targa I used for several years.  I haven't felt like tightening the springs yet; see below.
-Kicking the tail of the inside ski backwards to start a kick turn assists in bringing that first tip around.
-Ripping skins with skis on is easy compared to the 01s in either tour or turn mode. 
-Lifting the tour lever is a pain in the butt.  Pole handle, tip, and gloved hand all seem to grab poorly.   >  Suggestions?
-Voile ski crampons (the on-the-ski kind with the oval attachment) fit nicely between the heel lifts and the orange binding base.  Clear the white plastic past the ski crampon and they go right on.
-With duckbills, I use O1s and Targa T9s, with the touring heel throw, with the original Garmont Ener-G. I go everywhere in those, from skating to crampons, but in the last year or 2 I've noticed that my trailing leg rarely gets completely flat on the ball of the foot with the Ener-G.  I guess my stance has adapted.
-My NTN boots are the Scarpa Pro X, and the bindings are on my trusty old Kilowatts.   The boot has great steering when I drive the cuff, and the bellows are softer than the Ener-G. 
-The thing that really grabbed me within a few turns was the instant transfer of leg motion and angulation to the ski.  So little input needed!    
-My stance is more upright, rear foot tighter, and it's really easy to edge the little toe.  SO more relaxed stance with less rounded, more in-the fall line turns.  SO faster with less effort!  Maybe that weighting of the rear foot and little toe are what improves the turn on the old duckbills as Kenji suggested.
-The ball of my rear foot is more on the ski, and the bellows flex with the binding rigidity make jump teles really snappy.  Alpine turns are more locked in too, when I feel like slumming.   
-Camp crampon bails don't even come close to fitting the NTN toe tho it was much vaunted for being better with boot crampons.   ???

-Camp crampon bails don't even come close to fitting the NTN toe tho it was much vaunted for being better with boot crampons.   ???

My STUBAI ULTRALIGHT crampons fit perfectly over my TX toes

I think your dog sympathizes with my plight....

I think your dog sympathizes with my plight....

Damn. Just checked mine and have the same issue. I'll have to see if I can bend out the bail.