After a full season riding these binders, I can definitely and with authority say that they work and work well. From deep pow days to slushy spring afternoons to hard pack and gnarly lumpy snow, I mostly haven’t noticed the Onyx skiing down (its solid). However, there are some tricks you need to learn.
One of the nastier lines I skied on the Onyx this season - 50 degrees and hard packed spring hardness!
Getting into the toe piece definitely takes practice and can be awkward on steeper slopes. Deploying the heel lifts also takes some practice, but I have developed a few tricks which I have highlighted in the short video below.
For climbing, I will never not ski a tech binding. The reduced lifted weight (because you aren’t lifting your binding) combined with the superior pivot point simply cannot be beat. The best part about the Onyx is that you aren’t giving up any performance on the way down.
The Onyx next to some Fritschis
And how about the way down? Well, I have skied my current set-up down some pretty gnarly lines in all conditions, from powder to slush to super hard crust, and haven’t felt them be weak or flimsy. In fact, they feel just as solid as any alpine binding I have ever used (and keep in mind, I used to bash gates with Marker race bindings on Blizzard GS boards in Dachstein boots a half size too small for me). The Onyx delivers on its promise of a solid, alpine feel.
Death Chute at Mount Cain - a line I skied in the Onyx on powder and on hardpack.
Weaknesses? Well, the 2010 were the first generation and there is a recall on the heel lifts to have the bolts re-set and countersunk . I did manage to knock one of mine off and I also met up with skiers who had lost their lifts. The recall repair does remedy this and the 2011 versions don’t have this problem. The ski brake, while mostly effective, does tend to jam either open or closed. I haven’t looked at the 2011 brake in detail, but I imagine G3 have rectified this also.
Another Onyx day at Mt. Washington with flat light - I didn't worry about the binding once.
All in all I am very happy with the G3 Onyx, and will ski them again next year. Furthermore, as I plan on setting up a fatter pair of touring skis for next season, the Onyx will be my first choice for a binding on those. I am not sure I can give higher praise to a product than to say I would purchase it again.
Getting off topic, I want to talk about my G3 Rapid Transit Skis. G3 has kinda replaced them in the line up with the Mass Transit, but I think they have made a mistake. You see, the Rapid Transit is almost the perfect ski. Fat enough for powder, but with enough side-cut and stability to carve groomed runs and hard pack. The asymmetrical tips make it ski like a much bigger ski and you can feel them “pop” you out of turns. The super solid top sheet means they are also tough as hell, combined with a respectable weight make these pretty near the ultimate ski! So, G3, can you please bring it back? Or, if you have some lying around still, can I buy another pair or two? If anyone out there has a pair they want to sell, I’ll buy em. These skis are that good!