RIDER: JEREMY JONES - KARWENDEL, AUSTRIA / COVER & PHOTO: DAN MILNER
Started by backcountry enthusiasts who wanted more from their gear.
Karakoram was founded in 2008 with the mantra: Innovate. Ride. Explore. We’ve built a company that aligns with our passions, which drives us to never be satisfied with the status quo. We live this every day, starting with the 2010-11 release of our revolutionary Split30 Splitboard System and now four short years later with our Prime Splitboard System. We constantly strive to improve and evolve through countless hours of designing, prototyping and testing – we at Karakoram truly use what we make. For us, Innovation is Forever.
Bryce Kloster
Tyler Kloster
PRIME SYSTEM INNOVATION FOREVER. Karakoram is proud to introduce the PRIME SYSTEM – Splitboarding responsiveness and efficiency you’ve only dreamed of. The PRIME SYSTEM is a statement of our brand philosophy to never stop improving.
SOLID-RIDE TOUR STEP
Building on the strengths of our Active Joining Technology utilized in the Split30, the PRIME SYSTEM takes solid board feel to another level with Solid-Ride, quickens change overs with the Power-Link and Tour-Step, and impoves touring efficiency with the Flip-Speed Riser with Heel Lock and Ride-Stride forward lean.
New for 2014-15 Patented US8469372B2 and Patents Pending
ACTIVE JOINING TECHNOLOGY Splitboard performance begins with Active Joining Technology. Pre-loading every interface delivers seamless transmission of rider input for the ultimate backcountry experience.
POWERLINK
RIDE-STRIDE
SPLITBOARD CLIPS
FLIPSPEED RISER WITH HEEL LOCK
RIDER: JEREMY JONES - SVALBARD, NORWAY / PHOTO: DAN MILNER
PRIME SYSTEM
SOLID-RIDE When you work your tail off to climb up the hill, you want to know that your ride down will be a reward and not a compromise. You want your splitboard to ride just like a regular snowboard – you want a Solid-Ride. • Zero seam movement for the ultimate solid board performance • 4 wide pre-loaded contact points for direct power transfer to the edge • Stance angles: -30° to 30° • Stance width: ½” increments • Board insert width: 3¼”–3½”
RIDER: BLAIR HABENICHT - DOLOMITES, ITALY / PHOTO: DAN MILNER
FLIP-SPEED RISER with heel lock
tall riser
short riser
GO WIRELESS
We have all been there, standing before a steep approach trying to engage your climbing wires with your pole handle, well the solution is here. Our new FlipSpeed risers allow you to use only your pole basket to engage, its fast and on the fly, you can engage or adjust while you are ascending, its that easy. The wider platform allows for better edge control, and the Lockdown feature is perfect for skating those long flat sections. • Activate with pole basket; simple and easy • Dual height • Heel lockdown
PRIME SYSTEM
POWER-LINK IT DOESN’T GET ANY EASIER THAN THIS. Getting your binding out of ride mode has never been easier than with Power Link – an ergonomic activation lever that allows you to remove your binding or engage with one simple and fluid motion. Pull up to lock, push down to unlock. • Ergonomic Activation • Over-center lock
locked
unlocked
RIDER: MATTIA BOSCOLO - MT. BAKER, WA / PHOTO: TYLER KLOSTER
RIDE-STRIDE patents pending RIDE
TURN
TOUR-STEP STEP IN
STRIDE 0° TO 22°
-8°
STEP OUT
Saving energy in the backcountry can be the difference between going for a second lap, going for a longer tour, or going home because you’re wiped out. All Karakoram splitboard bindings come standard with Ride-Stride forward lean. With a -8° forward lean setting, Stride Mode allows you to stride and glide further with every step. Ride Mode consists of a preset forward lean – between 0° and 22° (in 2° increments) – to allow better leverage on your heelside turn and make your ride down more powerful and enjoyable. Simply rotate the forward lean adjuster 90° between Stride Mode and your preset Ride Mode – set and forget. Ride-Stride is the fastest and easiest forward lean adjustment available.
Whether you’re running powder laps or on a tour with lots of change overs, the Tour-Step is the ultimate in convenience. Simply keep your binding fastened to your boot while you change over, no matter what the weather conditions are, this will significantly cut down on your transition times and have you shralping pow in no time.
PRIME BINDINGS
PRIME CARBON
PRIME STRAIGHTLINE
The ultimate go to binding for the most elite snowboarders in the world. Whether you ride spines in AK, couloirs in the Arctic Circle, or your favorite powder stash in your backyard, the Prime Carbon will keep you grinnin’ from ear to ear. Weighing in at less than 700 grams you will be cruising up with ease while slaying everything in front of you on the way down!
If you like to point and destroy lines, this is the binding for you, our stiffest and most responsive binding with a carbon fiber highback and carbon fiber chassis stiffeners.
The New Icon in Splitboarding Technology
Weight: 675 g (per binding) Materials: Carbon Fiber, Titanium, High Strength Alloy Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Dupont Zytel
The Ultimate Peak Seeker
Weight: 785g (per binding) Materials: Carbon Fiber, Titanium, Alloy Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Dupont Zytel
Mountings: All bindings use production splitboard hole pattern (ride mode insert spacing - 3 3/8�) or come with a DIY mounting template. RIDER: FORREST SHEARER - UTAH / PHOTO: ANDREW MILLER
MADE IN THE USA, North Bend, Washington
PRIME SL
PRIME1
Innovation to Conquer Elevation
Chase Your Dreamlines
The Prime SL is a tried and true high performance backcountry tool designed to minimize weight while improving riding and touring performance of your splitboard. Combining some of the best materials and features – the Prime SL delivers some of our best technology and will deliver unmatched performance while you jet up the skin track and destroy lines on your way down.
If you are seeking the latest in Splitboarding tech then look no further, the Prime One is the one binding you need. Using our new Prime interface the One is sure to pack in a punch for your splitboard exploration dreams, with the improved interface and taking cues from our proven Split30 System, the One will deliver ease of use in transitions and top performance on your descents.
Weight: 695 g (per binding)
Weight: 800 g (per binding)
Materials: Titanium, Alloy Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Dupont Zytel and Hytrel
Materials: Alloy Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Dupont Zytel
RIDER: FORREST SHEARER - CHILE / PHOTO: ANDREW MILLER
PRIME BINDINGS
PRIME WOMEN’S The first of its kind
Ladies, are you tired of using your husband’s or boyfriend’s hand-medown splitboard bindings? We feel your pain, that’s why we’ve created the first Women’s specific splitboard binding. We’ve sized the heelcup for a women’s US6-8 boot – no more pivot point one inch in front of your toe. We’ve dropped the highback height 1 inch – no more highbacks that are taller than you boots. Oh, and these also have the same performance as all the other Karakoram splitboard bindings. These are your new best friend in the backcountry! Weight: 750 g (per binding) Materials: High Strength Alloy Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Dupont Zytel
RIDER: LIZ DALEY - MT. BAKER, WA / PHOTO: JASON HUMMEL
PRIME QUIVER-CONNECTOR
The Last Accessory you will ever need for your quiver.
We have developed the ultimate in convenience and maximizing your bindings, we have developed the Quiver Connector, the ultimate accessory that allows you to take your Prime System Splitboard bindings and mount them on your solid board. Ease of use, lightweight and better than standard binding energy transfer paired with Karakoram Performance.
RIDER: BRYCE KLOSTER - MT. BACHELOR / PHOTO: KYLE HANSEN
SPLIT30 SYSTEM
RIDE MODE INTERFACE
• 5-points of spring loaded contact: • Spring Loaded Zero Play Interface provides immediate board response • Open Binding Structure allows natural board flex with no icing • Quick Release for fastest change-over
ACTIVE JOINING TECHNOLOGY
Splitboard performance begins with Active Joining Technology. Pre-loading every interface delivers seamless transmission of rider input for the ultimate backcountry experience.
RIDER: TEMPLE CUMMINS - BC, CANADA / PHOTO: SCOTT SULLIVAN
Patented US8469372B2 and Patents Pending
SPLIT30
RIDE-STRIDE
• 90° rotation between stride mode and forward lean • -8° stride mode • 0-22° forward lean
Versatility Paired with Shreadability
SPLITBOARD CLIPS
Pre-loaded inner edge transfers tortional flex through splitboard, offering unparalleled board feel The original standard for splitboard bindings, the Split30 firmly joins your splitboard together while allowing the board to flex naturally underfoot, providing you unmatched riding performance and amazing board feel. Quickly convert over from riding to touring (and vice versa) with the simple flip of a lever. Weight: 800 g (per binding)
TOUR MODE INTERFACE
• Precision Sleeved Pivot for ultimate edge control and smoothest stride • Step-in Capability with Quick Release for the fastest change-over • Self Contained with no loose parts to lose in the snow • Self Cleaning for hassle-free transition
Materials: Alloy Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Dupont Zytel
ACCESSORIES SPLITBOARD CLIPS
AIR STRAP
POWER BAR
Karakoram Splitboard Clips optimize the performance of your splitboard, firmly securing the splitboard halves together, eliminating slop in the seam.
Lighten and simplify any Karakoram binding with the Air Strap. (Shaves 70 grams off your bindings.)
Add a Power Bar to your board to remove all seam movement between your bindings.
patents pending
RIDER: ALEX YODER - CHILE / PHOTO: ANDREW MILLER
TIP/TAIL CLIPS
FLEX LOCK
CRAMPONS*
VERT ADAPTERS*
Karakoram Tip/Tail Clips are made from Dupont Zytel ST and are designed to be stiff and tough. Combine these with Karakoram Splitboard Clips to eliminate tip and tail slop forever.
The Flex Lock can be added to any Karakoram binding, providing the ultimate side hilling leverage. Simply flip the Flex Lock to engage lateral stiffness and flip the lever back to regain lateral flex for ride mode.
Karakoram Splitboard Crampons’ unique design gives you the grip of a fixed ski crampon with the ease of touring from a floating crampon.
For attaching your Karakoram splitboard bindings to Verts. Vert Adapters attach to existing mounting holes.
patents pending
*PRIME and SPLIT30 models available
APPAREL* MOUNTAIN SHADOW T
LOGO T
PATCH HAT
Coming next year!
* More styles to come!
SUPPLY CHAIN
AMBASSADORS
Karakoram is proud to build bindings in the USA. Every binding is built by a backcountry enthusiast at our factory in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in North Bend, Washington. The people that build your bindings are people that use the bindings. We source our parts from the following locations:
Jeremy Jones Lucas Debari Forrest Shearer Blair Habenicht Mitch Toelderer Ralph Backstrom Bibi Pekarek Liz Daley Yuta Watanabe Maria Debari Ryan Hudson
WASHINGTON
OREGON
• • • • • • • • • •
• Sheet Metal (Heel attachments) • Carbon Fiber
CNC Machining (Heelstays, Toestays, Heel Levers, Tour Levers, Solid-Ride) Injection Molding (Highbacks, Tour Modes, Heelstay Tops, Lock Blocks, Tip Clips, Heel Riser Bases, Air Straps, Flex Locks) Sheet Metal (Heelcups, Crampons, Vert Adapters) Carbon Fiber (Highbacks) Custom Turning (Custom Hardware, Pins, Custom T-nuts) Powder Coating (Heelcups) Anodizing (Pins) EVA Foam (Highback Pads, Heel Pad) Packaging (Bindings Boxes, Shippers) Apparel Printing
CALIFORNIA • Wire Bending (Climbing Wires) • Rivets • Patch Lock • Apparel (American Apparel Cotton)
ASIA • Straps • Screws and some small sheet metal
COMPANY
Bryce Kloster
Tyler Kloster
Russell Cunningham
Rob Timmerman
Chad Perrin
Mike Davies
Owner/Engineer
Owner/Engineer
Relationships/Communications
Production Engineer
Global Sales/Marketing
Engineer/Procurement
bryce@karakorambc.com
tyler@karakorambc.com
russell@karakorambc.com
robert@karakorambc.com
chad@karakorambc.com
mike@karakorambc.com BACK COVER PHOTO: ZACH CLANTON