The 2019-20 G3 Zed redeems its predecessor
Zed got me all frisky last year. G3 was heading back to the future with a classic tech binding: solid, light, clean, with G3 engineering behind it. But after an instance of consumer reported breakage I got the impression G3 was making some changes to the product. So I moved on to other shiny things. I’m back.
Enter Zed version two. Improved, stronger, as beautiful as the last one — the stunning twin brother you never met, until now. Along with strengthened internals, G3 made cosmetic changes that’ll easily differentiate the 2018-2019 Zed from the improved 2019-2020. The Canadian binding crafters have a blog post talking the details, worth a visit. Below is my tech-take, based on an afternoon of bench time.
The numbers
Heel weight, single, no brake, with screws: 246 grams (~4 grams more than 2018 version)
Toe unit weight, single, no brake, with screws: 130 grams
Total weight, one binding: 376 grams
Stomp block/pad (optional) weight: 8 grams
Brake weight: 115 mm, 90 grams
The summarized improvement list
— Added strength in the heel for the 19/20 version; thicker plastic in many locations, longer assembly screws.
— The stomp block/pad is no longer required to ski brakeless and is not included with binding.
— “Grill” pattern on front of heel unit, for increased durability and binding identification.
— Improved fit and finish of ZED ski brake eliminates play.
— Modified and stiffer forward pressure spring improves uphill touring with the heel lifts.
The conclusion
As always, my heart’s desire is that ski binding companies would do a better job of naming their products. Instead of this being called Zed2 or something equally is clear, this is just Zed. This despite it being a substantially changed product. I’ll move on from that gripe. Zed version 1 was a sweet, classic style tech binding. The improved version 2 is equally attractive, now mature, recommended. For a deep dive into the ethos of Zed see our factory visit, and more.
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.