>>2511206damn bro, that's pretty ghetto, but I respect your dedication.
zip ties won't work in the long run because you can't adjust them larger, only smaller. also with how tight you'd need them they'd cut into you. but having a solid attachment at the toe to the skis is the most important thing to be able to turn your skis.
your best bet is something like the dog collars you mentioned, or an old belt that you can get quite tight around the toe. i get that you're trying to do this on a budget, but you also don't want to have to fuck with it all the time.
scands had been using a single loop of twisted birch roots until norheim added another loop of birch roots around the ankle for telemark, so might be a skill issue partially as well, but I think id focus on a solid toe binding, then maybe just add like a bungee cord around your heel, ideally something stiffer, like those rubber bungees?
im pretty intrigued by your wax experiments, curious to see how that holds up on longer stints though.
