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AT boots and bindings recommendations?


jimmyo

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Hi,

 

I know there was a recent thread re beginner AT gear and I've checked it out.

 

I'm a strong long time tele skiier who wants to get some AT gear to help me ski gnarly steeps, like on glaciers, 45 degree plus in less then optimum conditions and/or with scary exposure, and the like, to improve my ski mountaineering options. For example, some of my buds have skiied NFNWR on Adams. I don't think I'd try it on teles, even in great conditions (cuz you can't really know the conditions till yer in the middle of it) but I'd probably try it with the extra edging/stick to the mountain on jump turn ability of a fixed heel. Or maybe to ski either main face of Mt. Buckner, or Emmons glacier. That sort of thing.

 

I bought a pair of K2 World Piste cheap, and am hoping to mount AT bindings on em and get some boots. First, skiis seem ok? Second, what boots/bindings do you recommend? On tele I use old T2s and either Rossi Bandit XXX or Olin Sierra.

 

I am so ready to get out there...

 

Thanks, folks.

 

Jimmy O

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Ask yourself how much true backcountry you're going to be doing.

 

If the answer is a lot then get dynafit bindings and boots. The Garmont heat to fit liner is a nice add on...it makes the boot stiffer.

 

If you're going to be in area a lot then you might want to check out the Fritchi bindings...Garmont makes some nice boots.

 

PS Welcome to AT land fruit.giffruit.gif

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I'd advice you to go out and try on as many AT boots as you can. Try to decide if you want a monster boot w/ lots of support, but more pain on the approach. Or if you want lighter, hence less support but easier skinning. If you can spring for it, go w/ moldable liners - they're warmer and you get more of custom fit. The most important thing is fit.

 

Dynafit, Silveretta and Fritschi all make good bindings - again what features are most important to you. weight, easy of step-in, pivot action.... Naxo's look cool, but are unproven..

 

Think about the feature most important to you, then narrow it down. There - I haven't told you anything you didn't already know! bigdrink.gif

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I'm not planning to use them for lift serve at all. I ski everything at lifties on tele. Only for ski mountaineering when I want the extra ability to stick to the mountain - where falling can have some serious consequences. Or when you're on top of a peak and it is just windscoured, nasty crust. That sort of thing. It wouldn't be for high speed cruising or running gates.

 

All things considered, I'd like em to be light. If I got superlight stuff, is the incremental advantage of the fixed heel vs a free hill going to be significant enuf that it will meet my needs?

 

And what bindings are the easiest to get on/off when you're in difficult terrain?

 

Thanks again,

 

JO

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I have seen some major epics with people trying to get their dynafit bindings engaged on steep ice. They did not have a ton of experience with them, so maybe this is an aquired skill. This was after the binding released while traversing the ice. shocked.gif

 

Step-in AT bindings (fritschis, etc) in general can be tough to get into on really steep icy slopes, unless you can dig in just a bit so you can smash your feet into them. You can just place your feet in fritschis, but you have to muscle the heel lever to lock them in. I see this as a big advantage of tele bindings, or silvretta 500s (though I would not think 500s very good for what you are doing, who knows?)

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iain said:

I have seen some major epics with people trying to get their dynafit bindings engaged on steep ice. They did not have a ton of experience with them, so maybe this is an aquired skill. This was after the binding released while traversing the ice. shocked.gif

 

Step-in AT bindings (fritschis, etc) in general can be tough to get into on really steep icy slopes, unless you can dig in just a bit so you can smash your feet into them. You can just place your feet in fritschis, but you have to muscle the heel lever to lock them in. I see this as a big advantage of tele bindings, or silvretta 500s (though I would not think 500s very good for what you are doing, who knows?)

With Fritschis I often place my foot into the binding and then pull the heel lever up. Takes very little force, though that might vary with DIN settings. confused.gif Either way, I don't have to stomp or wrestle with anything.

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Boots:

I agree with russ on trying as many boots as you can to find the prefect fit. What is a good boot for one maybe uncomfortable for someone else.

 

Bindings:

Also consider how easy is to add accessories. You mention that you want to ski 45 degree or steeper hard slopes. Crampons maybe neccessary for ya then for the approach. I am very happy with my Fritschi Diamir Titanal as I can just snap on the crampons or breaks (for the DH) without using any tools.

 

That's my 2 cents in. Hope it helps.

 

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The higher the DIN, the harder it is to put on the heel. You don't have to stomp on the heel to get into tele's (depending on your binding), but I find leaning down to futz with levers equally puckering.

 

Ski crampons should be easy to put on - brakes I leave at home, unless I'm going to a resort.

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i am also on the fence about which bindings to mount on my new mira's for use with my lazers. i have a pair of lighter skis with tourlight techs that i'm happy with. i have had some rare pre-release issues with the tourlights - mostly related i think to the tip and tail of the ski flexing down which lengthens the distance between the toe piece and the heel piece resulting in the pins popping out in the heel (hard to describe but see wildsnow.com). it has mostly happened to me while trying to jump turn in deep wet heavy snow. the new "comfort" binding from dynafit combines the more reliable toe piece from the tourlights with the longer heel pins of the tristep, which would reduce this problem but not eliminate it. what i really want for my heavier set-up is a bomber don't wanna pre-release above a crevasse binding. it doesn't seem likely that the tips would flex down skiing something icy but it still gives me something to be a little concerned about.

 

i'm leaning towards freerides for their apparent bomberness, but i secretly wonder if that's just the perception. i guess i'll try the freerides and make my own conclusion...

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iain said:

(though I would not think 500s very good for what you are doing, who knows?)

 

Why aren't the 500s good for what he is doing? confused.gif

 

They are just fine and easy to use. grin.gif

 

They also have the advantage of accepting a mountaineering boot better than any other non-silveretta AT binding. thumbs_up.gif

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lI1|1! said:

i am also on the fence about which bindings to mount on my new mira's for use with my lazers. i have a pair of lighter skis with tourlight techs that i'm happy with. i have had some rare pre-release issues with the tourlights - mostly related i think to the tip and tail of the ski flexing down which lengthens the distance between the toe piece and the heel piece resulting in the pins popping out in the heel (hard to describe but see wildsnow.com). it has mostly happened to me while trying to jump turn in deep wet heavy snow. the new "comfort" binding from dynafit combines the more reliable toe piece from the tourlights with the longer heel pins of the tristep, which would reduce this problem but not eliminate it. what i really want for my heavier set-up is a bomber don't wanna pre-release above a crevasse binding. it doesn't seem likely that the tips would flex down skiing something icy but it still gives me something to be a little concerned about.

 

i'm leaning towards freerides for their apparent bomberness, but i secretly wonder if that's just the perception. i guess i'll try the freerides and make my own conclusion...

Why don't you compromise and get the Diamir?

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cracked said:

lI1|1! said:

i am also on the fence about which bindings to mount on my new mira's for use with my lazers. i have a pair of lighter skis with tourlight techs that i'm happy with. i have had some rare pre-release issues with the tourlights - mostly related i think to the tip and tail of the ski flexing down which lengthens the distance between the toe piece and the heel piece resulting in the pins popping out in the heel (hard to describe but see wildsnow.com). it has mostly happened to me while trying to jump turn in deep wet heavy snow. the new "comfort" binding from dynafit combines the more reliable toe piece from the tourlights with the longer heel pins of the tristep, which would reduce this problem but not eliminate it. what i really want for my heavier set-up is a bomber don't wanna pre-release above a crevasse binding. it doesn't seem likely that the tips would flex down skiing something icy but it still gives me something to be a little concerned about.

 

i'm leaning towards freerides for their apparent bomberness, but i secretly wonder if that's just the perception. i guess i'll try the freerides and make my own conclusion...

Why don't you compromise and get the Diamir?

 

the extra weight to get the 12 din doesn't concern me. it's not about weight, i have a lighter setup for that. it's about reliability.

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Thanks everyone, this is good stuff.

 

Performance on steep and crusty or icy is probably a good standard to apply, as my only reason to seek the added security of a fixed heel IS to push my envelope. Will be sticking with tele for 90% of the time and praying for pow/corn 100% of the time, of course...

 

On bindings, it seems that the Fritschi Freeride is the bomb? Is that right?

 

What I'm wondering is whether I should just go for the most bomber binding, versus the argument that ANY fixed heel will be such a large incremental improvement in security that I should just go with the lightest one (based on the usual theory that lighter = faster and less tired)?

 

boots questions: one hassle with tele boots is that toe protrusion, which impedes front pointing with crampies. Are the AT boots much more front point friendly?

 

And is use of regular plastic mountaineering boots a realistic option - do they ski ok? do they work with all bindings, or say the fritschi in particular?

 

Man, by the time I'm done with my qs we'll all be out there riding...

 

Jimmy

 

 

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russ said:

I'd advice you to go out and try on as many AT boots as you can. Try to decide if you want a monster boot w/ lots of support, but more pain on the approach. Or if you want lighter, hence less support but easier skinning. If you can spring for it, go w/ moldable liners - they're warmer and you get more of custom fit. The most important thing is fit.

 

Dynafit, Silveretta and Fritschi all make good bindings - again what features are most important to you. weight, easy of step-in, pivot action.... Naxo's look cool, but are unproven..

 

Think about the feature most important to you, then narrow it down. There - I haven't told you anything you didn't already know! bigdrink.gif

 

I agree with this. Figure out what you want to do and check out what is on the market. I don't think you can really go wrong if you stick with what the equipment is designed for.

 

If it helps I went with the Silveretta 555's and the Garmont G-Ride boots mounted on Atomis TM-EX skis. I am very happy with this set-up. It is not by any means lite but skis great.

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Hey there - I have a pair of Siveretta AT bindings that Ive used once but am selling b/c they are too big. They are size large and I need to get a medium. They fit one pair of boots I have but they are too big for a different pair of my boots. I have smal feet. Let me know if youre interested.

Thanks, good luck.

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