Release Plates on Tele Bindings?

[jimmyleg66]

Okay, so I picked up some used T1's on the weekend for $80 - SCORE! I just need some bindings and I'll be burning my quads in no time. Now my question for all the telelmark skiers out there - Are release plates on telmark bindings a must for the backcountry?

 

I see tons of people in the backcountry without them. Aren't they worried about ditching them in case of an avalanche? Blowing an ACL on a hard bail? A friend of mine got caught in a size 3 avalanche last March and did not have realease plates. He got seriously fucked up and if he ever skis again, swears he'll use releasable bindings. Just looking for people's thoughts on why/why not to use them. Is the added risk not worth the weight?

[snoboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by jimmyleg66:

Now my question for all the telelmark skiers out there

- Are release plates on telmark bindings a must for the backcountry?

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I can't answer that question, but I'll sell you a set of Voile plates that I have if you decide in favour.

 

My thoughts on this are:

 

- I never busted a binding or pulled screws out until I stopped using release plates.

- If you are worries about weight then go AT. Tele is no longer the lightest system, just the coolest.

- The Worker's Compensation Board makes all the park rangers use releasable bindings.

- If there was a system that was 100% reliable I would probably use it.

[fern]

quote:

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Originally posted by jimmyleg66:

I see tons of people in the backcountry without them. Aren't they worried about ditching them in case of an avalanche? Blowing an ACL on a hard bail? .... Is the added risk not worth the weight?

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tons of people in the backcountry have probably never thought about the risk to make an informed decision.

 

Having taken the advice of avalanche experienced friends and colleagues, I have the Voile plates. If I didn't have them I would just compromise with rear-throw Rivas with fairly low tension on the springs as these tend to pop off on their own when they take a hard hit. Obviously this is not a high performance set-up, but it works fine for low-perfomance me.

[snoboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by fern:

Having taken the advice of avalanche experienced friends and colleagues, I have the Voile plates. If I didn't have them I would just compromise with rear-throw Rivas with fairly low tension on the springs as these tend to pop off on their own when they take a hard hit.

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My first bindings were Rivas on plates. I found that the rivas usually let go before the plates released. Then I switched to Superloops, and the reverse happened, more like it should be. I then switched skis and the plates wouldn't fit on the new skis. So I mounted bindings straight to the ski. That's when I broke the bindings. (Keep in mind that I am heavy and flail often )

 

So with broken bindings I went to replace them and ended up with the G3 Targas, which will fit on a plate, but they end up really high off the ski, which doesn't suit me.

 

I know this isn't really about release plates at this point, but what I am trying to say is that it isn't always a cut and dried decision. Tele gear is still an inexact science. Each element of your setup limits the choices down the line.

[Skisports]

Personaly when comes down to avy it shouldn't be your reason to get the plates. I don't use them and I don't think I ever will. Granted I have been in avalanche before and I intend to never make the same mistake. Overall I have never heard some hurting themself because there ski did not pop off. besides Do you really want your ski to pop off in the BC because if it dose and you loose it what are you going to do if this is a 5 day tour. Yes you probably have a leash but then you have this ski hitting you in the leg. I think it is just more weight and something else that could go wrong.

 

[ 11-12-2002, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: Skisports ]

[philfort]

Probably depends on how aggressive a skier you are.

 

I don't often come out of mine, but once I did, in a twisting fall, and it probably saved my knee from injury. Glad I had them.

 

Also, like others have mentioned - I broke lots of skis (about a pair a year for several years) from bindings ripping out before I had releasables, but only one pair (in about 6 years) since getting releasables.

 

Oh, and as skisports said, yes, its more weight, but as for more to go wrong, I might have to disagree. The Voile CRB is pretty simple, and in my track record anyway, more reliable than a non-releasable. As for a leash causing the ski to hit you in the leg, well, I'd much rather have that than a bad knee injury.

 

[ 11-12-2002, 10:48 PM: Message edited by: philfort ]

[Billygoat]

Voile has the simple, time tested system: Three pin CRB (Complete Releasable Binding) You can also use the new compression spring cables with this set up. I, however have not used releasables, preferring to make informed decisions regarding terrain and snow pack and avoiding exposure (as well as having a firm belief in luck and predeterminism). I like to tour in on voile pins and then attach the cables for downhill runs. I do agree that not having the skis attached in an avy would be to ones advantage. But if you were on an extended tour, the loss of a ski would kick off an epic.

[Billygoat]

Hey, if you guys are breaking skis so much, shims or lighter boots will fix that. Telemarking doesn't have to be full contact you know. I have lived in Telluride and Crested Butte and I have never heard of any telemarkers having knee injuries from their skis not releasing. The worst that happened to me was a mach-speed edge catch on T-ride melt ice that played out into a face first flail with the shovel tip catching the ice whipping the loose tail around and smackning me in the back of the head hard! I bleed all over the place and freaked out a lot of tourists. Come to think of it, that's about when I began believing in luck and predeterminism

[iain]

seems like the most damaging falls in skiing are those slow "over the handlebars" kind that torque the knees just enough to tear the ligaments but not enough to release the binding until the damage is done.

[Beck]

Neccessity, no. Valuable safety feature, absolutely. That's why you're considering them.

A few options to consider:

 

Voile release plate or Completely Releasable Binding (CRB) time tested, bitch to reenter at mid to high range DIN settings.

 

rottefella plate- easier reentry, heavier plate, not available in binding combo, harder to field adjust DIN in field.

 

Silvretta's design team's tele binding- the 7tm- easiest reentry, not as time tested as prior two. looks hinky but melds with modern tele boots real well without overpowering them.

 

Ski on lighter equipment, go old school, try three pin w/o cables and focus on technique, slow and in control.

 

Don't discount proper avalanche awareness as the BEST way to stay safe, and skiing in control on every slope a close second.

 

As a nod to our north of the boarder brethren, who are more advanced in the ways of Backcountry science then us Bushittes,

 

they tend towards towards releasables as part of the total safety package.

[jimmyleg66]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm still undecided, but as least now I'm better informed!