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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyg82
OOOOH. I thought you were talking about the toe. Like an old Naxo toe. Was like, "Wait, doesn't that defeat the purpose of pins?"
Yeah, I actually did notice that. The heel retention spring is in a separate housing from the lever. Interesting design for sure.
Ignore the music. Ouch. More about the heel from this marketing video
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTc...APiiC3bT8Lv8aw
Interesting that they've chosen to put quasi tech fittings made out of plastic in the heel piece. I wonder what it does to release characteristics and also it's actual effect? Feels like marketing to me but maybe it really does something?
What says the collective? (apologies if it has been discussed in previous pages)
The only thing I can see from that is that it's a heel that doesn't rotate so as you where thinking it might not matter at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by nickel
From what I can see, they saved a bit of weight by narrowing the width of the heel cup and restored any lost lateral control with those fittings. Makes sense to me - to make use of a heel fitting that's on all tech boots.Quote:
Originally Posted by nickel
As far as toe release, I can't see this having any effect, any more than the Vipecs' heel pins have on their toe release. Toe release pivots about the heel.
... Thom
I'll just leave this here...Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeLau
https://youtu.be/0RlokpbOSOo
Got to play with a Tecton sample and chat with the sales rep yesterday. Was surprised how insubstantial (size, weight and substance) the heel piece seemed, especially in direct comparison to the Kingpin. My gut feel is that I'd break something within weeks. The rep mentioned that he isn't pushing sales or allowing his demos to be skied until issues are resolved regarding setting the heel piece to boot gap (the specified gap seems to allow too much play) and transitioning the heel piece to walk mode (which seems to require removing the boot, contrary to the manufacturer's claims). Difficult to make the case why anyone would chose the Tecton over the new Evo.
So not ready for primetime then??
If they were not available for ski testing at recent shows i cant imagine how they'll be at retail in the fall.
My naive assumption is that lateral toe and vertical heel release is marginally better than lateral heel of kingpin but i could be way wrong here.
But I'm also imagining many more issues than benefits from the lateral toe release while in walk mode that they depict in the video - (think just about any steep icy sidehill where you might use ski crampons).
This.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcpnz
When Fritschi did their rush launch of the Vipec it was a disaster & the 2nd gen wasn't any better. Now starting to see busted Blacks this side of the pond which were supposed to have been fully sorted.
It took Dynafit & Marker a few tweaks to get the Beasts/Rad 2's/Kingpins right & they'd had many proper working/skiing pre-production prototypes in use at least a full season earlier.
as^^ opposed to the Rad 1 which Dynafit tested on the consumer ?
Indeed, singling out Fritschi is a bit harsh, given Marker's and Dynafit's track records. Ultimately, we're all beta testers - the first year of any touring binding release.Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
... Thom
Yeah, I'd say the Radical debacle was significantly worse (both in what the issues were and how widespread they were) than anything that's happened with Fritschi or Marker. The initial Vipec toe pin screws were bad, but fix wasn't a problem once the problem was known.
No issues at all. It has a pretty stiff lockout mode when touring. Not a single review has raised this as an issue over the last 3 years. Sweet FUD though.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcpnz
not just the radical what about the tri-step toe piece that Dynafit never manned up on?
Between Tr-step & rad 1 they had some stuff that didnt not suck so we trusted them
is this the tecton thread?Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
why not dig up an old dynafit bashing thread, or even start a new one?
when you created your user account, did the registration system object to "thread-cunter" so you went with "xxx-er" ??
naw we are bashing tech binding makers who rush product to market without testing, marker, fritschi, dynafit ... everyone here so try to follow along
havent you got a family of skiers you should be assaulting or something?
Like Brian I've drunk the Vipec koolaid. There;'s issues for sure which I've raised in reviews. I've levered the heel risers off when on icy skintracks because the plastic can flex and twist off their perch mount. I've broken the black stepin guides at the toe piece but that's just cosmetic. But I've stomped some pretty aggro skintracks and not broken anything or levered out of the toe piece when locked in either by the toe piece laterally releasing or otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lindahl
Given that the Tecton heelpiece is new that's where I expect a review to focus. Fritschi fucked up the initial release and it took the black toepiece from last year for improvement for sure but after some 50+ days IMO the MAJOR issues with the toepieces are resolved
This is interesting (from Lou's post) ...
I wonder about how robust the small struts which engage with the Tech heel are. Granted, they engage with the plastic in the heel, and not the metal tech fitting (assuming it's aligned with the pin slots), but still, it seems like an area of concentrated force. This will be interesting to watch.Quote:
Heel plate appears to be the same as that of the Vipec, but powers-that-be told me not to use the Vipec plate but to remove it and install the plate that came with Tecton. The Tecton plate I used had a different screw pattern than Vipec (same width but longer), so I drilled a new set of heel holes. I have not gotten clear on whether I have a demo plate and the regular Tecton plate uses same screw pattern as Vipec, or if you’ll always need new holes. When I clarify this I’ll update here and our Tecton FAQ.)
... Thom
Looks like the heel fitting keys allow for a shallow heel cup, saving weight. The cup still has some lip curvature though, so the keys aren't doing all the work fixing the hell laterally.
That was my take as well (the design goal of saving weight via a shallower heel cup), but I'm definitely taking a wait and see approach with them.
... Thom
The only thing fritschi could bring to the table for me are working brakes...
Agreed about brake deployment being a bit finicky. They're still my binding of choice for anything but uber-light. #2 would likely be a coin toss between G3 & ATK. I think Lindahl's approach (a page or two back) is the way to go as far as fixing Vipec brake deployment.
... Thom
I filed them, and lubed them. It improved deployment but the spring is just too weak when the snow freezes. Still my fav binding.Quote:
Originally Posted by galibier_numero_un
At the end of the day, it seems as if brake reliability implies weight (robustness).
I've been threatening (to myself) for well over a year to pick up a set of B&D leashes to gain some confidence in their efficacy - use both for a while until gaining enough confidence in them to remove the brakes. This has been a screwy season for me, and a lot of gear experimentation didn't happen.
... Thom
Just throwing a half ass brake for the sake of having a brake that usually deploys in the showroom is bullshit.
I was looking in to fusible link leashes. I NEVER fall, but it's a bit unerving when half the time the breaks don't deploy when I step out of the binding.
^^^im soooo much better than you.
I agree with you, but in fairness, I haven't seen a tech binding with brakes that work as well as an alpine binding's. It has to be the weight thing, although the Ions' brakes are acceptable, as would be the Vipecs' if they'd deploy dependably (I'm slowly dialing them in - don't want to file away too much plastic).Quote:
Originally Posted by daught
The last Dyna-fiddle brakes I played with were the Comfort/Vertical generations and they were downright scary.
... Thom
never had a problem with vertical brakes on 3-4 different sets of dynafit bindings from 92-132 mm
Cool, what about retention, release and elasticityQuote:
Originally Posted by hoarhey
I'm sticking with old tech...
frustrating that these new bindings struggle so with the brakes
Methinks you're experiencing a bit of the IAE (Internet Amplification Effect).Quote:
Originally Posted by hoarhey
If you judge a brake on it's function (to stop a ski), then the Ions and Vipecs are far superior to the TLT Comfort and Vertical generations. I have no experience with Radicals. With the Comfort/Vertical, the brake arms swing open dependably, but the springs are so weak that I'd call them ski "slower-downers" rather than brakes.
Another thing to keep in mind with the Vipecs (much as I'd feel more comfortable if they deployed more smoothly on the bench right out of the box) ... if you release from a ski, it's bouncing, vibrating and flexing, and renders all of this non-deploying brake commentary somewhat academic. The stickiness we're reporting requires very little vibration to free the brake.
One caveat regarding daught's point: I don't ski in the PNW where wet snow might change the equation in terms of icing. I'll bet Alpy and Lee can comment further with respect to wet snow.
... Thom
If you don't like the way the brakes work, then dump them and go with a leash. A lighter option and you won't be digging around for a lost ski.
This.Quote:
Originally Posted by Choucas
While they do always deploy in a rather elegant fashion, the RAD1 & Vert brakes don't necessarily stop well IMEQuote:
Originally Posted by hoarhey
I have seen a dynafit ski/rad binding still go a very long way with the brake deployed on a couple of occasions, once on a hard blue ski hill run and once in the BC in dust on an alpine crust, they just don't work the way I have come to expect from alpine binding brakes,
one thing I tried was swapping salomon brake guardian arms (cheaper than dynafit) into a RAD brake assmebly , it works well/ deploys well but the springs are so weak the arms don't stay down so i tried to figure out another way to strengthen the springs but couldn't, i figure they will work fine in pow and they are now on a pow ski
I Got some BnD leashes they work well on any sized ski, I haven't had to try out the safety link but it should work, but brakes are just more convenient so I put brakes back on the ski they were used on for now, still I think i will use the BnD on big pow days so I don't lose the ski
^^^ ThisQuote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
^^^ and this (yes ... mostly the weak springs as opposed to the arms).Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
Dynafit = leash ... at least TLT Comfort & Vertical generations (I'll let folks with later generations speak to those bindings).
... Thom
Now that the Marker KP is apparently dead in the US for this upcoming season, it seems Fritschi has entered the market with perfect timing. I do a lot of sidecountry/slackcountry, and a lot of skinning in-bounds early in the morning before work at my local hill. About 50/50 for lift days and skinning days. I was hoping to pick up some kingpins this summer to replace my tank-like Barons, but my local shop sold out just the other day.
Came on here to see what else is out there. Tecton looks like a good fit for me, and would allow me to up my touring game in the BC this winter. Guess I will pick up a pair in October and report back once we have some skiable snow in NM.
Report back with some naked pics of your girlfriend.
Don't have a girlfriend. Only a wife. And she'll be about 8 months pregnant come November. If you are into that, I hear there are some specialty websites available.Quote:
Originally Posted by plugboots
Nice to meet you too!
Not even talking the Tecton, but I got a few days in on the black Vipecs late last season in both great and shit conditions, and I'd ski that binding everyday and inbounds. Toured and skied very very well. I'm thinking the Tecton is going to be a winner.