Fritschi Vipec review thread

yeah, for me it was very hard to get into one of the two bindings, since the toe piece would not open as wide as the other one. fritschie told me "thats because it has been used so much" ??

and this

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Originally Posted by LeeLau

NEVER EVER TRUST A FIRST GENERATION TOURING BINDING YOU MORONS.

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i had a set of "test" fritschi vipecs which were supposed to not have the "pin-falls-off" problem anymore. well, on the second day i used them, a pin came off while climbing. i noticed and was able to tighten it, but it kept getting lose. still on the second day, after about three turns from the summit, the heel piece broke.
before that, the binding worked very well for skiing, not so much for climbing. the toe cant really be locked, so it comes off once in a while (especially while traversing on hard snow).
fritschi, try again.

freak~[http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...ilies/fish.gif&http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...lies/ghost.gif]

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Originally Posted by freak

yeah, for me it was very hard to get into one of the two bindings, since the toe piece would not open as wide as the other one. fritschie told me "thats because it has been used so much" ??

and this



i had a set of "test" fritschi vipecs which were supposed to not have the "pin-falls-off" problem anymore. well, on the second day i used them, a pin came off while climbing. i noticed and was able to tighten it, but it kept getting lose. still on the second day, after about three turns from the summit, the heel piece broke.
before that, the binding worked very well for skiing, not so much for climbing. the toe cant really be locked, so it comes off once in a while (especially while traversing on hard snow).
fritschi, try again.

freak~[http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...ilies/fish.gif&http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...lies/ghost.gif]

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I like how no one ever has pictures of shit like this. I used mine on two 30+ mile trips and several afternoon tours this year with no issues. And I am a heavy bastard.

Why should we believe you ... any pictures?

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Originally Posted by XXX-er

Why should we believe you ... any pictures?

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Do you want pictures of the unbroken bindings, or time lapse video of the 4 day trip with frequent looking of the camera at the bindings?

Only if you can show the toe pieces good side.

Smashed into the floor with a sledge.

Should only take a couple half swings from a large baby -

Without pictures did it really happen, how I can i be sure you really are a heavy bastard ?

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Originally Posted by Climber Joe

I like how no one ever has pictures of shit like this. I used mine on two 30+ mile trips and several afternoon tours this year with no issues. And I am a heavy bastard.

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yes, freak doesn't ski, clearly you are superior.

another day, another festival of bullshit. maybe dunfee can create a "real tech talk forum".

Eh one picture of the pin failure is enough for people to confirm they've had similar. Haven't paid much attention to this binding but I think I've seen one or two pictures if the problem. Of the recent ones I think the tracker/guardian and the plums both had failures enough to be an issue.

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Originally Posted by freak

well, i usually dont take pictures of my gear. i might even have one with the missing pin though... but then, why would people make this up? im fairly light by the way, and dont ski hard. and the vipes basically failed for everyone i know...

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You mentioned breaking the heel piece though. How did that happen?

the things (are they called threads?) in the base-plate of the heel-piece which are needed to adjust the forward pressure were the reason. they did not really come off, but they all got "flattened out" (pieces were missing), so the heel pieces just slid around on the baseplate. does that make sense? sorry for not knowing the right words.

it just happened after 3 or 4 turns on the second day. i was skiing a fairly steep north face but in very good snow, so i do not think there was much force on the binding. i skied with a very heavy backback on hard snow the day before and everything was fine there...

freak~[http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...ilies/fish.gif&http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...lies/ghost.gif]

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Originally Posted by freak

are you actually still skiing? you wouldnt believe how crowded everything got over here...
freak~[http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...ilies/fish.gif&http://www.freeskiers.net/community/...lies/ghost.gif]

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Not in the continental jet-setter way anymore, no. Many of the places I liked are crowded, or bulldozed now. That's "progress".

I still maintain that if you moved Stubai to the Lower 48 it'd be a "must ski destination" and there'd be hundreds of people here jizzing over it.

Add my name to the list of experimenters. I snagged a pair off of geartrade.com for $312 after the activejunk.com 2% rebate and free shipping. The binders were backcountry.com returns. Geartrade.com is where they dump pretty much all returns from what I gather.

Is it snowing yet?

I'm now in for experimenting as well. Grabbed the last pair from bc.com at 35% off. Couldn't resist.

Yea, I was looking at those. I decided I'll but from mec at full price. These are one of those things I want "no questions" warranty.

anyone know the range of adjustment for BSL on this binding?

wildsnow has the mounting document which has it listed. with guideplate 25 its 25mm. 60 is 60mm.

https://www.wildsnow.com/11228/mount...ritschi-vipec/

New update for 14/15 season (see wildsnow)
I'm in! :cool:

Can anybody quantify the actual magnitude of these changes? They seem good, but don't seem like game changers.

Disclosure: I do have last years that I never used since I snagged them off geartrade in July or August. Not planning on dumping them.

Having the adjustable pin moved on the right makes sense, as it will tighten itself under load, as opposed with untightening when installed on the left. Redesigned springs for easier exits and some kind of guides for easier step-in. Apparently nothing at the heel piece (see the icing problems...?). I almost bought the first iteration. Now I will get this one. At least I am happy to see that their engineers are eager to lessen and fix the stuff that can be fixed.

Vipec jig just showed up at the shop. Guess we're carrying vipecs.

will read thru TR between mounts:)

Tell your clients to carry full mcgyvered tool set if leaving a 10 minute radius of their car. Read through the changes and doesn't make me feel any better about the binding. Love the heel and everything working longitudinally along ski, but that toe sucks ass and if you need that kind of release, even though I hate to say it, get some f12s.

Noted. Thanx man.:)

I played with a mounted pair today. What chances of the ski/tour lever vibrating down to tour mode when chattering at high speed on steep icy melt-freeze?

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Originally Posted by neck beard

I played with a mounted pair today. What chances of the ski/tour lever vibrating down to tour mode when chattering at high speed on steep icy melt-freeze?

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I don't see that happening. Its a pretty stiff action in my experience/

I also just ordered a new pair of these guys, so I'll chime in again once I get my hands on them.

Hey!

I am looking into new bindings which will match my new Praxis BC skis. Here is my list and since I do not know about how tech bindings feels when skiing compare to traditional AT i am looking for some advice. I will be skiing a mix of inbound and outbound (goomers) and I am looking for a all around binding which would be light for touring and stable for piste skiing.

Please recommend or give me more info how I should pick or what do you recommend:

- Diamir Vipec 12 (14/15)
- Dynafit Beast 14 or 16
- Marker Kingpin

or maybe something in hybird version like Diamir Scout , Tyrolia Ambition, Marker Tour F12.

How is with safety or Lateral elasticity between them?

Thanks for help and comments.

My new Vipecs just came in. I'm at work though so pictures will have to wait. The pin that slots into the adjustment screw is a nice little bit of KISS design, coupled with moving it to the right. But I wonder if there would ever need for the pin adjustment to be at a 1/4 of a turn difference, since the pin only allows for 1/2 adjustments.

Kinda bummed they didn't address the rear icing problem, but I'm going to see what I can do to make a baffle to shield that opening out of some inflatable kiteboarding bladder material

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Originally Posted by çayzi

Hey!

I am looking into new bindings which will match my new Praxis BC skis. Here is my list and since I do not know about how tech bindings feels when skiing compare to traditional AT i am looking for some advice. I will be skiing a mix of inbound and outbound (goomers) and I am looking for a all around binding which would be light for touring and stable for piste skiing.

Please recommend or give me more info how I should pick or what do you recommend:

- Diamir Vipec 12 (14/15)
- Dynafit Beast 14 or 16
- Marker Kingpin

or maybe something in hybird version like Diamir Scout , Tyrolia Ambition, Marker Tour F12.

How is with safety or Lateral elasticity between them?

Thanks for help and comments.

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wot colour are your skis?

I do not see why color is important here. But maybe for you matters. :))

Hey! Arkadaş!

What you need to do is use the search function on the website for each of the bindings you're interested in learning more about. When you do, it will pull up a thread about that specific binding which could have several pages of collective knowledge about that binding. You'll need to read thru it, do your homework, access the appropriate knowledge and if you have specific question, post it in that thread.

You'll find better response rather than simply asking "what binding should I buy". That is really a question for you to ask at a local ski shop that carries that type of gear.

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Originally Posted by çayzi

I do not see why color is important here. But maybe for you matters. :))

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You yourself said that you wish to purchase new bindings that match your skis.

So, wot colour?

Can these bindings accept Scarpa F3 boots? Is there enough height of the toe piece pad to keep the boot from flexing and possibly pre-releasing?

Picked up a rev2 pair. Coming off MFDs so I'm excited to shed the weight. Sold on the similarity to alpine toe release.

I got a pair of Vipecs late last season and put about a dozen days on them in spring conditions, here's my review FWIW.

The pair I received were from the "second wave" of post pin fallout bindings and had blue threadlocker already installed on the adjustable pin. I was paranoid from the stories here of dropped pins so I took them out, cleaned and applied red 271, probably unnecessary considering the factory applied threadlocker but, no issues on that front so far. Mounted myself with template from BD, pretty straight forward.

I've put a dozen days on them half of which were day trips touring for turns or kite skiing, the balance overnighters with a pack, or pulling a heavy pulk, no lift served use yet - hope to get that this season. I had two releases vertical skiing sticky spring snow when they should have and another two touring when the skis hooked under some nasty refrozen crusts but, interestingly no unwanted ejections from off camber jump landings while kite skiing as sometimes happens with the Dynafits, maybe the elasticity is helping here? Touring ease, entry and exit are similar to Dynafit; a number of times upon exit the brakes failed to deploy and had some instances of resistance to toe release on exit due to sticky snow, but no brake release failures during forced ejections. The heel lifters are really slick and work with the flick of a pole basket, a far cry from my Vertical ST's. I also got the ski crampons and they worked flawlessly ascending the Grasshopper Glacier for multiple laps of turns in early July.

The one gripe I have is that the adjustable toe pin on both bindings is wearing faster than the fixed one on the other side, the points are rounded off and there is some galling on the tip beyond the radius of the point. The fixed pins appear to be of a harder alloy and are in perfect condition. No resulting binding slop, or release issues yet and I know the adjustable pins are replaceable but, an area of weakness that could be easily addressed none the less.

Overall, I like the bindings and don't regret my decision to buy them, pretty good first year effort considering the low volume tech touring binding market. It's good to see some progress in the way of tech binding toe/heel elasticity and actual DIN release, hope it inspires the rest of the tech binding market to do the same.

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Originally Posted by jonam

Can these bindings accept Scarpa F3 boots? Is there enough height of the toe piece pad to keep the boot from flexing and possibly pre-releasing?

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Well on my new 14-15 Vipecs and 2012 Black Diamond Primes the sole does not touch the toe unit. I'll know on tuesday if La Sportiva Spectre's sole touches the toe piece. I'm guessing they made it so it won't though to avoid having to integrate an AFD.

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Originally Posted by sweetdaddy

I've put a dozen days on them half of which were day trips touring for turns or kite skiing,

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Sweet to hear as I plan on using mine for kiting as well.

This is probably going to sound like a stupid question, but I've never used ski brakes on touring bindings. Just had vipec's mounted on my inbounds skis and it seems like the ski brake is going to lower with each step. I don't see any mechanism to hold it up while in tour mode, such as rotating the heel units on new dynafits seem to do. The binding is the 14/15 release. TIA

[edit - I just looked at the bindings again. If you're in tour mode and using a heel lift the brake stay deployed. I can't believe this is by design, so assuming the shop assembled them wrong. Back to the shop...]

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Originally Posted by rush

This is probably going to sound like a stupid question, but I've never used ski brakes on touring bindings. Just had vipec's mounted on my inbounds skis and it seems like the ski brake is going to lower with each step. I don't see any mechanism to hold it up while in tour mode, such as rotating the heel units on new dynafits seem to do. The binding is the 14/15 release. TIA

[edit - I just looked at the bindings again. If you're in tour mode and using a heel lift the brake stay deployed. I can't believe this is by design, so assuming the shop assembled them wrong. Back to the shop...]

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With the boot still in the binding, flip the levers on the heel back into tour mode. Make sure it locks back into place. Now lift your heel, and the brakes stay up. Magic.

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Originally Posted by Climber Joe

With the boot still in the binding, flip the levers on the heel back into tour mode. Make sure it locks back into place. Now lift your heel, and the brakes stay up. Magic.

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Magic indeed. Thank you.

Had my set out for the first time today after mounting myself. I had to fiddle with the pins to get them set up correctly. Anyone else have problems with this? Not the stripping/backing out problem but getting the width right? I'd put the boot in and get it adjusted. Then tighten it. I'd put the boot back in and it would still be off and need like 2-3 more turns to adjust again. It took me at least 3 times per ski.

I didn't have an issue stepping in. I'm not sure if the alignment things helped but it was my first set of tech/pin bindings so I didn't have to adjust from my previous pair. I really liked the ski/tour transition. It felt really solid when I used my pole handle. It was easier for me to take my heel out first then the toe. So in tour I keep my heel up but move to ski mode. Then pop the toe out. When in ski I move to tour but not all the way so the brakes lock and then pop the toe out.

I got to test the toe release about 2s after starting down. Forgot to move the rv from the minimum. Oops.