salomon 914 + AT boots - paging LASERANIMAL

[upallnight]

the current salomon 914, with its (non-auto) adjustable toe height and mechanical AFD, looks like it might be a good candidate for an inbounds ski for someone who uses AT boots. while these are clearly essential characteristics for an alpine to have any chance or reliably releasing a vibram-soled boot, it took pechelman to point out to me that the S914 had them. seems like those characteristics have been going the way of the dinosaur. thanks, pechelman.

i was doing some web research and found a post from laseranimal on another site -- presumably the same one on here. laseranimal, do you have a follow-up from your October xx, 2007 post on backcountryworld.com?

Specifically, you wrote:
"I've also been doing some digging and it looks like the new Salomon 914 bindings have an adjustable toe height, and moving toe wings, plus a moving AFD pad, which theoretically would allow them to work with a rockered AT boot sole. I was planning on picking up a pair anyway so I'll report back when I get a chance to test their release characteristics."

Any update? I'm really curious.

Thank you!

[H-wood]

with the mechanical afd, they'll probably torque test ok. my vibram'ed alpine boots torqued out fine in salomon 900's w/ no moving afd (high DIN though).

if you do use a higher (say over 9-10) DIN, i think shell flex could be a concern- some AT boots are super soft, and the shell could flex or distort, which could make it harder to release. that's why bindings w/ a DIN range over 15 have been considered non-retail- alpine boots can flex or distort at settings higher than that.

[laseranimal]

I've since gotten the chance to fondle a pair in a shop, but I didn't get a chance to stick an AT boot in them. I've fit a pair of AT boots into a pair of 977's, so the salomon design will accept a rockered sole. The issue I've been having is that I can't get the release values consistent enough for my liking.

I have been able to get in spec with a pair of Mojo 15's, it requires lowering the toe DIN value to 6, when torque tested it calibrates out at an effective DIN of 9(which is my normal setting) and repeats within range.

With the Salomon's I'd get numbers all over the board, I think its because there isn't a moving AFD on the 977's and despite the toe height adjustment I can't get the vibram off the AFD.

So I'm going to go out on a limb and say that a moving AFD is FAR more important then toe height adjustment when it comes to AT boots in Alpine bindings. However without the ability to move the toe you still have a LOT of excess friction to overcome.

In theory IF the Salomon toe height adjustment range on the 914's is high enough, with the moving AFD, you should be able to get a fairly standard release.

[pechelman]

theory is great
i agree with all this theory.

BUT

Does anyone have actual test results?

summit?


bump