chills for dynafit users....

[manderson]

a tlt heel piece will fit the holes in the ski but may or may not end up in the right place if you already mounted comforts.

I borrowed a friends jig last month when I mounted a pair of Comforts. The holes were the same for the TLT and the Comfort for my boot length. I know the comforts have more adjustment but I think if I mounted TLTs in the same holes they would fit perfectly.

A spare toe is ~$75 from Life-Link

Thanks

[AltaPowderDaze]

so far, i've mounted dynafits 5 times freehand and once with a jig. those have taught me that manufacturing specs are not followed very tightly by boot makers or on the base plates. i mount the boots ski specific (left/right) and stick with it. you'll be suprised how far off they can be with a jig mount or a shitty free hand mount for that matter.

[sar13]

This may be a very rare breakage issue but I do know a guy who broke one heel pin off each of his comfort heels. Probably a bad mount and wasn't lined up well but considering how little it would add to the weight of your pack, carrying a spare heel piece might not be a bad idea if you had one.

I also second the suggestion of doing a practice mount on some old skis or even a 2x4. Especially if you are using the TLT heel and want to make sure the forward pressure is correct.

[Jonathan S.]

that new toe plate is heavier by 6oz if i recall. it also raises your toe higher off the ski and will require that most crampon manufacturers modify their current crampons.

Recall from where/whom? Lou Dawson said it's heavier, and then when I posted a comment questioning exactly how heavy, he replied:
"Jonathan, the bindings are on a ski at the moment so I can’t weigh the reinforcement plate, but it’s very small and minimal — and can easily be removed. Indeed, it appears the rest of the [06-07 Comfort model] binding is the same, though they also claim that the toe plate is stronger."
(Hmm, so this means that Lou's son mounted up the new binding without weighing it first?)
Also, judging by the picture, lift doesn't seem to be increased by more than a mm or two.
Maybe your impressions are based on the new Vertical FT & ST models?
(Overview of new models here: http://pistehors.com/comments/564_0_1_0_C/ )

[AltaPowderDaze]

Recall from where/whom?

i have two sets of next years toe plates right in front of me. i compared them to last years and weighed them myself. depending on how high they raised the heel, a few mm's in the toe can change the ramp angle enough to notice.

[upallnight]

i have two sets of next years toe plates right in front of me. i compared them to last years and weighed them myself. depending on how high they raised the heel, a few mm's in the toe can change the ramp angle enough to notice.

Dynafits already have a positive ramp angle; I'm not so sure that they need *more*.

[AltaPowderDaze]

Dynafits already have a positive ramp angle; I'm not so sure that they need *more*.

gotta do something to offset the AT boot's lack there of. _ 22 degrees works but it'd be nice to have more when charging.

[Jonathan S.]

i have two sets of next years toe plates right in front of me. i compared them to last years and weighed them myself. depending on how high they raised the heel, a few mm's in the toe can change the ramp angle enough to notice.

So is it 6 oz per *pair* of toe plates? (And where/how did you get them so soon?) Also, I wasn't referring to the impact on the ski-binding delta, but rather the ski crampon issue that you raised: I can tell the difference in skiing performance from a few mm, but I don't think a few mm in ski crampon penetration is going to be noticeable.

[AltaPowderDaze]

So is it 6 oz per *pair* of toe plates?

sorry, i just got curious and weighed the new plates. they weigh only 2.8oz per pair. it's not much but they are about 1/3 to 1/2 heavier than the old ones. the weight isn't as much a problem for me as the possibility of being higher off the ski w/ less ramp angle.

[Jonathan S.]

Thanks for the additional info - especially helpful & impressive since Life-Link told me they wouldn't know until they had any and they wouldn't have any for awhile...
So weight penalty of 1.4-1.9 oz per pair - I can definitely deal with that.
I also like to zero-out the delta in all my bindings (alpine race & AT), so I'll be in luck if they don't raise the plastic heel platform at all. For your ideal setup though, start with a stock Comfort binding, substitute in a TLT Classic/Speed toe plate, combined with some 5mm plastic and the original Comfort toe unit screws, then you're all set, right?

[upallnight]

gotta do something to offset the AT boot's lack there of. _ 22 degrees works but it'd be nice to have more when charging.

Well...I think it's a matter of what you're used to, no? It's also a combination of a number of factors in the ski/binding/boot interface that affect that "forward feeling" so desirable when charging.

I should be more precise by saying the Dynafits have a positive delta (to distinguish it from the true ramp angle / footbed angle).

I definitely charge on a neutral Fritschi setup, and I feel the difference when switching to a ski mounted w/ Dynafits....but I never ride alpine gear. If I was switching between alpine & AT, I think I'd feel more backseat with the AT gear, but that was a hurdle I overcame in my first year of riding AT gear full-time.

I accept that my AT boots don't have as much forward lean as alpine boots and AT bindings don't have as much delta, but I've modified the ramp angle (footbed angle) and adapted my technique to compensate.

Having a standard delta on bindings (neutral, for instance) would be cool; that way, you could make the adjustments to your boot (forward lean, heel lift/ramp angle, grinding the sole, etc.) and know they would feel similar whether it was a Fritschi, Dynafit or Salomon binding you were stepping into.

I read that WC racers are moving toward bindings with zero ramp angle (is that accurate?). Also, I would think a standard delta makes some sense as people are more likely to ski the same boot in several bindings than multiple boots in one binding -- not that you could ever get a standard on it.

[harpo-the-skier]

sorry, i just got curious and weighed the new plates. they weigh only 2.8oz per pair. it's not much but they are about 1/3 to 1/2 heavier than the old ones. the weight isn't as much a problem for me as the possibility of being higher off the ski w/ less ramp angle.

The B&D ski crampon mount weigh only 1.76 oz/pair with screws, and are cheaper (about $18.50 vs $32 for the new base plate from Life Link, who just offered me a pair). Plus the B&D mount is included with their 100mm crampon. And they are bomber. Only problem is you have to add two more holes to your skis. Stock, the B&D crampons only work with the B&D mount, but with a little filing they worked with the old Comfort base plate.

Yes, I know 1 oz isn't much, but it can matter to some people, including Jonathan (am I wrong?) and I.

B&D contact info:

Boywdog@aol.com

http://www.bndskigear.com/

[sar13]

J.S. or anyone else who knows:

In the Pistehors pic it looks like the high climbing post has been removed from four TLT models. Since I know I want that high position for some area skin tracks, is the comfort the lightest binding that offers the high climbing position next year?

[Jonathan S.]

I suspect the heel post on the TLT "Speed" (i.e., "Classic" in the U.S.) is still there yet just hard to see in that small low-res pic, both b/c his writeup says it's unchanged, and also b/c would be very odd to remove it when Dynafit is offering two other stripped-down models.
(I've removed the plastic spacers from my heel post, but still use the highest position occassionally, and it also helps for rotating the unit, so I don't see the appeal of lopping it off for such minimal weight savings.)

[powstash]

Walking out of a shoe on a 58-degree couloir is tantamount to death! What happened? What were snow conditions? What ski? Who did the mount? What vintage Fritschi? How heavy is the rider + pack?

Head Monsters - Freerides (grey ones) - I was fresh off the couch at a strapping 210lbs - din was near max at 12 - Yostmark did the mount - conditions were consolidated pow with some wind crust.

It was at the top of the grunge cooler on Timpanogos. The line is 55-60 degrees at the top and mellows to 45ish. My first turn I caught my tips together and the binding (Freeride - grey color from two years ago) just popped off as I landed on the hop turn. Funny how just before that I was sitting there thinking, "Ok mang. Don't friggin' fall or you're a dead man. Boy that would suck to lose a ski here" and then it happened. I thought I was going to be a pinball on a high speed descent.

Fortunately I was able to dig in the whippets and stopped after 4-5 feet of sliding while my ski by some miracle wedged into the snow another 10 feet below me. I shimmied down and managed to get my ski on despite shaking.

That wasn't the reason for me selling my freerides (both pairs) to get some Dynafits but I'm super happy I did.

Edit: I suppose the other reason for getting rid of freerides is that I don't really ski the resort any more so having a pair of binders that let's me go back and forth (resort to bc) in a day wasn't a necessity any longer.

[upallnight]

Head Monsters - Freerides (grey ones) - I was fresh off the couch at a strapping 210lbs - din was near max at 12 - Yostmark did the mount - conditions were consolidated pow with some wind crust.

It was at the top of the grunge cooler on Timpanogos. The line is 55-60 degrees at the top and mellows to 45ish. My first turn I caught my tips together and the binding (Freeride - grey color from two years ago) just popped off as I landed on the hop turn. Funny how just before that I was sitting there thinking, "Ok mang. Don't friggin' fall or you're a dead man. Boy that would suck to lose a ski here" and then it happened. I thought I was going to be a pinball on a high speed descent.

Fortunately I was able to dig in the whippets and stopped after 4-5 feet of sliding while my ski by some miracle wedged into the snow another 10 feet below me. I shimmied down and managed to get my ski on despite shaking.

That wasn't the reason for me selling my freerides (both pairs) to get some Dynafits but I'm super happy I did.

Edit: I suppose the other reason for getting rid of freerides is that I don't really ski the resort any more so having a pair of binders that let's me go back and forth (resort to bc) in a day wasn't a necessity any longer.

That is a chilling story!

TH's comment earlier in the thread implied it was an improper release (he said you "walked out of Fritschis on a 58 degree couloir", which is pretty misleading -- sounds like a legit release). That story, while scary, is not really a point against Fritschis. (The reason I asked about the binding + mount was because it might be relevant for a pre-release, but it's irrelevant otherwise.)

I think I have a little more margin for error in mine coming in @ 40 lbs less (w/o pack).

Agree with you on the IB/OB bit. If I never skied the resort, it would be rare for me to use my Fritschis. I pretty much only use them for lift-served BC, and all other touring happens w/ Dynafits.

[Jonathan S.]

sorry, i just got curious and weighed the new plates. they weigh only 2.8oz per pair. it's not much but they are about 1/3 to 1/2 heavier than the old ones. the weight isn't as much a problem for me as the possibility of being higher off the ski w/ less ramp angle.

The weight differential for the new Comfort toe plates is 1 oz per pair. (Which is a 35.7-percent increase in the entire toe unit base assembly including screws, which is also a an almost entirely meaningless measure of comparison.) Removing the metal insert near the crampon attachment point prior to mounting reduces the differential from the old toe plate to about 0.2 ounces per pair. (Which is a weight differential reduction of 80 percent, which is even more meaningless than the previously cited percent reduction.)

The rest of the toe plate is still mainly hollow, but adds an extra plastic rib perpendicular to the ski’s longitudinal axis directly underneath the bump on top of the toe plate that engages the bottom end of the tour lever.

The height is unchanged.

Overall, sure seems like the same effect could be achieved by reinforcing the hollow area underneath the toe plate near crampon attachment point reinforced with JB Weld and reinforcing the hollow area forward of the center screw hole post with silicone caulk.

Yes, I know 1 oz isn't much, but it can matter to some people, including Jonathan (am I wrong?) and I.

My scale reads out in increments of 0.2 oz / 5 g, so that's what matters!

[wilcox510]

Jonathon - did you buy a whole new set of bindings, or just order new toe plates for your old ones? So after playing with them a bit, would you recommend getting the new ones for someone who uses the crampons a fair amount, or do you really think reinforcing the old style ones will do?

[Jonathan S.]

I bought some new bindings. (And because of an ordering screwup, I have some extra available - both new & used - if anyone is interested.)

I think the reinforcements I described (credit to Lou Dawson) should be sufficient. (And although Comfort toe plate breakage did occur sometimes, it wasn't like some big epidemic widely affecting lots of Comfort users, so simply not doing anything to address the issue is also a perfectly viable option - after all, it's what I did for years!)

[harpo-the-skier]

Jonathan, I can't get the table you generated to down load. What is the widest ski crampon Dynafit makes?

[Jonathan S.]

It's not in the table, since ski crampons are universal across all Dynafit bindings, but the “widest” Dynafit ski crampons have an interior width of 90mm, which means the maximum stated ski width they can fit is probably more like ~88mm.
Now I know you already know this, but for anyone else reading this an after-market Dynafit-compatible design (though possible problems with the new plate on the 2007 Comfort and Vertical ST/FT) is available here:
http://bndskigear.com/index_files/Page1362.html
. . . with a 100mm model as well as even wider sizes on request. (I’ve never used them, but although the website is not very inspiring, I’ve heard plenty of good reports on them from reliable sources.)

[Jonathan S.]

The weight differential for the new Comfort toe plates is 1 oz per pair. (Which is a 35.7-percent increase in the entire toe unit base assembly including screws, which is also a an almost entirely meaningless measure of comparison.) Removing the metal insert near the crampon attachment point prior to mounting reduces the differential from the old toe plate to about 0.2 ounces per pair. (Which is a weight differential reduction of 80 percent, which is even more meaningless than the previously cited percent reduction.)

The rest of the toe plate is still mainly hollow, but adds an extra plastic rib perpendicular to the ski’s longitudinal axis directly underneath the bump on top of the toe plate that engages the bottom end of the tour lever.

The height is unchanged.

Overall, sure seems like the same effect could be achieved by reinforcing the hollow area underneath the toe plate near crampon attachment point reinforced with JB Weld and reinforcing the hollow area forward of the center screw hole post with silicone caulk.

I experimented with reinforcing an older-style Comfort toe plate: pictures below. Per pair of toe plates, the 2007 version is 2.8 ounces, reinforced older style is 2.4 ounces, 2007 version w/ metal reinforcement removed (not pictured) is 2.0 ounces, and unreinforced older style is 1.8 ounces.

[wilcox510]

Is that JB Weld? If you're just worried about the crampon attachment, whats the point of reinforcing the front part of the plate?

[Jonathan S.]

Yes, JB Weld for the area around the crampon attachment point, so that it's effectively anchored to the back two screw posts, just like with the 07 version.

The silicone caulk up front is to mimic the extra plastic rib reinforcement on the 07 version, so that pressure from putting the toe lever into the 4th or 5th click in extremely cold weather doesn't shatter the plastic. (Although I've heard of only one report of this, it essentially means you can't skin any more, since you can't put the toe lever goes into tour mode by having its end push up against the plastic, so if the plastic is cracked...)

I don't think these mods are especially important - I skied for two years with no problems, and my Dynafit touring partners have never had any problems either. But I had taken the toe plates off for other reasons, and bought some JB Weld and silicone caulk for other reasons, so figured it would be an interesting experiment.

[Jonathan S.]

Better check your ski crampons with your new Comfort or Vertical ST/FT bindings:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing...p?topic=5552.0