Fritschi Tecton

**TahoeJ** · 02-01-2018, 07:40 AM

Okay, sounds like I misunderstood then and the 120 should likely end up being fine once bent and pinched into place. Thanks for the feedback. Stoked to try these, I can already tell the toe is going to be a hell of a lot easier to step into than kingpins.

**LightRanger** · 02-01-2018, 01:01 PM

Yeah, they retract inward on deployment. Without actually mounting the bindings and putting in your boot, you're going to have trouble showing clearance. *Might* be able to show with two hands and somebody else taking the photo.

**LeeLau** · 02-05-2018, 10:12 AM

Fritschi Evo and Tecton review

https://www.newschoolers.com/news/re...ouring-Binding

**kid-kapow** · 02-05-2018, 11:03 AM

Thorough and well written review Lee! I am glad that hopefully more people get on the vipec/tecton bandwagon instead of radicals

**Solesides** · 02-05-2018, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Fritschi Evo and Tecton review

News to me that the TLT6 will not work with the Tecton. Is there more information on this somewhere? I've been using my green TLT6s with the Tecton and have been doing ok. Every once in a while when switching into ski mode and trying to lock the heel down, the binding will over rotate and go into the vertical position. Can usually start the process over and get sufficient purchase after another try and have had no prelease issues. Am I just getting away with it and leaving myself vulnerable to double ejecting on hardpack when the time comes to stop skiing pow?

Edit: Would think the "boot compatibility information" PDF from Fritschi on the BD site would say something about TLT6 issues. They have feedback on the TLT7, and the statement "almost all boots are compatible with both Fritschi bindings" leads me to believe if there were a problem with the 6, it would've been indicated in that write up..

Also, just seeing a customer service tech on Evo.com in the Q/A for Tecton answers YEP! to the question "Does this binding work with the TLT6?"

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com...ts_2017-18.pdf

**LeeLau** · 02-05-2018, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by Solesides

News to me that the TLT6 will not work with the Tecton. Is there more information on this somewhere? I've been using my green TLT6s with the Tecton and have been doing ok. Every once in a while when switching into ski mode and trying to lock the heel down, the binding will over rotate and go into the vertical position. Can usually start the process over and get sufficient purchase after another try and have had no prelease issues. Am I just getting away with it and leaving myself vulnerable to double ejecting on hardpack when the time comes to stop skiing pow?

Edit: Would think the "boot compatibility information" PDF from Fritschi on the BD site would say something about TLT6 issues. They have feedback on the TLT7, and the statement "almost all boots are compatible with both Fritschi bindings" leads me to believe if there were a problem with the 6, it would've been indicated in that write up..

Also, just seeing a customer service tech on Evo.com in the Q/A for Tecton answers YEP! to the question "Does this binding work with the TLT6?"

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com...ts_2017-18.pdf

I may have been misunformed. I was told that lack of substantive heel ledge impaired the heel function. I'll check with Fritschi again on that

**LightRanger** · 02-05-2018, 01:50 PM

Nice review, Lee.

Personally, do you think all the other benefits of the binding (over others available at the moment) outweigh the knee fall issue? Assuming similar use scenario and excluding next year's Salomon Shift. (I know this is subjective.)

I assume the answer is yes.

**summit** · 02-05-2018, 01:52 PM

TLT5 works with my Tectons for meadowskipping... but I did buy some of those kingpin things that I was gonna throw on

I need new boots...

**LeeLau** · 02-05-2018, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by LightRanger

Nice review, Lee.

Personally, do you think all the other benefits of the binding (over others available at the moment) outweigh the knee fall issue? Assuming similar use scenario and excluding next year's Salomon Shift. (I know this is subjective.)

I assume the answer is yes.

Yes.

And I wish Fritschi had explained the toe punch potential hazard better as opposed to letting me and consumers find that out themselves.

But I thought it was fair to let them explain the safety benefits. Once they did I accept that there is a very real safety benefit and accept the trade-off

**LightRanger** · 02-05-2018, 02:39 PM

Gotcha. That makes sense.

**ffmedic84** · 02-05-2018, 02:41 PM

Great review. Can't wait to get my new boots so I can get these mounted.

**telemon10** · 02-05-2018, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by Solesides

News to me that the TLT6 will not work with the Tecton. Is there more information on this somewhere? I've been using my green TLT6s with the Tecton and have been doing ok. Every once in a while when switching into ski mode and trying to lock the heel down, the binding will over rotate and go into the vertical position. Can usually start the process over and get sufficient purchase after another try and have had no prelease issues. Am I just getting away with it and leaving myself vulnerable to double ejecting on hardpack when the time comes to stop skiing pow?

Edit: Would think the "boot compatibility information" PDF from Fritschi on the BD site would say something about TLT6 issues. They have feedback on the TLT7, and the statement "almost all boots are compatible with both Fritschi bindings" leads me to believe if there were a problem with the 6, it would've been indicated in that write up..

Also, just seeing a customer service tech on Evo.com in the Q/A for Tecton answers YEP! to the question "Does this binding work with the TLT6?"

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com...ts_2017-18.pdf

Interesting. I emailed customer service at BD asking specifically if the TLT5 was compatible and said they weren't sure and referred me to Fritschi, whom I haven't heard from.

**Solesides** · 02-05-2018, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Summit

but I did buy some of those kingpin things that I was gonna throw on

Got a link? These are the brackets that get drilled into the heel to extend the ledge?

**summit** · 02-05-2018, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Solesides

Got a link? These are the brackets that get drilled into the heel to extend the ledge?

yes I bought them from REI online a couple months ago... only place I could find them

**NorCalNomad** · 02-05-2018, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Yes.

And I wish Fritschi had explained the toe punch potential hazard better as opposed to letting me and consumers find that out themselves.

But I thought it was fair to let them explain the safety benefits. Once they did I accept that there is a very real safety benefit and accept the trade-off

I kinda wish I could just buy the heels and run some 2nd gen or 3rd gen vipec toes that still released in a knee to ski fall.

**Spyderjon** · 02-05-2018, 06:33 PM

Kingpin din adaptor: https://www.rei.com/product/885817/m...-adaptor-piece

I've got a couple of pairs of the two hole version left in stock:
https://www.thepisteoffice.com/index...er-detail.html

**LeeLau** · 02-05-2018, 07:11 PM

Yah what spyderjon said. EVO, MEC are out of it. Basically it extends the heel ledge

**summit** · 02-05-2018, 09:35 PM

130mm slightly bent fit Lotus 138s

**Solesides** · 02-06-2018, 10:45 AM

Thanks for the info on the kingpin adapters. May give that a look..

Question for people about your experience with play/slop in the toe piece while touring with the toes locked out: I understand there is a considerable amount of mobility/play in the toe built into the design, but one of the my toes feels considerably sloppier than the other. While touring uphill on an off-angle skintrack, this often results in a lot of lateral play in the heel on every stride, like a constant outward rotational twisting with every step. Compared to the rigidity of an Ion or Radical, that constant slipping of the heel seems to be aggravating the knees more than is typical. Think this is just something that must be accepted with the Tecton design?

**LeeLau** · 02-10-2018, 01:16 PM

Heard back from Fritschi and official word is as I stated in article ie boots must have substantial heel ledge to work on Tecton. TLT6 and Proclines (the examples I used) aren't recommended with Tecton.

Pic of TLT6 and Vulcan with Beast fitting in Tecton. Atomic Backland fitting somewhat looks like Beast fitting so this is FYI

**kid-kapow** · 02-10-2018, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Solesides

Question for people about your experience with play/slop in the toe piece while touring with the toes locked out: I understand there is a considerable amount of mobility/play in the toe built into the design, but one of the my toes feels considerably sloppier than the other.

is the pin insertion set up correctly up front when this play is evident? I cannot remember ever experiencing said play in either vipec or tecton, but i can remember some slop up front in ski mode due to changing boots and needing to ever so slightly having to adjust the pins up front. I might be way off

**TahoeJ** · 02-15-2018, 11:42 PM

First day on my Tectons today. Coming from Kingpins. Initial thoughts...

- At least for my Cochise 120 soles, these are about a million times easier to step into than kingpins. First try most of the time. They do tend to gather a little snow around the mini toe stomp pad but not a big deal to clear out. I've noticed keeping my boot flatter more like stepping into a regular DH binding seems to work pretty well.

- They tour nicely, like most pin bindings. Only used the short heel riser but all was good. I was careful about not stomping too hard on the brake pad... or falling forward while touring, which isn't something I do often anyway.

- Skied them inbounds, including in some bumps on 115mm backcountry skis that only weigh 3.7 kg. So not a lot of dampening from the skis. It's hard to say without a proper back to back test, but it certainly seems like the toe elasticity in ski mode helps. Took a few small drops and they were confidence inspiring.

No crashes so can't comment on release. (actually, I had sort of a hot tub type deal off a rock landing in deep powder where you wouldn't expect a release, and they didn't, so that was good)

**jacob_dbu** · 02-15-2018, 11:55 PM

I took some 10 footers inbounds on these with the ZG and I loved every minute of it.

**LightRanger** · 02-16-2018, 12:16 PM

So what's the final verdict on brake width for a 116mm ski? 110s or 120s?

**NorCalNomad** · 02-16-2018, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Heard back from Fritschi and official word is as I stated in article ie boots must have substantial heel ledge to work on Tecton. TLT6 and Proclines (the examples I used) aren't recommended with Tecton.

Pic of TLT6 and Vulcan with Beast fitting in Tecton. Atomic Backland fitting somewhat looks like Beast fitting so this is FYI

Glad I was able to grab one of the TLT5/6 Kingping adapters for when I finally get some Tectons. The shop that I got them from had a bunch of packages that were missing screws though, due to flimsy packaging :/ Be aware of that if you are buying one from local shop.

Originally Posted by LightRanger

So what's the final verdict on brake width for a 116mm ski? 110s or 120s?

110s if you are getting them new.