The Official Salomon S/Lab SHIFT MNC Thread -AMA

[HAB]

Hoping this hasn't been covered yet, ran through as much of this monster thread as possible.

Unmounted a pair of Shifts a couple days ago to discover that the small plate that holds the two rear toe screws in place has come loose from the rest of the toe assembly. It seems to slide on a small piece of plastic that failed.

Logically, this tiny plastic part can't play a functional role in keeping the binding on the ski, right? Would hate to have to pick up another toe for such a BS reason.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Grabbed a screenshot from a youtube video to show the part in question:

Attachment 418294

Do you mean that the tab that the screws go through slides all the way off the back of the toe? Because that doesn't matter, but if the tab doesn't key into the AFD and hold it down, that's bad.

The good news is that, worst case, you just need a new AFD which comes with the little tab in question.

[thebear]

Sounds like its the former - slides all the way off, but still sits in there securely when slid in. Big relief, thanks.

Do you mean that the tab that the screws go through slides all the way off the back of the toe? Because that doesn't matter, but if the tab doesn't key into the AFD and hold it down, that's bad.

The good news is that, worst case, you just need a new AFD which comes with the little tab in question.

[meter-man]

I stopped following this thread a while ago, so apologies if this has been asked and answered.

When is the second-gen Shift coming?? Ever? Maybe not given how many units Salomon sold.

Such a great concept but (IMNSHO) flawed execution. The Shift has ***almost*** made me buy a Marker (EEEEKKKK) - that's saying a lot.

[WILLSKIFAST]

Holding a pair of shift 120mm brakes. PM if anyone interested!

[TheEleven]

Searched and couldn't find much. Anyone have experience adjusting the AFD with some frequency when switching between alpine and touring soles? Wife has shifts and a dedicated touring ski/binding setup is not in the cards this year, but we found a good deal on some zero G's. She tours about 5-8 days a year so that's how often I'd be making the adjustment.

In my head I'm thinking I can just take a photo/make a mark at each setting and pretty easily go back and forth. But then I've heard of issues of the AFD sort of clicking into place after adjustment causing a secondary adjustment.

For the record, she's had zero issues so far over a couple year of pretty hard use.

[365wp]

Searched and couldn't find...are there any differences across model years? I could buy a pair of Shifts off Amazon using Amazon credit, but I see they are 2021s.

Were there any changes made between 2021 and 2023 that would make this years' bindings preferable?

TIA

[eSock]

Searched and couldn't find much. Anyone have experience adjusting the AFD with some frequency when switching between alpine and touring soles? Wife has shifts and a dedicated touring ski/binding setup is not in the cards this year, but we found a good deal on some zero G's. She tours about 5-8 days a year so that's how often I'd be making the adjustment.

In my head I'm thinking I can just take a photo/make a mark at each setting and pretty easily go back and forth. But then I've heard of issues of the AFD sort of clicking into place after adjustment causing a secondary adjustment.

For the record, she's had zero issues so far over a couple year of pretty hard use.

Not sure a picture would work. They're pretty fickle bindings, I'd personally avoid readjusting more than absolutely necessary unless you're really comfortable doing it. I tried to do my own and ended up prereleasing and losing a ski... Not fun, especially in the BC

[gorek]

Does anyone know how much adjustment can be made on the boot sole length? I'm considering new boots with potentially different sole length and I'd rather avoid re-drilling if possible.

[Shorty_J]

Does anyone know how much adjustment can be made on the boot sole length? I'm considering new boots with potentially different sole length and I'd rather avoid re-drilling if possible.

Have you tried just moving the track around yourself and measuring?

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[SoVT Joey]

Have you tried just moving the track around yourself and measuring?

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why do that when you can just ask?!??! Do you think my pivots will miss STH holes?!? Idiots.

[kid-kapow]

man, I hate this thread.

It is filled with bitter mags who need to pile on the hate of a binding because it did not work for them, where it is pretty conventional wisdom that while fickle, the main issue is still incorrect setup (and keeping them correctly setup (yes, the latter should not be needed)).

Time to move on?

That comes from a mag who has moved on from Shifts, in to small part due to this thread.

we found a good deal on some zero G's. She tours about 5-8 days a year so that's how often I'd be making the adjustment.

zero gs and shift makes no sense, even as a in between step. Save up and see if you can find some Alpinists or other cheap tech bindings, and carry the extra weight until then.

Were there any changes made between 2021 and 2023 that would make this years' bindings preferable?

no.

The only change was an indent on the clear plastic housing on the toe, adding a bump to prevent it going out of walk mode. I think that is it.

Does anyone know how much adjustment can be made on the boot sole length? I'm considering new boots with potentially different sole length and I'd rather avoid re-drilling if possible.

standard is 15mm each way, the template i've used is 10mm to the front, 20mm to the rear if I remember correctly.

You do also have the answer with your bindings - just move fore/aft on one binding and measure - but still, answering the question does not take much of an effort eh.

[altacoup]

^^^
This. I’ve had no problems with my shifts. But they are a pain in the ass to set up correctly and I wouldn’t trust any shop to do it exactly correct. And I certainly wouldn’t want to change boots or use them as an every day binding.


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[~mikey b]

huh

I didn’t find em that hard to set up correctly, my buddy at the ski shop has set up a bunch correctly, I’ve swapped back and forth between two very different boots with no problem, and I have used them for my daily driver groomer ski for a couple winters with no issues, including lots of skinning before and after the lifts spin.

and yet I’ve heard of all sorts of chaos with them


I dunno

[TexasGortex]

huh

I didn’t find em that hard to set up correctly, my buddy at the ski shop has set up a bunch correctly, I’ve swapped back and forth between two very different boots with no problem, and I have used them for my daily driver groomer ski for a couple winters with no issues, including lots of skinning before and after the lifts spin.

and yet I’ve heard of all sorts of chaos with them


I dunno

I hope my experience is like yours! I bought some for sidecountry laps, safe release, and less weight/better skinning than Guardians. I hope I’m not disappointed. This thread scares me every time I open it.

[m2711c]

yer gunna die.

[blitzraider]

I've been using the Shift bindings in the previous season, the brakes are finicky and don't work properly. My shift bindings are on my powder skis. Although I know brakes don't work as well in the powder, the Shift brakes are so tiny they have never actually stopped a ski for me. I've lost my skis a few times, so I use a ski leash with them now.

I know going in that the Shift bindings are a compromise, but it's a decision I'll live with because I still don't know how much I like touring. But is there a way to use these bindings without the brakes? They're so short they don't actually serve any function for me.

I made another thread about this, but I'll probably just delete that one.

[westoxified]

[kid-kapow]

the Shift brakes are so tiny they have never actually stopped a ski for me.

this makes no sense. What you are describing is not the brakes being small - they are not, they are no smaller than any alpine binding, positively large for a touring binding - but more probably that you are riding light snow where no brake is going to do much. So yeah, loosing a ski in those conditions is going to suck, but then again you can run DIN x 1.5 without much to worry about in that kinda snow.

Quick setup guide:
- AFD: make them touch your boot when you place you hand in the boot and press the rear cuff lip backwards
- rear din: up the vertical din by 2 points or so. You will not die, but will prevent pre-releases
- rear din: consider upping the forward pressure. Realize that doing so might create a dead space in the flex pattern if you go to far. But def consider being on the tight side on the rectangle (if that makes no sense to you, then do not debate setting up the binding as you clearly do not understand how to set it up or how it works)

I've had three pre-releases over a lot of days. 100% were due to setup mistakes - like forgetting to adjust din. I've never had a pre-release due to AFD migration, but then again I am tiny and weak.

[PeachesNCream]

I hope my experience is like yours! I bought some for sidecountry laps, safe release, and less weight/better skinning than Guardians. I hope I’m not disappointed. This thread scares me every time I open it.

Shifts have their problems but are miles better than guardians

[blitzraider]

this makes no sense. What you are describing is not the brakes being small - they are not, they are no smaller than any alpine binding, positively large for a touring binding - but more probably that you are riding light snow where no brake is going to do much. So yeah, loosing a ski in those conditions is going to suck, but then again you can run DIN x 1.5 without much to worry about in that kinda snow...

Maybe I'll get some photos later to compare the brakes with my other regular alpine bindings, but they definitely stick out a lot less.

Yea, this year I got some ski leashes and also considering upping the DIN vs my regular alpine DIN setting.

[Any]

The snow has melted here, so I thought I'd better provide an update.

I had approx 50 days inbounds and 40 days backcountry on the shifts in the end.
My terribad first week on them was not repeated throughout the season. I think due to a combination of less sticky snow, But probably mostly because I knew what to expect. I habitually bash the snow out of the troublesome spots before I try to do anything that would compact it and stick it in there. It sucks to have to do, but Kingpins have similar bad spots too, so its not exactly unique.
I thought that I'd miss the extra riser height that other bindings provide, but that wasn't the case. I found the Shift's riser more convenient to put up and down so it turned into a positive instead.

So now I no longer dread touring with them, I'm happy skiing inbounds with them, and even tho I've already destroyed my knees it's nice to think there's a little bit of a safety net to prevent more damage.

I've seen at least 5 people skiing the resort in them without the toe piece clipped down. Seems like some missing education out there :P

Ill be very interesting to see if they bring out a gen2 model.

My photo collection suggests about 57 days backcountry with the shifts this past Aussie season, but probably less than 5 inbounds.
The kingpins got some use also, but my piste skis barely at all. At one point I was wondering why I bothered to buy a season pass.

Now that I've got a good procedure I find myself more often than not choosing the wider waist shift setup I have over my skinnier kingpin setup, even in non-ideal conditions for that ski. This mostly because I prefer the contour skins I have cut for them over the black diamond skins, but it is nice that the shifts aren't affecting my decision making.
It only takes 1 or 2 seconds flip the ski over and bang the snow out before I transition, and that prevents any compaction that causes problems later on. In the end I feel the transition is faster than kingpins.

I've also increased my preference for the shift riser over the kingpin riser design.

I've yet to have an early ejection. Once I had the dins dialed in to my preference last season I haven't had to touch them.
I'm not exactly doing backflips or 100ft drops, but I do push them around quite a bit.

In spite of a shaky start, 150 days in and I'm still happy with them. I think I'll be choosing them again next time I buy bindings.

[TahoeJ]

The shift brakes are smaller for sure, that’s just a fact. I don’t think it makes all that much of a difference however.

[el hefe]

Zero problems for me on them over 2 pairs. Inbounds and out, hard use. 3 - week long hut trips etc.... Not sure why all the hate.

[Mogreen]

Just purchased Atomic/Shift 90 on a screaming deal and need to mount on Bent 100.

Asking:

- Experience on mounting 90 brake on 100 ski. Seems mixed feedback on +10mm
- Anyone holding 100 brake looking to trade for 90

[tenB]

Going up 10 mm is no problem usually with shift brakes. It’s preferable to have at least a 10mm step down so the brakes tuck up tight and don’t catch when touring.