Thread: Green Mountain Freeride AT Binding

Aren't most non-plug boots molded with hollow voids in the soles these days? I'd guess that once you counter sunk a cap screw there wouldn't be much, if anything, to thread into, at least on some boots. Have they been tested on many different boots? Do you have to fill with epoxy or something?

Re: switching modes. Pull the pin, exchange plates, re-pin. I did a little walk w/ Silas in Chile this summer, he was just about as fast as me switching my dukes, and much faster if I had to de-ice the dukes. Good news about the all-aluminum interface is that you can hammer on it a little bit to get it to sit in place.

Re: drilling toes. Not sure what all testing has been done, or what your average boot looks like inside the duck bill. I can't imagine it's hollow, but again, I don't know. Again, the binding will work perfectly with an AT boot with tech fittings and a DIN sole.

Any chance you could sell just the toe plate so we can mount our existing Dyanfits and STH 16 binders?

I'd pay $100 for a set of un-drilled toe plates.

For now it is going as a full system, and for Tyrolia only. Look P18 version is next on the list, then maybe Salomon. It is possible it will be sold as an upgrade kit ala MFD in the future.

Saw this yesterday and was waiting for pics before I commented. Seems like a sweet idea, I'm still curious as to how one accounts for heel height when touring. On steeper approaches it's going to be painful not having any heel elevator, no? Or am I missing something?

you take pvc and cut it on an angle and a little bungie cord and walla
old school heel risers
Wps will have the t hizzle rasta lion ones in stock soon as tanner calls back

Easy fix! That's why you're the man Dibs!

Next question, and I think someone touched upon this already. How is this any more efficient/convenient/easier, etc. than just using a sallyfit plate and keeping the heel piece on and swapping out the toe piece at the summit? Once again, I may be missing something, I'm just curious about the advantages of this system.

There is a heel riser, built into that white plastic piece under the heel of the boot in the picture. You just have to be cool with no brakes. For me this is a non-issue; brakes rarely do anything to stop fat skis in pow, the fact that you're buying an 18 din touring binding probably means you're after a touring binding that won't be releasing too often, and I skied Dynafits for like 3 years w/o brakes and never had an issue. But thats just me.

Its easier because you don't have to screw and unscrew your binding each time you switch. It takes about as long as taking off your Dukes and flipping the lever, just pop out the pin, the plate slides out, put in the new one, and pin back in.

Did you guys give any thought to drilling out the toe from one side to the other and gluing a bar stock steel rod in the boot? The ends of the bar could have dynafit style divots in it. I am curious as to how well allen head screws work though. In a few years hopefully we'll see boots like these from the factory.

Originally Posted by Jethro

Did you guys give any thought to drilling out the toe from one side to the other and gluing a bar stock steel rod in the boot? The ends of the bar could have dynafit style divots in it. I am curious as to how well allen head screws work though. In a few years hopefully we'll see boots like these from the factory.

we do... tecnica bodacious

Originally Posted by Gone Skiing

It takes about as long as taking off your Dukes and flipping the lever, just pop out the pin, the plate slides out, put in the new one, and pin back in.

I just came. Now if it just had an adjustable heel stack, I'd be selling a kidney.

Originally Posted by Gone Skiing

You just have to be cool with no brakes. For me this is a non-issue; brakes rarely do anything

but allow you to legally ski in most every resort
Not that anyone would use these to gain lift assisted vert and then head ob out a gate
Leashes suck
patrol can not bitch at you because say dynafit brakes suck and wont stop a fat ski
my $.02 on adding a ski retention device to the cool thing you got going

Originally Posted by skifishbum

but allow you to legally ski in most every resort

What?? do i understand right? can i get a fine because i don't have any brakes on my ski inside a resort?
The system seems very nice, and also a quite easy idea to stole
My only dubt if about the boot, if i have a bi-sole, have i to switch every time, right? or tirolya and others works even with tech sole?

Originally Posted by thehaze

What?? do i understand right? can i get a fine because i don't have any brakes on my ski inside a resort?

Yes. Brakes or some kind of ski retention device are technically required to ski in bounds at most (all?) resorts. That said, I patrol and I'm not going to say a damn thing to you about it. Unless your ski takes off and decapitates some poor gaper.

Originally Posted by thehaze

The system seems very nice, and also a quite easy idea to stole
My only dubt if about the boot, if i have a bi-sole, have i to switch every time, right? or tirolya and others works even with tech sole?

This system is not designed for boots with interchangeable soles, unless you want to drill in the tour-mode-only-tech-fittings into the toes of the alpine soles. I suppose you could switch out the toe lugs of your boot every run, but that sounds sillier that switching out your binding toes.

Resort readiness is a good point, as it would make a lot of sense as a sidecountry binding. I'll mention to the guys.

Originally Posted by eshed

This system is not designed for boots with interchangeable soles, unless you want to drill in the tour-mode-only-tech-fittings into the toes of the alpine soles. I suppose you could switch out the toe lugs of your boot every run, but that sounds sillier that switching out your binding toes.

just belt grind the tech sole thin enough to fit the alpine binding.

Originally Posted by Gone Skiing

Re: drilling toes. Not sure what all testing has been done, or what your average boot looks like inside the duck bill. I can't imagine it's hollow, but again, I don't know. Again, the binding will work perfectly with an AT boot with tech fittings and a DIN sole.

Would be stoked to hear about it if there has been testing. I might have to go down to the free gear pile and take a toe lug to the bandsaw. I would imagine its not hollow...?

Disclaimer: Not hating in any way, itll probably hold up, just curious. I imagine that the only way to shear a section of the toe lug would be akin to an under-rotated front flip off of a ~100ft cliff by a 200lb man. By that, I mean other shit would break first, including the skier.

Originally Posted by Gone Skiing

Resort readiness is a good point, as it would make a lot of sense as a sidecountry binding. I'll mention to the guys.

Ill probably never use one, other than to demo, or be in the "niche" as will most whose skiing skills/style allow a dyna PLUM tech binder to do the job
but ever other op to expand niche ought to be explored, and stoked to help you do it
What are Dyna 130 bakes now +50$?
Your friends should come here and post
cool shit
and feedbacks
I had a troller at snow basin make me pull webbing and para cord out of my pack for my 3 oneplank bros?

Originally Posted by Gone Skiing

For now it is going as a full system, and for Tyrolia only. Look P18 version is next on the list, then maybe Salomon. It is possible it will be sold as an upgrade kit ala MFD in the future.

Bummer. I think your niche is to sell just the plates. I'm not trying to beat up your idea. I think it's golden, but getting people to spend $750 on an alternative binding setup will be tough. I think most of the personalities that are interested in this idea are likely to build their own version before dropping $750. There is definitely a market capable of spending $750, but they are getting dropped out of helicopters.

Keep it simple. Sell the plates for less than $150 and every hippy on the hill will be selling their granola for a pair. I don't see much cost in the plates. That is your highest profit margin. The packaged binders are what will scare most of your customers away.

Just my thoughts. Meant to be constructive. Good luck.

Gone Skiing, could you post a photo of your "Dynafit" toe inserts" I have an older pair of Dobermans with worn down soles which I might want to convert for skinning.

Originally Posted by 10% Groomed

Bummer. I think your niche is to sell just the plates. I'm not trying to beat up your idea. I think it's golden, but getting people to spend $750 on an alternative binding setup will be tough. I think most of the personalities that are interested in this idea are likely to build their own version before dropping $750. There is definitely a market capable of spending $750, but they are getting dropped out of helicopters.

Keep it simple. Sell the plates for less than $150 and every hippy on the hill will be selling their granola for a pair. I don't see much cost in the plates. That is your highest profit margin. The packaged binders are what will scare most of your customers away.

Just my thoughts. Meant to be constructive. Good luck.

Definitely hope that will be the case in the future. Better alternative to MFD, use your own favorite bindings. There is a lot of R&D that has gone into what they have, as well as thousands of dollars of machine work to make the proto plates, and it will take a lot more to make the system viable for different binding systems and to be available as an upgrade it.

For now, it costs about the same as buying P18s and MFDs, is lighter, is stiffer, and tours better.

Originally Posted by skifishbum

but allow you to legally ski in most every resort
patrol can not bitch at you because say dynafit brakes suck and wont stop a fat ski
my $.02 on adding a ski retention device to the cool thing you got going

Just glue a ~70mm brake to your topsheet. I've never seen patrollers check functionality, just presence.

I've got some old look vr's glued on mine that go well with my avi bacon and studfinder.

Sounds interesting.

Originally Posted by Gone Skiing

The toe plate slides into an aluminum housing that is mounted to the ski, and is held in place by a metal pin with a clip to hold it in place.

Wondering about possible slop and fatigue (aluminum) on these pieces over time. Can you/they address these concerns?

^^^That's my only concern. I'm not into touring and would only use something like this to access sidecountry, so I am more concerned about long-term downhill performance. Will the aluminum pieces get jiggly over time. I would want a ton of testing before I committed, but good on ya for innovating. The more AT innovations, the better.

I may not be your target customer though.

UPDATE:

GMF is going to be doing a limited production proto run based on interest. Much like the 22 designs AXL prototype program, you get a fully functional binding at a discounted price (price still TBD) to use this season and contribute to the final design of the system. If this is something you are interested in, Lars would like to hear from you at lars AT greenmountainfreeride DOT com.

He also wanted me to let you all know that he has been following this thread and is very appreciative of all the feedback and ideas in here.