Is my tech binding worthy?

**Fred Pabst** · 12-23-2015, 08:23 AM

It seems like the search for holy grail of tech bindings continues. I have the Radical FT 1.0 that was purchased in 2014 mounted on K2 sidestash. I have had pretty good luck with them staying on but did release once which turned into a double release. I now ski with the toes locked out of course. One thing I do have is a little bit of heel tower rock when torquing up on the heels. I did the duct tap shim trick under the piece of tin that seemed to help. I have heard of using another piece of tin as a shim(cut a piece out of a beer can). I may try that. I weigh 225 lbs and am to old to huck. I ski pivots on my resort skis. Can't remember the last time I released. I guess the obvious answer is just shut up and ski. Anyone else have this heel tower rock? Should I close the heel gap by a millimeter or so?

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 12-23-2015, 08:52 AM

Even the latest batch of tech bindings (including the new DIN standard ones) are sketchy with regards to releasing IMHO.

**I've seen black diamonds!** · 12-23-2015, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Fred Pabst

One thing I do have is a little bit of heel tower rock when torquing up on the heels. I did the duct tap shim trick under the piece of tin that seemed to help. I have heard of using another piece of tin as a shim(cut a piece out of a beer can). Anyone else have this heel tower rock? Should I close the heel gap by a millimeter or so?

Don't mess with the heel gap. The rest of this I don't understand. Are you saying there is play/flex in the binding when you're on the heel risers? The heel pins are loose? Side to side play of the heel tower?

And make sure there is no ice or debris under the toe springs or in the toe sockets. This is the #1 cause of prerelease.

10 tips to prevent pre-release

**Fred Pabst** · 12-23-2015, 10:02 AM

[QUOTE=The rest of this I don't understand. Are you saying there is play/flex in the binding when you're on the heel risers? The heel pins are loose? Side to side play of the heel tower?[/QUOTE]

No loose heel pins that I know off. The heel tower as it sits on the base plate will move in a slight fore/aft rocking motion when in ski mode if you really lean forward hard...and you can also see it move a little when in up mode when standing on a heel riser. The heel piece base has a piece of tin that mounts between the ski and heel base plate. I think the tower peg bears on this plate and in some instances it can not be super tight, hence the shim being added.

**I've seen black diamonds!** · 12-23-2015, 10:14 AM

Piece of tin? this thing?

Mine sit quite flush. Are there volcanoes pushing up the heel screws?

I've seen Comforts develop play in the heel post, but not Radicals. But you're pretty big. Many days on the bindings?

Edit: You're talking about FT's not Speeds. Haven't used Radicals with brakes.

**milestogo** · 12-23-2015, 10:47 AM

You may also have a small crack in the tower base. There shouldn't be any play in that part of the system. I would check the mount myself for volcanoes as mentioned above. We're the skis tapped before the screws went down? I think there is a little metal in that ski?

**NorCalNomad** · 12-24-2015, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by DropCliffsNotBombs

Even the latest batch of tech bindings (including the new DIN standard ones) are sketchy with regards to releasing IMHO.

Sounds like you haven't ridden the vipecs

**Chugachjed** · 12-24-2015, 11:45 PM

I rock radical toes with vertical ft12 heels. Pretty much the holy grail of tech.

**harpo-the-skier** · 12-25-2015, 12:04 AM

Tech Bindins were perfect 20 years ago and have been going downhill ever since. #oldfart

**sethschmautz** · 12-25-2015, 02:47 AM

Any chance you're just experiencing the newer elastic travel in the heels as shown in the article referenced below?

I never had a set of these, but these are designed to travel slightly forward and backward from my understanding.

Seth

https://www.wildsnow.com/11635/dynaf...travel-change/

**PNWbrit** · 12-25-2015, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by sethschmautz

Any chance you're just experiencing the newer elastic travel in the heels as shown in the article referenced below?

I never had a set of these, but these are designed to travel slightly forward and backward from my understanding.

Seth

https://www.wildsnow.com/11635/dynaf...travel-change/

I've had two pairs of these develop significant slop in the heel the elastic travel design is bullshit.