Dynafits for bigger dudes

[Platinum Pete]

For this season I am going to try to focus on more BC days. To make the most of it, I'd like to get a lighter and fatter set up than my current snowranger/fritschi rig. I'd like to go for the Voile Carbon Surfs with Dynafit binders.
Will the Dynafits take care of me if I ski hard on them?
I am 5'11" 205#s and traditionally tough on everything I own. I would like to ski this rig in all off piste conditions (all worth touring for). My skiing style is a little clumbsy, not into hucking, like to go fast, solid in most every condition. I ski mostly in Oregon and Washington.
I know Dynafits are very popular in France, have a pretty strong reputation, and are the lightest thing going. Can they hold on to me if I ski hard on them and will they hold up?
Having never skied a Dynafit binder, what will I notice as different?

Should I be careful about which boot I select to ride with them? I intend to get something light that walks/climbs well and add some booster strap and other mods. Of course fit is priority, but willl I have less trouble using a Dynafit boot vs. a Scarpa Laser or other Dynafit compatible boot?

[pollard]

I'd also like to know the answers to those Qs.

[Billow]

I’ve seen more people trash AT gear while touring opposed to descending.
Keep that in mind, I have no answers.

[cj001f]

Pete-
I'm about the same height & weight, hard on gear, had Dynafits for .5 season and love them - even blow jump landings on them, and haven't blown them out yet. I also dig my Lasers.

I'm also in PDX, and depending on your foot size would be more than willing to let you borrow them.

[slim]

I rode with a guide at JH who was a big dude probably 6'2" and 200+ lbs that swore by Dynafits. He rode hard on explosivs and said he's never had a mechanical failure... went so far as to say he's encountered more trouble with Freerides than he ever has had with his Dynafits. Didn't ask him about hucking with them.

[skinnyskier]

I heard somewhere that Dynafits have the lowest failure rate of all bindings, alpine or randonnee. My various pairs have held up well, although I don't ski them in-bounds very much. Most of the Dynafit-compatible boots are on the low and soft side, with the Mega-Ride as the only four-buckle choice.

[the_eleven]

Lou Dawson is the definitive source on Dynafit:

http://wildsnow.com/articles/dynafit...mfort_faq.html

I skied on the setup last year, and it was a revelation! They are rock solid, ski exceptionally well, and are MUCH less hassle to use than I was lead to believe. Mounted them on a pair of 181 K2 Axis AK = Big Fun

As I see it, there are two problems: (1) They won't give you the same kind of release as a regular downhill binding, and (2) you have to use a somewhat softer AT boot. I have my Lasers beefed up with a Flexon tongue (see Dawson article) and Booster straps. They don't ski like my Langes, but certainly well enough. The wide brakes will work for a 90mm waist, but not much more.

And of course they tour better than any other AT binding in existence.

[Alek]

I weigh 200 lbs, am 6'1 and I have been skiing dynafit bindings since 1995 (really, first year they made them). I have never broke them, but I did have to buy a new binding two years ago because the old one was chipping.

The only problem with them that I have is that they are hard to step back
into when you are on a steep icy slope. They have to be level to click, and it's hard to do that on one edge. I use Garmont mega ride boots and I love them in the powder!

[the_eleven]

Does that slather work with the pigs?

[Platinum Pete]

Great feedback and info, dudes.

Continuing the conversation, let's talk dynafit compatible boots. I know there has been a lot of convo on AT boots lately, but that's mostly fritschi related with not much consideration of weight or the ability to climb something technical in them.
I have no expectations of my ski boots replacing a pair of nepal extremes, but I would use my new boots a ton more if I could climb better in them. I am thinking of routes in the Cascades where I'd climb up one side and drop a ski descent down a route I can ski. For the climbing, picture 50-60 degree snow and ice, stemming, using two tools, not dry tooling or smears. Light weight is important and the height of the boot will be a variable. Of course fit trumps all.

From all that I've heard, Garmont Mega Rides are the best in show for dynafit freeriding. How do they do as a climbing boot? Same question for the Laser/Matrix.

Some of the dynafit brand boots are damn low, making me skeptical of their ski prowess and more confident in them as a climbing boot. Any experience or thought out there on these?

[summit]

Boots:

A Mega-Ride is a G-Ride G-Fit except lighter, stiffer (and stiffness is less temperature sensitive), dynafit compatible, and more expensive.

I have G-Rides... I've found them quite good for getting around out there... I haven't done any technical climbing with them though (except some rock scrambling and free climbing up a few very short verticals (like 15ft or less)faces where they have performed quite well.

I don't think I could risk my knees and legs by having a not-so-releasable binding like Dynafit... otherwise they looks awesome re wieght...

Scarpa Lasers are S-O-F-T like Salomon Symbio rear-entry rental boot soft.

I seem to recall a thread about modifying boots to make them dynafit compatible... or maybe it was on Dawson's page...

[wilcox510]

the mega-rides are SOFTER than g-rides, not stiffer as i think somebody just said. i just bought a pair of matrixes (what is the plural of matrix?) they are just as stiff or stiffer than stock g-rides. the matrix cuff is slightly lower, but is stiffer plastic. forward flex is similar, but im going to put denali tongues in them. this is all inside testing of course. it will be interesting to see how they compare in the field. also, the matrix walk/ski lever and forward lean adjustment is way better than the two position g-ride lever, which always comes undone

[cj001f]

Scarpa Lasers are S-O-F-T like Salomon Symbio rear-entry rental boot soft.

Lasers are soft, definitely not rear entry soft. If yours were you didn't know what you were doing to fit them/adjust them. And they climb well. Matrix are stiffer, better cuff design.

[Beaver]

Pete I bought my dynafit binders after a friend who breakes everthing had used his for 4 years trouble free. They are so simple that there is not much to break. I have never prereleased. I'm 6'1" 195lb and ski whatever I want with my touring setup on and do not even think about my binders being a problem.

[summit]

Ah! here it is... Lou Dawsons page on converting a Scarpa Denali to Dynafit
http://www.wildsnow.com/articles/den..._retrofit.html

[Sphinx]

Since I'm thinking about buying Dynafits and new boots, I crammed my feet into a friend's Megarides (two sizes too small). Compared to my Denali XTs, they are quite a bit softer. The Denali gives me almost no flex when fully buckled and just standing around, the Megaride lets me bend my ankle forwards quite easily. When cranking down buckles the two have very different feels, the Megaride's soft plastic lets you feel each buckle individually, the pressure distribution is less uniform. When I buckle the denalis and try to flex them forward to engage the forward lean lock, I can't do it. I have to unbuckle the boot and pull the cuff forward by hand. The Megaride, on the other hand, I could easily get enough flex to bring the cuff forward to lock position. I'm going to try to find a shop with Matrices and Megarides so I can flex em side by side, but I'm pretty confident that the Matrix will be stiffer. It'll undoubtly come down to the fit factor. Besides, I'm a suck-ass skier, so I'll probably suck no matter what boot I'm in. But I'm keeping the Denalis as resort boots and for sketchy (for me) summer steeps. It's just that dragging them to late season snow along with the fritschis kinda sucks.

[wilcox510]

sphinx, i think i recently posted this but....i have had g-rides for two years. best boot i ever had. softer than xts, but fit me way better. however, i just bought a pair of matrix. inside, they are as stiff or stiffer than my g-rides. i even put lange liners in the g-rides, which only makes them slightly stiffer than the matrix. plus...dynafit. im trying to find some xt tongues for the matrix though, should make them sweet. feel free to email me for any other info
wilcox510@yahoo.com