What AT bindings don't SUCK?

[gregL]

I'll be doing some big, all day tours and some hiking each time I use them. Are you using an alpine/sidecountry boot or a real AT boot?

If you go with MFD's, alpine bindings and alpine boots, a "big, all day tour" is likely to be 2,000-3,000 vertical feet (if you're fit and can tolerate the boot slamming into your calf with each stride). If that's not a problem, and your partners are in about the same physical condition and have similar touring gear, that setup might work out fine. If you aspire to go higher and further, you'll eventually start thinking along other lines . . .

[2turntables]

That's randonee speak for "I've never ski toured before."

I've ski toured and done ski mountaineering for 14 years, mostly in northern NM & southern CO. Been a Telemark skier all that time.
I tried alpine skiing for the first time last year and totally fell for it. Now I want to tour with alpine gear instead of Tele. This is my first foray into purchasing AT/Randonee equipment.

All of my friends have either Dukes, Dynafit, Baron or Fritchi. They all have their complaints and I want to try the MFD/STH thing, to see if it works ok.
I don't care about weight. I'm not a fan of flimsy, weaker designs (sounds ironic coming from a Tele skier, heh?). I'll gladly use heavy gear as long as it rips downhill better - the way I see it, my rewards are in the down, so I want my gear to be focused on the down, more than the up. I also love the extra heel lift available on MFD and it's the obvious ease of use.

Anybody care to share what kind of boots they are using when they tour with the MFD/STH setup?

[2turntables]

If you go with MFD's, alpine bindings and alpine boots, a "big, all day tour" is likely to be 2,000-3,000 vertical feet (if you're fit and can tolerate the boot slamming into your calf with each stride). If that's not a problem, and your partners are in about the same physical condition and have similar touring gear, that setup might work out fine. If you aspire to go higher and further, you'll eventually start thinking along other lines . . .

I was kind of thinking that the Atomic Tracker, Scarpa Hurricane Pro, Scarpa Typhoon, Garmont Mystic or a Black Diamond Factor, might be a good call. Tracker might be too alpine-ish?
At least something with a walk mode. Seems like the "freeride" boots that Garmont & Scarpa are offering might be suitable. I just haven't found a lot of info about what guys are using for boots on the MFD - and if anyone is really doing substantially long tours/mountaineering with them.
I know that the Scarpa/Garmont boots I listed are good to go with DIN bindings, and seem like they could have tolerable tour comfort levels with MFD/STH. I think that this setup might just do it.

[kolkritan]

Look at the toe levers at the start and at 00:34. They're locked out. Doesn't count.

I think that they're not locked out, just put up "half way". Stiffens the toe unit a bit, but still releases.

[AsheanMT]

It always seems to be that the people who complain about dynafits not being rad enough for them are the ones who have never actually tried a dynafit binding before.

Once I made the jump to Dynafit, everything else seemed obsolete.

FT12's on my Manaslus for long tours, Radical FT's on Patron's for inbounds/out of bounds, and my first pair of Comforts ,bought from a maggot who ski'd them on the Grand Teton and now have close to some 600 days on them, that are now on my wifes S3's as her do everything ski.

No problems with any of these bindings. Ever. .

[wcf3]

If you go with MFD's, alpine bindings and alpine boots, a "big, all day tour" is likely to be 2,000-3,000 vertical feet (if you're fit and can tolerate the boot slamming into your calf with each stride). If that's not a problem, and your partners are in about the same physical condition and have similar touring gear, that setup might work out fine. If you aspire to go higher and further, you'll eventually start thinking along other lines . . .

All the climbs described in the following TR's were done in alpine boots (Technica Icon Race) and Dukes (similar in weight to MFD's coupled with lighter alpine bindings):

Valdez
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d-h?highlight=

Las Lenas
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d-h?highlight=

Multiple days of 5K-6K ascents.

On the following trip, although I did have touring boots (mostly for the vibram soles) I was still on Dukes while everyone else was on Dynafits. I had no problem keeping up.

Antarctica
http://www.poachninja.com/forums/sno...fect-chunk-ice

I do have a dynafit setup, and it is nicer for longer tours, particularly in rolling terrain, but the claim that you can't do big tours using alpine boots and dukes or an MFD setup is bullshit.

[nobueno]

about this hard.

Can somebody show me a video of how hard you can ski a dynafit binding? They look sweet if your touring a lot but can they actually 'ski' hard?

Sent from my Ally using TGR Forums

[2turntables]

Thanks wcf3. Those TR's were quite encouraging & have me thinking that my plan for MFD will definitely suit my needs. If you're doing big tours & climbs like that in Dukes & regular alpine boots, I should be able to comfortably do my typical stuff & whatever else in a Scarpa freeride boot (think I'm gonna go for the Typhoon) with a MFD/STH. I've already got the bindings & skis, so I think I'll pull the trigger on the boots & MFD. I bet I'll be pretty comfy and worry free.
Like I said above, this is my first time purchasing AT equipment. I borrowed skis with Dukes for a day, and liked those, too. The MFD setup & features just appeal more to me.

[gregL]

I do have a dynafit setup, and it is nicer for longer tours, particularly in rolling terrain, but the claim that you can't do big tours using alpine boots and dukes or an MFD setup is bullshit.

My hat is off to you, but you're the exception - even your friend Gabe is on Dynafits.

[srsosbso]

Again, I think job one is to choose boots. I skied dynafits the past few seasons and this year I pulled them off of my BC skis and put Barons on because I was fed up with skiing my BD factors. If I can find a boot I'm happy skiing that is dynafit compatible I'll put the the dynafits back on in a heartbeat.

[wcf3]

My hat is off to you, but you're the exception - even your friend Gabe is on Dynafits.

Maybe not as much of an exception as you think. For people who travel (fly) to ski (or are on a tight budget) it's more a question of boots than bindings. I may bring two pair of skis on a trip, but I'll be damned if I drag along two pair of boots. (On the AK trip, Gabe had driven up and was staying for two months, so he didn't have this issue). Depending on the mix of stuff I'm doing on a trip, I'll pick one pair of boots to take along, and this often turns out to be the alpine boots, particularly if there are going to be any really spooky lines to ski down. If I know I'm going to be doing some rock scrambles to get up things (as was the case on the Antarctica trip) I'll take the AT boots, more for the vibram soles than the walk mode or weight. The place where I notice the advantage of the walk mode is less the uphill than on flat or slightly down hill terrain.

If you are already carrying a rope, crampons, ax, bivy sack, first aid kit, stove, picket, ice screws, snow saw and a couple of liters of water (basic kit for a big day with some glacier travel) a couple of pounds extra in boots and bindings is (at least for me) in the noise.

[gregL]

Maybe not as much of an exception as you think. For people who travel (fly) to ski (or are on a tight budget) it's more a question of boots than bindings.

Fair enough, I've been in the same situation myself and usually go with burly AT boots/plate bindings of some sort (one pair of skis, one pair of boots as carry-on). I usually try to make do with this setup for both touring and challenging "lift" skiing while my friends who live there (Europe) use either Dynafits or pure alpine gear. I still think most people will benefit from (or require) a lighter setup than MFD/alpine bindings for "big" touring days unless their fitness level is really high.

[good4nothing]

Again, I think job one is to choose boots. I skied dynafits the past few seasons and this year I pulled them off of my BC skis and put Barons on because I was fed up with skiing my BD factors. If I can find a boot I'm happy skiing that is dynafit compatible I'll put the the dynafits back on in a heartbeat.

Boots are definitely the issue for me as well, but I'm finally ok with my factors after some powers wraps, world cup booster straps, and a lot of shell work. Even then, taking a second set of boots on a trip leaves me in full tilts/dukes if i'm flying. I'm very stoked to check out the vulcan next year, and I think i'm going to finally abandon full tilts for something with a walk mode and an AFD for all the reasons mentioned in this thread.

[AweShuksan]

If you are already carrying a rope, crampons, ax, bivy sack, first aid kit, stove, picket, ice screws, snow saw and a couple of liters of water (basic kit for a big day with some glacier travel) a couple of pounds extra in boots and bindings is (at least for me) in the noise.

Of course you don't have the weight of all that gear strapped to your feet.