Dynafit Radical ST Toes with Vertical FT Heels?

[whatsupdoc]

So I've got skis mounted with the Dynafit Radical STs, and needless to say, I've been a little disappointed with the heel pieces. First the plastic housing broke when the heel rotated in the wrong direction while skinning (due to that pin issue). Then I broke the flip down heel risers.

I've got some Vertical FT heels that I would like to throw on there to replace the Radical ST heel. I didn't think it would be an issue mixing the two generation dynafits but I wanted to get some opinions.

I'd just replace the radicals completely, but the new toe mount prevents that, and I don't want to re-drill.

Thanks,
Mike

[Jethro]

I am just waiting for my FT radicals to do the same things. I am not happy that I sold my Vertical FTs to buy the apparently flawed Radicals. If you have the parts, your setup seems like the best of both bindings.

[powder_prophet]

I've been wondering the same thing, and have discussed the issue with a few people. I don't see why it would be a problem, but I have yet to actually see it done.

It really is the best of both worlds, as I think the Radical toepiece is a big improvement from the past, but those heel pieces suck.

[grinch]

thought about just buying radical toe pieces to go with my ft heels and maybe selling the ft toes to a splitboarder looking to build up a dynasplit. i've heard of shops getting just toes for splitboarders on special order. i was too impatient and just mounted up my skis with the full ft's

[jondrums]

I don't see why that wouldn't work.

my ultimate combo: plum heels with radical speed toes

[gregL]

Do it.

1234

[kevino]

I was just talking to one of my buddies in the shop about doing this.

Is it possible to purchased just radical toe pieces?

[JRainey]

I don't see why that wouldn't work.

my ultimate combo: plum heels with radical speed toes

I haven't found a problem with the plum toe piece. Solution without the problem? Durability issues aside, but there seem to be less reports coming in. I've been rallying on ice hardpack and everything else, without a toe related (or heel) pre-release.... yet. I'll let you know at the end of the season, but i'm pretty happy so far. I do weigh 160lbs though.

[kevino]

Found this, which I remembered when I was pondering this same idea:

http://www.tetonat.com/2011/10/30/dy...f-both-worlds/

[XXX-er]

I don't see why you couldn't mix a radical toe with a vertical or plum heelpiece ?

anybody heard a rumor of a new dynafit heelpiece for next yr ?

[Rob Stokes]

No reason why it wont work, athough it will change your ramp angle for sure.

Its up to you if this is a problem though.

[kevino]

$90 per radical st toe piece from dynafit USA.

[skimaxpower]

No reason why it wont work, athough it will change your ramp angle for sure.

This was my only concern with the idea. Anyone know what the hybrid ramp angle would be? Radical ramp angle? Vertical ramp angle?

[Jethro]

I think you will end up with the same ramp angle as a Radical setup

[gregL]

I think you will end up with the same ramp angle as a Radical setup

^^^You will. Ramp angle is dependent upon BSL, of course, but Vertical FT and Radical FT heel pins are both 51mm above the ski topsheet.

[XavierD]

What about radical toe pieces and look pivot heel pieces?

[Jethro]

What about radical toe pieces and look pivot heel pieces?

Nope. All alpine bindings use forward pressure. Dynafit bindings have a gap of about a nickel's thickness between the boot and binding

[awake1563]

Nope. All alpine bindings use forward pressure.

Jethro's right, but I'd still love to see someone toy around with this. What if you mount them with little to no forward pressure? I could see some potential lateral prerelease issues, but then again, the dynafit toe provides more lateral holding power than a normal toe I would think?

At the same time, Plum has really dialed in the heel design IMO. Greatly simplified and pretty bomber, which almost negates the need for the dynafit/look combination. You just need to combine the plum heel with the radical toe as someone said above.

Speaking of which, does anyone know if the ST and FT toes use the same spring tension / release value, or is there truly a difference?

[gregL]

Pivot and FKS heels are meant to hold your heel in place and rotate from a point under your calcaneous (lateral movement is at the toe of the boot) - the heel is held laterally by the rods holding the heel cylinder, so you wouldn't release laterally at all with a Dynafit toe. What someone needs to do is develop a heel that doesn't rely on the two tech pins in sockets and actually has a spring actuated release with good elasticity and a DIN of 14 or so (Trab, what happened to the TR1)?

I believe the ST and FT toes are exactly the same, the difference is only in the heels.

[jonathanc]

No idea on the question, just chiming in that I had the EXACT same thing happen to my original Radicals. I didn't realize until I was halfway through a tour, and the binding wouldn't stay in tour mode... nothing like climbing a steep, icy couloir and locking back into descend mode every 3 minutes.

On ST's now, which have a different design, no problems since. It seems to me that this is a pretty serious design flaw. If the binding can rotate back, it rotates back easily when you have the "Steep ascent tabs" flipped up, which can be a bit dangerous in nasty/steep terrain

[gregL]

I'm guessing Dynafit will eventually beef up the plastic heel housing on the Radical bindings, make the pivot post thicker, and put a larger flat spot on it to hold the heel in tour position (getting rid of the anti-rotation pin), but they probably can't afford the re-tooling costs right away.