Fritschi Vipec review thread

[cat in january]

Has anyone had issues with the heel working its way backwards in the plate while touring? This keeps happening on my partner's binding and I have to readjust the length almost every tour or risk a Tele moment. Anything that might help keep it in place?

This is on the "black" vintage, if the evos are anything like the tectons I think the worm screw is stiffer.

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I had them warrantied. Second pair of toes just warrantied. At least BD has been great, but as much as I like the binding I am done with them

[fleaches]

Shimmed mine with heatshrink.

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This will probably work, I was just about to wrap a rubber band around it for a little friction but I like this better. Thanks!

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[Cocximus]

New Evo heels did not lock down after skinning in spring conditions. It kinda locked in the end but easily popped out. Felt like din 1. After a few tries one locked. The other stayed at din 1. The loose heel pins vere visibly further apart on the loose binding. After thawing it's back to normal. Never happened with the original heel. What's up? Where should I pump grease in?

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[~mikey b]

had my first ever prerelease with tecton yesterday - released at the toe - I took a bit of a beatering but I’m ok

I had skied something steep and rocky and scary and they were fine, just like they’d been all season

climbed up then was on my way down and almost home when I kicked a shoe

only thing I can think it that there was mud on my boot soles and pins when I clicked back in after climbing, but I skied a bunch before I crashed


grumble grumble grumble

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

The sliding toe carriage on my Evo toe pieces is stiff, takes a lot of force to push sideways and doesn’t return, even without a boot in it. Nothing feels broken or not by, just a lot of friction. Given there are many plastic edges sliding along each other, this doesn’t seem strange after a fair bit of use.
I can see the tracks are bit dirty. I would like to take it apart and do a clean and regrease.

Does anyone have a link to an article or video of the service procedure to clean and lube that sideways sliding toe carriage?

Thanks,

[adrian.bee]

Anyone ever heard of vipecs shipping without brake retainers? I've got brake arms and heel pieces, but nothing to attach the two.

[Cocximus]

Does anyone have junk non evo vipec heel? I need a heel worm screw. I lost mine

[~mikey b]

order from BD

[adrian.bee]

I know there is a post about it deep in the caverns here, but how certain are we that the Vipec and Tecton heel tracks aren't compatible? The pairs that I have, the tracks are identical and slide on & engage fine. Will I die if I ski on them?

[DGamms]

I know there is a post about it deep in the caverns here, but how certain are we that the Vipec and Tecton heel tracks aren't compatible? The pairs that I have, the tracks are identical and slide on & engage fine. Will I die if I ski on them?

Not sure about past incompatibility, but I ski my Tectons and Xenics on the same heel track (using inserts for the toe swaps). Has worked fine over two seasons so far.

[kid-kapow]

I know there is a post about it deep in the caverns here, but how certain are we that the Vipec and Tecton heel tracks aren't compatible? The pairs that I have, the tracks are identical and slide on & engage fine. Will I die if I ski on them?

They were always (supposed to be) the same according to the local importer/distributor, but where I've experienced some differences between different base plate. So if they slide on fine like yours then they should be golden - aka both should be the same.

I've had some where there has been a bit of bind / too much friction when swapping between Vipecs and Tecton heels - something that obviously is not ideal. In the end those base plates were used with a given binding without issue, but where I could not swap around. No problem once I figured it out.

[LeeLau]

They were always (supposed to be) the same according to the local importer/distributor, but where I've experienced some differences between different base plate. So if they slide on fine like yours then they should be golden - aka both should be the same.

I've had some where there has been a bit of bind / too much friction when swapping between Vipecs and Tecton heels - something that obviously is not ideal. In the end those base plates were used with a given binding without issue, but where I could not swap around. No problem once I figured it out.

Just adding confirmation. I've used the same plates for Vipec Tecton and Xenic

[adrian.bee]

Perfect, thank you folks

[NorCalNomad]

They were always (supposed to be) the same according to the local importer/distributor, but where I've experienced some differences between different base plate. So if they slide on fine like yours then they should be golden - aka both should be the same.

I've had some where there has been a bit of bind / too much friction when swapping between Vipecs and Tecton heels - something that obviously is not ideal. In the end those base plates were used with a given binding without issue, but where I could not swap around. No problem once I figured it out.

They do have slightly different geometries but as long as your screws are flush, and you're not past those no-go markings then you're good to go. I can't speak to the Vipec EVO plates as I only have pre EVO vipecs but the countersink on the holes were deeper on the Vipec (pre evo) plates, longer screw track on the Tecton, and the Tectons got rid of the lightening slots that was on the pre evo plate. The countersink thing I only mention because the BF use to sell a screw that had the contersink of their "pozi-flathead" but with a shoulder like the "pozi-lowhead" that doesn't work in the Tecton plate.


Tecton on top, pre evo vipec on bottom

[kid-kapow]

yeah, my bad - I was talking about the lips and their thickness, not slots.

Again, I've found there to be functional differences, but the local importer was pretty clear that there had never been any changes made to them from a functional perspective and found my experience at odds with his.

The actual functional function is one of three "options" - smooth, bind or play. As long as there is no bind or play (very obvious if there is) then they should be good.

[NorCalNomad]

yeah, my bad - I was talking about the lips and their thickness, not slots.

Again, I've found there to be functional differences, but the local importer was pretty clear that there had never been any changes made to them from a functional perspective and found my experience at odds with his.

The actual functional function is one of three "options" - smooth, bind or play. As long as there is no bind or play (very obvious if there is) then they should be good.

I already put the heel pieces on or I'd take another photo but yeah there were some subtle geometry changes at the ends of the lips making the thickness the same the whole distance on the tecton (that pre evo vipec plate tapers a smidge on the bottom on the underside at the ends).

But no play or binding. I've swapped around pre evo vipec and tecton heels onto each others plates.

[jono]

Vipec Evo and Tecton heel plates in my hand now (Tectons a year or two newer) appear to have come from the same mold, likely the same lot.

[Cocximus]

order from BD

I sent them an email 2 weeks ago. No reply yet.

[~mikey b]

call customer service

[Cocximus]

call customer service

They finally replied to me. Told me to file a warranty claim. Waiting again...

Are these bindings that solid? No one has one that exploded?

[cat in january]

I had all kinds of problems with Vipec and then Evo. Started with Vipec Black. The plastic heel track developed slop where it would back off. Warrantied. First sent an older version of the Vipec, returned and got the Evo, cool. Then the toes developed slop. Called customer service and out of date for warranty. Knew that, but can I just buy toes. No you can’t because Vipec heels don’t play with Evo toes. Wait you sent me Evo heels are you saying they don’t play with vipec toes (did not mention I had a tibial plateau fracture with the combination). They sent on Evo toes. Cool. Third day touring on the toes at a resort on wind hold toes became almost impossibly locked. Had to break toe to release it from the boot. Warrantied toes and sold. I so much wanted them to work as I would carry the weight gladly for the features. Not usually one to break things.

Anyways long story, but I have a pair of vipec black toes that had noticeable slop touring. BD said no repair and to replace them. Anyone want them for postage? Please don’t ever sell them or pass on.

[ticketchecker]

Anyways long story, but I have a pair of vipec black toes that had noticeable slop touring. BD said no repair and to replace them. Anyone want them for postage? Please don’t ever sell them or pass on.

Sounds like they might be good for having a spare in the pack, interested if they're useful for that.

[cat in january]

Yeah that’s what I was thinking, good for a hut trip spare

[Cocximus]

Yeah that’s what I was thinking, good for a hut trip spare

I will take the toes.

I did not realize the old toes are not compatible with the evo heels. I really can't see why.

[LeeLau]

I will take the toes.

I did not realize the old toes are not compatible with the evo heels. I really can't see why.

Would you split? I'd keep one as a spare. Can pick up in Rossland