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Thread: Do your tech bindings pre-release?

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by gregL View Post
    I've probably had an unwanted release UPWARD at the heel half a dozen times, I've never released laterally when I didn't need to. The pre-releases usually occur when hitting a wind drift or sudden transition like a creek bed and are a function of the inherent lack of elasticity in the pin system.
    That echos my experience. My handful of unwanted vertical releases in 100s of days on Dynafit bindings happened when I got stuck in a hole and tried to bounce out of it.

    Quote Originally Posted by cat in january View Post
    I have mine pre-release a couple times when I did not pull the toe to full lock when touring [skinning mode].

    2 times they have pre-released as ISBD describes when edging real hard snow.
    First is user error. You know that. Second might be the rollout release that Lou describes here, although that doesn't seem to happen with the new Radical 4-screw toes.
    Last edited by Big Steve; 12-07-2015 at 11:50 AM.

  2. #27
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    Yeah I did, just putting it down and what the fault was.

    One of the "rollout releases" was with verticals and the second was with radicals. For the second, I think I was at too low of a release value for my weight plus pack plus hard snow conditions. So might not be correct to call it a prerelease.

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by gregL View Post
    You guys realize that locking the toes does nothing to increase release value in the vertical plane, right? In 14 years of using a variety of Dynafits from the original TLT to the Comfort, Vertical, and now Speed Radical, I've probably had an unwanted release UPWARD at the heel half a dozen times, I've never released laterally when I didn't need to. t.
    Agree ^ assuming one is doing the proper ritual of cleaning snow from pins & under the toe piece

    I found all my pre-release's were shock loads in bumps and G outs so I run the the same lateral din like setting on Techs as I would for alpine but I increase the vertical setting (small screw) by 1 mark

    Same with my FR+ so I ran the heel piece 1 Din higher than I do at the toe which is also 1 higher than I would ski alpine
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  4. #29
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    Do your tech bindings pre-release?

    I'm personally more concerned with the binding blind spot than pre-release. In tech bindings that release laterally from the heel, it leads to ankle sprains and tib/fib fractures. In alpine bindings that release laterally from the toe, it leads to torn ACLs.

    Given that I don't ever ski in the backseat (and thus lesser chance of ACL issues), I'm more concerned about lateral release in the toe. Not really an issue in firm snow, but in deeper soft snow, getting a lateral force in front of the binding can be pretty common (dig a tip, catch a snow snake, etc). This leaves CAST, Vipec and Trab TR2 - bindings with true lateral release in the toe.

    https://www.wildsnow.com/15123/tech-...cl-broken-leg/
    Last edited by Lindahl; 12-07-2015 at 01:30 PM.

  5. #30
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    I had a pre-release last year that occurred just slide slipping down a steep icy chute. Relatively new pair (8days skiing) on FT radicals. The ice was very ridged from others doing the same and perhaps the vibrations of gliding side ways caused the release but I was at a near stop. As soon as I saw the ski slip away I knew I was done. I had already skied 3/4 of the way down fairly hard on manky snow and ice so I don't think snow in the binding was the cause. Either way the prerelease caused a horrific fall and I was out the rest of the season and have to skip this season too. But very happy and lucky to be a live from the fall. The list of injuries is too long for this post and my stomach turns when ever I tell the tale.... Just happy to be alive.

    It's strange I've skied with guides for the last 8 years who absolutely charge and are heavier than me and they claim they never had any problems so perhaps I felt a little swayed that all would be fine with a Dyna setup. I have Dyna boots and Bindings. Obviously in retrospect I would have locked them in, however, I think the release came from the heal.

    Don't want to discourage just telling my experience. It's hard to think about doing long tours with out them but that's a decision for me to make in 2017!
    Skiah for life

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChowdahRidah View Post
    I had a pre-release last year that occurred just slide slipping down a steep icy chute. Relatively new pair (8days skiing) on FT radicals. The ice was very ridged from others doing the same and perhaps the vibrations of gliding side ways caused the release but I was at a near stop. As soon as I saw the ski slip away I knew I was done. I had already skied 3/4 of the way down fairly hard on manky snow and ice so I don't think snow in the binding was the cause. Either way the prerelease caused a horrific fall and I was out the rest of the season and have to skip this season too. But very happy and lucky to be a live from the fall. The list of injuries is too long for this post and my stomach turns when ever I tell the tale.... Just happy to be alive.

    It's strange I've skied with guides for the last 8 years who absolutely charge and are heavier than me and they claim they never had any problems so perhaps I felt a little swayed that all would be fine with a Dyna setup. I have Dyna boots and Bindings. Obviously in retrospect I would have locked them in, however, I think the release came from the heal.

    Don't want to discourage just telling my experience. It's hard to think about doing long tours with out them but that's a decision for me to make in 2017!
    Bummer, but I guarantee that your guides lock their toes in "no fall" zones. That's standard procedure with Dynafits. Hope you get back on snow soon.

  7. #32
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    I ski radicals ft 12s on vwerks katanas, set at 11.

    The only prerelease I had was on a groomer, when I was carving turns and really laying then on the side.
    It released when the skis were approaching fall line, crossing the groomer ridges.

    I had a huge bruise on my hip for a month or so.

    In the bc, I only lock them in steep, firm terrain.


    I think it's the vibration that makes them come unglued.

  8. #33
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    I've had multiple occasions of vertical release at the heel due to over flexing the ski resulting in an insta-tele, as others have siad usually from a transition through funky snow/ dip etc. Still a rare occurrence, maybe 1-2x/yr.

    I try not to ski them in bounds on hard snow because the lack of elasticity makes for a somewhat harsh ride, but I have played around with the toes locked and unlocked skiing skiing hard and riding lifts and never had any issues with toe release.... yet I still lock my toes out routinely because I can't mentally get past those 2 little pins holding me in despite my own evidence to the contrary. The only time I've ever released from the toe it was due to me not clearing snow build up/ ice in the sockets.
    Move upside and let the man go through...

  9. #34
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    Do your tech bindings pre-release?

    Verticals fell off at a big gust of wind when unlocked.

    Radicals much much better. I put it down to the power towers. Still pre release at high speed on hard snow so lock them depending on snow condition/fall zone

    Very important to make sure fittings are clean, and dynafit fittings do seem to be better than my old tecnica.

  10. #35
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    for a short time I had verticals with bd prime boots.

    That combo did not work well, never had an issue with release while skiing, but touring the toes would pop out constantly. It was because of the sole on the bd boots had too much rubber, and would lever it out of the toes, even with them locked. you could of course shave down the rubber on the toe of the boot, but its wasnt really worth it with the BD's.

    My tlt's with tlt5 boots work well, had one release (forward falling like mentioned by other posters) that was suspect, but I was going down anyways.

  11. #36
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    Yep, should have locked the toes! Had skied the route before but only in deep pow, in a big snow year so the whole route was wider and seemed tame. Before entering the route it hadn't even dawned on me that there was a steep, narrow section or that the route was particularly technical. Different snow pack entirely made the route look totally different, loads of rocks, much narrower, nasty. The conditions were ice and shark fin all the way, and then suddenly you turn and you're in a 500 yard straight down gully. Skied the first 200 yards fine, but then decided to shut it down to be "safe". Then the slide slipping caused the release. I went from a near stop to probably 50 mph almost instantly. Don't know if I can mentally get over it... Might be back to Marker Dukes for me. See you on the hill in 2017! Have fun and be safe out there!
    Skiah for life

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chugachjed View Post
    Bruh. I'm 187 cm 240lbs and they work fine for me.
    You're my size and I've never had a pre-release with tech bindings, Dynafit or Ions.

  13. #38
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    Only into my second season on Radical ST's but no problems yet. 5'10 205lbs nekkid, I max the release value on the bindings (then back off a hair). They have come off when I forget to lock the toes skinning.

    I ski conservatively when touring. The hardest use the bindings see is probably on days when I come back into the resort and bomb down hard groomers at the end of the day, that said I do not ski them as hard on said groomers as Guardians/STH916 bindings because I don't trust them the same.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by smitchell333 View Post
    If you are prereleasing either your binding is broken or you are not getting fully engaged
    Not true.

    I have been skiing dynafit's for 5+ years and will have experienced totally different snow/skis/terrain/style to the next guy.

    How can you put out such a broad statement over 1000's of skiers who ski all over the world?

  15. #40
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    Also- this is what happens to the old verticals on hard snow/high vibration snow.

    Doesn't happen as much with the radicals as the power towers block movement.

    here,

    Again, wanna stress cleaning out the fittings. I cringe when people clip in and ski off without clearing the fittings. Makes so much difference.

  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by freak View Post
    i have been locking the normal dynafits all the time. otherwise they just prerelease every couple of turns more or less. same goes for everyone i ski with. heard variuos people claim that they do not need to lock their toes, never seen them live up to it though (ignoring the typical wiggle-turn people who need 30 turns where normal skiers need one though).
    never had to lock the g3 onyx, neither had pre-release issues with any of the "modern" tech-bindings like fritschi vipec, dynafit beast etc.

    always funny though how people on tgr (and nowhere else) claim prerelease is caused by user error^^

    freak~[&]
    This is the well spoken truth. There isn't anything more to add to this discussion. Yours don't pre-release? read the above. Yours pre-release? You are not alone and you don't need to lie about it. Read the above.

  17. #42
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    Having done it a few times, I'm sure I can make a tech binding prerelease when it's properly attached and adjusted (by skiing the way I did when I was 20). I also know how to ski so they don't come off. Some bindings stay on a bit better than others, but I've heard a guy who skis better than me say he still locks the toe on Kingpins.

    This isn't an either or discussion. I'm sure Freak could dial it back and ski safely with toes unlocked, but from what I've seen he likes to get moving pretty good.

  18. #43
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    there is lots to add

    I believe all the brands have the clearing slots which are little slits in the pins which you can't see looking down cuz they are at 3 & 9 oclock which most users are unaware of. You step in and swing your boot back and forth a few times so the pin slots can scrape shit out of the boot pin holes

    the onyx differs in op to Dynafit which is why ice doesn't buildup under the toepiece springs, So with onyx you gotta push the button down to click in so ice doesn't get a chance to buildup in there, I haven't actualy used one but they didn't seem that popular due to weight and other issues so G3 gave us the ION which was designed with more clearance under the toe assembley so ice buildup under the toe piece springs would be less problem ... duno if it was sucessful

    the other techs brands are "step-in" but IME if I just try to step into a dynafit without picking up the ski to cycle the toe wings till the ice is clear, if I don't swing my boot back n forth a few times to clear ice/snow ... I'm not really in the toes assembly UNLESS I lock the binding out by hand. This was very apparent doing some DH course work in new snow where I was in and out of the binding putting up B nets, if i tried to shortcut/just step in the skis just fell off, I had to pick the ski up and go thru the 2 clearing steps to clear smoo every single time, if I miss one time the ski falls off.

    The ritual IS pick ski up take off skins, squeeze toe wings to cycle, step in toe swing foot back n forth 6 times and stomp down ready to ski ... must be done

    I've seen very experianced guides be fooled cuz Its not about being a very good skier its about knowing how shit works and taking the steps to clear snow/ice buildup,

    or just lock them out eh?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  19. #44
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    Exactly why I don't step out when transitioning.

  20. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lindahl View Post
    Exactly why I don't step out when transitioning.
    Exactly. I figure the hike up gives the clearing slots plenty of time to cycle out any ice/debris in the fittings. If I top out via boot packing I go through the process of making sure there isn't ice under the toe springs and give each ski a few swings before stomping into the heal. If I'm paranoid of a bad connection I will check to make sure the toes will lock out and then put them back into ski mode before skiing. I've only had one prerelease and it happened on one of the first few days of being on a tech setup. I'm no lightweight either, 190-200 lbs depending on how many beers I drink over the summer. For whatever it's worth I have my release setting at 9 vertically and 8 horizontally.

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by RockinB View Post
    If I top out via boot packing I go through the process of making sure there isn't ice under the toe springs and give each ski a few swings before stomping into the heal. If I'm paranoid of a bad connection I will check to make sure the toes will lock out and then put them back into ski mode before skiing.
    I'm sure you know this, but for those that are new to tech bindings, clicking the toe open and closed a few times with your thumbs generally clears out most of the ice. And if you can't fully lock out the toe, that means some ice or debris is in the way.

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by rob stokes View Post
    Not true.

    I have been skiing dynafit's for 5+ years and will have experienced totally different snow/skis/terrain/style to the next guy.

    How can you put out such a broad statement over 1000's of skiers who ski all over the world?
    That is my experience. But obviously you, unlike me, are all knowing.

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by smitchell333 View Post
    If you are prereleasing either your binding is broken or you are not getting fully engaged,
    Quote Originally Posted by rob stokes View Post
    Not true.

    I have been skiing dynafit's for 5+ years and will have experienced totally different snow/skis/terrain/style to the next guy.

    How can you put out such a broad statement over 1000's of skiers who ski all over the world?
    Quote Originally Posted by smitchell333 View Post
    That is my experience. But obviously you, unlike me, are all knowing.
    It sounded like you were pretty all knowing when you told everyone that they were wrong in the first quoted comment.

    Anyway, didn't come here to argue, so apologies if I caused offence. I just intended to point out we all have different experiences skiing, and varying results when it comes to the retention of our bindings.

  24. #49
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    It depends who you are and what you do. I have 2 sets of tech bindings Dynafit Vertical STs and Fritschi Vipecs. For general touring for turns neither one gives me pre-release issues and for that I don't do do more than the occasional small drop. For kite skiing where I do a lot of jumping and sometimes have hard or out of position but skiable landings the Verticals, which from my understanding are not known for elasticity, are not very forgiving and "pre-release" even with upped tension. It takes a justifiable hit to shake the Vipecs with their spring compliant toe & heel, I'd say they're comparable to an alpine binding.

  25. #50
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    DO YOUR TECH BINDINGS PRE-RELEASE?

    No.
    Johnny's only sin was dispair

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