Fritschi Tecton

[plugboots]

I’ll echo what tgapp and unicorn have said. I like my Tectons a lot for exactly what you want them for. I put them on a pair of Lhasa Pows and I’ll ski them inbounds on powder days and sometimes when I feel like skiing big skis in the Backcountry. They’re just slightly slower to put on when you get out of the tram for example. Action photo:

[TahoeJ]

Agree just get the Tectons. I have them on three setups. They’re great and not made by Marker… I’ll let that speak for itself.


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[GoSlowGoFar]

Alright alright…but it’s on you all’s dime if I regret my decision.

[FullStop]

Well that’s anecdotal. There’s an entire thread on this forum that demonstrates otherwise.

Hence the disclaimers. It's just a data point. I do ski hard, jump off stuff, and try to avoid tech bindings inbounds.

[mr_pretzel]

Fritschi is claiming just 50g difference between the tecton and vipec now. Is this actually true? Is the vipec basically obsolete?

[kid-kapow]

not obsolete imho - I actually prefer them to Tectons due to their delta (Tecton heels are too low). I still run Vipecs on three setups whereas I sold all my Tectons.

Vipecs they are still hhave better bindings for most folks than say Dynafit Rotations or G3 Ions - especially if you use them inbounds.

Then again - I could just shim the Tecton heels a couple of mm and never look back as Tectons do make more sense than Vipecs at this weight. It is a freaking great binding.

[Cocximus]

Fritschi should have continued developing the original pre-evo vipec. I like the OG toe so much more. It's simpler and has the potential to be lighter.

[f=ma]

Fritschi is claiming just 50g difference between the tecton and vipec now. Is this actually true? Is the vipec basically obsolete?

Tecton's don't work with every boot

[LeeLau]

Tecton's don't work with every boot

Also I do like that ability to step down on the Vipec heel to go from ski to walk. Agreed though that the weight difference is small enough for most to just buy Tecton and go Xenic if you want light

[mr_pretzel]

Can you release laterally from the toe without the boot being clipped in the back(obviously not forward when you hit the bumper)? I tried today and I had no chance

[Going Coastal]

Can you release laterally from the toe without the boot being clipped in the back(obviously not forward when you hit the bumper)? I tried today and I had no chance

It should release regardless of heel status. If the lever is in walk the retention is supposed to increase, but not completely lock out. This was touted as a safety benefit while skinning in avalanche conditions when the vipec was first released.

I have had it release when not in walk mode, but never in walk mode so can't personally say for sure how much force is required but I imagine it's significant, probably something you aren't going to recreate easily.

[mr_pretzel]

It should release regardless of heel status. If the lever is in walk the retention is supposed to increase, but not completely lock out. This was touted as a safety benefit while skinning in avalanche conditions when the vipec was first released.

I have had it release when not in walk mode, but never in walk mode so can't personally say for sure how much force is required but I imagine it's significant, probably something you aren't going to recreate easily.

Walk supposedly increases the retention 30%. Unless someone can prove me wrong here I actually think this is a serious flaw/a reason why front release with pins doesn’t actually work that well.

If you’re not leveraging from the heel you cant get the pins to open without a shit ton of force. I can kick my boot out when the heels in, but not when it’s not connected to the heel.
This situation can’t happen in a normal alpine binding since you always release from the toe if you release from the heel. Here you are banking on hitting the bumper to safely release.

[chicken feathers]

Walk supposedly increases the retention 30%. Unless someone can prove me wrong here I actually think this is a serious flaw/a reason why front release with pins doesn’t actually work that well.

If you’re not leveraging from the heel you cant get the pins to open without a shit ton of force. I can kick my boot out when the heels in, but not when it’s not connected to the heel.
This situation can’t happen in a normal alpine binding since you always release from the toe if you release from the heel. Here you are banking on hitting the bumper to safely release.

Tecton/ vipec give you options. Personally I don’t want them to come off at the toe when I click into walk. There’s the option to adjust release at the toe. Theres the option to unlock the toe if you wanna tip toe through avy terrain.
They have elasticity at the toe that low tech bindings lack so they ski great. The bumper for a forward fall is another release option not found on most low tech pins. They seem to be a great product.

[Going Coastal]

Walk supposedly increases the retention 30%. Unless someone can prove me wrong here I actually think this is a serious flaw/a reason why front release with pins doesn’t actually work that well.

If you’re not leveraging from the heel you cant get the pins to open without a shit ton of force. I can kick my boot out when the heels in, but not when it’s not connected to the heel.
This situation can’t happen in a normal alpine binding since you always release from the toe if you release from the heel. Here you are banking on hitting the bumper to safely release.

Yeah, I see what you're saying. Without the leverage of the heel driving the lateral force into the pins it does limit how well you can apply the needed force for a release. I did accidentally go tele mode mid slope on some vipecs once and i was happy it didnt release easily, but I have had them release during normal skiing when expected so I have no concerns with them.

Just thinking though, the Tecton heels also have the ridges that marry into the tech fitting, and maybe that provides the heel leverage needed for the toes to release predictably, so there is probably some validity to the observation.

[kid-kapow]

Walk supposedly increases the retention 30%. Unless someone can prove me wrong here I actually think this is a serious flaw/a reason why front release with pins doesn’t actually work that well.

If you’re not leveraging from the heel you cant get the pins to open without a shit ton of force. I can kick my boot out when the heels in, but not when it’s not connected to the heel.
This situation can’t happen in a normal alpine binding since you always release from the toe if you release from the heel. Here you are banking on hitting the bumper to safely release.

wouldn't the alternative be a tech toe that is locked for the up - aka something that is specifically designed never to release?

The release in walk mode feature is as mentioned above meant to save your ass if caught in an avalance (aka the prevent you being buried with skis locked to your feet), not to prevent injury (though they would prob do that too compared to if you get hit on the up with locked toes and then tumble your way down the hill with skis aka levers locked onto your feet).

And sure, while one can question that the release value remains the same as the inserts or pins are worn (like all tech bindings), the system still works great imho and has a noticably smoother ride feel than a traditional tech toe.

[mr_pretzel]

All I’m saying is there are situations where you can end up in telemode in ski mode, not releasing by the bumper and being stuck. Maybe not as much as a pinnacle of safety as they claim.

[Going Coastal]

All I’m saying is there are situations where you can end up in telemode in ski mode, not releasing by the bumper and being stuck. Maybe not as much as a pinnacle of safety as they claim.

The tele part is true. It's why I practice skiing backseat, lol.

[f=ma]

Huh...I should probably revisit my Tectons, as both toe bumpers have fallen off...lol

[Stewy30]

Just a few data points for the collective:

The 6.4mm shim gives about a 1.6mm delta using skimo.co reference points. I didn’t read closely enough and didn’t realize that the tecton is lower in the heel than the vipec, so these have less ramp than my pivots, jester pros, and just a smidge less than the alpinist. I think I will swap with the 4.7 mm after my ski trip to lower it down to the pivot/jester ramp I enjoy. In the meantime, I will ski with this and try a little more forward lean and see how it feels.

100 mm tecton 13s fit my 118 mm wide skis perfectly.

As for a quick first thoughts, they are dead easy to use for touring, clamp the toes, switch to ski mode, and ski great. Definitely will be treating them gently.


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