MTN/Backland Brakes deploy while skinning

**abcdethan** · 02-10-2021, 11:44 AM

I got some Salomon MTN bindings with brakes in spring 2020 and when I skin up with one riser down, the brakes will spring and release, dragging in the snow. This has happened in different snow conditions. There are no local ski shops that specialize in touring equipment and I filed a warranty request through the neighborhood REI. I suspect the warranty process will take forever. Anyone have this issue? They are 100m brakes mounted to a 95 MTN explore. They were mounted by a backcountry ski shop (not local).

**kathleenturneroverdrive** · 02-10-2021, 01:15 PM

You might have already thought of this, but if you don't want to deal with a warranty right now you could just remove the brakes, ski with leashes, and warranty them this summer.

(that assumes the Salomon warranty is 2 years, which I'd def confirm with them before you go this route)

**mc_roon** · 02-11-2021, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by kathleenturneroverdrive

You might have already thought of this, but if you don't want to deal with a warranty right now you could just remove the brakes, ski with leashes, and warranty them this summer.

(that assumes the Salomon warranty is 2 years, which I'd def confirm with them before you go this route)

removing MTN brakes requires removing the entire heelpiece from the ski and replacing it with a brakeless plate - you cant just pull the brakes easily.

I am having a hard time visualizing the issue - how does a brake set in skin mode release? photo?

**gregL** · 02-11-2021, 09:59 AM

Take them off, swap the baseplate, fill the extra hole, and use them with leashes. Problem gone.

**kid-kapow** · 02-11-2021, 10:27 AM

some pics of the offending parts would be interesting to see.

I cannot really understand what causes the issue - the brake lock mechanism is about as sturdy and easy as is possible, so I am surprised that you are experiencing difficulties. I've never heard of anyone experiencing similar issues before. They are also nigh on impossible to mount incorrectly.

Stupid question - but do you clear out any snow/ice in the groves / space where the brake lock pad goes into?

The use of the riser has 0% causality to the issue at hand and is 100% unrelated. The brake lock does not require that one steps on it every once in a while to stay locked.

**rod9301** · 02-11-2021, 10:47 AM

I had the same problem with my MTNs, butt it was due to small brakes bent to fit larger skis. The arms were at a bit of an angle to the skis, and it was enough that i would catch them with the other ski when skinning.
I switched to the right brake size and the problem went away.

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**Toddball** · 02-11-2021, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by kid-kapow

some pics of the offending parts would be interesting to see.

I cannot really understand what causes the issue - the brake lock mechanism is about as sturdy and easy as is possible, so I am surprised that you are experiencing difficulties. I've never heard of anyone experiencing similar issues before. They are also nigh on impossible to mount incorrectly.

Stupid question - but do you clear out any snow/ice in the groves / space where the brake lock pad goes into?

The use of the riser has 0% causality to the issue at hand and is 100% unrelated. The brake lock does not require that one steps on it every once in a while to stay locked.

I occasionally--maybe once a month--have my brakes deploy while I'm skinning. The use of the riser is important. When not using any risers, you're stomping down on the brake lever every time you put your heel down. Even with some snow buildup under the brake lever, it's unlikely to lift up enough during the stride to swing open before you stomp it down again. With the low riser deployed, the brake lever can lift up close to the point where the brakes spring open even with your heel on the riser.

If you don't get any snow under the brake AFD/lever, the brakes should always stay in tour mode while your touring. I only ever have the issue of brakes deploying while touring when I'm skiing deep snow, and I end up jamming my skis in all the way to the binding heelpiece when I'm putting my skins on, and don't bother cleaning the snow out of the brake assembly. It's pretty easy to clean snow out of there, though.

Now, if the OP is having this issue even when there's no snow at all in the brake assembly, I have no idea what's happening.

**rp337** · 02-11-2021, 12:53 PM

+1 for this being able to happen if you bent the brakes a bit too much making it easier to step on the brake with your other skis. Not on my skis but my buddy bent the brakes a bit and actually caused this issue as well. I've never seen this happen on the MTN bindings unless you've bent the brakes, the whole brake system is extremely robust and one of the best I've seen at not flipping down in tour mode even with risers.

Up until the last year or so they were shipped with a brakeless base plate included, if you still have that, I'd just swap that on and grab a leash. If yours are more recent and don't include that baseplate then taking off the brakes is definitely a bigger operation than on most touring bindings. The brakeless plate is actually the exact same height as the plate for use with brakes (the brake assembly just goes on top, only difference between the plates is screw holes I think, so skiing without brakes actually puts your heel a bit lower) so if you do manage the removal of the brakes it's identical to going and buying another baseplate.

**benduke77** · 02-26-2023, 06:09 PM

This is the only thread I've found on the internet discussing this issue. It's an issue. I found it only on the Salomon MTN (or Salomon created Armada/Atomic) bindings with the 50mm (long) track. Some shops will refer to this version as the "demo" binding as it accommodates/adjusts for more boot sizes. The mount pattern is longer in the heal... anyways, all you have to do is bump the brake and it will deploy. This is found in a controlled environment (i.e. indoors & dry) - I first noticed the issue while skinning and I accidentally deployed the brake when I stepped on it. I checked it at home after dry and yup, you just have to bump the brake and its like spring loaded and deploys. Especially concerning when risers are down and your boot heel has no chance of pushing it back down before it fully deploys. My bindings are actually the Armada version... so I checked my wife's Salomon (also 50mm track length) - and, no shit, those also deploy with a bump. I have a 3rd set of the shorter track MTN's and they don't deploy when bumped. I'm assuming this issue is confined to the longer track version of the binding. I've contacted Salomon to investigate further and hopefully they're aware and can provide a solution... because there are zero plates that I can find to convert these to brakeless. I'd have to pull out the Dremel tool.

Has anyone else discovered this? It has to be more common than that search results show.

**GoldenBC** · 02-26-2023, 11:13 PM

I've never found this with the 50mm plate. Lots of friends have that one as well without issue. As for going brakeless, just pop off the base plate and make sure your screws aren't too long. I didn't have to grind mine down, surprisingly. If you still want a stomp pad, check out this thread. https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ess-conversion

sb · 02-27-2023, 04:19 AM

No brakes, no issues.

**rod9301** · 02-27-2023, 04:28 AM

I have the regular mtn, 100+days, and the brakes started to deploy when skinning, changed the spring, no change.
I think it's wear and tear

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**benduke77** · 02-27-2023, 09:58 AM

I've checked both my Armada 50mm track version and my wife's Salomon 50mm version and both brakes deploy when bumped. My 30mm track Salomon's do not deploy when bumped. I went to my local shop and this was the first time they've seen this issue, but they don't sell the 50mm version. I'm lead to believe this is just an issue with the 50mm track. Waiting to hear back from Salomon.

Brakeless would be awesome, but super hard to find the mounting plate and not ready to Frankenstein it.

**benduke77** · 02-27-2023, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by rod9301

I have the regular mtn, 100+days, and the brakes started to deploy when skinning, changed the spring, no change.
I think it's wear and tear

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I don't think its wear and tear. I have over 300 days on a pair and their still running strong, no deployment issues. Those are the 30mm track version tho... are yours by chance the longer track? Meaning more adjustability for more boot sizes?

**toast2266** · 02-27-2023, 10:32 AM

I have the regular track version. My brakes have popped out occasionally, but it's not a recurring issue. But I'd believe that as the binding gets older and things get looser, it'd happen more easily.