Binding for 80/20 touring/sidecounty

[PeachesNCream]

Did a search, couldn't find much. I had a 50/50 resort/touring setup with shifts but have since moved to a separate resort and touring setups. For the touring setup, I'll use it mostly for touring with some sidecountry at the resort. Wanting to prioritize downhill performance. My initial thought would be to go with something like a tecton/kingpin but then is there that big of a difference from a shift to make it worth the change? Never skied a full pin binding but since this will mainly be a touring setup would it make sense to go with something like an alpinist/fr14/ion/mtn or are pins not that fun at a resort? Will an alpinist-like binding hold up to 15' drops (200 lbs)? I ski in north idaho with trips to the cascades. My 50/50 setup was shifts and veneer MVP (~2000g), looking to lighten up, new ski will be ~1800g with this binding. So, stick with shifts, go with tecton/kingpin, or full pin?

[tgapp]

tectons are the safest answer for an 80/20 set up. they ski great and they have lateral release at the toe, which, imo, is a huge safety differentiator

if you'd like to prioritize weight over safety, get atk FR14's or similar. they ski almost just as well, they're all metal, significantly lighter, not as safe.

[kootenayskier]

In my experience pin bindings are significantly lighter and easier to tour with than Shifts, and ski just fine for controlled skiing in backcountry conditions. Pin bindings are ok for limited controlled skiing inbounds, but lack the performance, safety, and durability for intensive use. I’m selling my Shifts, because I found they don’t tour or ski as well as dedicated bindings do. Kingpins split the difference between Pins and Shifts. I’d rather ski smoothly, and enjoy the touring more, but for 15’ drops and 200lbs, they might be a good solution for you. No experience with Tectons.

[dub_xion]

I’m probably 90/10 and my next binding for those skis will be the Voyager. Even if it was 99/1 it’d still be those. Hard to beat the weight and performance of those.


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[stealurface831]

Tectons are the answer. I used them almost exclusively in the resort this year, I’m 240 and have had no problems with pre release. They go when they need to and don’t when they don’t. They also withstand airs no problem. I’ve even taken mine in the terrain park.


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[auvgeek]

I think you'd be surprised how well pin bindings ski in powder, even inbounds.

I skied a day inbounds this season on my dedicated touring setup (while I was figuring out my alpine boot situation). Bindings were Dynafit speed superlight heel and Speed Rad steel toe. I was genuinely pleased overall with how they skied, as hard and fast as the boots (1500g) & skis (1750 g) allowed. I wouldn't want to ski them on hard snow, but for pow, totally reasonable. Previously had Kingpins on this exact same setup, and don't know that they made the ski any more capable on the down to be honest.

So my vote would be FR14. Tecton would be my vote for something I was planning to ski inbounds more often, or for a setup that I was planning to charge and/or get jibby on (cuz of the lateral release at the toe).

[TahoeJ]

Tectons > Shifts / Kingpins.

Have plenty of time on all three.

[tgapp]

Tectons > Shifts / Kingpins.

Have plenty of time on all three.

agreed with this hierarchy 100%. shifts suck, kingpins aren't as safe. tectons ski as well as either.

tectons are the answer

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[toast2266]

Go full pin binding.

The binding isn't your limiting factor. An 1800g ski isn't gonna be a charger inbounds, regardless of what binding is on it. Go full pin and save some weight.

[fleaches]

Don't forget vipecs. May not have quite as solid of a feel as tectons but a bit lighter and same toes.

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[jacob_dbu]

tectons are the safest answer for an 80/20 set up. they ski great and they have lateral release at the toe, which, imo, is a huge safety differentiator

if you'd like to prioritize weight over safety, get atk FR14's or similar. they ski almost just as well, they're all metal, significantly lighter, not as safe.

One note, FR14's aren't ALL metal. The heel plate for adjustment is definitely not metal. Everything else is tho.

[PeachesNCream]

Don't forget vipecs. May not have quite as solid of a feel as tectons but a bit lighter and same toes.

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Fair to say a vipec is halfway between a tecton and an alpinist? More safe, better downhill than an alpinist but less than a tecton?

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

I think the answer also depends on what snow you're going to be skiing. Like, I use the FR14 on Renegades for this 90/10 role because when it's deep enough to ski the Renegade inbounds then it's deep enough my chances of hitting shit snow/getting bucked/pushing the bindings to the limit are greatly reduced. But if you're planning to ski variable conditions at speed, and sending that 15 footer onto chalk then I'd personally go Tecton/Vipec. Shift is too heavy IMO for a ski seeing 90% touring.

[jacob_dbu]

I think the Tecton is really the way to go for skiing hard in the resort on a pin binding (i.e. a binding that actually tours well). It's negligibly more weight than a Vipec and the elasticity in the toe makes it ski great. Tectons are amazing touring bindings. Great efficiency and ease of use. Once you leave the 500g+ mark the best 300g binding is the ATK full stop, although there are many decent players in that weight category. The next step down are the 150g bindings which really don't lose much skiing wise to the 300g bindings expect some convenience in adjustability/risers/etc.

The Shifts, while a good idea in theory, end up being jack-of-all-trades master-of-none and frustratingly annoying to use all around. Maybe the new Marker Duke PTs will be better after they fix a few things.

[f=ma]

+1 on tectons.

They're my go to travel bindings. I've skied them a lot inbounds at Whistler.

[XavierD]

Sounds like an ideal situation for Tectons. Kingpins would also make sense if you already have a bunch of crampons. Maybe a little easier to use with snow build up but the toe release function of the Tecton wins out IMO.

[kid-kapow]

Did a search, couldn't find much.

I know the search function isn't the greatest, but lol wut?

There's seperate threads for 300gr bindings (,one for lighter bindings too), tecton/vipecs, Shifts, ATKs and so on - so a wealth of knowledge on the topic. The use you propose has been debated at length in each thread, multiple times - so happy days.

I think you'd be surprised how well pin bindings ski in powder, even inbounds.

Sure, but in untracked pow most bindings/boots will ski fine. In variable, windaffected or icy snow there are going to be very noticeable differences in ride feel between a traditional tech binding and a vipec/tecton - the latter has a much less jarring ride. Only the indiviual skier know if the traditional tech toe feel is worth it for the weight savings or not. For me it is not - I fekking hate how tech toes (I've used MTNs, FR12 2.0s and FR14s) feels in certain conditions, so I gladly take the weight penalty for a vipec/tectons (have loooooots of days on them by now).

Fair to say a vipec is halfway between a tecton and an alpinist? More safe, better downhill than an alpinist but less than a tecton?

No, Vipecs are more like 85-90% Tectons. There is a 80gr weight difference with the old tecton vs vipec evo, 50gr with the new, so hardly anything. Both ski well, but if you plan to use them a lot resorts and in variable, go Tecton. Vipecs are arguably easier to tour with as the lifter s are increadibly easy to use, but it is pretty easy with Tectons as well. Both are great bindings - coming from a major Vipc/TEcton fanboii though...

Also, if you do not mind the tech toe feel - lots of / most people do not - then going even lighter wrt binding and putting them on a heavier ski makes a lot of sense too. A 1800-2000gr ski with a 300gr or less binding will ski well and tour well. Then again something like a Jeffrey108tour with Vipecs will be ready for pretty much any use other than urban or heavy rotation in the park.

Kingpins make zero sense any more imho - I do not get why people would not either get a Tecton or if they want to forgo front elasticity and non rotating heel, then you might as well go with a FR12 or something lighter. Sure, they are probably fine bindings and ski/tour well, but there are just other bindings that make a whole lot more sense imho.

And do not buy into Dynafits rotation bullshit. It does not provide toe elasticity, it is just a "feature" they put in place to help prevent prerelease.

[plugboots]

Funny, I picked Tectons for 80/20 inbounds/tour. Very happy.

[PeachesNCream]

I know the search function isn't the greatest, but lol wut?

There's seperate threads for 300gr bindings (,one for lighter bindings too), tecton/vipecs, Shifts, ATKs and so on - so a wealth of knowledge on the topic. The use you propose has been debated at length in each thread, multiple times - so happy days.



Sure, but in untracked pow most bindings/boots will ski fine. In variable, windaffected or icy snow there are going to be very noticeable differences in ride feel between a traditional tech binding and a vipec/tecton - the latter has a much less jarring ride. Only the indiviual skier know if the traditional tech toe feel is worth it for the weight savings or not. For me it is not - I fekking hate how tech toes (I've used MTNs, FR12 2.0s and FR14s) feels in certain conditions, so I gladly take the weight penalty for a vipec/tectons (have loooooots of days on them by now).



No, Vipecs are more like 85-90% Tectons. There is a 80gr weight difference with the old tecton vs vipec evo, 50gr with the new, so hardly anything. Both ski well, but if you plan to use them a lot resorts and in variable, go Tecton. Vipecs are arguably easier to tour with as the lifter s are increadibly easy to use, but it is pretty easy with Tectons as well. Both are great bindings - coming from a major Vipc/TEcton fanboii though...

Also, if you do not mind the tech toe feel - lots of / most people do not - then going even lighter wrt binding and putting them on a heavier ski makes a lot of sense too. A 1800-2000gr ski with a 300gr or less binding will ski well and tour well. Then again something like a Jeffrey108tour with Vipecs will be ready for pretty much any use other than urban or heavy rotation in the park.

Kingpins make zero sense any more imho - I do not get why people would not either get a Tecton or if they want to forgo front elasticity and non rotating heel, then you might as well go with a FR12 or something lighter. Sure, they are probably fine bindings and ski/tour well, but there are just other bindings that make a whole lot more sense imho.

And do not buy into Dynafits rotation bullshit. It does not provide toe elasticity, it is just a "feature" they put in place to help prevent prerelease.

Okay, fair enough. I was searching for "mostly touring but some resort binding" threads of which I had little luck. I'll do some more reading on the 300g and tecton threads.

I was oh so close to buying the sample Jeff108tours on on3p's sale but decided against it as the jeff108 as my dd and wanted to try something new (although I might regret it as the jeff108 is my favorite ski I've skied).

There is one thing where kingpins are better..used market cost haha. But that just shows that the tecton is the better binding. But I am not a dentist so cost does matter.

[f=ma]

There is one thing where kingpins are better..used market cost haha. But that just shows that the tecton is the better binding. But I am not a dentist so cost does matter.

Now's the time to buy Tectons on sale. During the season, Tecton's are damn near impossible to find on sale.

[whyturn]

Tecton FTW. Heel snap and easy to use with good control.


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[TahoeJ]

Yup, like I said, I've been through them all and currently have three setups with Tectons. If you're going to go lighter then might as well go ATK.

[tang]

Lots of opinions out there on this. And I've never been on a tecton, but agree its a great option - and I imagine way better to tour on than a shift
But if you're truly 80% touring with decent mileage and vertical, then I'd save the weight and go full pin

[grinch]

Id go tectons or ions. I might even prefer the ion. If youll be on the resort pick an appropriate ski. My steeples will rage on the hill with pins. Wont be trusting pin release as a dd at the resort but they ski really well. Touring or slackcountry with a few inbounds laps ion/108 steeple rules

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[kamtron]

Dynafit rotation also works in this category