At Blister Summit 2023, we brought together Eric ‘Hoji’ Hjorleifson (Dynafit), Lars Chickering-Ayers (CAST Touring), and Giray Dadali (Daymaker Touring) for an extremely interesting and wide-ranging discussion on the past, present, and future of ski bindings.
We get their thoughts on “acceptable use” for certain bindings & how that varies between individuals; the “Age of Confusion” surrounding different binding designs; being “handcuffed by standards” and thinking about the binding / boot / ski interface as a whole; what we should (or hope to) expect from bindings in the future, and much, much more.
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Learn more about the Blister Summit here
TOPICS & TIMES
Intros & Backgrounds 00:00
“Acceptable Use” for Certain Bindings 7:19
“Age of Confusion” re: Designs & Standards 16:18
Boot / Binding Interface Challenges & Future 28:52
Release & Retention: Alpine vs. Touring Bindings 38:10
“Ideal Systems” for Bindings, Boots, & Skis? 54:55
Advice re: Wear, Tear, & Icing 1:03:37
Doesn’t ATK address the problem of pin insert tolerance and wear with their adjustable pins?
I’m new to backcountry skiing. I’m still unclear if it’s even ok to do more than tool around in the back country on pin bindings. Can you go off drops/jumps at all? Hoji doesn’t seem to have a problem with it but if you can’t, what’s the point of the heavier pin bindings like freeraiders or dynafit rotations? I’m expecting some vague answer due to liability concerns.
This deserves a bigger and better answer than what I can offer here but it’s worth doing a deep dive into touring bindings if you really want to know about their safety. In general the heavier pin bindings tend to have more adjustable release settings that *should* translate into more predictable retention and release. However, a DIN value on a tech binding isn’t the same thing (same force rating) as an alpine binding since there’s no standardized testing on most tech bindings. The adjustable tech bindings are more of a relative value you will have to test and adjust as you prerelease and tighten down to dial in. The Dynafit Rotation bindings are the one exception but still release at the heel like all touring bindings except for the Fritschi Tecton and Vipec, but those are not certified like the Rotation.
I’ve learned touring binding are still in the Wild West, there is very little consistency so you have to figure out what risks you’re willing to take and ski accordingly. Like Hoji said in the video, Dynafit low-tech pin bindings were initially made to tour – it was all about the up. Freeriding was never their intended use. Skimo.com has a great article in their archives about tech binding testing and safety and they have a machine that can test touring binding release values.
But to answer your question directly, you can do whatever you want on tech bindings, jump like Hoji of you can, but most people tighten them down all the way so they don’t pre release and just cross their fingers they release when they need to so they don’t get injured.
Thanks! This is helpful.
The title of the video is: “Ski-TOURING” bindings, and then, right off the bat, 2/3 panelists are talking about freestyle and freeride skiing, And the other 1/3, while a proponent of tech bindings, is still much more too the side of freeride than touring.
In their own words, they are contrasting their desires with “TOURING”.
That’s entirely valid, but then the title should be different. I came to watch this, hoping to learn about TOURING bindings, and 25 minute in, there has been no discussion of the needs and uses for touring.