 Poster: A snowHead
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I broke my ankle (ouch) when the toe element of my dynafit failed to release last year, and I'm tempted by the Vipec. Before I shell out £400, I'd be interested to hear from anyone with experience of them this year. Do they absorb the shocks better, as claimed? Are they durable?
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've installed Quiver Killer inserts for five customers for Vipecs & three of them have had problems with the toe pins coming undone (after being correctly torqued & Loctite'd). They also can't get crampons for them yet. Pretty fiddly to get in to by all accounts but no worse than pre-Radical Dynafits. Ski/tour change function seems to work well. Too new/too few out there yet for any feedback on chassis durability etc.
I'd be interested in the circumstances of your accident as it's a myth that Dynafits don't release at the toe when in ski mode, it's just that the vertical & lateral release functions are both in the heel. The Radicals from 13/14 now have forward pressure/elasticity in the heel & the 14/15 Radical 2 has rotary elasticity in the toe. The issue with Dynafits was that in rare circumstances it was possible to get the toe to pre-release as if the ski flexed too much the rear of the boot hit the heel binding which pushed the boot toe forward out of the toe
binding (it usually took a few factors like charging on hard pack/wider ski/softer ski flex/heavier skier etc to cause it), hence the addition of the forward pressure/elasticity. The new Radical 2 variant will add additional toe elasticity.
On a Dynafit (with an unlocked toe) the boot will always stay in the toe binding until the boot heel releases either vertically or laterally from the heel binding at which point the toe of the boot will then be released (very easily) from the toe binding.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Chamcham, did you have the toe piece locked in tour mode at the time of your accident?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Kelskii, No, wasn't locked.
spyderjon, I was skiing slightly cruddy snow on Rognans at normal speed, got my weight too far forward, caught the tip of my ski in the crud and was thrown forward, the tip of my right ski staying stuck in the snow off to my right side. I ended up sitting on the snow with my ski still attached, and twisted to about 135 degrees out to the right. Not a good feeling, looking down and seeing that. I'm not saying the dynafit was the cause, but the fact that it didn't release can't have helped. It was a light-weight setup of Atomic Aspects and dynafit, and I haven't dared ski on them since. I've used a heavier K2 ski with Diamir Freerides, the extra weight helping when cutting through crud, and easier to control with less rattling on a rutted piste.
I'm interested in your comments above. Would you argue that dynafits release safely at the toe? If so, shouldn't they have done so with my twisting fall? The Vipec sales pitch, and Wildsnow reviews, suggest that they should feel more comfortable on hard, rattly surfaces, as well as releasing more safely.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Chamcham, I've always found that, as Jon describes, as long as the heel has released, the toe releases really easily. I've used Vertical STs for the past three years - about 18 weeks of skiing and not had a problem, coming out of them quite a few times. Just bought some speed Radicals and came out of one of those at the weekend when I got tangled up with someone getting off a lift. 
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Kelskii, I had the "DIN" setting on 8 - I'm 5'10" and 77kg, more when carrying a pack. What do you set it at?
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Chamcham, I'm 5' 11" and 72kg and set both lateral and upward release values to 7.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I have used these bindings for around 12 days of touring and skiing. Once I am in the binding I am happy. However, these are much harder to get in and out of than dynafits. I have had no issues with the toe pin coming loose - although I have not had them locktited etc. I would struggle to trust them on a multi day tour and would revert to dynafits
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SkiingQuinHat, That's interesting. I've been using dynafit for several years, and still find them difficult to click into. I can't imagine a tech binding that's even worse! Why would you not trust them?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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moffatross, Thanks for that. The general feeling seems to be that they could do with a little more development.
Using under artificial conditions? Are you looking to start a uniquely British summer sport of touring on dry slopes? 
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| Chamcham wrote: |
| SkiingQuinHat, That's interesting. I've been using dynafit for several years, and still find them difficult to click into. I can't imagine a tech binding that's even worse! |
Sounds like you're on the old Verticals. The new Radicals are waaay easier to step in to due to the alignment posts/stops.
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You know it makes sense.
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As I undetstand it SkiingQuinHat is saying the Diamir Vipec is a lot harder to get into than other dynafit bindings. Is this true?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Radical 2 12, bye bye competition
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
