Diamir Vipec Bindings releasing at the toe

A snowHead

Has anybody experienced the following problems with the Diamir Vipec bindings:

I have been using my skis (and wearing Scott Cosmos II boots) for the past two weeks, and have found the Diamir Vipec Bindings to be very temperamental. I have set the din settings to 6, and have found that my toe binding has released with very little pressure, sometimes even in walk mode (I assume that walk mode should override the din settings).

When in ski mode, I can make the toe release just by shifting my foot (when just standing). I haven't been very confident with them at all. A friend who has the same bindings (on the same trip) had no problems with them at all.

Any thoughts anyone?

A snowHead

Which year model of Vipec?

Have you checked the pin spacing?
http://www.earnyourturns.com/24508/review-alpine-touring-binding-devilish-details-of-fritschis-vipec-winter2014/

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Think that they're the latest. Should I be able to release the toe laterally easily by hand? As I'm able to.

Here's quick video of the binding in ski mode being released manually:

http://youtube.com/v/GDFqftZDid8

and in walk mode:

http://youtube.com/v/8ff53v-jXnM

You need to Login to know who's really who.

In ski mode they look about right but in walk mode that shouldn't happen, take them back to where you got them from.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Me and the OH have put some serious hours in this past season on the Vipecs, sans problems.

But...................

As I alluded to in earlier posts you do have to follow the set up as posted in vids and the documentation you get to the letter.

Does it do it on both skis ?

I equate it to setting up derailleur gears on a bicycle, half a turn out can give you issues.

So have you done all the vids suggest, take out the holding pin, unscrew the pin and check that it releases with of course the boot in the right position set at the heel as per the YouTube vids.

And BTW the OH was using Scott boots, however I did notice in the season when I switched boots from Black Diamond Factor to Salomon MTBs that they were better.

And finally, over the course of a season you really do get to know the pros and cons of your gear, I've switched between my Vipecs and Dynafit Rad a fair number of times, and depending on the snow pack, ambient temp etc etc then all bindings can have various issues.

That's why it brings a smile to my face on here, when people comment about gear when they might have only used it a few times in a season, or tested it for all of a couple of hours rolling eyes

You'll need to Register first of course.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@betterinblack, thought some one would bite at that.

Well done Laughing

But tis an element of truth in the statement, mind you we'be all been guilty of "all the gear and no idea"

Just that many can't admit to it.

After all it is free

You seem to have missed the flaw in your argument here, if the forum is full of typical "British punter skiers" who do max 10 days a year, then anyone asking for advice is likely to be the same. Hence perhaps the ideal person to give the advice is someone with low/light use of the gear, not a test to destruction extreme skier like yourself. rolling eyes

As a bit of a ATGNI can you help to educate me a little?
What conditions favour the vipec or the radicals?

Thanks for your replies. I am definitely a 'punter' when it comes to ski touring and associated gear, hence the post, and in reply to an earlier question, yes, it seems to happen to both bindings.

I have tried upping the DIN on both skis to 9, but can still release the toe, when in walk-mode, by hand.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@KenA, on your bindings at the front on the right of the outside edge of the right toe pin there should be a metal spring locking pin that you can take out to allow you to adjust the pin - see image below - do yours have this ?

If they do, as I asked have you followed the various vids that are out there explaining how to set these up?

Like @northernsoulboy, says best to take them back to the retailer, but if you bought them off the web then you might have an issue, especially if you find out that they are not the latest model and I know that to be the case, as Scott at Edge and Wax had a number of people contact him having bought Vipecs that were not the latest model, he had a right rant on his Face Book page!

RE the other matter, I've just found that in various snow pack you can have issues that you might not have say on a spring touring day. Dynafits can freeze up at minus 20, so someone who only tours in the spring my never encounter those conditions.

I've also heard of people "stuck" in their Vipecs and can't get out of them!

And re setting up the Vipecs my local shop put them on for me, but then failed miserably to set them up as they had not read the necessary instructions to set them up, so I spent a couple of hours on their work bench doing both my OH's and mine, and then had to redo them when I changed my boots.

As for the binding, I have heard a number of issues but like I say I have not encountered any probs, maybe it was my patience and time spent setting them up?

And why do I opt for them over my Dynafits, just that I did my ACL using Dynafits, however a very detailed thesis went some way to proving that by using Dynafits you're less likely to do your ACL ??

I swap and change skis depending on what I'm doing and conditions and sometimes I just fancy a change of ski !

However when on touring kit I do take it easier and in spring I'm always conscious of that innocuous looking bed of snow on the flat that's been in the sun more that what you're just coming down at speed off and are charging into!

snow reports

Help!!

Diamir Vipec Bindings releasing at the toe

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Equipment Reviews/Questions