 Poster: A snowHead
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I had a session at my local fridge last week to get use to my new Tecnica Pro Light boots, Dynadit Radical bindings and Whitedot R.98 skis. The boots felt very tight at first but after an hour's skiing were perfect, if still a little snug - a testament to Rivington Alpine's fitting. The skis felt great too, very nimble for a long radius ski. But I had major problems stepping into the bindings, practicing not leading to much improvement - particularly aligning the front pins and holes. I appreciate more practice required but I would really appreciate some tips to help fast-track the process. The on-line videos making it look so easy don't help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Click an empty boot in to the bindings and draw lateral alignment lines on the top of the boots toe lugs above the pin centre lines with a thin black permanent black marker pen - this will help 'aiming'.
The Rad 2/Beast 14 toe is the easiest tech toe to click in to on the market & is the nearest thing you're going to get to a step-in binding - so if you're having trouble it could be that the underside/edges of the vibram soles at the toe are rubbing on the toe wings in which case they'll need a little fettling - can't remember if I supplied/mounted them but if I did and I had both boots then I would (or should) have checked for clearance and modded them as part of the mounting.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 23-01-17 15:23; edited 1 time in total
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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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I usually only align the front holes and then just step-in. The back pins go into their places themselves, I don't check their position after I set the bindings into ski mode. That's on Radicals v.1. I find it fairly quick and easy, though of course not as quick and easy as with alpine bindings.
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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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| spyderjon wrote: |
| Click an empty boot in to the bindings and draw lateral alignment lines on the top of the boots toe lugs above the pin centre lines with a thin black permanent black marker pen - this will help 'aiming'..... |
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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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@On the rocks, Dynafit bindings used to be known as Dynfiddles for the reason your describe. When I was learning, worrying about getting the toe in first time, often made it worse, as you can quickly become frustrated with them.
As you mention practice is the key, with the critical thing being learning on a flat stable surface (two things normally missing on the slope). Since your Radical bindings have brakes, at least your skis will stay relatively still while you step in. You don't mention which Radical you have, as Spyderjon mentions, the Radical 2 is probably the easiest toe to step into, as the 'towers' just in front of the pins position your boot fore/aft, so you should just have to concentrate on keeping your boot flat on the ski. If you press down when your boot is not flat, one pin will engage and the other miss.
Once you have the first ski on, it is important to keep in parallel to the second ski, and as stable as possible so you are not trying to click in while the first ski is sliding away.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 23-01-17 18:49; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@PowderAdict, Thanks, yes Radical 2 fitted by Spyderjon. I will have another look later but I don't feel the towers are acting as intended, and if so maybe the profile of the tecnica soles is a little different? Are the towers adjustable?
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Depending on the boot, the towers or the wings of the toe binding can interfere with the rubber of the sole. Try watching closely as you clip a boot in - without you foot in it!
If the rubber's getting in the way it's an easy job with a sharp blade to cut out some notches. There's an article on Wildsnow.com somewhere which shows the problem and the solution.
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@On the rocks, The angled towers are not adjustable, they are designed so that when the front of your boot is touching the towers on both sides, and the boot sole is just resting on the binding, the pins and toe sockets should be aligned vertically. When you then press down, keeping the toe of the boot touching the towers, the pins should engage every time.
As other have mentioned above, place the ski on a table, and position the boot toe as described above, watching carefully. If is doesn't engage every time by hand, it suggests the Tecnica toe socket position on the boot are slightly different to the Dynafit standard. If when enagaged (heel as well), any part of the toe plastic or rubber sole is touching the binding, then it should be trimmed carefully a fraction at a time (half mm), until it no longer touches.
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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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| spyderjon wrote: |
Click an empty boot in to the bindings and draw lateral alignment lines on the top of the boots toe lugs above the pin centre lines with a thin black permanent black marker pen - this will help 'aiming'.
The Rad 2/Beast 14 toe is the easiest tech toe to click in to on the market & is the nearest thing you're going to get to a step-in binding - so if you're having trouble it could be that the underside/edges of the vibram soles at the toe are rubbing on the toe wings in which case they'll need a little fettling - can't remember if I supplied/mounted them but if I did and I had both boots then I would (or should) have checked for clearance and modded them as part of the mounting. |
Thanks Jon. I've checked the boots and binding, when you fettled the boots for me to reduce obstruction the part of the sole which would have come up against the towers (assuming the original toe shape would have fitted the towers) was removed so there is nothing to stop the toe going too far forward. I don't think there's a way of correcting this so I'll mark up the socket location on the boots and keep practicing
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Tue 24-01-17 13:40; edited 1 time in total
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I push forward onto the towers and then once checked by them I push down. Surface as flat as possible.
Then cycle the boot through 2/3 touring type up down moves to clear any ice that my under the binding. Making sure the toe is well centered (radical 2.0) I stomp down on the heel and then give the ski a good bash on the snow so I now I can be confident it is well held.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I find tipping the boot and inserting one pin then carefully rolling the boot to the other side while pushing down works well.
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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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| On the rocks wrote: |
| .....Thanks Jon. I've checked the boots and binding, when you fettled the boots for me to reduce obstruction the part of the sole which would have come up against the towers (assuming the original toe shape would have fitted the towers) was removed so there is nothing to stop the toe going too far forward...... |
It's the end/sides of the boot toe lug that hits the towers on the binding, not the sole - I don't take anything off the lug at all - I only take enough off the sole so that it doesn't catch/rub on the binding when in use.
There's no precise industry standard for tech boots re the position of the toe inserts so every book make/model will sit differently in the binding. Dynafit bindings are make for Dynafit boots (or vica versa) but even they vary between models & often need some material removal.
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It seems that one thing I've been doing wrong is having the skis too far forward when trying to step into them. Having the skis further back requires the boots being at a greater angle when stepping in so the toe of the boot has more chance of coming up against the towers
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Thanks for some advice from Spyderjon. After a week's practice piste stepping in and out is second nature, (even when having the misfortune/ incompetence to lose a ski on steep off piste)it just takes a bit to get you eye in. And yes the ski just like Alpine bindings, release when they meet to and stay on when they need to.
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FAQ
