New to Dynafit, advice?

I am new to alpine touring gear.  (Spent many years on leather tele gear, but this year I decided that some of my trips warranted beefier gear.  At least my eyes are stronger than my legs!)<br><br>I bought Atomic TMX, Garmont boots and the Dynafit bindings and put brakes on them.  I tried them out two weekends ago on Heather Ridge (Stevens) and had a mostly good time.  I did learn some things that I had not heard about before and would like some advice from experienced users.<br><br>First, right after a short hike up the road, I stopped to put the skis on and learned that the pin holes had accumulated enough ice to make it impossible to lock the binding in tour mode.  I was able to melt it out by holding my hand and thub against the metal to melt out the holes.  I guess the reply is yes this is a common problem.  Any solutions other than what I learned?<br><br>Second, as I was skinning up some pretty steep knarley sections in trees one ski released.  At this point the binding was essentially fully in the locked position.  I was not too surprised that this happened, but it was then that I realized that in the touring mode, the brakes cannot work!  In general, with skins on the skis I guess this is not the biggest problem, but on really steep terrain the skins won't matter much.  I am inclined to just pull the brakes and use the leashes.  Any other suggestions.<br><br>I know that I will get used to the rig, just hoping that some users can give me a heads up on the foibles to help me get over the hump.<br><br>By the way, though the snow was none too deep, the upper 500 vertical of the slopes held enough snow to pull some nice turns in the virgin powder.  Though I am no parrallel guru at this point, I sure was encouraged by the performance of this setup.  I seemed to have confidence to push through trees that were tighter than if I was on my tele gear.<br><br>thanks!<br>Alan

First, right after a short hike up the road, I stopped to put the skis on and learned that the pin holes had accumulated enough ice to make it impossible to lock the binding in tour mode.

<br><br>Do you mean the holes in the boot toe that the binding engages? That can be remedied with a nail or various tools from a knife or Leatherman . . . in general, it's good policy to spray the underside of the toepiece arms with silicone spray to keep snow/ice from gathering there, and "work in" the lever by repeatedly moving it back and forth over the serrations with a new binding. It is possible to release even in tour mode if you fully weight one foot and then twist on it, but it's rare.<br><br>Make sure you check the clearance between boot heel and heelpiece (4mm for TLT, 6mm for Comfort) and that both boots fit the same - if not, adjust left and right ski separately and label them. The depth of pin insertion is critical to performance in terms of forward retention.<br><br>I've decided to not use brakes on either of my Dynafit setups this year, and have gone with straps - probably a good idea on super-steep and glaciated terrain anyway, perhaps a bad idea if they swing up and whack me on the head . . . the straps are way lighter, though, and don't interfere with the twisting of the heel.<br><br>You should probably take the heels apart after the summer season and clean the volcano grit out of the bushing/spring assembly, then re-lube - they'll last longer and perform better if you do. The binding is pretty easy to disassemble.<br><br>Other than that, use 'em and enjoy!<br>

I use brakes during the powder season to avoid having the ski attached in case I get caught in a slide. I take them off and use leashes during the spring mountaineering season when avalanches are less of a concern and the chance of loosing a ski over a cliff is higher. One winter I skied during the powder season without brakes or leashes, but I gave that up after one of my skis ran away and smacked into a large evergreen, breaking the tip.<br><br>Like Greg suggested, I carry a small nail to clean out the toe sockets. I carry it in my pocket on a cord attached to a scraper--a universal tool for skinning up.<br>

Agree with everything Lowell and gregL said, and:<br><br>

was skinning up some pretty steep knarley sections in trees one ski released.  At this point the binding was essentially fully in the locked position.

<br><br>Make sure when you pull up the toe lock you hear it click 4, 5 or more times. Also when you insert your toe check to make sure the pins are in the toe sockets as far as they can go, if not clean your toe socket. <br><br>The Dynafits weight substantially outweighs any quarks.

GregL, yes I did mean the sockets in the boot.<br><br>Others, thanks for all the advice, very sensible. <br><br>I will get the silicon spray and make a socket cleaner-outer!<br><br>I do like the ease with which the brakes can be removed or replaced and the simplicity of the design for cleaning and lubing.<br><br>Alan

I use leashes attached with electrical cable ties which will break at precisely 22 lb of pull. The skis will come off in an avalanche, but they will probably be nearby in a powder fall. Being thrashed by my own skis in hard snow fall is a risk I have to accept.<br><br>Every time you are ready to switch to tour mode, click the toe piece shut with your fingers, ski held upright. This will clear the snow out from under the toe-piece "throw" and allow the toe pointers to set all the way into the toe holes in your boot. Then you can get them into locked position.<br><br>I can tell when the pan under the toe mechanism is clear by the way it clicks when I snap them shut with my (gloved) fingers. If it is a soft, muffled click, there is still snow in there and you need to dig it out. That's why we wear Whippets.

Tim, by "electrical cable ties" do you mean the zip ties that are commonly used for keeping bike cables (among other things) in place? Or is this something more exotic than what I would find at the local hardware store?

Nothing special, just standard cable ties. I've never heard them called "zip ties". but maybe that's a bike thing. I get mine from the electical section of a good hardware store. I bought a bunch, took them home, and tested them with a fish scale to see what weight the would stand and how consistent they were. I found that the cheap ones broke way to easily, and were inconsistent. The ones that cost more were more reliable. I tested the leash release that Fritche used on their Titinal bindings, and the straps pulled out at about 25 LB. These had worked well for me in two little avalanche "oopsies", so I used the cable ties that broke at the nearest figure -- 22 LB.<br><br>I suppose you could use fishing line, or anything else that you can make a loop out of and that breaks with a consistent force. I even tried tying some loops out of 25 lb test fishing line, before I remembered why I hate fishing. The cable ties are easier to work with!<br>

Hey Alan,<br><br>Your post here kinda answered a question I had regarding the TLT Comforts mounted on the Atomic TMXs -<br><br>The brake width on the Dynafit Comforts is listed as 84mm and the width of the TMXs underfoot is listed as 84mm (seems like a tight fit on paper). Based on your discussion above, it sounds like there enough clearance for the brake to work properly with this setup? Is that correct?<br><br>Thanks, Andy

Andy,<br><br>The short answer is that they work fine and there is plenty of clearance. At least this is how things look at home. I have only had the setup out on real snow once. But it looks to me like a natural fit, with plenty of clearance once they pop out and they tuck in nice in the ski mode.<br><br>What I am not sure of is if there are different sets for different ski widths.<br><br>Alan

I find the brakes can be bent. I have the wide (comfort) brakes on work stinx which are 88 mm underfoot and they operate fine. If you need to bend them much at all for additional clearance I'd suggest taking them off and bending the outlside angle in a vice rather than just reefing on them while mounted.<br><br>I personally have an aversion to ski straps. I seem to fall more than I should (I think the rubber tips on my walker are worn out) and a yard sale type fall puts me into a situation similar to jumping into an 8 ft blender with 6 ft blades; and I have the scars to prove it. There's also the unsettling thought of being pulled down by skis in an avalanche...<br>I know of at least one avy death that appeared to be caused by non-release (tele) skis. Tim seems to have the matter solved to his satisfaction. Nonetheless, for both those reasons, I'm sticking with my brakes unless I'm actually traveling, roped up, on a glacier.<br><br>As far as the toepiece/boot sockets foibles go, I follow most of the recommendations above, with an additional variation or two...<br>First, I keep the ski topsheet area under the toe cross piece sprayed with some sort of slippery stuff (usually silicone) so that when I cycle the cross pieces (with no boot between the pins) the snow just comes right out or at least fails ro restrict the throw of the cross pieces.<br>Next, I have never needed to carry anything to clean ice out of the boot pin sockets. When I put the boots on the boot drier a home I usually put a little dab of white grease in each boot pin socket. On the snow, when I line the boots up and get the pins clicked into the boot sockets (even with them full of ice), before I click the heel in I swing my foot (with the toe pice of the ski attached) fore and aft a few times to let the pins "drill" into whatever ice is in the sockets (most pins actually have a radial slot to augment this process). So far that's always worked for me.

Nothing special, just standard cable ties.  I've never heard them called "zip ties". but maybe that's a bike thing. I get mine from the electical section of a good hardware store.  I bought a bunch, took them home, and tested them with a fish scale to see what weight the would stand and how consistent they were.  I found that the cheap ones broke way to easily, and were inconsistent.  The ones that cost more were more reliable.  I tested the leash release that Fritche used on their Titinal bindings, and the straps pulled out at about 25 LB.  These had worked well for me in two little avalanche "oopsies", so I used the cable ties that broke at the nearest figure -- 22 LB.<br>

<br>Tim, did the ones that broke too easily & inconsistently have any sort of official rating on them? I found some small ones that claim to be rated to 18 pounds. They fit very well around the tongue tab in the Scarpa Matrix. (My plan is that the only thing attached to the boot will be the breakable cable tie, then I'll use a swivel hook -- attached more securely to the binding -- to clip onto the boot's cable tie loop.)<br>

Ron is right, of course. Use brakes if at all possible. However, two other considerations for the brakes vrs leashes issue:<br><br>1) Ron is a younger fella, and the extra weight of ski brakes in the bc doesn't factor into his equations. I, however, ski with folks of all ages and keeping up can be a problem. The twenty-somethings are not an issue -- they are seldom in good enough shape to pose a problem. ;D The thirty somethings, if they are still skiing backcountry, tend to have learned about conditioning and there is no way I can shed enough weight to keep up with them. ??? They disappear at dawn and I see them again at the car in the evening. It's the forty and fifty somethings I try to keep up with that make me want to shed every ounce I can -- ski brakes included. &gt;<br><br>2) In order to use ski brakes, you have to be confined to skis which, by local standards, are now "skinny skis", ;)or "midfats". Does anybody make a Dynafit brake that fits on a Jak? Or a Table Rosa?

Sterling arguements, Tim.<br>Fact is, even as a "younger fella" I STILL watch folks of all ages (even the older ones that you're keeping up with by drilling your tooth brush!) pass me all day long. And unfortunately, I fear the difference in weight between the straps and the brakes would do little to change my geezerly pace. So, for me, the weight/speed issue bodes little on my "safety side" equation.<br><br>However, Tim, as you so aptly point out, the width issue is a serious dilemma (I was hoping to skip over this matter as it pains me immeasurably). As I mentioned earlier, the 88mm under foot of my Work Stinx is as wide as I can go (ok, maybe I could tweak the brakes out to, say 90, but I wouldn't hope for any more than that) and still stick to my stubborn attitude on the subject. In fact everytime I lust over a fatter ski I lament over this issue. I have seriously considered seeking a private manufacturing source of custom made replacement brake arms for the dynafit brakes to solve the dilemma. I only hope that dynafit comes to my rescue soon and beats me to it with a wider brake so that I can retain my myopic attitude without resorting to such drastic (and possibly costly?) measures. It seems like they should as the longer they ignore the issue the more business they'll lose to the other binding mfgs. <br><br>Anybody else have any thoughts, feedback or "insider information" on this "dynafit brake width limitation" issue?

I have broached this issue with LifeLink, who claim they ask for wider brake options every year, and that Dynafit doesn't see a need - seems the vast majority of their customers in Europe are of the light, skinny and fast variety. Wouldn't hurt to bombard them with more e-mail, though . . . <br><br>This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Actually, this is probably a sterling opportunity for someone with machining skill - Dynafit wide brakes, titanium heelpiece plates w/o lifters, aftermarket longer, beefier heel pins, etc. I had some custom stainless plates made by a guy named Aaron Anderson, who works out of a trailer under the north end of the Ballard Bridge. He is a good guy and charged me considerably less than the usual $90/hr machinists' rate. Not a skier, but he seemed interested in the Dynafits. His phone # is 206.432.1323 (dba Seattle Yacht Repair).