Dynafit Bindings are fustrating.

I was out on a tour in the Tattosh with my buddies Snow Bell and  Skierlyles and took my Dynafit set up. I bought them last spring for spring and summer touring and love them for that. However , EVERY time I take them out in deeper snow I regret the decision. :'(

Yesterday, when coming down from the Castle, my ski just came off. I clicked back in, and everything seemed engaged, but next turn off they came. Stopped, cleaned off the binding, took out leatherman, cleaned toe holes. Skis back on, everything seemed ok. Next turn ,ski off.
In the end I discovered a very thin sliver of ice under the toe springs that was stopping the pincers from fully engaging. When I clicked in, it looked fine but obviously wasn't. Only way to ensure that this didn't happen again was to fully engage lock and then release it before skiing.
There where a couple of times yesterday where if my ski had come off like that it could have been nasty.I though about engaging the toe lock but wanted releasability in avy terrain.

I have lost my confidence in these fiddly, finicky, flipping, fracking bindings for anything other than corn skiing.FREERIDES FOREVER.

Anybody got advise on how to keep these bindings workable in deeper snow? The main problem yesterday was that the binding looked fully engaged, toe pincers in, heels clicked, but wasn't as the first turn showed.

Clean the ice from under the toepiece. Locking-then-unlocking is not the solution. Get to the root of the problem. These problems have more to do with half-spring-half-winter conditions than snow depth. In true powder or true corn, this problem is rare.

I can't say I share your frustration, Scotsman. I have found my Dynafits to perform well in all conditions...from deep powder to corn. I'd try what Sky suggests...clean the toepiece...and make sure your boots are free of snow as well. Good luck...

Yeah, snow and ice buildup under the springs of the toepiece is the root of most unwanted ejection problems. Spray under the springs with silicon spray every few trips, and snap the springs open and closed a few times before putting your ski on to dislodge snow buildup.

As far as the pins/toe holes go, try swinging your ski back and forth a few times before locking the toe lever/stepping into the heel, the pins will "bore" into the toe sockets by themselves.

There's less you can do if they are releasing forward sooner than you'd like, but pay close attention to the gap between boot and heelpiece, and if you have TLT Speed/Classics it helps to grind off the bump under the pins to get more clearance.

I have formed the habit of closing and opening the toe-piece by hand before putting the ski down to put it on. In most conditions, this is all that is needed to keep it clean under the srping. For thaw-freeze conditions like you saw, well -- that's why dynafits come with a whippet!

Thanks for the advise but I don't think I have explained the problem properly.

I engaged the toe pincers, lifted the ski a couple of times to make sure they where properly engaged at the toe as Greg suggests before engaging the heel locks and everything felt OK. The bindings withstood the forces of me moving around to get ready to drop and the ski being suspended from the toe pincers alone, but not the force imposed by the first turn.

I cleaned my boot, my boot holes, the binding and then clicked back in, again lifting the ski by the toe piece alone to make sure thay where "in". First turn, ski came off again.

With the FREERIDES, I can tell if I am fully engaged in the binding and feel confident. I felt the same way about Dynafits until yesterday as I always thought lifting the ski by the toe pincers before engaging the heel would show me if the binding wasn't fully "in". THIS IS NOT THE CASE AND IF I HAD BEEN IN TERRIAN WHERE A PRE-RELEASE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS, I'D HAVE BEEN SCREWED.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT THE BINDING IS PROPERLY ENGAGED WHEN IT WITHSTANDS SKI LIFT
BY TOE PIECE ALONE BUT NOT TURN?

I've had the same problem. If there's any doubt, clean beneath the toe piece.

Another test: LOCK the toe piece after stepping into it. If it's exceptionally difficult to lock, then you have the problem. Remove your ski and remove the ice. If it's easy to lock, then return to normal release mode. It's usually more difficult to get the toe piece to initially engage when the ice is present, too.

YOU MEAN DYNAFITS AREN'T LIKE NORMAL DOWNHILL BINDINGS!? THE HORROR!!!

Like Tim suggested, when things get packed up with ice, I hold my skis vertically or sometimes upside down and cycle the toe-piece until all the ice falls out. After clicking in at the toe, I lift the ski to be sure that the pincers are in the divots, then slide the ski forward and back a couple of times to be sure that the cutter slots have done their work. I then make a quick visual check that everything is fully engaged, stomp the heel, and head off for nirvana. Takes five seconds, once the ice is out of the toe-piece recess.

Sky's suggestion about locking/unlocking the toepiece has also worked for me.

I probably don't ski as hard as you do, Scotsman, but I've never experienced the pre-release as you describe.

Watch out Scotsman, start bad mouthing Dynafits and pretty soon your cats start disappearing, "Fritschis suck" gets spray painted on your garage door, and your kid gets beat up at school.

Has anyone tried spraying teflon or some other lubricant in there in an attempt to prevent ice build up? If nothing else, it may make that area easier to clean. I have found TriFlow to be a miracle substance in this regard.

...speak of the devil, my new Vertical ST's just arrived in the mail, yippee!

A friend of mine has had similar issues recently, with no ice/snow build-up evident in the toe piece.  When playing around with them on the bench, you can see that the pins would engage the toe of the boot, but the spring levers in the toe piece hadn't fully flipped down, but were hung up right in the middle.  It was enough to support the ski when lifted, but would typically pop out almost immediately.  She's started rolling the toe up, sliding the ski back and forth a couple of times and pressing down on the toe when the heel is off the deck to get the levers to flip the rest of the way down.  A little silicone spray has helped somewhat.  She can also seat them by hand, just by pressing on the pins -- it doesn't take much pressure at that point.

Not sure if that's the same problem, but there you go.  Might be worth a look.  Are you using your NTN boots here?  Could that be part of the problem?  I can't remember whether you have Scarpas or Crispis, but Scarpa has made some design adjustments to the Dynafit toe fittings for next year's model.

LOCK the toe piece after stepping into it.

If you can't get your normal, say, 4 clicks, it may indicate a problem.  Chris, are you just picking the ski up in place to see if the toe will support the weight of your ski? I was suggesting actively sliding the ski back and forth (say 2 feet back) before stepping into the heel.

Yea Greg, I am lifting the ski and moving it back and fro.
I guess the lesson is that with Dynafits, you have to take extra time to ensue the binding is properly engaged before launching. 

It was a bit of an eye-opener though yesterday when I discovered that even with the ski hang from toe pincers test, you can't be sure the binding is properly in. I think I will always check for ice under toe piece before dropping in on steep terrain henceforce. The silicon spray is a good idea as well. Thanks for all the good advise.

I realize I have risked the wrath to speak negatively of one those two TAY sacred cows " DYNAFIT BINDINGS and SUBARU'S" ;D ;D

I was pretty impressed with how quickly you piled up the replies - it's good to question the mantra. Perhaps someday we'll see even easier to use (and lighter!) Low Tech-like bindings.

I am pretty new to dynafit as well. I have had the toe piece come off while climbing but not on the decent. I have noticed that locking it was difficult in those cases so I will check the ice situation.

Scotsman, ignore their suggestions and let us know when you are ready to sell them cheaply.

Several people mentioned shuffling your ski back and forth to work the pins into the toe sockets before stepping into the heel piece.

In addition, I think it's a good idea to wack your skis around laterally (sort of like agressive and clumsy side-stepping) AFTER your heels are locked to see if you're really in.

The advice about cleaning out the toe piece and testing the locking mechanism is good too.

Scotsman, ignore their suggestions and let us know when you are ready to sell them cheaply.

HA, HA, HA
If you had asked me how much yesterday halfway down the Tatoosh I would have given them to you!

I still think the word Dynafit should always be prefixed with the word finnicky but I guess like a woman that is difficult and needs lots of attention I will come to love them.

If RonL doesn't snap them right up, send me a PM as I'd buy them cheap too! You want a more secure binding, and it is important that you get it quickly!

I have nothing else to add other than that you can generally see when there's stuff you have to get out of that covered area of the toeplate, and even my pole tip has served to dislodge the studd when snapping the toepiece open and closed a few times followed by a bang on the ski base with my palm wasn't enough.

Scotsman - are you using the Scarpa TX boot with the dynafits?

Scotsman - are you using the Scarpa TX boot with the dynafits?

No LeeL, they are last year's Garmont Megarides.( Da blue ones)
Why, have you heard of some issue regarding Scarpa TX and dynafits? Pray tell?

Chris, I had the same issue more than a few times; just a tiny ice chip, and it doesn't pop out until you edge the skis. No good solutions, but you aren't insane. I have decided that light weight and frictionless skinning just come with a price!

but you aren't insane.

How dare you. I am stark raving mad! >

Korup, I remember touring up Muir one day with you and Blitz on a really horrible day when you had I think just got your first pair of dynafits!
Remember d00d! You where a little bit fustrated with them that day but I guess you grew to love them.

I think my woman analogy a good one, you never get it on the first date and just when you think you are in , you get ejected. ;D

Well, I've had a few equally bad experiences with them since that one, but damn, my fingers were cold that trip!

Continuing the thread drift: Dynafits, much like women, are highly complex marvels of engineering, and just when you think you might have it all figured out....

.

the heavier ones probably have better personalities...

i have gone too far again haven't I...

You are on your own on this one RonL. I am formally disowning this thread now. :

No LeeL, they are last year's Garmont Megarides.( Da blue ones)
Why, have you heard of some issue regarding Scarpa TX and dynafits? Pray tell?

Please don't tell the teletips lynch mob as I dont want to feed the BS. A friend of mine had the TX and had to file down the boot around the dynafit fittings as the plastic in the boot impeded closure of the toes so he would also always pop out. Pretty alarming to see how often he pre-released until he took a file to a perfectly new pair of Scarpa boots.

I've had no issue with my MegaRides and Dynafits fwiw

This thread comes at good time as my new box of ST's are waiting to be mounted for spring touring. I hope to get used to them this spring and then give em a try in next year's powder.
Thanks

Please don't tell the teletips lynch mob as I dont want to feed the BS.  A friend of mine had the TX and had to file down the boot around the dynafit fittings as the plastic in the boot impeded closure of the toes so he would also always pop out.  Pretty alarming to see how often he pre-released until he took a file to a perfectly new pair of Scarpa boots.

I've had no issue with my MegaRides and Dynafits fwiw

I hadn't heard the specifics, but a recent Scarpa interview at TTips had Kim Miller describing how they've adjusted the setting of the Dynafit toe fittings in next year's model, so it was obviously a problem for a number of folks.

Nice tools Larry, although one looks a bit like a prison shiv. They let you have Dynafits in the clink?

Maybe you should try BD 01's.