If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
In message
Ace wrote: On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 12:36:19 GMT, Mike Clark wrote: In message Ace wrote: As Sue suggests, by twisting it. In this instance it was all my own fault - having bought touring boots (Scarpa Denali TT) And used them for about ten days with my Alpine bindings, snip sprained ankle Yep, using touring boots with ordinairy bindings is a bad idea, because the vibram sole on the Denali tends not to allow a proper sideways, twisting release. Proper touring bindings such as the Fritschi Diamir, and Freeride, have a twisting plate under where the boot sole sits. I went out and got them fitted first thing the next morning. Miss a day's skiing just 'cos I couldn't walk properly? Naah, not me. If you're going to routinely use touring boots I'd get Fritschi bindings put on all of your skis. At present I have separate skis and boots for touring and for lift-assisted downhill skiing so I need to make a decision as to which set to take with me. Fortunately, I nearly always have only one pair of skis on the go - currently last year's Pocket Rocket, which is a splendid all-round ski and lightweight enough to not be a pain for touring. Must get some skins and give them a proper try some time... Given how few years I've been skiing I seem to have worked my way through quite a few sets of skis! When I first started touring I hired the gear from Argentiere (Traditional touring skis and Silveretta 404 bindings), but then I bought my first full set of personal touring equipment for our Haute Route trip in 1999 (with the technical improvement of Fritcshi Diamirs mk I bindings). The skis were Dynastar 4x4s which lasted me a couple of seasons until I broke both skis in an off piste accident in a steep sided gully, when the tips buried themselves into the gully wall and so something had to give! I then had a pair of Fischer Freerides, which lasted another couple of seasons, but I did have to replace the bindings with Diamir mk IIs when I broke the titanium bar (fortunately it was literally on the first hour of the first day of a multi-day tour, so I was able to rush back into Val D'Isere and get new bindings put on). Two years ago I finally trashed the Fischers when I accidentally ended up trying to ski a piece of tarmac road in the road tunnel descending from the Grande St Bernard pass into Italy (there is usually a very narrow strip of snow or ice maintained to allow skiers to negotiate a section of road). I then replaced the skis with Atomic Beta Rides 9.22, which are so far my favourites for touring. My wife has been using Atomics the whole time since 1999 and has just swapped her original pair of 9.22 Beta Cruises for a pair of 9.22 Beta Rides. Her original pair had Mk I Diamir bindings, but she too eventually bent the titanium bar. Her new skis have Mk III bindings. The other thing I have seen break on Diamir bindings is the toe piece so we usually carry a spare on long tours. One reason I have now bought myself separate skis and boots for general downhill is that I don't think the Fritcshi Diamir bindings are up to taking a lot of heavy punishment if skiing aggressively, particularly in icy bump fields. The Fritcshi Freeride bindings look more solid however, but are heavier if you want to tour with them. Mike URL:http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/~mrc7/cccc/hauteroute/ -- o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark \__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing, " || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and ` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user" |
Ads |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 15:09:34 GMT, Mike Clark wrote:
snip Her original pair had Mk I Diamir bindings, but she too eventually bent the titanium bar. Her new skis have Mk III bindings. The other thing I have seen break on Diamir bindings is the toe piece so we usually carry a spare on long tours. Hmmm. I've never broken anything on a binding - how does this happen, direct impact or excessive twisting? Bending the bar, I'd have thought, could only happen with the heel free, and even then I'd expect the pivot to go first. One reason I have now bought myself separate skis and boots for general downhill is that I don't think the Fritcshi Diamir bindings are up to taking a lot of heavy punishment if skiing aggressively, particularly in icy bump fields. The Fritcshi Freeride bindings look more solid however, but are heavier if you want to tour with them. I was going to go for the Freeride, given that the vast majority of my skiing is lift-served, but given the emergency nature I had to make do with what was available in a small resort (Praz de Lys, nr les Gets) and have the Diamir II. Seems sturdy enough, though. -- Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club. |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
"Mike Clark" wrote in message .uk... The other thing I have seen break on Diamir bindings is the toe piece so we usually carry a spare on long tours. I recall a previous post here a while back saying the screws holding the front binding can shear off? One reason I have now bought myself separate skis and boots for general downhill is that I don't think the Fritcshi Diamir bindings are up to taking a lot of heavy punishment if skiing aggressively, particularly in icy bump fields. The Fritcshi Freeride bindings look more solid however, but are heavier if you want to tour with them. There is little difference in weight if you fit brakes to the Fritschi binding and there doesn't seem a significant difference in strength between them, IMO. But then a touring ski and binding has got to be weaker than a downhill freeride ski and binding ie my Atomic Betaride 11.22 weighs nearly 7 kg (pair) whereas my Atomic R9 + Diamir Freeride weighs about 5 kg. Some touring skis are really light but I wouldn't want to use them agressively on hard snow. One problem I experienced is snow building up in the Freeride binding preventing the brake from openning when the boot is released, which is obviously dangerous both on and off piste. Also I've heard the brakes can snap off. But the touring from the Albona to Kaltenberg then Langen am Arlberg was fantastic... Mike |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
In message
Ace wrote: On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 15:09:34 GMT, Mike Clark wrote: snip Her original pair had Mk I Diamir bindings, but she too eventually bent the titanium bar. Her new skis have Mk III bindings. The other thing I have seen break on Diamir bindings is the toe piece so we usually carry a spare on long tours. Hmmm. I've never broken anything on a binding - how does this happen, direct impact or excessive twisting? Bending the bar, I'd have thought, could only happen with the heel free, and even then I'd expect the pivot to go first. My wife and a friend have both suffered from a broken toe piece on the Diamir MkI. It seems to be a problem if you have a sudden collision (in my wife's case it was when she had someone ski into her on piste), and it results in a fracture of the plastic surrounding the height adjustment screw thread. It seems to be a problem many of the Guides and Ski technicians in Chamonix are aware of because many seem to carry spares when out touring, and we had no trouble getting hold of a spare from a local ski shop in Argentiere (The colours of the MkI and Mk II toepiece are different but the shape is similar and they appear to be interchangeable as spares, whilst the Mk III is a different shape). The "titanal" bar breaking or bending is another known problem. If you ever get a chance to compare the Diamir MkI, II and III you will see changes to the profile of the cross-section of the bar which are obviously designed to increase the strength. Another change has been to the shape of the heel-lift mechanism. This is because the early MkI versions were prone to releasing when fixed to some more bendy brands of ski. There was a "fix" for this problem that involved putting a raised nut on the rear mounting screw, however the technician who did this for me did point out that it might have the side effect of putting more force on the titanal bar when the ski bends severely. One reason I have now bought myself separate skis and boots for general downhill is that I don't think the Fritcshi Diamir bindings are up to taking a lot of heavy punishment if skiing aggressively, particularly in icy bump fields. The Fritcshi Freeride bindings look more solid however, but are heavier if you want to tour with them. I was going to go for the Freeride, given that the vast majority of my skiing is lift-served, but given the emergency nature I had to make do with what was available in a small resort (Praz de Lys, nr les Gets) and have the Diamir II. Seems sturdy enough, though. I've had no problems with the Mk IIs. -- o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark \__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing, " || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and ` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user" |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 18:38:43 GMT, Mike Clark wrote:
snip Diamar problems I've had no problems with the Mk IIs. Thanks for the info. Duly noted. I think I'll stick with them and risk it then. Although the spare toe-piece might not be a bad idea, but I've always got the old garden wire for emergency repairs, so I should be OK to get home in resort, IYSWIM. -- Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom) Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club. |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Call my crazy, but I'm going to Engelberg, Switzerland; I think it is snowing there ! | Edward Arata | Snowboarding | 3 | June 3rd 04 02:15 PM |
Off-Piste in Engelberg? | Alan van Wyk | European Ski Resorts | 4 | February 8th 04 09:08 AM |
Transport in Switzerland - Zurich to Davos, Wengen, and Engelberg! | Alan van Wyk | European Ski Resorts | 9 | November 27th 03 11:50 AM |
Have you ever skied in England ? | Enotrio Pallanzo | European Ski Resorts | 23 | September 25th 03 06:35 AM |