Questions often come up about the difference between the Dynafit TLT Radical series of alpine touring bindings and the Dynafit TLT Vertical series. Both lines feature an ST version and an FT version with comparable weights, with the Verticals coming in around $50 cheaper in each. Why the price difference? How are they different? Let us explain, starting with some history.

Dynafit is a well-known ski mountaineering company based in Austria, and they've made their name manufacturing ski boots and pioneering so called "tech" bindings. Although the original designs are credited to an Austrian family named Barthel, Dynafit gets credit for commercialization of the four-pin technology under their flagship TLT brand in 1990. TLT stands for Tour Lite Tech, hence the name "tech" bindings. Over the span of a couple decades, the TLT evolved into a Speed model and a Comfort model, both of which were proven by years of field testing and refinement. Today the Speed model is mainly found in Europe, while the Comfort model has morphed into separate Vertical and Radical models available in the United States. The Radical series has an additional Speed model with no brakes that effectively replaces the original TLT Speed in the US.

The Vertical series closely resembles the proven Comfort design, with its signature rotating heel piece used to switch between touring and downhill modes. A riser is integrated into this piece, so two extra rotational stops are available with varying heel heights. Compare the Vertical ST heel piece on the left to that of the Radical ST, note the holes in the Vertical riser which can be used to rotate the unit with a ski pole:

The Dynafit Radical series features the same basic innards but has what Dynafit calls a Speed Step climbing bar (the grey pieces on top), which enables the riser to be adjusted without rotation of the whole unit. This was ostensibly done to help ease riser adjustment on the fly with a flick of the ski pole. In practice, that can be true but takes some getting used to. There can be some difficulty separating the two risers using the basket of a ski pole while on the move, but it's pretty straightforward while stopped and focused on the task.

On to the toe, the redesigned Radicals feature what Dynafit calls Power Towers, which are easier to step into and offer some degree of protection from pre-release during a side impact (e.g. hiting an obstacle while turning that causes your ski to deflect sideways). Ski techs will also note that the drilling patterns have changed from the traditional five hole mounting to a more elongated four hole pattern. Compare the Vertical on the left to the Radical on the right:

The toe locking lever has also been improved to add leverage, but both are perfectly capable devices and easy to use. Be careful of pinching your glove or mitten under the new Radical lever, as it can cause a tear if you pull too hard.

The last major difference only applies to the FT models of each series. Dynafit FT bindings are their burliest models, with higher release values than the STs (12 versus 10) and featuring plates that connect the toe and heel pieces. The plates add torsional rigidity and in the case of the Radical FTs, they also add some shock absorption to those big air landings. Major flex will cause a lock to engage and the ski to stiffen. Compare them side by side, with the Vertical again on the left:

Note the Radical version is wider, which contributes to it being 69 grams (2.4 oz) heavier per binding. In contrast, the Radical ST is only 20 grams heavier than the Vertical ST, which leads one to believe there is some extra oomph in the shock absorber mechanism of the FT. All versions have the ability to add a crampon to the toe, though the Radicals have slightly different machining which seems easier to work with.

So how to decide? If you like to huck cliffs, the Radical's shock absorption is probably worth the extra 50 bucks. If not, it comes down to skier preference on which riser mechanism you find easier to work with. If you don't like the idea of trying to separate possibly ice-covered riser plates with a pole basket or mitts, go with the more classic Vertical series. If you don't like the idea of rotating your binding just to change a riser height, go with the Radicals. In the latter case, you'll get a bonus upgrade to ease-of-entry, side impact protection, and crampon access to boot. We think you'll be happy with either, as you'll certainly be rocking some sturdy tech bindings that won't weigh you down.

- Update 2/15/2014 - Please note that Dynafit has discontinued production of the Vertical FT binding for the 2013/14 season.  They recommend either the Radical FT or Vertical ST instead.

Also See:Dynafit Race Bindings

- Update 2/14/2013 - La Sportiva has discontinued the RT binding for the 2013/14 season.

Historically known as a quality footwear company, La Sportiva entered the ski market in 2011 with a surprisingly wide range of quality ski gear. Rather than develop these products from scratch and risk learning difficult design lessons early on, La Sportiva contracted with well established manufacturers to get things right from the start. For their ski bindings, they chose wisely with ATK, an Italian ski mountaineering company. While not widely known in the United States, ATK has a proven track record in Europe of making quality lightweight alpine touring bindings. And now those quality bindings are being distributed in the U.S., but with La Sportiva's yellow imprints in lieu of ATK's preferred palette of reds. Asthetics aside, it's a win for all involved; U.S. ski mountaineers certainly won't be complaining about more quality products to choose from.

La Sportiva is clearly targeting the light and fast crowd with its new lineup of tech bindings. Comparable to top end Dynafit Race Bindings, the race weight RSR and adjustable RT bindings are taking aim at the top of the podium. Let's take a closer look, starting with the toes:

The first image shows the toe from the RSR, which is their lightest weight binding. As those familiar with tech bindings would expect, there is a dual mode toe lock with both skiing and locked-out uphill modes. The RSR also has a non-removable crampon attachment. The RT binding in the second image features a bit more adjustability, notably the addition of a screw under the toe lock. This is unique for tech binding, as it adjusts the release value of the toe piece between DINs of approximately 8 and 14 according to La Sportiva's tests. This will give you a measure of comfort that the skis will come off in a pinch (e.g. an avalanche) while in touring mode. On to the heels:

You'll notice a similar pattern of adjustability differences in the World Cup RSR race binding heel (first pic) and the more touring targeted RT. While they both feature a four hole drill pattern, the RT (second pic) has both a lateral and a vertical release adjustment screw, letting you customize the injury prevention features to your weight and style. The RT heel pin housing, while skinnier than some well known models, rotates as one might expect in a touring binding. This gives two additional riser heights in addition to flat, though the highest setting requires the addition of an optional-but-included plastic piece to the top of the housing (not pictured). In contrast, like most race specific bindings, the RSR has only one riser option, namely flipping the flap down over the heel pins.  It also rotates 90 degrees for a flat-on-ski mode.

As with many tech bindings, mounting these requires precision as there is no fore/aft adjustment on the toe or heel. Both sets come with a mounting template, but the toe and heel need to be properly spaced to fit your specific boot or you could experience pre-release and other suboptimal issues. Fortunately La Sportiva has a solution:

The RSR heel adjustment plate (first pic) takes the pressure of your ski technician at a cost of only 25 grams (0.9 ounces), since it's made of ultralight Ergal aluminum. It could also add to your rig's resale value as more people will be able to use it. The RT adjustment plate (second pic) adds 33 grams (1.2 ounces) to get the same 30mm of flexibility. Both plates raise your heel by 5mm, which is a ramp angle change unnoticeable by lots of skiers.

The last major difference between the RT and RSR binding has to deal with options. As mentioned, both bindings support the addition of a sturdy and lightweight ski crampon (pictured first below), which also doubles a boot crampon in a pinch if you use the holes on the side to tie yourself in. In addtion, the RT has the ability to attach a braking system, seen in the second pic.

The RT ski brake is extremely lightweight, ranging between 64 and 72 grams (2.3 and 2.5 ounces) per ski depending on the width, which ranges from 75mm - 107mm. It's also very innovative in that it attaches to the toe piece of the binding instead of the heel piece as you might expect. This allows it to be used in touring mode as well as skiing mode, and properly retracts while you're locked in. Since the toe also releases according to how you adjust the tension screw, it makes sense that it would also be able to stop the ski upon release. La Sportiva warns that this lightweight and clever system is a bit fragile, suggesting you disarm the brakes via a simple switch before doing anything abusive with your skis such as tossing them in the back of your car.

So how does this all add up? As you can see, La Sportiva, via ATK, has made a strong entry into the U.S. market for tech style alpine touring bindings. The RSR binding, geared for the Rando race market, weighs in around $800 and a scant 145 grams (5.1 ounces). The RT binding will add 30 grams (1.1 ounces) and a host of adjustability, yet subtract $50. These weights and prices are competitive, and indications from the field suggest the ease of use of these bindings is also on target. Well played, La Sportiva.

As we mentioned in our article Dynafit Radical vs Vertical, Dynafit has set the standard for lightweight bindings in the past couple decades. Also known as tech bindings, these light mechanisms were designed to be safe and flexible, with adjustable release settings and boot sole length customization to help you get dialed in. The advent of Randonnée racing, however, prompted Dynafit to push the boundaries to see just how light these bindings can become. As it turns out, removing the design restrictions necessary to accommodate adjustability can really shed some grams. Let's take a closer look.

As you can see, the Low Tech Race binding on the left is significantly less bulky and featureful as the Speed Radical binding on the right. At the base, Dynafit removed the fore/aft adjustment screw and turned a four hole mounting pattering into a three hole pattern. Higher up, the climbing bars have been scratched in favor of a simple plate to cover the heel pins. If it's not evident, the Low Tech Race binding does not rotate like the traditional Dynafit bindings so you don't actually have a "flat" setting with no riser. By eliminating all these features and using a special blend of titanium, aluminum, and magnesium, Dynafit managed to shave 236 grams or 8.3 ounces off each binding as compared to the already lightweight Speed Radical. This tally includes savings in the toe pieces, seen here:

As you can see, the Low Tech Race binding on the left is missing the Power Towers under the pincers and is shown without a crampon attachment (though one is included).  The funky looking toe lever has a special feature that racers enjoy: it automatically locks into uphill mode when you step in.  In fact, the toe doesn't have a unlocked ski mode, which means it may not fully release in a fall (telemark style).  If this concerns you, Dynafit has an answer in the form of the Speed Superlite binding. This fairly new race class binding adds back in a few safety features while keeping the weight down as much as possible. Compare:

The Speed Superlite heel on the left has a single adjustment screw that changes both the lateral and vertical release values. It has a similar three hole mounting pattern as the Low Tech Race heel on the left, but adds an additional riser to help with those steep hills. These changes add back 75 grams (2.6 ounces) of weight, which seems like a reasonable penalty to pay for added flexibility and slightly easier climbs. This difference also includes the toes, seen below:

As you can see on the Superlite toe on the left, there is a more traditional locking mechanism, meaning you have to pull up on the lever to switch into locked uphill mode. The Low Tech Race toe on the right enters lock mode automatically, possibly saving a second or two during a race transition.

As far as price, the Low Tech has a high tech price, weighing in around $800, or double the more traditional Speed Radical. The Speed Superlite splits the difference at $550, saving a bit in materials by using more easily forged 7075 aluminum. Unfortunately, we do not have podium statistics to objectively compare results; however, we are confident either of these race bindings will get you to the top in a hurry.

Short Version: They are equivalent.

Long Version: Keep reading.

The person or persons who make something popular often end up with the naming rights to that something. This is not an obscure legal process, but rather is one controlled by evolutionary linguistics. Say something often enough to enough people, and the name will stick.

So it is with the case of randonnee racing. Randonnée is a French term for ski touring. And the French, similar to other European cultures, like to turn ski touring into a race. They've also talked about this proclivity enough to enough people. Consequently, English speakers have often used the French term when it comes to racing up and down mountains on skis.

Unfortunately for the sake of simplicity, the etymological story does not end there. While we cannot begin to explain the cause of this phenomenon, there seems to be some linguistic or cultural barrier to full English acceptance of French words. They are two different languages after all. Mention randonnee to someone and chances are you will get a quizzical stare.

There are a few obvious barriers for English acceptance of the term that we can point out. It turns out to be rather difficult to get an accent aigu (´) over the letter "e" on an English keyboard. As such, it's often left out, something of which this article is already guilty. It's also unusual to see a double "n" followed by a double "e" in English. This may explain why one of the n's is often missing, resulting in "randonee racing".

A picture starts to emerge as to why some English speakers just leave off the n's and e's altogether. Shortening words is not just an Australian habit, as it's not uncommon to hear of someone winning a "rando race". It certainly is easier to say and type.

Going further, many English speakers seem to want nothing to do with the French term at all. They describe the basic activity as alpine touring or ski mountaineering. These are recognizable concepts and have a fighting chance of being understood by a native speaker without further explanation.

Unfortunately when you combine those native English concepts with the idea of competition, things go sour. "Alpine touring racing" and "ski mountaineering racing" simply do not roll off the tongue as well as "football", American or otherwise. If someone is to talk about a sport, they need to be able to refer to it in under a minute.

Consequently, the terms "skimo" and "skimo racing" have begun to gain in popularity. This is a handy amalgamation of ski mountaineering that is easy to say and type. It flows off the tongue and has a nice ring to it. Obviously we think so since we named our organization Skimo Co, short for The Ski Mountaineering Company.

In the end, the sport involves racing up and down mountains as fast as possible, leaving little time to mull over the linguistic intricasies of what one is doing. Regardless of which term or terms gain favor over the long haul, people are going to participate. There will be winners and losers, glory and pain. We hope you enjoy all of it.

You know an activity is catching on when the Wall Street Journal writes about it. Especially a winter activity that is practiced nowhere near Wall St.

Specifically I am talking about skinning uphill at a ski resort, in most cases with the intention of skiing back down. Indeed, anecdotal evidence would support the case that the activity is seeing rising participation numbers. I know I certainly engage in it more now than I did while frequenting the Downer some 20-odd years ago. As with probably everyone else at that upside down resort (you ski down first, then take the lift back up), the idea never even crossed my mind back then.

What a shame, since, as many people are now realizing, the benefits are numerous. Some compare it favorably to winter running, thinking of it as exercise with a reward. Some see it as perfect training for racing or other backcountry pursuits. Others simply call it fun.

Of course, as can be expected with any new human behavior, there are going to be some people who frown on the activity. Aside from various heckles you might receive, such as the always insightful "you're going the wrong way", you might be simply told to leave. Some skiers have even been called trespassers.

This reaction is not necessarily kneejerk. From the point of view of a ski resort, it's questionable what value uphill skiing offers to them. Uphillers don't need to pay for the use of lifts, yet add to a resort's liability woes if there happens to be a collision or other accident involving them. It is understandable that some resorts have decided to ban the activity altogether.

Forward thinking resorts, however, are taking an early lead in establishing welcoming uphill policies. Some allow uphillers anytime for free, hoping they will bring enthusiasm and spend money on post-workout food and drink. Others might charge a small fee or limit the activity to certain runs or hours. A few will even ask for customer feedback as they consider how to adapt to changing skier habits.

We believe most resorts will end up being fairly accommodative to uphillers, just as they've done in the past to other "outlaw" groups such as snowboarders. A much bigger problem with the activity in our view is the name. Or more accurately, the lack of one.

By my count I've used the generic word "activity" eight times so far in this article, counting this sentence. The problem is not my diction. My nondescript word count would certainly be lower if I wrote an article on ski racing or some other clearly defined sport.  The authors I've referenced above have had an equally hard time referring to the topic. They use such monikers as "uphill skiing", "fitness skinning", "fitness skiing", and my personal favorite, "stairmaster with a view".

Around these parts, we've taken to calling it Resort Uphilling. Uphill skiing is contradictory, since skiing is what you do on the way down. Using the word fitness unecessarily limits the concept to only one possible reason for doing it. And I believe the word StairMaster is trademarked, so let's not go there.

Resort uphilling is descriptive, non-restrictive, and easily differentiated from "ski touring", "ski mountaineering" or "backcountry skiing". Those terms imply that you are (often far) outside the friendly confines of a ski resort. Resort uphillers, on the other hand, will likely be mixing it up with traditional alpine skiers, though hopefully at a safe distance.

Name aside, we encourage you to give the activity a try if you haven't. You will most certainly find it as rewarding as those who have. As Shakespeare said, "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". So go out and smell the roses, or in this case, earn your turns.

Please remember to check your local ski resort's policy before cruising up their freshly groomed runs. Then abide by it; the last thing a new activity needs is a bad reputation. A good approximation of the policy might be available on this list maintained by the USSMA. If not, please help them out by forwarding what you learn.

We think it's only a matter of time before uphill policies become relatively standardized. However, it's only speculation to say that resort uphilling will become a mainstream activity in the future. Look to the Wall Street Journal to keep you apprised.

See you on the peaks,
jbo

Do you find product reviews helpful? We sure do, and many of our customers do as well.

Unfortunately taking the time to write a nice, detailed review does you little good since you've already bought the product. Instead, you write reviews to benefit others. You then hope to rely on them when making your next purchasing decision. This is all very circular, and in some ways karmic.

Skimo Co is a new shop and thus doesn't have a long history of karmic product reviewing. So we're hoping to grease the wheels a bit by offering store credit for your valuable time. It helps us, it helps other skiers, and in the end, we hope it will help you.

Our initial idea was to offer $1 in store credit for a basic review, which is doubled to $2 for more expensive items like skis and boots. We then started thinking that if you purchased the product from us, we would gladly double those amounts to $2 and $4, as a review from a verified buyer is certainly more reliable than one from a uncertified stranger.

However, since we are not very bright and are starting with zero buyers, we think it might be a good idea to just go ahead and double those amounts for all reviews, at least temporarily. So that's what were going to do: write a review, earn $2 in store credit (deposited weekly). If the review is for a ski or a boot, you'll see $4 appear instead.

As you can probably guess, you'll need an account to have the credit deposited, so make sure to register before clocking in. We also suggest you fill out your skier profile, so you don't have to repeat yourself by listing your foot size and accomplishments with every review of skin wax.

That leaves us with one last major caveat: we reserve the right to delete your reviews if we suspect they are anything less than genuine. If you are thinking of buying a new pair of Dynafit PDG skis by generically reviewing 200 different items, rest assured we'll notice. Also making it difficult is the fact that we don't even have 200 different items.

There you have it. It's not enough to make a living for sure, but we think it's a nice gesture to thank you for your efforts that benefit others. We also hope it is enough to incent people to help you out as well. Happy reviewing!

People often associate lightweight ski mountaineering gear with superhuman athletes wearing skin suits. While indeed such equipment is required to ascend the podium at your local skimo race, it turns out that the same gear benefits normal humans even more. To prove it, let's take a look at the numbers.

It has been shown that 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of increased foot weight roughly translates into a 1% increase in V0₂, a measure of the oxygen volume your body consumes. To put this in practical terms, this means that you end up working approximately 14% harder if you ski with a Marker Baron (2450 grams) versus a Dynafit Radical ST (1062 grams) binding. The 1388 gram (3 lbs 1oz) difference in weight, divided by 100 grams, equates to a 13.88% increase in oxygen uptake. And remember, the V0₂ figure is measured with running shoes on flat ground; an even higher increase could be expected if the same weight were raised significantly in elevation.

Now, working harder doesn't sound so bad at first thought. Heck, getting exercise is a great reason to be in the mountains by itself. However, consider for a moment that people tend to travel in the mountains at a comfortable pace; usually one that puts their heart rate somewhere between 65% and 85% of maximum. In reality, we don't end up working harder per hour.

This means that something else must give. That something would be either distance or time. In other words, you either end up travelling a shorter distance than you otherwise could, or, it takes you longer to travel a fixed distance. Using our figures at hand, either you stop ~14% short of the peak (unlikely!) or you take 14% longer to get to the top.

Now let's go back to our thesis about who benefits from light gear. If Luke Nelson took 14% longer to win the 2012 US National Championship, he would have been suffering for an extra 22 minutes and 15 seconds. In contrast, the median racer that day (congrats Nate Brown!) would have needed and extra 28 minutes and 50 seconds to finish if he were 14% slower. And since the average skier is well below the athletic level of the median racer in Jackson Hole, he or she could expect an even bigger difference in time. In other words, the more human you are, the more time you save by using lightweight gear.

Of course, time savings is only one aspect of the equation. For all we know, you, the reader of this article, would just go and waste any newfound time by not-skiing. But maybe you don't have kids or a job and want to invest this bonus time back into your passion. In the latter case, you just might have enough time to bag another peak on the way home. A peak on which conditions may change for the worse if it were put off until tomorrow.

Speaking of conditions, any experienced mountain traveller will know that extra time in the mountains can almost certainly lead to extra danger. If you are chasing the spring corn cycle and are delayed by 14% of your planned time, you could be heading for trouble. You either risk skiing some sloppy avalanche-prone snow, or hopefully more likely, end up cutting your day short. Either is clearly suboptimal.

We think we've made our point. While the 14% number is just an example and will vary from skier to skier, the basic equation is fixed. Lighter gear equals faster travel which equals less time or more distance. To translate distance into skier-speak, you can take more runs. Do yourself a favor and shave a few ounces or pounds today. You will thank yourself during your bonus lap on a bluebird powder day.

Let's close with the exception that proves the rule. If you weigh 220lbs, then we don't recommend you huck 50 foot cliffs on the Plum Race 135 binding. Especially since Plum only recommends it for skiers under ~154lbs. There is a level of aggressive skiing that is more suited to burlier kit. However, we believe that level is much higher than people venturing out from the resorts tend to believe. One thing we've noticed is that very few people end up regretting their decision to lighten up. More often skiers are left to wonder why they used to explore the mountains with such a handicap.

See you on the peaks!

After more than a year of hard work, I am proud to announce that Skimo Co is open for business!

Kindled from a passion for ski mountaineering, formalized during a layoff due to injury, and toiled on daily since, Skimo Co is a specialty ski shop that is singularly focused on backcountry adventures.

Our philosophy is simple. The best way to enjoy the Freedom of the Hills¹ is on skis, and lightweight skis let you enjoy more of it. Or to put it more succinctly, skiing is fun and light is right.

While our shelves are not yet fully stocked, we've taken great care in selecting equipment to aid you in your travels. We've painstakingly detailed and verified manufacturer specifications, so you can spend less time researching and more time skiing. Check out our product comparison tool for a sample of our efforts.

At Skimo Co, we don't believe you should have to navigate through a complex menu hierarchy to find alpine touring (or is it randonnée?) bindings that are compatible with tech fittings. Here, we just call them bindings. We even write articles about them to help you choose.

In addition, we want to foster a welcoming community for backcountry skiers of all abilities. Starting by offering a bounty for ski reviews, we hope to encourage the free exchange of information and opinions. You can start by calling us crazy in the comments below.

I am also pleased to announce that we have pledged our first $1000 in sales to the Utah² and Northwest³ avalanche centers. We recognize the amazing work performed by avalanche professionals around the country to help make everyone safer, and we hope to support more such centers in the future.

Last but not least is our most important pledge: to you, our customers. We will do everything we can to help equip you properly for your pursuits, be it winning a race or simply venturing past the ropes at a resort for the first time. Please let us know if you need any help finding the right gear or using purchased products. If you need a part, we will try to get it for you. If you have a problem, we will make it right.

Thanks for reading and have a safe season. See you on the peaks!

-jbo

1. Freedom of the Hills, The Mountaineers Books, ISBN 978-1-59485-137-7. Wikipedia entry.

2. Utah Avalanche Center, http://utahavalanchecenter.org/

3. Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center, http://www.nwac.us/

It is often said that Eskimos have dozens or even hundreds of words for snow.  Linguists laugh and say this is just a myth started by anthropologist Franz Boas, who didn’t understand an advanced word formation technique known as polysynthesis.  Modern anthropologist Igor Krupnik is fighting back, however, counting at least 53 meaningfully distinct words for snow in the Inuit dialect spoken within the Nunavik region of Canada.

While we prefer to remain on the sidelines of inter-disciplinary academic spats, we can’t help but think that skiers and other alpinists are not impressed by the possibly-mythological number 53.  We’ve started compiling a list of words and phrases for snow below.  Please submit your entries in the comments, free of copyright, for inclusion in the list.

blower– powder so light it could be transported by the faintest of winds.

boilerplate– snow hardened like the metal on the side of a grade-school boiler.

bottomless– powder so deep you don’t feel the harder snow below.

breakable crust– unsupportable hard layer on top, soft underneath, impossible to ski well.

bulletproof– snow so hard it could seemingly stop a bullet.

butter– delightfully creamy snow that is spreadable with skis.

cement – unpleasantly hard snow set up like concrete.

chop– old powder that’s been chopped up by skis.

chunder– a chunky mix of ice, clumps and other irregularities.

cold smoke– snow with the density near smoke, as if it could float away.

compacted– snow that’s been ridden a bunch.

[un]consolidated– snow that has [not] settled and become denser.

corduroy– freshly groomed snow at a ski resort.

corn– large round snow crystals formed from several melt/freeze cycles.

cream– snow that is spread by your skis like a cheese on a bagel.

crud– various types of junky snow that doesn’t ski well.

crust – see breakable crust, melt/freeze crust, rain crust, sun crust, supportable crust, wind crust.

[avy] debris– snow that slid downhill in an avalanche and hardened.

depth hoar– faceted snow formed near the ground.

dust [on crust]– light helping of fluff, often found on top of a crust.

facets– angulated snow crystals formed through metamorphosis.

firn– old glacial snow that has survived summer melting but is not quite ice.

flakes– falling or fallen snow in big crystal formations.

fluff– beautifully unconsolidated powder.

flurries– lightly falling snow.

freshies– freshly fallen snow.

glop– wet snow that sticks to the bottom of skis or skins.

graupel– styrofoam-like balls that fall from the sky, often pooling in depressions.

groomed– snow nicely machined by nice people.

hardpack– snow that is packed solid from skiers, wind, sun, or anything else.

hoar - see depth hoar, surface hoar.

ice– snow ice formed from skier compaction or similar; different from water ice used by ice climbers.

isothermic– snow with uniform temperature, capable of being punched through to the ground.

mank– used similarly to crud in various contexts of unpleasantness.

marble– extremely hard snow, as if made from marble.

mashed potatoes– it’s like skiing on your food.

melt/freeze crust– hard top layer formed by warm-then-cold temperatures.

mush– sloppy wet spring snow.

névé– refrozen glacial snow that is younger than firn.

packed powder– resort euphemism for skied out.

powder– a drug for some; refers to soft snow, often deep.

pow[-pow]– diminutive terms for powder.

rain crust– hard top layer possibly caused by global warming.

recrystallized– powder shaped into crystals that are different than when it landed.

refrozen– snow that has melted and reformed.

rime– supercooled fog / cloud that accumulates on trees and other surfaces.

sastrugi– snow with hard wavelike ridges formed from wind.

saturated– snow damp with melted snow.

slop– heavy snow in a pre-slush stage.

sluff/slough– unconsolidated surface snow that is sliding or has slid downhill.

slush– mixture of snow and snowmelt.

snirt– snow mixed with dirt.

snow– let’s not forget the basics.

spindrift– sugary snow that cascades down steep faces.

sugar– recrystallized powder that refuses to bond with itself.

sun-cupped– snow pocketed with indentations melted by the sun.

supportable crust– subcategory of crust that will hold the weight of a skier.

surface hoar– crystallized surface snow formed from condensation.

sun crust– crust formed by solar heating followed by cooling.

[un]tracked– previously fresh snow [un]marked with tracks of glisse alpinists.

variable – see all other entries.

velvet– silky smooth semi-dense fresh snow.

washboard– frozen corduroy.

white gold– indicative of the preciousness of snow to skiers.

wind-affected/blown/hammered/jacked– snow that has been affected by wind.

wind crust– crust from by wind rounding and packing crystals into tight formation.

windboard– hard pack formed from wind, often hollow sounding.

windslab– snow formed into a cohesive layer by wind.

zastrugi – see sastrugi.

Total: 65

Can you think of any to add?  The primary requirement is that the word can be used colloquially as a noun to refer to snow.  We decided to leave out snow formations such as cornice, drift, flute, pillow, roller ball, spine, etc, and stick to words that describe the snow itself.

Londoners and Dynafit binding owners tend to be very mindful of gaps.  The city-folk are reminded to look out for the gap between train and platform when stepping onto the tube (British for subway).  The ski-folk need to keep an eye on the gap between the back of their ski boots and the heel towers of tech bindings.  These are important since forgetting either can lead to falling on one’s face.  In this article, we will focus more on ski binding heel gap than the type that can be found underground.

Tech binding heel gaps have been present since the original pin-style binders were designed by Fritz Barthel in the early 1980s.  Unlike most alpine bindings, the toe and heel units on current models of lightweight backcountry bindings do not slide forward or backward when under pressure.  That means another mechanism is required to allow skis to flex naturally.  This problem was solved with metal heel pins that are designed to slide in and out of tech fittings on a ski boot.  By placing a gap between the heel tower and ski boot, tolerance was added for skis to flex as the pins can dive deeper into the boot.

The question is, how much gap should there be between the boot and heel unit?  Or asked another way, how much should the metal pins slide into your boot?  If there is too small of a gap, the metal pins become fully inserted into the boot and the heel tower itself collides with the boot.  This can prevent the release mechanism of the binding from working properly.  If the heel gap is too large, your release values might end up on the low side causing pre-release and the aforementioned face plant.  In extreme cases when the ski is flexed in reverse, say when picking up your foot lodged in deep snow, the pins can pull out from your boot completely.  Therefore, it’s crucial for optimum performance of tech bindings to have the gap configured correctly.

The first step in ensuring you have the right heel gap is knowing the manufacturer specifications.  Luckily, the gaps have become fairly standardized and there are only three sizes from which to choose.  Here are the details:

So how do you set the heel gap correctly?  That mostly depends on whether your heel piece has a fore/aft adjustment mechanism.  If it does not adjust, you have a race binding and it needs to be mounted precisely for your boot.  Binding manufacturers provide their dealers with jigs designed to make setting this gap a snap, though it’s possible to do this free hand if you have patience and skill.

Adjustable bindings on the other hand let you work with various boot sole lengths.  Ranges of 20mm to 40mm of adjustment are typical.  With Dynafit bindings, a few twists with a Pozidriv screwdriver will set your gap, though a flathead will do in a pinch.  For Trab bindings on the other hand, a socket wrench is needed.  Plum includes a mini Torx key with their adjustable bindings.  Whichever the tool, you will have some flexibility when it comes to changing boots and a margin for error when mounting by hand.

To help measure the heel gap, some manufacturers include various shims that approximate their specified heel gaps.  These should slide snugly between the boot and the heel housing.  For adjustable bindings, you can tune the fore/aft settings with the shim in place until it fits.  See below for a sampling of the shims that might ship with your bindings.

If you do not have a shim, various arrangements of pocket change will do the trick.  Two unworn nickels measure just under 4mm, and adding a quarter will approximate the 5.5mm gap.  Alternatively, a cheap set of metric hex keys makes a great heel spacer kit.

In conclusion it is important to be mindful of your tech binding heel gap, sometimes referred to as the “tech gap”.  You should only need to set it once per boot configuration, but please make sure it is as close to manufacturer spec as you can get it.  If you would like more frequent reminders of gap dangers, we recommend a sightseeing tour of the London underground.

Pattern recognition is an evolved specialty of the human brain.  This innate ability allows us to recognize faces, spot a lion in the jungle, and see objects in the clouds.  Despite the effortlessness of employing this skill, it is not well understood nor can it be replicated by machines, even after decades of computer science research.  So take some pride in it.

A somewhat confusing array of holes, letters, numbers, and arrows on the Hagan jig by ATK.

But before we get too cocky, let’s test our abilities by taking it to the next level.  Can we recognize patterns of patterns?  In this case, we mean screw-hole patterns.  The kind needed to mount tech bindings to your skis.  Let’s see if we can spot any “meta patterns”:

The numbers are the distance between sets of holes in width (across the ski) and length (along the ski) in millimeters.  The 3rd number on the Vertical toes is the 5th hole behind the lock lever which is also present on older TLT Speed and Comfort series bindings from Dynafit.  It is located 19mm up the ski from the first set of holes.  The Dynafit and Plum 32/36 widths indicate the front holes are 4mm closer together than the rear. The Superlite 2.0 34/28 width indicates the front holes are 6mm further apart than the rear.

Whether or not you see race bindings when you look at clouds, we can see some patterns when drilling holes in skis. Knowing something about the history of tech bindings also helps, since it becomes clear that several manufacturers have borrowed measurements from previously patented Dynafit bindings.  As such, the drill hole patterns on toe pieces can be reduced to two competing standards, what we call “Classic Dynafit” 30 x 26.5mm and “Radical” 30 x 39mm.  Bindings with the same patterns can be mounted in holes drilled for other bindings using the same dimensions.

The astute will notice a half-millimeter discrepancy in some toe-hole lengths: 26.5 vs 27mm.  Luckily, this doesn’t prevent us from reusing drill holes as binding hole diameters have seemingly standardized at 6mm, while screw thread diameters are set at 5.5mm, leaving a half-millimeter of wiggle room.

However, fans of race bindings know that a half-millimeter can affect binding release characteristics, amount of heel rub in flat-on-ski mode, and degree of alignment between boot tech fittings and heel pins.  And since binding screws are often countersunk, the act of tightening a screw can easily move a binding by this amount.  Thus you often have to be conscious of the order in which you tighten binding screws, making sure not to tighten ones that pull in an unwanted direction first.

The same half-millimeter discrepancy is apparent in drilling jigs that manufacturers provide to their dealers.  So make sure to ask your shop if they are using the correct jig, as some might be tempted to cut corners and use a common Dynafit jig to drill holes for a less common Ski Trab binding, for example.  The result could be a little sloppy.

The Plum jig’s combination of common and uncommon drill hole patterns.

Heel hole patterns are less standardized unfortunately, but there are often solutions to compatibility issues in the form of adjustment plates.  For example, a Hagan adjustment plate can be mounted with any heel that is 25mm wide, including the La Sportiva RSR and Ski Trab TR-Race bindings.  The differing lengths of those bindings will affect the resulting boot sole length (BSL) range, but they will slide fore or aft just fine.  Dynafit race heels, in contrast, will only work with the Dynafit adjustment plates, as they are a unique tripod design.

As you can see, there is quite a bit of variability between mounting patterns for race heels.  This means the chances of being able to swap heels with another model and no adjustment plate are low.

In summary, before grabbing a drill and turning your skis into Swiss cheese, take a moment to check the screw hole pattern.  Similar to tech binding heel gaps, a few unwritten standards have evolved.  It’s possible another binding or adjustment plate will fit into existing holes or some simple planning will give you future flexibility.  That could free your brain to recognize more interesting patterns such as possible ski lines.

Alpine skiers can be surprised to learn that tech bindings essentially suspend your boot in the air above your ski.  Your weight is not resting on the ski at all, but rather is supported by metal pins that insert into reinforced holes found on Dynafit compatible ski boots.  It can be important to consider just how far off the deck your toes and heels are floating, since this can affect how your weight is balanced over your skis.

The height of the pins that hold your boots is not typically published by binding manufacturers.  However this can be good information to know if you are trying to determine the angle of ramp between your ski and ski boot.  As such, we took to measuring them.  See below for a list of pin heights in millimeters for common tech bindings, accurate to within one millimeter:

The key number in the above table is pin height delta found in the last column.  This number is an indication of how much higher your heel is than your toe.  Higher deltas can shift your weight forward on the ski, which can be an unnatural feeling for some skiers.  Somewhat counterintuitively, those skiers tend to end up in the “back seat” since their bodies naturally compensate with additional knee flex and backwards lean.  While this is an OK position in certain situations, overall it causes poor control, unnecessary knee strain, and tired quads.

We would be remiss to not mention adjustment plates in this discussion.  A tool for skiers with a quiver of boots, these plates are mounted under the toes (uncommon) and heels (common) of race bindings to provide some fore/aft adjustability.  Since they are not zero inches thick, they will directly alter the pin heights of the bindings mounted on them.  Here are the thicknesses of some popular adjustment plates, which are added to the binding pin heights:

Now before you go calculating millimeters and adding shims, take a step back to realize there is no “correct” pin height delta.  Alpine ski racers are used to aggressive postures and tend to prefer driving from the front seat.  Casual powder hounds often like their weight back a bit as they surf through fluff with their tips high.  Cross-country skiers tend to prefer an upright stance, and don’t want to be nudged in any direction.  Lou Dawson defined a baseline goal to be roughly +12mm delta based on early Dynafit binding models.

We think you shouldn't worry too much about a few millimeters.  However skier balance is additionally affected by other variables, such as the forward lean of boot cuffs, ramp built into the boot sole, and stock or aftermarket insoles.  If all of these variables point in the same direction, it is easy for your balance to get out of whack.  This can often be a relatively straightforward fix that involves mounting shims or toe plates under your bindings.  If you’re looking for advice on your particular setup, please send us a message.

Welcome to our first annual season preview, starring the 2014/15 ski season!  Exciting developments are upon us as we bid summer adieu and start the annual praying for fresh snow.  We will take the time to highlight a few on this first anniversary of the day we opened for business.

Skimo goes mainstream

Well, maybe not mainstream, but a couple major skis companies are (re)entering the North American skimo scene.  After false starts in the naughts, when the market just wasn’t ready, Atomic and Fischer added some tiny skis to the crates of alpine and Nordic gear being delivered ashore as we type.

At risk for flooding the market by selling through their extensive dealer channels, the majors have already succeeded in driving down the average price per gram for rando race skis.  While maybe not featuring quite the performance of a Ski Trab Gara Aero, both companies have released skis in the 700/700 club, referring to both price and weight.  This is surely a welcome sign for those contemplating participation in the sport.

Tech bindings multiply

Since the lapse of key Dynafit patents, the number of tech bindings has exploded.  Continuing the trend, this year will see new options to please classic touring fans, hard chargers, and racers alike.  The Dynafit Speed Turn is now being shipped across the Atlantic, while the new G3 ION binding is being shipped in the opposite direction.  Racers can now count on a steady supply of Kreuzspitze and Fischer-colored ATK bindings.

Since we have arguably the most comprehensive collection of tech bindings on the planet, we were forced to spend our summer making it easier for folks to find the right binding for them.  Thus we created a binding finder, backed by Dynafit release value charts and an extensive array of behind-the-scenes test data.

Carbon becomes default

There might be a ski company out there that is not experimenting with carbon layups, but not one on our radar.  Even North American companies G3 and Black Diamond now have multiple models of carbon-laced skis, designed to reduce overall weight while maintaining stiffness and rigidity.  Finding a decent carbon ski will not be a challenge for those used to climbing mountains to ski them.

To shine a spotlight, we have to recognize La Sportiva as the new leader of the carbon race.  Apparently bored with simply wrapping cores with sheets of carbon fiber, the U.S. design team decided to push the envelope.  Somewhere in a top-secret-yet-local manufacturing facility, they are busily stuffing carbon nanotubes into the Vapor Nano.  While the exact chemical processes involved are a trade secret, it’s easy to see possible benefits from using some of the strongest and lightest fibers yet discovered.

Samurai make a comeback

Once just a novelty for racers, side-carry ski systems have taken root in the minds of casual ski mountaineers looking to improve their efficiency.  As CAMP can attest, skiers who learn to wield their skis like a samurai rarely go back to cruder forms of approach warfare.

Manufacturers have taken note, with more than a dozen models now available that let you take your skis on and off your pack without removing it.  New packs from Millet and new colors from Dynafit are pitted against the first American-designed skimo race pack as contenders for your backspace.

Centaurs rejoice

With a horse body, centaurs struggle to fit into skin suits.  This season, half-men can easily find just a race top or bottom to wear.  With pant-plus-jacket combos from Dynafit, Millet, La Sportiva, and more, more species and common folks can start to enjoy some race-suit efficiency.

Stuffing your skins into specially designed pockets on your jacket is a huge time saver during transitions.  So is not-fumbling with pants when they get caught in your boot buckles.  Special cutouts on race suits, and now half-suits, help to alleviate this unpleasantness.

Race skins galore

While in seasons past it was often hard to find a decent pair of race skins, this season we count at least six options available for procurement on this side of the pond.  You can add three more to the list if you differentiate buying kits from cutting slices off a roll.  Creative skin tip makers might just be able to make a business out of their hobby.

With new Rocker skins from Atomic, and the full line of amazing Colltex skins joining the fray, skiers now have many more color options than just blue and pink.  We’ll do our best to track which colors decorate the most podiums.

Packaging gets easier

This last one is a shameless plug, but I’ll mention it anyway.  We invested a good deal of time creating an online tool to let you customize a ski package.  Click the Packages link in the menu to get a deal on a whole setup.  Thanks for reading!

Shedding weight often means shedding features.  The ability to adjust your ski bindings to various boot lengths is one such feature that is commonly jettisoned on race bindings.  If you know you’re going to be using a particular boot for a season or two, why carry an extra ounce or two?

But weight isn’t the only reason to go fixed.  There is beauty and reliability in simplicity; one less thing to jam, strip, or break.  Removing adjustment mechanisms also tends to lower pin heights, which is helpful if you’re targeting a neutral stance.  For all the above reasons, we tend to recommend fixed mounts if you have reasonable confidence you’ll be in the same boots for at least a season.

We make that recommendation knowing there is a fallback plan.  If you do end up changing boots or selling your skis, you can add adjustment plates at that time.  Almost every tech binding can be mounted onto some combination of toe and/or heel plates using special hardware.  The plates are then mounted onto your skis, usually with the screws that came with the binding.

There are three main types of binding adjustment plates: bolt-tension, bolt-positioning, and threaded-hole.  Each is detailed in its own section below.

Tension Plates

Bolt-tension plates are the most common and consist of simple tracks along which adjustment screws can be slid.  Resistance to fore/aft movement is proportional to how tightly the bolts are fastened into nuts mounted underneath the plate.  Because of this fact, it’s a natural instinct to want to overtighten the bolts.  It’s also tempting to add Loctite or similar thread-locker to prevent the bolts from loosening.  However this can lead to stripped screws, for which finding replacements can be difficult.  We tend to take the opposite approach and add grease to the threads, making sure to check their tightness on a regular basis.  Be careful not to grease the actual plates or nuts underneath, as these surfaces provide the friction that prevents the heels from sliding.

The table above details the dimensions of the adjustment tracks and mounting patterns for various adjustment plates.  Combined with binding dimensions, you can determine what plates might work with your binding as well as calculate the approximate amount of fore/aft adjustability.  Let’s consider an example.

The Kreuzspitze adjustment plates feature a 20.5mm wide track, which happens to be the mounting width of the Plum race 135/145 heels.  Sure enough, that heel/plate combo works great.  This means that you can easily swap a Dynafit touring heel with a Plum race heel without re-drilling.  That’s because the 14mm “Special K” adjustment plates are drill hole compatible with Dynafit Speed, Radical, Vertical & Comfort heels.

To approximate the adjustment range of that combo, start by subtracting the rail length dimension by the mounting length of the heel piece.  From this result, subtract another 5-6mm to account for the screw width (or more precisely, two half-widths).  The adjustment bolts need to fit in the tracks, after all.

Checking the data tables, the 14mm adjustment plates have a 45mm track and the Plum heel holes are 26mm apart lengthwise.  They come with M5 (5mm) bolts.  Plugging the numbers into the formula, 45mm – 26mm – 5mm = 14mm.  Thus Plum heels have a ~14mm adjustment range when mounted on a Kreuzspitze 14mm plate.  We recommend subtracting another millimeter to account for variances in nut shape, hole chamfering, mount location, and discrepancies between stated and measured sole lengths.  13mm should be all the adjustment you can expect from this combo.

Now let’s try a more advanced example.  The Hagan binding plates feature a 25mm wide track, which happens to be the same length as the Kreuzspitze SCTT heel pieces.  Knowing the internal binding mechanics are symmetrical, it’s possible to mount the heels sideways on a Hagan plate.  While not necessarily a recommended configuration, we were able to use this combo successfully in a pinch.

One warning when mixing and matching plates and heels across brands.  The mounting screws for one brand may not seat properly in the plate holes of another, reducing the amount of threads engaged in the ski.  To be safe, we recommend using the binding mounting screws provided by the manufacturer of the plates, noting that these are not typically included.

Positioning Plates

Bolt-positioning plates consist of a linear stage that slides along a leadscrew, actuated with a wrench or driver.  Often called rental plates, these devices are faster to adjust and less likely to strip.  They are also easier to fine tune for a precise heel gap (heels mounted on tension plates can subtly wander during tightening).  The downside is they tend to be heavier and compatible with fewer heel pieces.  This is because the stage is drilled and threaded to accept a specific heel pattern.  Below are the nitty-gritty details of said patterns.

Threaded-hole Plates

Also known as shift plates, threaded-hole plates consist of multiple sets of holes that exactly match the mounting pattern of the bindings they support.  Screw the binding toe or heel into the hole-set that makes the most sense given your boot sole length and desired mounting position.  These types of plates are very robust, yet lack the ability to fine tune the binding position since they can only be moved in pre-defined distance increments.  Fine-tuning is accomplished with another plate or a binding with a built-in adjustment mechanism.  The pre-defined increments are listed below.

Threaded-hole plates are often used in situations where drilling additional holes is suboptimal, usually because the new set would be too close to existing holes or otherwise compromise the integrity of the ski.  In this case, you can use the existing holes to mount the plates, and then select another hole-set into which you can screw the binding.  Thus you’ve effectively shifted the location of the existing mount.

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All of the above plate types can be useful when maintaining a boot quiver as they can help you maintain a centered position on the ski.  They are also handy if you aren’t quite sure where you want to be mounted on the ski.  One use-case is to mount a ski with some adjustment plates and test skiing it at various fore/aft positions.  Once the sweet spot is found, you can then remove the plates and do a fixed mount at the perfect location for your style and boot sole length.

That’s all for now.  We hope you’ve found this information helpful.  Head on over to our binding section to acquire these tools of the trade.

Welcome to our second annual season preview, this time featuring the 2015/16 ski season.  While many skiers and industry players are still recovering from the hangover of a record low snow year throughout much of the west, optimistic folks and east coasters are eagerly anticipating another great season.  October came fast this year and we will use the first day, the second anniversary of our opening, to look ahead and see what’s in store (literally and figuratively).

Race bindings adjust to you

While Dynafit was the first to make a race-weight binding with an adjustable release (Speed Superlite), others are now following suit.  Kreuzspitze offers a new GT binding, an ultralight machination that has fully adjustable lateral and vertical release values.  Plum is blurring the lines between touring bindings and race bindings with the new WEPA, a binding happily lodged between proven race models and the Guide binding.  Not only can you adjust the release of the WEPA, you can also adjust the heel to multiple boot lengths.  Even Ski Trab has focused significant energy on making race bindings with safer release/retention characteristics.  We may look back on this season as the year it officially became OK to tour without training wheels.

DIN-tastic

It’s not just race bindings that are seeing attention paid to release mechanics.  Coterminous with the above improvements to ultralight bindings, major touring models are being certified by TÜV.  The new Radical 2.0 series from Dynafit consists of multiple models with official paperwork, joining the previously anointed (but much heavier) Beast.  Combined with the Marker line of half-tech bindings, it’s officially a DIN party.  While this is certainly a welcome development for fans of uphill travel, it’s a good time to point out that certification to DIN standards does not change the biomechanical release profile of lateral-heel release bindings.  See our article on WildSnow to visualize the difference between these and standard alpine bindings.  Oddly, the makers of the tech binding with a release profile most similar to alpine bindings (the Vipec) haven’t yet paid the certification overlords to make you feel safer via rubber stamp.  So keep in mind it may not be best to choose based on paperwork alone.

Getting physical

This is a shameless plug for our new brick and mortar store.  After two seasons as an online-only specialty shop, we can now be found in person just down the street from the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City.  What’s in store for the store?  Who knows, but feel free to drop by to touch and feel all the shiny lightweight trinkets that you’ve been eyeing suspiciously from afar.  Our sign is up at 2477 Fort Union Blvd.

Color blindness

While we don’t typically report on fashion trends, some of the palette changes this season are screaming for attention.  Most notably, Dynafit is seriously overcorrecting from several years of neutral-colored race skis, bindings, boots, and clothing.  New pastel colors not only differentiate from previous models, but also between left and right skis and bindings.  Other hue migrations can be seen in updated CAMP packs, Millet clothing, and many of the new bindings mentioned above.  It’s becoming easier to choose all your gear based on style if, like us, you’re just in it to look good (new readers: yes, that was sarcasm irony).

Versioning

In the software world, updating a major version number (before the decimal point) typically signifies a major leap in architecture, feature list, or consumer readiness.  Of course, there are a few bad apples that use versioning primarily as a means of extracting money from existing customers in the form of upgrades.  The jury is still out on which type of apples exist in the ski industry, but more and more are appending version numbers to their gear.  The Dynafit Superlite 2.0 is significantly different from its predecessor, arguably enough to warrant a different name altogether.  While sawing them in half reveals some construction changes, La Sportiva’s new 2.0 skis look and feel a lot like 2014/15 models.  On the flip side, the Spitfire 2.0 boot could be a game changer for fast and light touring.  We recommend taking the new versioning systems with a grain of salt; let’s just hope there are free downloads of any 2.1 versions with important bug fixes.

Online boot fitting

We’ve heard several grey-bearded industry veterans remark that it’s nearly impossible to fit ski boots online.  We agree that is true for folks with difficult feet warped from years of abuse (some call it love).  For the majority of normal-footed skiers, however, we think that no one has really tried to do it well.  Our new online boot fitter uses advanced heuristics to help guide you into a boot.  Of course, those of you familiar with heuristic algorithms know they require a good amount of data.  So please, for everyone’s sake, go enter some data.

Price is right

There is a bright side to a ski season that struggled to last through March in many typically snowy locales.  That is, there exists a good amount of unsold inventory of perfectly good ski equipment now at discount prices.  We have several models of previously hard-to-find or expensive race skis, bindings, and other gear at more affordable levels.  Never has there been a better time to jump into a new dedicated setup that you’ve been trying to justify based on expected usage levels.  Enough for the sales pitch, thanks for reading!

The unique construction and performance of Aski skis demands an introduction, and this is it.

The heart and soul of Aski is CarbonShell.  The technology consists thermoplastic infused with carbon fiber to make a lightweight skeleton that has unique flex and structural properties.  The self-supporting shell allows an elastic curve to the ski that enables amazing edge hold without the vibration or skitter found in some pure carbon skis.  The shells are compression molded and subjected to infrared radiation to improve bonding and achieve a smooth geometric outline of the ski.

Passionate Italians are responsible for large chunk of the innovation in ski mountaineering equipment.  Thus it comes as no surprise that Aski skis are the brainchild an Italian entrepreneur from Mondovi.  Marco Ascheri is responsible for an industrial company specializing in molds, automation, and material development.  His passion, however, is ski mountaineering, so naturally he used those very useful skills to build new toys to enjoy.  It also helps that he enlisted the who’s-who of the Italian skimo scene to help design and test the skis.

Aski focuses their design on a geometric balance that allows good performance in deep snow and ice.  The company analyzed the geometry of existing racing skis with the objective of making a safe ski, easy to keep a transverse line and carve downhill.  They integrated rockered tips to help with float in soft snow.  With a concept called “flap tilting”, the ski tips feature a double curvature that reacts to the pressure exerted by the skier.

The profile of an Aski introduces “dynamic” or “double” camber.  With careful attention to the mounting location, a bridge is introduced between independent camber regions that lengthens the effective edge of a ski.  This optimizes the grip and every type of snow.

Within the CarbonShell, Aski uses a polycell foam that is a low-density, closed-cell core.  They layer the core with thermoplastic Kevlar laminates to stabilize the ski and disrupt any vibrating motions.  Special elastomers (rubber) are inserted at key points to guarantee vibrations are absorbed.  The resulting skis are smooth, reliable, and ski well above their weight.

This has been a brief introduction to Aski skis.  We’ll let the skis do the talking from here.

Don’t clutter the landfills with old broken tech bindings!  Somewhere someone could use those parts to milk a few more seasons out of their investment.  We act as the intermediary, buying used and broken bindings in order to salvage the working components.  You benefit by getting credit towards a new binding.

Here’s how it works: bring or ship your binding to our retail store.  We will evaluate it and issue store credit based on the current market value of the working parts.  We can’t tell you the exact value in advance, but rest assured you will get fair compensation, usually around $25-$45 for each working toe or heel piece.  Smaller amounts are issued for the working parts on otherwise broken components.

A sampling of parts that make up a classic Dynafit TLT Speed alpine touring binding.

Some of the things we look for are sheared or excessively worn toe pins, stress fractures in the metal or plastic, and unusual play.  But even in those cases, there are usually harvestable parts on a tech binding that someone could use.  If you need a part, be sure to check out our listing for Used Dynafit Parts to see what we currently have in stock.

There isn’t a hard age limit on recycled bindings, but we do have a limited number of models that we work with.  Let’s face it, some obscure bindings have no market value and likely belong in a museum.  The binding models we currently accept are listed below.

• Dynafit Radical ST/FT
• Dynafit Vertical ST/FT
• Dynafit Speed Radical/Turn
• Dynafit Comfort Series
• Dynafit Superlite
• Dynafit TLT Speed
• Dynafit Tri-Step
• G3 ION

Please note when purchasing used parts that they come without warranty and we cannot be liable for their use.  We offer this program as a service to folks who understand the risks inherent to skiing, especially in the backcountry.  We perform a basic visual inspection and cannot see microscopic stress fractures and other defects which may affect your safety.  If you are not comfortable with these risks, please purchase a new binding or part instead.  We typically allow returns of used parts within 30 days if you have any problems.

This is a brief overview of our binding recycling (a.k.a. trade-in) program.  If you have any questions, send us an e-mail or use the Contact Us link on every page.  Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy your investment for many seasons.

A surprise September snowstorm in the Wasatch has folks thinking studiously about the 2016/17 ski season.  This is our 3^rd annual backcountry preview, which we’ll still call a preview despite having already kicked off the rock-skiing season.  Below are highlights of some notable trends and developments related to ski touring and mountaineering gear.

Whoa, boots!  Lightweight backcountry ski boots garnered by far the most product development dollars and brain-cycles heading into this season.  Not long ago there were 1-2 choices of boots that offered true uphill efficiency.  This season we count over 30(!) models with the weight, articulation, and transition efficiency that change backcountry skiing from a slog into a jog.  It’s an eye-opening change that is rarely made in reverse.

1kg Boots.  Looking closer at the lightweight boot category, there has been an oddly large gap between 800-gram race boots and lightweight touring boots that weighed ~50% more.  The lines are getting blurred this season with the advent of the Dynafit TLT7 and Fischer Travers Carbon boots that tip the scales right around 1 kilogram.  These blend uphill and downhill ski performance into a new sweet-spot for many skiers.  Not much heavier, the new Arc’Teryx Procline series also deserves a shout-out with a unique combination of features sure to appeal to the climber in all of us.  We expect the Canadian company to receive a very warm welcome into the ski hard-goods category.

Dampening is happening.  A common criticism of some lightweight (typically carbon) skis has been excess vibration on very hard snow.  Two new ski lines gain the focus this year with their ability to fight this unfair generalization.  Movement invented a stronger and damper construction that allowed models grow beyond the X-Series’ 89mm width-limit.  The new Alp Tracks line features skis up to 106mm wide, with almost insane weights on skis as long as 185cm.  But the king of dampness is now Aski, a surprise Italian brand that has built lightweight skis that ride unlike any other.  The carbon-infused thermoplastic boards feature long radii and are built for speed.

Sophomores rise.  Minimal development in alpine touring bindings can be a good thing.  That means all the great models launched last year have a season of beta-testing under their U-springs.  While folks were leery of Trab toes that look impossibly simple, they quietly proved themselves in situations world-wide.  The Dynafit Superlite 2.0 met with success and now has a White sibling with release values more appropriate for most.  Many other binders gain yet another season of experience.

Racing gets stricter.  New gear rules for ISMF races have made some helmets, skin suits, and beacons partially obsolete.  Sanctioned races now require helmets with both mountaineering and skiing certifications.  Skin suits must have a zippered beacon pocket, and the beacon inside it must now have three antennas.  The new rules come into effect on the heels of the organization’s official recognition by the IOC, which means there is a decent possibility of seeing some spandex-clad uphill skiers at the Olympics in Beijing.

Skins get faster, lighter.  Many folks underestimate the effect skins have on overall efficiency.  It’s often simply a matter of square footage, with wide boards being draped in so much material that excess friction is inevitable.  Lightening them may help high-steppers, but glide is more important with a natural stride.  Pomoca is releasing all new faster skins this season, and Black Diamond is turning heads with their new UltraLite formula.  Adhesive experimentation continues with no clear winner.

No train, no pain.  On the clothing front, the “training” category is getting the most attention.  Stretch pants, often with adaptation for boot buckles, are becoming commonplace.  Lightweight jackets are being fitted with features like skin pockets and breathable backs.  Matching styles of efficient but not-quite-race garb have been added by Dynafit, Millet, La Sportiva, and Crazy Idea.

In the “Et Cetera” category, we have a surprise new entrant in backpacks.  Ultra-running specialist Ultimate Direction is now offering a trail-inspired line of skimo packs.  These full-featured vests have plenty of storage upfront for carrying fuel and essentials.  And of course they nailed the hydration with a custom line of soft-flasks and reservoirs.  Speaking of which, Katadyn has partially obviated the need to carry more than 0.6 liters, with an amazingly-easy soft-flask filtration system that you can refill on the go.

Us.  Thanks for reading.  We’ll close with a brief update on the Skimo Co store.  We spent the summer improving our fulfillment process and putting some finishing touches on our somewhat hasty build-out last fall.  We’ve even started putting together a literary section.  If you’re in SLC, stop in to check out the Dynafit Carbonio line which is only available in physical stores.  We’ll try to make it in on time this winter while we balance our business and passion.

Have a snowy season!

Questions often come up about the difference between the Dynafit TLT Radical series of alpine touring bindings and the Dynafit TLT Vertical series. Both lines feature an ST version and an FT version with comparable weights, with the Verticals coming in around $50 cheaper in each. Why the price difference? How are they different? Let us explain, starting with some history.

Dynafit is a well-known ski mountaineering company based in Austria, and they've made their name manufacturing ski boots and pioneering so called "tech" bindings. Although the original designs are credited to an Austrian family named Barthel, Dynafit gets credit for commercialization of the four-pin technology under their flagship TLT brand in 1990. TLT stands for Tour Lite Tech, hence the name "tech" bindings. Over the span of a couple decades, the TLT evolved into a Speed model and a Comfort model, both of which were proven by years of field testing and refinement. Today the Speed model is mainly found in Europe, while the Comfort model has morphed into separate Vertical and Radical models available in the United States. The Radical series has an additional Speed model with no brakes that effectively replaces the original TLT Speed in the US.

The Vertical series closely resembles the proven Comfort design, with its signature rotating heel piece used to switch between touring and downhill modes. A riser is integrated into this piece, so two extra rotational stops are available with varying heel heights. Compare the Vertical ST heel piece on the left to that of the Radical ST, note the holes in the Vertical riser which can be used to rotate the unit with a ski pole:

The Dynafit Radical series features the same basic innards but has what Dynafit calls a Speed Step climbing bar (the grey pieces on top), which enables the riser to be adjusted without rotation of the whole unit. This was ostensibly done to help ease riser adjustment on the fly with a flick of the ski pole. In practice, that can be true but takes some getting used to. There can be some difficulty separating the two risers using the basket of a ski pole while on the move, but it's pretty straightforward while stopped and focused on the task.

On to the toe, the redesigned Radicals feature what Dynafit calls Power Towers, which are easier to step into and offer some degree of protection from pre-release during a side impact (e.g. hiting an obstacle while turning that causes your ski to deflect sideways). Ski techs will also note that the drilling patterns have changed from the traditional five hole mounting to a more elongated four hole pattern. Compare the Vertical on the left to the Radical on the right:

The toe locking lever has also been improved to add leverage, but both are perfectly capable devices and easy to use. Be careful of pinching your glove or mitten under the new Radical lever, as it can cause a tear if you pull too hard.

The last major difference only applies to the FT models of each series. Dynafit FT bindings are their burliest models, with higher release values than the STs (12 versus 10) and featuring plates that connect the toe and heel pieces. The plates add torsional rigidity and in the case of the Radical FTs, they also add some shock absorption to those big air landings. Major flex will cause a lock to engage and the ski to stiffen. Compare them side by side, with the Vertical again on the left:

Note the Radical version is wider, which contributes to it being 69 grams (2.4 oz) heavier per binding. In contrast, the Radical ST is only 20 grams heavier than the Vertical ST, which leads one to believe there is some extra oomph in the shock absorber mechanism of the FT. All versions have the ability to add a crampon to the toe, though the Radicals have slightly different machining which seems easier to work with.

So how to decide? If you like to huck cliffs, the Radical's shock absorption is probably worth the extra 50 bucks. If not, it comes down to skier preference on which riser mechanism you find easier to work with. If you don't like the idea of trying to separate possibly ice-covered riser plates with a pole basket or mitts, go with the more classic Vertical series. If you don't like the idea of rotating your binding just to change a riser height, go with the Radicals. In the latter case, you'll get a bonus upgrade to ease-of-entry, side impact protection, and crampon access to boot. We think you'll be happy with either, as you'll certainly be rocking some sturdy tech bindings that won't weigh you down.

- Update 2/15/2014 - Please note that Dynafit has discontinued production of the Vertical FT binding for the 2013/14 season.  They recommend either the Radical FT or Vertical ST instead.

Also See:Dynafit Race Bindings

- Update 2/14/2013 - La Sportiva has discontinued the RT binding for the 2013/14 season.

Historically known as a quality footwear company, La Sportiva entered the ski market in 2011 with a surprisingly wide range of quality ski gear. Rather than develop these products from scratch and risk learning difficult design lessons early on, La Sportiva contracted with well established manufacturers to get things right from the start. For their ski bindings, they chose wisely with ATK, an Italian ski mountaineering company. While not widely known in the United States, ATK has a proven track record in Europe of making quality lightweight alpine touring bindings. And now those quality bindings are being distributed in the U.S., but with La Sportiva's yellow imprints in lieu of ATK's preferred palette of reds. Asthetics aside, it's a win for all involved; U.S. ski mountaineers certainly won't be complaining about more quality products to choose from.

La Sportiva is clearly targeting the light and fast crowd with its new lineup of tech bindings. Comparable to top end Dynafit Race Bindings, the race weight RSR and adjustable RT bindings are taking aim at the top of the podium. Let's take a closer look, starting with the toes:

The first image shows the toe from the RSR, which is their lightest weight binding. As those familiar with tech bindings would expect, there is a dual mode toe lock with both skiing and locked-out uphill modes. The RSR also has a non-removable crampon attachment. The RT binding in the second image features a bit more adjustability, notably the addition of a screw under the toe lock. This is unique for tech binding, as it adjusts the release value of the toe piece between DINs of approximately 8 and 14 according to La Sportiva's tests. This will give you a measure of comfort that the skis will come off in a pinch (e.g. an avalanche) while in touring mode. On to the heels:

You'll notice a similar pattern of adjustability differences in the World Cup RSR race binding heel (first pic) and the more touring targeted RT. While they both feature a four hole drill pattern, the RT (second pic) has both a lateral and a vertical release adjustment screw, letting you customize the injury prevention features to your weight and style. The RT heel pin housing, while skinnier than some well known models, rotates as one might expect in a touring binding. This gives two additional riser heights in addition to flat, though the highest setting requires the addition of an optional-but-included plastic piece to the top of the housing (not pictured). In contrast, like most race specific bindings, the RSR has only one riser option, namely flipping the flap down over the heel pins.  It also rotates 90 degrees for a flat-on-ski mode.

As with many tech bindings, mounting these requires precision as there is no fore/aft adjustment on the toe or heel. Both sets come with a mounting template, but the toe and heel need to be properly spaced to fit your specific boot or you could experience pre-release and other suboptimal issues. Fortunately La Sportiva has a solution:

The RSR heel adjustment plate (first pic) takes the pressure of your ski technician at a cost of only 25 grams (0.9 ounces), since it's made of ultralight Ergal aluminum. It could also add to your rig's resale value as more people will be able to use it. The RT adjustment plate (second pic) adds 33 grams (1.2 ounces) to get the same 30mm of flexibility. Both plates raise your heel by 5mm, which is a ramp angle change unnoticeable by lots of skiers.

The last major difference between the RT and RSR binding has to deal with options. As mentioned, both bindings support the addition of a sturdy and lightweight ski crampon (pictured first below), which also doubles a boot crampon in a pinch if you use the holes on the side to tie yourself in. In addtion, the RT has the ability to attach a braking system, seen in the second pic.

The RT ski brake is extremely lightweight, ranging between 64 and 72 grams (2.3 and 2.5 ounces) per ski depending on the width, which ranges from 75mm - 107mm. It's also very innovative in that it attaches to the toe piece of the binding instead of the heel piece as you might expect. This allows it to be used in touring mode as well as skiing mode, and properly retracts while you're locked in. Since the toe also releases according to how you adjust the tension screw, it makes sense that it would also be able to stop the ski upon release. La Sportiva warns that this lightweight and clever system is a bit fragile, suggesting you disarm the brakes via a simple switch before doing anything abusive with your skis such as tossing them in the back of your car.

So how does this all add up? As you can see, La Sportiva, via ATK, has made a strong entry into the U.S. market for tech style alpine touring bindings. The RSR binding, geared for the Rando race market, weighs in around $800 and a scant 145 grams (5.1 ounces). The RT binding will add 30 grams (1.1 ounces) and a host of adjustability, yet subtract $50. These weights and prices are competitive, and indications from the field suggest the ease of use of these bindings is also on target. Well played, La Sportiva.