How different do tech bindings feel?

Over a traditional binding - they dont release the same way

Over a frame binding - the stack height is way lower ( I really like this)

They are much lighter than a frame or traditional binding.

Tech bindings have come a long way in that last few years. They are great IMO.

In soft snow or cruising groomers, you won't notice much of a difference. In hardpack and chunder, they will be terrifying. All the prereleaseing will also be moderate dicks. Kingpins will be your most tolerable option if you must ride tech bindings inbounds, but I would not want to be on them for an entire season. Spending a year in Colorado with Trekkers and your current alpine set up would be much more advisable than spending a year on the east with tech bindings.

KyleAIn soft snow or cruising groomers, you won't notice much of a difference. In hardpack and chunder, they will be terrifying. All the prereleaseing will also be moderate dicks. Kingpins will be your most tolerable option if you must ride tech bindings inbounds, but I would not want to be on them for an entire season. Spending a year in Colorado with Trekkers and your current alpine set up would be much more advisable than spending a year on the east with tech bindings.

Prereleasinging a common issue with tech?

okokokPrereleasinging a common issue with tech?

Most of them don't have forward pressure on the heel. The pins are just floating with a 5ish mm gap. When your are skiing through inbounds bumps and your ski flexes and then rebounds repeatedly it's pretty easy for the heel pins to release. This is less of an issue with beasts and a non issue with kingpins. But a problem with the standard radicals, ions and the like.

Last ski season I rode Beast 16's and I did have a couple problem with them popping out on me, but that´s because I would drop cliffs into some choppy snow. Buttering and pressing feels a bit odd when you´re riding groomed slopes but in the powder they were surprisingly nice to butter with.

KyleAIn soft snow or cruising groomers, you won't notice much of a difference. In hardpack and chunder, they will be terrifying. All the prereleaseing will also be moderate dicks. Kingpins will be your most tolerable option if you must ride tech bindings inbounds, but I would not want to be on them for an entire season. Spending a year in Colorado with Trekkers and your current alpine set up would be much more advisable than spending a year on the east with tech bindings.

Your point about riding tech bindings all season on the EC is valid. I can see how icey chunder could become an issue. The bindings don't have any float in them, unlike a traditional binding

But I rode Ions inbounds all last season, all sorts of marginal conditions. no pre release issues. ( however this was Interior BC). A friend of mine did too, we were both really surprised at how well they held up to everything.

Trekkers are called day wreckers for a reason ( que the new style trekker debate) ... I can never support anyone to go that route. Plus touring on trekkers is an awful experience due to the height and flex.

Other options include;
Buy a pair of marker wardens, they are compatible with tech boots, ride then in the east and then throw a pin setup on your skis when you get here.

Buy tech boots with swappable soles, and just use your old binders for now.

the biggest problem with modern tech bindings is user error.

You need to clean all the snow and dirt and shit off your boot and from the toe/heel. If there is stuff left in there the binding cant hold the boot in.

If the bindings are mounted improperly (carelessly or with a paper template) they will not hold the boot.

Hugh_Conway_jrYour point about riding tech bindings all season on the EC is valid. I can see how icey chunder could become an issue. The bindings don't have any float in them, unlike a traditional binding

But I rode Ions inbounds all last season, all sorts of marginal conditions. no pre release issues. ( however this was Interior BC). A friend of mine did too, we were both really surprised at how well they held up to everything.

Trekkers are called day wreckers for a reason ( que the new style trekker debate) ... I can never support anyone to go that route. Plus touring on trekkers is an awful experience due to the height and flex.

Other options include;
Buy a pair of marker wardens, they are compatible with tech boots, ride then in the east and then throw a pin setup on your skis when you get here.

Buy tech boots with swappable soles, and just use your old binders for now.

How many years have you spent touring on Trekkers and how many times have they failed you? A broken Radical heel also wrecks a day pretty quickly.

KyleAHow many years have you spent touring on Trekkers and how many times have they failed you? A broken Radical heel also wrecks a day pretty quickly.

I have been touring for over 15 years. Toured with trekkers twice, never broke one personally, but the added height above the ski and the inherent flex was enough to make me never wish them upon anyone ever. (not to mention the weight and volume they add)

I have been present a total of 5 times when trekkers have failed on others... Trekkers are the second most unreliable piece of touring kit, next to the naxo binding. But thankfully they have all died. The third most unreliable touring binding ever was the Fritschi Diamir frame binding... almost as tall and noodlely as a trekker, just lighter.

these are just my opinions, based on real world experience... I have never meet anyone who is a regular BC user who thinks trekkers are a good idea. IMO, they are only good for taking out random noobs to give them a taste of the BC, before they spend actual money on proper gear... Or if say You want to hit slack country lines periodically.

It's true, you can accomplish a lot on marginal gear...plenty do. But good, efficient and proper gear will go a long way to getting in and out safely and comfortably. Why introduce an unnecessary variable?

KyleAHow many years have you spent touring on Trekkers and how many times have they failed you? A broken Radical heel also wrecks a day pretty quickly.

But at least the radical wasn't a miserable waste of time before it broke - the trekker was.

The current gen radicals don't have those issues. As a general rule I don't get first generation backcountry gear.

Go alpine bindings. And when you move west get daymakers and skins.

The new radical 2 has both a pivoting toe piece and a forward pressure to help with prerelease issues..
On the other hand the marker kingpin feels pretty solid all round the mountain, obviously not throu the park.

And of your just doing short hikes for back bowl stashes, I've seen clips of Andy mehre skinning up on a set of griffons and just plod along

Well man, I'm in the same boat, I want a ski for touring that's light, so no frame binding, and a ski that can be good inbound as well.

I'm leaning toward Beast 14, Kingpin and CAST

Might want to look at CAST

The only I've I can see with the cast binding is, do you you have to source a pin tech toe piece?

WindblownslayerThe only I've I can see with the cast binding is, do you you have to source a pin tech toe piece?

Correct, check out http://www.skimo.com, they sell all sorts of touring hardware, including toe pieces.

My radical ft 2's are bomber. super solid, I have dropped 20+ foot cliffs on them, charged through bumps, and sent it down groomers mach speed. They have kept me in when i need to stay in and released on me when it is time to come out.