Comments on: Dynafit ZZeus Boot Fit & Performance http://www.wildsnow.com/1546/dynafit-zzeus-boot-review/ Backcountry Skiing Weblog Blog, FAQs, more, links and info about randonnee, telemark and backcountry ski mountaineering. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:48:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Lou http://www.wildsnow.com/1546/dynafit-zzeus-boot-review/comment-page-2/#comment-29462 Lou Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:46:26 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1546#comment-29462 Joel, terrific info, thanks! I changed the email address you put in so it doesn't get harvested by as many spam bots, which will save Sarah some work... Joel, terrific info, thanks! I changed the email address you put in so it doesn’t get harvested by as many spam bots, which will save Sarah some work…

]]> By: Joel Bernier http://www.wildsnow.com/1546/dynafit-zzeus-boot-review/comment-page-2/#comment-29459 Joel Bernier Fri, 19 Nov 2010 08:58:39 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1546#comment-29459 Almost forgot -- I encountered the same non-disengaging walk mechanism as Skibum and Richard Morse reported above on one of my Zzeus (new!). Ironically I have had no problems with my Zzeros, which ostensibly have the same mechanism (perhaps a bad batch of ski/walk mechanisms on the Zzeus?). Anyhow, I took the thing out -- pretty straightforward if not a little awkward -- and had me a look. It is as simple a mechanism as you might think: a two-position spring that lifts the pin out of the channel through which the heel bar passes. On the offending switch, the culprit seems to be that the cam lobes were cast slightly undersized. That way, when in the "up" or "walk" position, it wasn't pulling the pin out fully of the space where the bar slides. Enter the milk jug... after a quick rummage through the recycle bin, I came across the trusty HDPE. I made a couple of shims, one for each side, and it turned out to be both just the right thickness and smooth/strong enough for the task. Volià! Working mechanism. How long this will last, time will tell. Easy fix though, really. Now to the credit of Dynafit -- specifically Sarah.Anawalt using the salewa.com suffix -- they responded to my email about the mechanism by sending me a new one in the mail. So now I have a spare. I've taken a couple of photos of the repair process if anyone is interested. Cheers, -J Almost forgot — I encountered the same non-disengaging walk mechanism as Skibum and Richard Morse reported above on one of my Zzeus (new!). Ironically I have had no problems with my Zzeros, which ostensibly have the same mechanism (perhaps a bad batch of ski/walk mechanisms on the Zzeus?).

Anyhow, I took the thing out — pretty straightforward if not a little awkward — and had me a look. It is as simple a mechanism as you might think: a two-position spring that lifts the pin out of the channel through which the heel bar passes. On the offending switch, the culprit seems to be that the cam lobes were cast slightly undersized. That way, when in the “up” or “walk” position, it wasn’t pulling the pin out fully of the space where the bar slides.

Enter the milk jug… after a quick rummage through the recycle bin, I came across the trusty HDPE. I made a couple of shims, one for each side, and it turned out to be both just the right thickness and smooth/strong enough for the task. Volià! Working mechanism. How long this will last, time will tell. Easy fix though, really.

Now to the credit of Dynafit — specifically Sarah.Anawalt using the salewa.com suffix — they responded to my email about the mechanism by sending me a new one in the mail. So now I have a spare.

I’ve taken a couple of photos of the repair process if anyone is interested.

Cheers,

-J

]]> By: Lou http://www.wildsnow.com/1546/dynafit-zzeus-boot-review/comment-page-2/#comment-29447 Lou Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:06:30 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1546#comment-29447 Yeah, Black Diamond definitely did NOT mess around with how solid their soleblock/chassis connection is. That is a good thing. Yeah, Black Diamond definitely did NOT mess around with how solid their soleblock/chassis connection is. That is a good thing.

]]> By: Joel Beriner http://www.wildsnow.com/1546/dynafit-zzeus-boot-review/comment-page-2/#comment-29446 Joel Beriner Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:40:32 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1546#comment-29446 Roger that -- the BD's employ fewer fasteners, but with beefy inserts. We'll have to see how the threads in the PU hold up on the Zzeus. At least there's enough material to take a helicoil or threaded insert if necessary... Chomping at the bit to try them out at any rate. As for the obsessive flex testing: what can I say, I'm an engineer... :D Thanks for the reply! -J Roger that — the BD’s employ fewer fasteners, but with beefy inserts. We’ll have to see how the threads in the PU hold up on the Zzeus. At least there’s enough material to take a helicoil or threaded insert if necessary… Chomping at the bit to try them out at any rate.

As for the obsessive flex testing: what can I say, I’m an engineer… :D

Thanks for the reply!

-J

]]> By: Lou http://www.wildsnow.com/1546/dynafit-zzeus-boot-review/comment-page-2/#comment-29378 Lou Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:35:26 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1546#comment-29378 Joel, I think it's the BD boots that use T-nuts for the sole fasteners to thread into. That sort of thing seems much better than threading into plastic... but every boot I've ever seen with sole blocks has a bit of movement in the interface when it's yarded on in a place where it is easy to observe. Joel, I think it’s the BD boots that use T-nuts for the sole fasteners to thread into. That sort of thing seems much better than threading into plastic… but every boot I’ve ever seen with sole blocks has a bit of movement in the interface when it’s yarded on in a place where it is easy to observe.

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