Comments on: Tech Ski Boot Fittings — Clicking, Play, Weird Release and other Nefarious Occurrences

By: Ben

Ben — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 14:00:25 +0000

Thanks Lou, makes sense. I’ve also noticed the clicking goes away when I lock out my toe pieces, so I do not experience it while skinning with either pair of bindings. In the BC I’m a pretty big fan of locking out the toe for descents as well (I’m paranoid about my skis flying 3,000′ into the abyss) and if they are indeed locked I don’t experience the clicking on the downhill either. Skiing inbounds with the toe pieces horizontal is really the only time I have the problem, so maybe the answer for me is to stop skiing Dynafits inbounds and go with a more conventional setup (using Barons perhaps) and save my Dynafits for BC use only. This would not only increase their lifespan but I’d also sort of “solve” the clicking issue. I wouldn’t be that bummed out about not skiing Dynafits inbounds, so perhaps this will have to suffice as my own personal solution to the problem.

Thanks for the quick response!

By: Lou Dawson

Lou Dawson — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:23:11 +0000

Ben, I’ve not seen the clicking create a safety issue, but then, I’ve not evaluated any high mileage bindings that have been used with the clicking. The only times I’ve been able to replicate the clicking, I’ve seen movement in the pin/boot interface and one has to assume that such extra movement would produce extra wear. If you have to have the boots, I’d live with the clicking and just be sure to do plenty of release checks as your use cycle progresses.

One thought experiment you could do is ask yourself, would you ski with an alpine binding and boot that exhibited this type of behavior?

Lou

By: Ben

Ben — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 04:12:42 +0000

I didn’t read every comment above but thought I’d share my recent experience with the clicking issue…

I’ve been skiing a pair of Vertical ST’s for 3 years now and switched to a BD Quadrant boot in 2011. After maybe 40 days of skiing the Quadrants (some resort skiing, mostly BC) I began noticing the clicking in the toe piece while skiing (not so much while skinning with the toe locked). I purchased a pair of Radical ST’s last season, tried them out with my Quadrants, and almost immediately began experiencing the same clicking. After reading a thread on TGR that led me to believe the problem was in the boot fittings, I reached out to BD and had my Quadrants warrantied. Received a brand new pair of the second generation Quadrants last week, took em out for the first time today, and immediately noticed the clicking while using my Verticals. It didn’t seem as severe as with my previous Quadrants, but it’s definitely still present. Haven’t skied my Radicals yet but I’m assuming the clicking will prevail with those as well.

At this point I’m not sure I want to try and go with a different boot, as the Quadrants work well with my wide forefoot (and sending boots through the mail is a pain in the a**). Really the only question I have at this point is, based on what we’ve all seen thus far, is there any evidence that this clicking issue creates a safety issue? I skied a full season with the clicking present and never had a pre-release or binding failure, so naturally the longer I’m able to ski w/o issue the less I worry about it. i just wanted to get input from others on the subject before I head out to ski no fall lines this spring.

Thanks!

By: Lou Dawson

Lou Dawson — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:08:53 +0000

Everything wears out. That’s something it’s hard for tech binding users to sometimes force themselves to realize (grin).

By: RobertC

RobertC — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 07:52:25 +0000

Lou – thanks for the quick response. I will definitely do the checks – but I fear it is the boot. But on the upside it is a good excuse for a new pair

Phil – boots are about four seasons old – I got them in January 2010.