Backcountry Skiing Binding Mounting
A WildSnow website reader recently took me to task on our Dynafit binding homebrew mount instructions. Getting feedback on our backcountry skiing articles is always a gift, so M.J. gets our sincere thanks! As a result I spent some time this morning re-writing our Dynafit mounting how-to guide, thus clarifying a few things and simplifying what had become confusing because of editing due to changes in which paper template we recommend using.
One of M.J.’s gripes was my recommendation of using a 5/32 inch drill bit for all backcountry skiing binding mounts, and not tapping (threading) the subsequent holes. While it’s true that using special binding mounting bits to drill the holes in your skis is always a good idea, I’ve used the 5/32 drill bit on numerous skis and never had a problem with it. The key is that the 5/32 results in a slightly oversized hole. Thus, the screws have to be placed with care and not over-tightened, and they must be inserted with epoxy or a strong urethane glue. Tapping isn’t necessary because the slightly oversized hole allows the screw to self-tap.
Speaking of homebrew backcountry skiing binding mounts, the biggest issue in my mind is what glue to use for the screws. With most skis a touch of 1-hour or 5-minute epoxy yields a strongly placed screw that never loosens. To remove, briefly heat screws with soldering iron (or flame with a butane lighter in an emergency). Yet nothing is without a glitch. Black Diamond says NOT to use epoxy when mounting their skis, as it may be incompatible with their core material. I’ve continued using epoxy with BD skis and had no problems, but it sounds like a test is in order. We’re working on such and will report here soon.
Perhaps MJ’s best point was that a competent shop might be a better alternative than DIY homebrew mounting of Dynafit and other backcountry skiing bindings. I somewhat agree with that, but the fact remains that very few ski shops have more than passing experience with randonnee bindings, and many people are located in areas where there is simply no ski shop that even comes close. Horror stories abound of trying to get clueless shops to mount randonnee bindings correctly — thus we’ll continue to recommend DIY for anyone with moderate hand skills and a few tools. (Of course, if a specialty shop cares to advertise here on WildSnow.com and tout their incredible experience with randonnee mounts and maintenance, as well as their willingness to do affordable mail-order mounts, we’re always looking for new advertisers!)
To that end, it’s worth saying that WildSnow.com now provides DIY mounting instructions for all the main players in the randonnee backcountry skiing binding market, and those instructions are linked in the main nav menu on the left side of this webpage.
