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This Year’s Dynafit Comfort Bindings

By Lou

We recently got a set of this year’s Dynafit Comfort backcountry skiing bindings here at WildSnow.com world headquarters. As always, these engineering marvels look beautiful — this model glows with a hip color scheme combining a pleasant grey with chrome highlights. Along with the bindings we got a set of extra wide brakes that cover skis up to about 100 mm wide at the waist.

Enclosed with the brakes are black replacement springs for the lateral release mechanism. While one might assume these are “race” springs for higher DIN (hey, they’re black!), they’re just the opposite — slightly softer springs that compensate for added release resistance caused by the brake actuator pressing up against your boot sole. The idea is that with the brakes installed your lateral release DIN setting may be about one setting higher than it reads on the binding; installing the black springs compensates for this and causes your DIN numbers to read accurately.

06/07 Dynafit Comfort Binding — they make a nice centerpiece for our dining room table — but I’d rather ski on ‘em.

As always, rather than blindly following numbers I recommend setting your binding DIN slightly low (according to a DIN setting chart such as this), then skiing them and adjusting vertical and lateral release based on any inadvertent release you might have while skiing. Setting release this way might obviate the need for swapping springs while using brakes.

And speaking of DIN, many of you might remember a rumor last season about Dynafits getting a higher max DIN. I’ve always felt that much of the high DIN trend is marketing hype similar to tow ratings for pickup trucks. Word from sources is that Dynafit agrees — thus they haven’t changed their max DIN. While a few huge agro skiers out there might need Dynafits with a DIN above 10, skiers like that are the exception and can always use a binding such as a Naxo or Freeride if they want ultra high numbers.

At any rate, now it’s just a question of which skis to put the new bindings on. Shall they grace the Atomic Kongurs or the Black Diamond Ethics? Or will the things even be here in the morning after Louie sees ‘em? We shall see. Perhaps I’ll lock them in the family gun vault.

For more Dynafit details remember to check our Dynafit FAQs.

Posted by Lou on January 3, 2006 | Filed Under Binding Reviews