Backcountry Skiing Bindings Virtual Museum (collection index) |
Through years of testing and product development, backcountry skiing bindings have progressed from simple cable bindings to engineered machines that represent state-of-art materials science and mechanicals. This collection of backcountry skiing bindings covers the full historical range of modern bindings. | |||||||||||||||||
Silvretta SL - 1994 In 1994, the Dynafit binding was winning the weight wars by a healthy margin. Competitors were scrambling. Somehow, Silvretta worked out a deal with boot makers to include a fitting with the same function as that of Dynafit sockets: that of attaching the boot toe to the binding so a "rail" or "frame" between the binding toe and heel wasn't necessary -- thus producing substantial weight savings. The binding Silvretta designed for this is called the SL (taken to mean "super light"). It was a noble effort, but rushed to market too fast with a fatal flaw. With no way for the toe to release in a fall while in touring mode, the binding would explode into small pieces if you took a forward beater. Such breakage was rarely field reparable.
In 1995, Couloir Magazine (VIII #1) tried to give this binding the benefit of the doubt when Lou Dawson wrote that "the outlook for this binding is good." That was not to be, as problems with durability as well as the binding's inability to allow much ski flex under the boot area made it an unattractive solution that was soon off the market. Weight (one binding with screws): 18 oz, 510 gr This binding was provided by Summit Canyon Mountaineering in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. |
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