I got an email asking why we’d not been touting the Dynafit Comfort binding improvements for this season. We indeed reported last winter on the improved front baseplate, but the report was buried in a blog post about Dynafit skis. Check it out here.
Funny how that happens. With daily blogging about backcountry skiing and an almost constant stream of gear arriving for evaluation, we get a bit complacent with gear improvements we should probably shout about. Any tweak that eliminates a durability problem is in that category — so if you use Dynafit ski crampons LOOK FOR THAT IMPROVED COMFORT PLATE this winter!
Dynafit is also selling a backcountry skiing binding called the “Vertical” that’s basically a Comfort toe unit with a heel unit that is mechanically the same as a Comfort, but has a stronger climbing post and a cubist aesthetic. (Old news, but worth repeating as well.) One model of the Vertical (FT) is sold with an integrated brake that’s not a sales option, and a plastic plate that connects toe and heel and is said to stiffen the ski in that area, thus reducing the chance of pre-release caused by ski flex. The latter is an interesting development, as common wisdom says it’s better for a ski binding to allow ski flex, rather than block it up. Truth be told, the Vertical plate is somewhat flexible, so it probably has little effect one way or the other — perhaps just enough to improve boot retention without much change in ski performance.
Other models of the vertical are the ST, sold with optional brake and without connector plate (color is all grey), and the Vertical Race Ti, which has a titanium toe unit as well as lower heel lift heights for racing.
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| Vertical FT with plastic connector plate. Vertical ST is same binding (different color) without plate. We’ll be doing a full test and review of the Vertical soon. It’s heavier than other Dynafit models — yet interesting. |
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain. For more about Lou, please see his personal website at https://www.loudawson.com/ (Blogger stats: 5 foot 10 inches (178 cm) tall, 160 lbs (72574.8 grams).
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8 comments
Will the topsheet of the heal piece be capable of being used to retro-fit the older comforts, thus offering a stronger climbing post? If so do you know if they will sell it saparately?
Thanks,
Brent
I don’t think think so, will know for sure soon.
Are the only differences between the Vertical ST and the Vertical FT:
1. The binding plate ?
2. 60 grams of weight (FT being lighter) ?
3. Ugly yellow color?
If so, I am not so sure the FT is worth the $40 premium (especially with that awful color). Also, at least according to a reliable Dynafit dealer on the web, the Vertical FT is supposedly 20% stronger while weighing 20g less than the TLT Comforts. That begs the question – why would anyone buy the Comfort?
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris, the Vertical ST is sold with or without a brake, doesn’t have the connector plate and is indeed all grey (or mud, according to the translated catalog, smile), without yellow accents.
According to Dynafit, the Vertical ST with brake is 530 grams and the Comfort with brake is 505 grams. This weight is from the catalog, and may have changed by the time the unit was manufactured. I’ll be getting the real-world weight and more information in a few days, and will blog.
I weighed the Comfort as 384 grams, no screws, no brake, so I doubt it’s heavier than the Vertical.
Thanks Lou,
I’ll look forward to seeing some real world weights. Regardless, I think the Vertical (FT or ST) is going to be the binding that helps pull in those bigger and more aggressive skiers who may have had doubts about Dynafits in the past. It could be a real boon for Dynafit if it lives up to the hype. I know it’s the binding I would choose to replace my Freerides.
Regards,
Chris
Maybe I’m dense, but doesn’t making heavier, burlier Dynafits to go with heavier, burly boots (Aero, etc) seem kind of like losing the whole reason Dynafits are superior to other AT bindings!?
Are the comforts discontinued? I can’t seem to find them for sale anywhere. If they are discontinued, is it worth it to try and find some somewhere? From what I’ve read, they seem to be superior to the tlt, and all the dynafit bindings i see are tlt vertical st, or tlt vertical ft12, etc.
tob, it’s hard to say when this stuff is “discontinued,” since product seems to hang in the retail chain for quite some time.
That said, the Comfort is not in the 2010/2011 Dynafit catalog and is thus probably officially discontinued.
Not to worry though, the TLT Verticals work fine and are really just a Comfort with a number of small improvements (as well as a cosmetic connector plate between toe and heel.)
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