Got another binding set up in the museum yesterday. This time we honor venerable 1993 Dynafit Tourlite Tech (TLT), the grabber that started the revolution. Museum display here. Enjoy.
Complete 1993 Dynafit Tourlite Tech backcountry skiing binding shown above. The pink and purple color scheme is typical of late 1980s and early 1990s style.
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).
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lou.dawson.writer
11 comments
Man, it looks so ridiculously simple and almost wimpy. The proof’s in the pudding, and Dynafit’s been whipping up some fine pudding!
Lou, Great addition to the museum. Wondering if you ever skied on the Emory Altitude LX? My first BC binding. Wish I still had them, I would send them right over to you!!! Thanks for many years of BC info! Ron
To be fair, even if it never reached production, the Ramer 2-pin system should get credit for starting the revolution. Paul had the concept ages before Dynafit came out. Given the article he wrote describing it and showing photos of the prototype, it’s likely that somebody in Europe noticed. After all, the Euros borrowed his heel elevator too.
Indeed, Ramer deserves a lot of cred.
I was poking around the Marmot Mountain shop (Seattle) and found some Dynafit Low Tech bindings- they are similar to the ones in your museum; but probably older- no adjustment base, the U-shaped rod has a round cross section, and a bigger nastier top plate.
I bought them, they weight more then the TLT’s, sit very low on the ski and the rotation is pretty rough- so probably won’t use them; but cool to look at. A question- do they only have a single spring in them? Mine were in pieces- so grabbed the regular springs; but tough to turn?
Rick, the rotation might be rough because they need a thimble bushing on the end of the spring. Most springs are double, one inside the other, but the binding works with a single spring, just ends up with a much lower release setting. ‘best, Lou
Hi, Lou.
I am wondering if you or any of your bloggers know of a place to get a replacement base for one of these TLT’s. I have a mid-90’s set-up with the neon green and have a hairline crack in one of the bases near a screw head. Is it possible to replace this part?
Great museum and overall website.
Paul, that’s a really common form of damage. I’d try Salewa/Dynafit USA
http://speedup.dynafit.us/
Please leave a blog comment and let us know how it goes.
hello, I have a dynafit tlt, the same modell which is shown here in the article. Is it crampon and brake compatible?
I was just gifted a pair of Rossignol CUT 10.4 skis with “Tour (lite) Tech” bindings that look only a bit more modern than these … blue/purple plastic and green bumpers. Well, to be fair, the heel piece looks pretty much like my Vertical 10, more so than this.
I have no idea how to date these. I was thinking I might put them on some resort skis, but they don’t have brakes and it’s not clear that they take brakes … or that I could find the brakes if they exist.
(I might know where to find another set of similar age, if you want them for the museum. You might have to take the 191cm straight skis they’re attached to, though. 🙂 )
Chris, those old Dynafit (Low Tech) bindings are very cool, but I’m not sure how appropriate it is to put a +20 year old binding into active service. I do see these getting used, especially in Europe, but problems happen such as the plastic of the rear base plate cracking.
They did make brakes for those, but they’re of course not available in retail.
As for the museum, I’ve got quite a few older Dynafit bindings but am always looking for ones that are of slightly different vintage. If you end up with some, send me a photo via the contact link above and I’ll see if they’d be of use. FYI, we have a shipping budget for the museum, but no acquisition budget. Lou
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