Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information & opinion website. Lou's passion for the past 50 years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about
ski touring and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the
Fourteeners! Books and free ski touring news and information here.
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Who in their right mind would set a skin track where a set of nubbins would be a necessity? The other question is where? I’ll skip that neck of the woods thank you very much.
Steep sections of skin track are pretty common in the East, where tight woods are an impediment to setting the “ideal” low angle traverses. Often times you have to skin up summer hiking trails or along the edge of a ski trail, and tall risers can definitely help. I don’t particularly care if the skin track is semi steep as long as my skins are back sliding.
No one likes a super steep track but there’s times when it has to happen. Beats boot packing any day in my books.
As for the nubbin, it seems like this begging for a Wildsnow/DIY Fix. With screws, washers etc.
Not a bad idea I say. Off the top of my head, it seems that Dynafit risers are a little shorter than other AT (and tele) bindings. What does one pay for a set of nubbins these days? I couldn’t see it on the B&D site.
Note:
The nubbin brings the Radical heel lift height up to the level that previous years models had.
Steep skin tracks in Jackson and Utah are often the norm. I used to think these were set by people who didn’t want to be followed…but it could also be that they’re set by people who aren’t very good at setting up tracks.
^^ after skiing a bunch with ppl who are aware of this, and realize the fluidity of a consistent and less steep track, i would agree. i also agree that terrain dictates as well. amazing how easy 8/9k days are if you keep the angle of the up track down. i am fairly proficient at this, and was yelled at on a ski by someone very proficient.
minute differences in the same hobby at the end of the day, but it does make a difference imo.
I agree, if you get the angle right, it’s amazingly more efficient. My theory is that with the correct angle, you’re not exerting so much energy with your core, trying to keep your balance, push with your arms, shift your weight, etc. You can feel it, when you’re sliding along at the correct angle it’s very relaxing, go steeper and you can feel the tension. I’m not talking about flat slogs and don’t know what that optimal angle range would be in degrees, but you can easily feel it if you experiment.
Beyond that, things like making a switchback that’s not 2x as steep as the skin track are also key, along with keep the angle somewhat consistent. What I see less experience people do most in terms of poor skin tracks is they’ll go too flat for a few hundred feet, then it’s like they wake up and feel like they have to go super steep just to compensate.
Like most anything involved with this type of athletics, a skill is involved. It’s not just a grunt.
To be fair, I’d add that due to terrain and avy hazard avoidance, it’s not always possible to break trail at the optimal angle. In that case, fine, thanks. That’s where a higher lift can be nice — along with ski crampons if you’re there the next day.
Lou
Well, if your skins aren’t starting to slide backwards it ain’t steep enough 😀
On a more serious note, you guys are absolutely right about how good it feels to climb an optimal angle-seeing how quickly you make progress and not feeling like you are going to puke your lungs out sure is nice.
The problem is that this angle seems to vary with stamina. I couldn’t believe how fast and steep some guys I know climb. But they run at trail running contests and do long and steep MTB tours during the summer while I’m too lazy during the summer to train for that stuff and just stick with sport climbing and long easy trad routes.
They might climb faster.
What’s the word? Anyone with the new radical binding have an opinion on whether they like the flip heel risers over the old volcanoes? They look pretty cool, the only thing I don’t like is that you need to rotate the bindings into ski mode by hand. Dynafit yoga for those that don’t take off their skis for the transition to skiing.
I like ’em better in most situations, but once in a while I miss being able to reach back there with my ski pole and turn it for various reasons. Anyone else?
I always do it by hand anyway, it’s actually faster and gives me a nice hamstring stretch.
The Radical heels seem easier to rotate by hand than the Vertcals or Comforts. I guess the radical risers are a little easier to adjust. I esp. like how easy it is to do by hand, but either way is OK and I did not have a problem with the previous incarnations. I think that for skiers experienced with “Dynafiddle”, the matter of adjusting the risers is a non-issue. That said, I have only used the Radicals a few times. Let’s see how they hold up. With regards to the height of the riser: Myself and my partners usually opt for a “Guides” track (low angle) whenever practical. So, the height difference is not a big deal either.
Nubbins are good for us bigfoot types (size 12 >) with steep pitches.
Interesting how accepting everyone is of the new lower lifts on the radical, yet I remember negative comments about the G3 Onyx lifts being insufficient. Just an observation. I’ll admit to prefering the extra hight of the st10 volcano on steeper tracks though the g3’s handle most any track fine for me; if anything I believe the diminished hight encourages more sensible uptracks. Lou, I’m curious how the angle of the radical heel lift compares to the onyx?
All the best, tOM
P.S. this prolly deserves note somewhere, but G3 has updated the heel lifts on the Onyx. The lift’s pivots now have a head on them to prevent the lifts from accidentally being lost. The lifts themselves now have a recess to accomodate the “headed” pivot post,(which must be installed through the lift’s hole)
This is a good improvement as it should keep the mode lever protected and prevent the dreaded “instatelle” that some experienced after lifter loss,(something I never suffered but am happy for the improved security).
All the best, tOM
Tom, thanks.
I wonder if the radical heel lift (or nubbin) could be made to accommodate the tip of a ski pole, for stand up rotation?
Lou, sorry to be off topic, I am using your Dynafit mounting templet and it looks like the heel screw hole center points are not centered, I printed it several times, and the 1 inch square measures correctly. Thanks jamie
Thanks Jamie, I’ll check, perhaps it got messed up when I re-did for the Radical holes. Sorry about that. You can probably fix the marks yourself if you need to use it immediately. Toe marks ok? Lou
Thanks Lou, I did fix it, I am only re setting the heels, but by my eye, the toes look ok. Jamie
I just opened the source file, yeah, the circles on the back heel holes are a bit off center but the vertical lines are correct, right? The circles are just a visual guide, but I’ll fix so they look right. doing it now. Because of the software I’m using to draw I can’t seem to get the circles perfect, but they’re pretty much visually correct now. Thanks, Lou
Thanks Lou, I had used the old pdf many time, and it was a great help. This one is a great help as well, just caught my eye as I was setting up, and a quick check confirmed what my eye was telling me, the heels center points were a bit off. You are my source for all things Dynafit, being a dyed in the wool do it yourselfer, you have save me un tolled hours of trial and error. thanks jamie
After playing around with the radicals in the shop and trying to rotate the heel back to ski mode with a pole I figured out that it is very possible. Anyone else try rotating it with the first lift down and coming around your right side with a pole? Or maybe everyone has figured this out and just has kept it a secret!
Heel rotation via a pole is a little tricky at first, but very easy after a few goes. Play around you’ll figure it out.
Anyone have experience with the Nubbins? Especially as it relates to additional wear or risk of damage to the heal piece. I am slightly annoyed that my new Speed Radicals have less lift that my old Verticals but do not want to risk breaking my binding. BTW, I’m 6′-5″, 200 lb and have Size 13 boots.Please advise. Thanks.
Indeed, the longer your foot the less climbing angle/lift you get out of the deal! If I were you I’d try the Nubbins and see what happens. Worst case is you’ll wear out the thimble bushing inside the binding, which is easy to fix. Lou
Thanks, Lou. If you really think that a worn bushing is the worst that can happen then I think I’ll go with the Nubbins. Hope you’re right…