Appoach-Ski bindings?

What mountaineering-boot compatible binding are people using on their approach skis? Silverettas? I keep seeing pics of people with these light/simple looking bindings, but cant find a solid answer.

No way in hell am I going to snowshoe another season if I can help it. Please help!

It all begins and ends with Dynafit, although a recent entry may well change that.

Now that the Dynafit patent has expired, G-3 has come out with their own interpretation of the system (same boots work).

With the expiration of the patent, and other manufacturers embracing the system, this binding has become its own catgegory - called "tech bindings".

The Dynafit system comes in well under two pounds, with the G-3 being a bit beefier but still very light.

There are also a few stupid light tech bindings made in small quantities in Europe by fringe manufacturers - for the lycra clad rando racers ... guys with VO2 maxes to rival Tour de France riders and "trainers" to match (can you spell EPO?).

Now, for the big dude who hucks 50 foot cliffs, it's the Marker Baron and Duke, but the world is (in general) migrating away from the Fritchi's (Diamir)and Silvrettas, although each still has its fans.

Go to Lou Dawson's Wildsnow site: wildsnow.com/ for everything you ever wanted to know about Dynafitand all of the other AT bindings. Lou is the consummate gear geek, the first guy to ski all of Colorado's 14-ers, and he has a wealth of technical information and FAQs on this binding as well as all of the others.

Also, if you Google "Jonathan S Dynafit" you'll find quite a few good links. I don't have Jonathan's personal website handy.

Looking at Dynafits is not confidence inspiring, but they're bomber when mounted correctly (using the heel spacer to set the fore-aft position of the heel).

The bonus is that they ski great (even compared with a full out alpine binding) and have a very ergonomic stride because the pivot point is in those little cups on the side of the toe - about 1/2" behind the front of the toe.

The downside (if you can call it that) is that you need Dynafit compatible boots, but this is not much of a problem these days. BD, Scarpa, Dynafit, and Garmont all have boots (some of which can be really stiff) that are Dynafit compatible.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

If you are looking for a touring binding that will mount up to mountaineering boots just like your crampons do, I think that silveretta's are your only choice. To my knowledge dynafits will not work with the majority of mountaineering specific boots. Could be wrong and probably am. I have had a pair of silverettas for years and have been very happy with them. Super durable and I really like the old school look and history behind the bindings..

Upon further examination it appears as though the new silverettas do not have the some toe and heel bail system as the old silverettas. It looks like you will probably need to be looking for an older pair of silverettas to fit the bill...

I use the Silveretta 500's and they work great--the weak link is the ankle support of mountaineering boots, especially when going downhill. I don't know a single pair of mountaineering boots that are compatible with Dynafit style bindings, so I really don't know what Galibier is talking about--I think he missed your "mountaineering-boot" compatible. Climbing in AT boots sucks--I have tried it and it is alright for climbing a couloir to ski down, but for ice climbing/mountaineering, they suck the big one. I have skied in my Scarpa double boots (Alphas and Vegas) as well as my Nepal Evos. The Vegas worked best since they had the best ankle support, but no where near my AT boots. I no longer own double boots, so I now just use my Nepals--it gets hairy on downhill and I usually leave my skins on. I could see breaking an ankle if you are not careful, but I regularly blow by snowshowers on the approach and no contest on the way out.

I am another big fan of the Silvretta's, mine are the old style 404's and I use them with my AT boots, old double boots or my Nepal's for ice, just really versatile and superlight.

Silvrettas are pretty much the only way to go. Im rockin a pair of old 404s and they fit both my AT and mountaineering boots. If you are looking for a used pair your best bet is probably the Teton Gravity Forums, Ebay, Craigslist, etc otherwise you can always find a full priced pair of 500s.

I'm another fan of the 404's. I've used mine in the backcountry and at the resorts. I'm not a super aggressive skier yet. Like others have said they fit my AT boots and my mountaineering/ice boots. They're extremely versatile but ugly as sin. Gotta paint my hot pink ones to black.

The simple looking bindings you are referring to sound like they might be tele bindings?

FYI, REI cannot mount the 404's. They don't have the jig for it.

I know there are better bindings on the market but if you're looking to go cheap yet functional, the 404's are great!

you can always make your own jig. it will most likely do the trick.

?Silvretta 500?

/shameless

Casey Bernal wrote:?Silvretta 500? /shameless

PM sent.

Yup ... I missed/misinterpreted the "mountaineering boot compatible" comment. When you said "light, simple bindings", my mind immediately went to Dynafit - the lightest thing going these days (and lighter than Silvrettas ... truly an engineering masterpiece).

When I think of skiing and mountaineering, I think more in Lou Dawson's terms - "ski mountaineering".

I agree with the posters however, that Dynafit compatible ski boots are fine for working up a couloir, but this doesn't sound like the application we're talking about here.

In that regard, you're likely looking at old Silvrettas and such.

Oh well ...

Cheers,
Thom

I'm a reformed tele skier now touring with Dynafits/F3s (LOVE THEM) but would prefer a binding compatible with my mountaineering boots for approaching climbs. I've noticed quite a few climbers, especially in Europe, using a very simple plate style binding set-up that seems to be much less bulky than Silvrettas, but I do suppose that the could very well be older model Silvretta 300s. I also noticed the Kong Grimper kong.it/doc301.htm Kong Grimper