We recently got a set of this year’s Dynafit Comfort backcountry skiing bindings here at WildSnow.com world headquarters. As always, these engineering marvels are beautiful to behold — this model glows with a hip color scheme combining a pleasant grey with chrome highlights. Along with the bindings we got a set of extra wide brakes that cover skis up to about 100 mm wide at the waist.
Enclosed with the brakes are black replacement springs for the lateral release mechanism. While one might assume these are “race” springs for higher DIN (hey, they’re black!), they’re just the opposite — slightly softer springs that compensate for added release resistance caused by the brake actuator pressing up against your boot sole. The idea is that with the brakes installed your lateral release DIN setting may be about one setting higher than it reads on the binding; installing the black springs compensates for this and causes your RV (release value “DIN”) numbers to read accurately.
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| 06/07 Dynafit Comfort Binding — they make a nice centerpiece for our dining room table — but I’d rather ski on ’em. |
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And speaking of release values, many of you might remember a rumor last season about Dynafits getting a higher max release number (DIN). I’ve always felt that much of the high DIN trend is marketing hype similar to tow ratings for pickup trucks. Word from sources is that Dynafit agrees — thus they haven’t changed their max DIN at this point though we suspect they’ll be pressured into this in the future. While a few huge agro skiers out there might need Dynafits with a DIN above 10, skiers like that are the exception and can always use a binding such as a Naxo or Freeride if they want ultra high numbers.
At any rate, now it’s just a question of which skis to put the new bindings on. Shall they grace the Atomic Kongurs or the Black Diamond Ethics? Or will the things even be here in the morning after Louie sees ’em? We shall see. Perhaps I’ll lock them in the family gun vault.
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.
