Well, I tried skiing on Dynafit bindings for a couple of days . . . and my lower left leg got hurt.

My new Fritschi Diamir bindings were unavailable because they were in the shop getting mounted on my new skis. Weather forecast showed two and half good days for spring touring, then turning bad for the next week—so I was not interested in waiting. And it was a good chance to see what it was like to be back on Dynafits after so many days and years on Diamir. I did two classic ski mountaineering tours in the Ecrins mountains: Montagne des Agneaux normal northern route and north+west side of Col Emile Pic.

The injury happened the second day. After making it down thru lots of steep N-facing hardpack higher up, I reached the W-facing snow which at first had a perfect layer of mush on the surface. Lower it got deeper, then into the 40+ degree slope to exit down to the main glacier ... even mushier, but I was still enjoying making turns. Then had to take skis off to get thru a rock band. Put skis back on with some 35-degree mush even deeper, and with various irregularities. Feeling confident (“I’ve skied junk like this before”).

Finish of my first turn, skis stopped but my body kept going forward. Felt a sharp pain in my left calf muscle before the binding released. Then the binding released vertically. I was glad to find that I could stand up. More glad to discover I could still walk on skis—slowly. And I could still make some downhill turns—as long as I kept my weight back. When I got to another 30 degree section, I left my skins on and did not connect the heel prongs to my boots. Took me about four hours to get back down to my car. I was dreading what my leg would feel like the next morning after my body’s natural painkillers wore off, but it wasn’t painful while sleeping with it elevated, and the next day at least I could still walk (slowly, painfully).

Not fun sitting here thinking about a recovery program instead of out skiing - (it sorta helps that the weather forecast is bad). But it could have been much worse: If my injury had been more severe. Or if it had happened much higher up on the tour—getting down thru lots of 35 degrees on a questionable leg without increasing the injury. One of two lessons I got was to try harder to avoid difficult snow out in real backcountry where rescue or exit could be tricky.

Some details:
* my Dynafit bindings are (to my memory) a TLT toe with Comfort / Tri-Step heel.
* Just before this trip, I backed off both heel and toe to the lowest possible release setting—which is either 5 or below 5 (I’m not that experienced in reading the Dynafit numerical settings).
* Just before this trip, I set the heel prongs (for my larger heavier boots) with 6mm of clearance.
* The fall resulted in no release of the toe-piece. Though the toe was set for normal release (not locked out). My opinion is that there was no need for any lateral release, since it was a simple forward fall.
* Each boot had all 4 buckles tight and the velcro “power” strap tight.

Ken

Yes 6mm of heel gap is correct for the Comfort so it sounds like you had everything set correctly. Having broken an ankle in Dynafiddles, in the same sector as you, I can “feel your pain” to quote Pres. Clinton .

hen the binding released vertically. I was glad to find that I could stand up.

I have been using Dynafits for a decade and in all that time I can only ever remember them releasing vertically in falls. That is with 6-7 set on the vertical release and 5-6 set on the horizontal. That is why I think they do not offer the release consistency of the Diamirs. I note that Dynafit style rando bindings only release in the vertical plane as the toe has to be locked. Of course the binings may have released vertically because that is where the force was in the falls I’ve had… well hardly every falls more a case of “pre-release” when hitting snow pillows etc which is why I’ve upped the DIN in that plane.

I wonder though whether you adapted your skiing enough for the Dynafits? I’ve fairly cautious on them, I trust them on the steeps but not so much in the mush.

Fell once this season, but a good one, and of course it was on video for your entertainment
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbyqlv_descente-fontaine-salee-ericlodi-cr_sport

My right ski released vertically when it got stuck into the congere, and I was glad my left ski released in torsion when I fell on it while rotating diagonally and backward (usually not good at all for binding release...) So it has worked for me so far, let’s cross fingers. Also last year, the first day I was skiing with my new skis/ dynafits, I had set the lateral release to a lower level and forgot to stiffen them later in the day, it released in torsion mode while I was trying an energetic godille… (resulting in a nice fly too!). So, torsion does work in my experience and I set it to the same level as vertical release…