Gear > Ski > Freerando > Freerando Bindings > Silvretta Pure Freeride
Introduced for the 2006 season the Pure Freeride goes up against some stiff competition in the form of the Naxo nx21 and Fritschi Diamir Freeride. It offers the same DIN 4-12 range as those bindings but comes in a lightweight package, the manufacturer claims 1780 grammes including either 80mm or 100mm brakes for the fattest freeride skis. A development of the Silvretta Pure which first appeared in 2004 the original binding suffered some problems including breakages to the toe-piece casting, carbon fibre rails and a fair bit of play in the pivot point. Silvretta says that the Pure Freeride uses stronger parts including solid rather than hollow carbon rails and a reinforced toe the rest is glass-fiber reinforced and UV-stabilised plastic mounted to a steel base.
For those unfamiliar with the Pure binding both lateral and vertical DIN release is from the heel piece. The toe is essentially fixed except for a small slider plate just under the toe. This can move left and right. If a lateral force is applied to the toe of the boot during a fall this plate moves in the opposite direction with the heel piece moving backwards on the twin carbon rails so releasing the toe.
The Pure Freeride keeps the pivot point 30mm behind the toe for optimal climbing. With the included ski brakes it makes a great in and outbounds binding capable of handling longer day tours. A dual position heel lift eases muscle strain on steeper ascents and can be set with the tip of a ski pole. Crampons are available in multiple widths. Make sure you buy the correct crampon and brake widths for your skis and the correct length for your boots. Because of the toe-release design and the location of the pivot point Pure bindings should be used with touring boots. All that remains to be seen is whether Silvretta have cured the weaknesses of earlier bindings and if the Pure Freeride can really stand up to the punishment of demanding off-piste use.
One PisteHors.com reader has contacted us to say that he broke both the metal and plastic components of his toepiece after just a couple of days of use. The shop is replacing them under warranty but Silvretta had had problems with the original Pure toepiece so it is an issue to watch closely.
See how the Pure Freeride works
We took a pair of the 2008 Freerides out for 3 days ski touring in the Belledonne mountains. We liked the step in/step out convenience, especially as thin snow cover this season meant lots of bare sections at low altitude. The binding releases at the heel, both vertically and by sliding the whole unit on rails when pressure is applied to the toe-piece. This seemed to work fine although with low DIN settings it was possible to slide the heel backwards when climbing steep slopes. We found the stride to be easy going for climbing and conversion turns on steep slopes. The binding is not too heavy and we had no problems with our unit. The ski brake works effectively.
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