As broken by Lou on Wildsnow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-tW-GY5cKA&feature=player_embedded

http://www.wildsnow.com/8655/garmont-cosmos-details-review/

and more comment here

http://www.sierradescents.com/gear/2012/11/19/the-cosmos-collapse.html

French guys haviing issues too

http://www.skitour.fr/forum/read_206009.html

one guy seems to have had an injury Post #11 and someone couldn’t get the 13° inclination to work due to the cuff catching.

Just watched the video, it is about 7 minutes in where he demonstrates the toe release. They need to do the tests with some proper equipment and also test with the boot locked in the heel piece but it does appear that by not having a chamfered toe piece the binding doesn’t release smoothly, is that a problem, I’m not sure. Alpine bindings tend to be all or nothing. I don’t like the slop on the toe piece with the Garmont though.

Personally it brings home a couple of points.

Don’t buy gear that has only just been released, well not if your safety depends on it.

Dynafit style bindings do not have as good release characteristics as more alpine style bindings. If you fall over a lot or are skiing inbounds, don’t use them. I never ski my tech bindings inbounds.

davidof - 13 December 2012 12:56 PM

If you fall over a lot or are skiing inbounds, don’t use them. I never ski my tech bindings inbounds.

you’re suggesting they’re best reserved for days you’re actually going uphill?

I’ve just switched some bindings around and I’ve been skiing on some TLT Speeds quite a few days, ie no toe release. I thought a couple of times in the last few weeks “is this a bit fast on a piste for TLT’s?” Being lazy I can’t be bothered to keep switching skis around and I’ve not worn alpine soles for years. Not very sensible I guess

I was thinking that rando gear is expensive, especially the boots, so personally I reserve it for touring rather than hooning around the pistes. Obviously someone doing a day’s off piste in resort with some climbing will do that on touring gear and will probably be skiing on piste at some point.

That said, I’ve heard that some people don’t hesitate to spend 1000 quid on their piste skis.