Loosing around 100 grams doesn’t sound too hard does it? But what if you only weigh 330 grams to start with? A tall order but that is exactly what Dynafit have achieved with their new TLT Race TI binding. Not surprisingly they have just picked up the coveted European Ski Award at the 2005 IPSO show in Munich.
Weight conscious racers have long used the Tourlite Tech binding built from traditional steel. They have then drilled and replaced parts with aluminium to save yet more weight. Now Dynafit is saving them the bother. The TLT Race TI is built from Titanium and Titanal®, a high strength aluminum alloy.
Titanium has only been commercially available since the 2nd World War. It is as strong as steel but is extremely corrosion resistant and 45% lighter. It is heavier than aluminum but has twice the strength. Dynafit have managed to shave 30% off the weight of the Tourlite Tech bringing the weight of a single binding down to an astonishing 235 grams. Dynafit also claim better rigidity for the new binding. We notice that the heel adjuster has also vanished in the process which must have saved a few more grams. Pricing will be as exotic as the materials; the binding is expected to retail at around twice the price of the Tourlite Tech. A case of less really being more.