New to Dynafit, advice?

Tim, by "electrical cable ties" do you mean the zip ties that are commonly used for keeping bike cables (among other things) in place? Or is this something more exotic than what I would find at the local hardware store?

Nothing special, just standard cable ties. I've never heard them called "zip ties". but maybe that's a bike thing. I get mine from the electical section of a good hardware store. I bought a bunch, took them home, and tested them with a fish scale to see what weight the would stand and how consistent they were. I found that the cheap ones broke way to easily, and were inconsistent. The ones that cost more were more reliable. I tested the leash release that Fritche used on their Titinal bindings, and the straps pulled out at about 25 LB. These had worked well for me in two little avalanche "oopsies", so I used the cable ties that broke at the nearest figure -- 22 LB.<br><br>I suppose you could use fishing line, or anything else that you can make a loop out of and that breaks with a consistent force. I even tried tying some loops out of 25 lb test fishing line, before I remembered why I hate fishing. The cable ties are easier to work with!<br>

Hey Alan,<br><br>Your post here kinda answered a question I had regarding the TLT Comforts mounted on the Atomic TMXs -<br><br>The brake width on the Dynafit Comforts is listed as 84mm and the width of the TMXs underfoot is listed as 84mm (seems like a tight fit on paper). Based on your discussion above, it sounds like there enough clearance for the brake to work properly with this setup? Is that correct?<br><br>Thanks, Andy

Andy,<br><br>The short answer is that they work fine and there is plenty of clearance. At least this is how things look at home. I have only had the setup out on real snow once. But it looks to me like a natural fit, with plenty of clearance once they pop out and they tuck in nice in the ski mode.<br><br>What I am not sure of is if there are different sets for different ski widths.<br><br>Alan

I find the brakes can be bent. I have the wide (comfort) brakes on work stinx which are 88 mm underfoot and they operate fine. If you need to bend them much at all for additional clearance I'd suggest taking them off and bending the outlside angle in a vice rather than just reefing on them while mounted.<br><br>I personally have an aversion to ski straps. I seem to fall more than I should (I think the rubber tips on my walker are worn out) and a yard sale type fall puts me into a situation similar to jumping into an 8 ft blender with 6 ft blades; and I have the scars to prove it. There's also the unsettling thought of being pulled down by skis in an avalanche...<br>I know of at least one avy death that appeared to be caused by non-release (tele) skis. Tim seems to have the matter solved to his satisfaction. Nonetheless, for both those reasons, I'm sticking with my brakes unless I'm actually traveling, roped up, on a glacier.<br><br>As far as the toepiece/boot sockets foibles go, I follow most of the recommendations above, with an additional variation or two...<br>First, I keep the ski topsheet area under the toe cross piece sprayed with some sort of slippery stuff (usually silicone) so that when I cycle the cross pieces (with no boot between the pins) the snow just comes right out or at least fails ro restrict the throw of the cross pieces.<br>Next, I have never needed to carry anything to clean ice out of the boot pin sockets. When I put the boots on the boot drier a home I usually put a little dab of white grease in each boot pin socket. On the snow, when I line the boots up and get the pins clicked into the boot sockets (even with them full of ice), before I click the heel in I swing my foot (with the toe pice of the ski attached) fore and aft a few times to let the pins "drill" into whatever ice is in the sockets (most pins actually have a radial slot to augment this process). So far that's always worked for me.

Nothing special, just standard cable ties.  I've never heard them called "zip ties". but maybe that's a bike thing. I get mine from the electical section of a good hardware store.  I bought a bunch, took them home, and tested them with a fish scale to see what weight the would stand and how consistent they were.  I found that the cheap ones broke way to easily, and were inconsistent.  The ones that cost more were more reliable.  I tested the leash release that Fritche used on their Titinal bindings, and the straps pulled out at about 25 LB.  These had worked well for me in two little avalanche "oopsies", so I used the cable ties that broke at the nearest figure -- 22 LB.<br>

<br>Tim, did the ones that broke too easily & inconsistently have any sort of official rating on them? I found some small ones that claim to be rated to 18 pounds. They fit very well around the tongue tab in the Scarpa Matrix. (My plan is that the only thing attached to the boot will be the breakable cable tie, then I'll use a swivel hook -- attached more securely to the binding -- to clip onto the boot's cable tie loop.)<br>