Ready for the Dynafit Plunge

I love the Kongurs.  They're pretty light and make for a great spring/summer volcano ski.

ditto.... it'll be a sad day when my kongur's finally bite the dust.

You would potentially be fine with any of the Dynafit models, past or present. Depending on how weight conscious you are, I would consider going without brakes (and if you do end up with brakes, be advised that the newer the binding, the better the brakes generally work).

Older TLT Speed/Classic bindings are bomber, and even though the heel pins are shorter I used them for years without any but routine problems. Highly advisable to grind off the injection-molding bump under the pins if you get these. If you are sensitive to ramp angle, these are the flattest. The limited fore-aft ajustment (about 1cm total) is only a factor if you are using multiple boots or trying to match old holes, and there are other advantages of these as well (all metal top plate/climbing riser design, solid metal pivot post, lighter weight).

If someone offers you a free set of Tri-Steps, you can buy a new set of toes for them from Salewa and have a set of Comforts (heel was the same). Otherwise, as Pete says, pass.

Comfort and ST are both bomber, there are those who prefer the Comfort for the metal top plate on the heel (if the volcano breaks, it doesn't take off part of the plate holding the heel pins down when it goes). Brake deployment seems a little more reliable with the ST/FT, but still not as good as the newer Radical bindings.

It's a little early to comment on the durability of the Radical series heel lifters - there have already been some reports of people breaking them, but they are definitely easy to flip up/down with your pole. Having to turn the heelpiece 3/4 of a turn instead of 1/4 (if you're on the high position on the older bindings) is less convenient if you don't take your skis off to deskin, but a small thing.

If you end up with Comforts or ST/FT's, the original spec for heel gap was 6mm, but Dynafit have since revised it to 5.5mm.

I'll second all of GregL's comments.

My only beef with some Dynafits (FT/ST/Comfort) is that they have too much ramp angle. This is easily remedied with a shim under the toe. Speed/Classic have less ramp angle. Ramp angle is not a big deal for some people.

Unless you are switching between two pairs of boots, the Speed/Classic will work fine with Kongurs or other skis which are relatively stiff underfoot. Grind off Le Bump, as Greg suggests. The Speed/Classic heel spindle is actually more stout than Comfort/ST/FT (although spindle failures are rare). The longer pins of the Comfort/FT/ST are nice for skis that are soft underfoot, especially with a long BSL. Speed/Classic pins can be replaced with longer ones. Some people prefer the longer toe lever of FT/ST, while others prefer the shorter Speed/Classic/Comfort toe lever. Both work fine for me. All the aforementioned bindings can be retrofitted with B&D aftermarket top plate and volcano. My favorite Dynafits are ca. 2009 Speeds with ground off Le Bump, B&D top plate, B&D volcano and longer pins. But my Comforts and FTs have worked just fine.

Brakes schmakes. I prefer leashes.

Thanks for all the info.  I'm leaning towards the Radical Speed.  Aside from being the cheapest and lightest, I really like that the new version provides for 12mm of adjustment.  Since I don't currently own a compatible boot, the adjustment is important and might save me a remount if I need to exchange/change the boot.  I know it's new this year, but does anyone have any experience with it?

I know it's new this year, but does anyone have any experience with it?

A friend has a couple days on a pair of Speed Radicals.

The toe is super solid (no baseplate is nice IMO) and the "power towers" seem to help with a straight-down step in entry (a good thing, because they prevent you from using the hook-one-side-and-roll method). The climbing lifter(s) seem solid and are easy to flip up/down with your pole (pole handle works a little better than basket); durability remains to be tested but they seem pretty beefy. All the climbing positions are with the heel turned 1/4 turn clockwise from ski position, so if you rip skins without removing your skis you have to turn the heel 3/4 turn to get the pins facing forward (ie. you have to grab and twist twice; there is a spring-loaded pin inside the unit that prevents you mechanically from twisting it counterclockwise). Not such a big deal for most people, but you'll notice the Speed Superlite doesn't require this (heel pins and lifters face the same direction), and the older models only require 1/4 turn if you arrive at the top in "high" lifter mode.

The heel units both rock a little from side to side; the only thing securing them is the baseplate, and there is a little gap between the edge of the pivot post base and the ski deck with the screws tightened all the way down and no perceptible volcanoing or other lifting of the baseplate - I suggested putting a couple layers of tape under the edges. I doubt you would notice the movement while skiing, since the toepiece holds the boot so securely . . .

PS If you don't feel like being a guinea pig you can still find new TLT Speeds at places like this:

www.telemark-pyrenees.com/en/dynafittltspeed1112-p-6590.html

Examined another pair of (unmounted) Speed Radicals carefully today, and with the heel held firmly on the kitchen counter both heelpieces rocked laterally - sure they need enough clearance to move forward/backward to adjust for BSL, but it's a little too loose.  Tape on the bottom of the pivot post base should solve it, or you could put the black plastic base on a belt sander and grind off half a millimeter or so to tighten up the fit. FWIW, the pins are longer than the old TLT Speed/Classic (same as the Radical ST/FT) and the "bump" is much less prominent on the Radical.