Tag: Alpine Touring

Review: Fritschi’s Tecton 12

For new converts to the backcountry world let me implore you to consider Fritschi’s Tecton as your binding of choice for cranking turns in and out of bounds. It IS the binding you’re looking for, but it doesn’t look like it because, well, you’re not yet ready to believe it because it’s a tech binding …

Keep making backcountry turns

Review: Dynafit’s Hoji Free & Pro Tour

Dynafit’s Hoji series is made up of seven models; six variations of the Hoji Pro Tour model and the newer Hoji Free. Think of the Hoji Free as the freeride boot, the one that works with an alpine resort binding and of course any variety of Dynafit-style pin binding. The Hoji Pro Tour series features …

Keep making backcountry turns

Review: Salomon’s Shift

In case you missed it, Salomon nailed what budding backcountry skiers want. They’ve wanted the same thing since forever, something they’re familiar with; a full alpine binding with step in convenience, brakes, DIN calibrated release, PLUS the ability to do a lap back up with skins. Plate bindings have been available to do that since …

Keep making backcountry turns

Review: Scarpa Maestrale RS2
—a worthy upgrade

Although Scarpa put in a little overtime to improve the performance of their legendary Maestrale boot line, the part they tout the most in this second version (RS2) is the improvement you’ll notice the least — the lateral stiffness. There’s no denying the torsional rigidity of the boot has been improved by infusing the back …

Keep making backcountry turns

Review: Fritschi’s Vipec — Black is beautiful

  Whether good or bad, first impressions last and last and last. In the long run, if you can last long enough, weak first impressions can be buried in the glory of redemption. It will take more time to prove but I think it’s time to acknowledge that Fritschi’s Vipec really rocks they way they …

Keep making backcountry turns

First Look: Khion becomes a Beast

  My first impression of the Khion wasn’t the greatest in the world. Half of that was due to the skis they were latched to – Dynafit’s Teton, a ski that dug the tips in with just a hint of angulation. Quite annoying actually, so it was hard to appreciate the excessive stiffness offered by …

Keep making backcountry turns

1st Look: Lange’s XT Free Tour AT Boot

Ever since Lange first entered the Alpine Touring market with the XT I’ve only had one question. Not how well it skied, or how well it fit but when would it come with tech inserts? When parent Rossignol inked a deal last year to put a Look label on a Dynafit Radical the writing was …

Keep making backcountry turns