So you want to tour.
You ski like Hoji.
You want a ski touring binding that can handle your radness.
But you’re also a purist so you’re going to be walking uphill.
For hours and hours on end.
For the 2018-19 season there are two choices which make sense.
Tecton vs SHIFT
I don’t mention platform bindings.
They have platforms so they alter ski flex.
See if I care.
The platform binding is dead.
You just don’t know it yet.
I also don’t mention CAST.
It’s a good system.
It’s well thought-out.
CAST doesn’t need believers; they already have that.
Tecton
Shift
I also don’t mention Marker’s Kingpin which is in a bit of an odd spot.
Marker bindings already do not have the best reputation; their behaviour of late does nothing to help that.
As compared to Shift, Marker’s Kingpin weighs less and is perhaps less complicated.
If you’re going to be touring more than skiing hardpack then go with Tecton.
If you’re going to be doing more hardpack or if you’re a big person then get Shift.
Want one setup for travelling?
Bottom line is that every person’s needs and wants are, by definition, subjectively individual.
Think of the Tecton as a touring binding that skis well.
Think of Shift as an alpine binding that tours well.
- Touring:Tecton is significantly lighter then Shift (180g per foot is a lot).
Tecton allows for tour to ski mode changes without having to remove the ski.
Tecton also allows one to change to walk mode on the fly.
There’s two elevators.
There’s less elasticity at toe (but still impressive amounts) and heel.
- Downhill performance: Shift has more elasticity at toe and heel.
Shift has slightly higher DIN (13 vs Tecton’s 12).
Shift has an alpine toe while both bindings have alpine-style heels.
This is the Shift’s first production year.
For alpine touring gear the first production year is almost almost always a beta year so expect surprises.
Changes to Shift or Tecton for 2018-9
Neither Salomon nor Atomic made changes from the pre-productionShift bindings reviewed.
New for Tecton and for Evo for the 2018-9 season is a re-designed and re-shaped toe bumper.
This bumper is wider, and slides on channels.
The Tecton/Evo heelpiece remains unchanged.
I basically just removed the protruding column and created a smooth round shape.
On left the FR brake with the mounting bracket.
Just snap it out of the plastic retainer clip bracket and stick it in the Vipec/Tecton holder.Old heelpiece.
Note that you could use Fritschi Freeride Diarmir brakes in either the new or old Tecton/Evo heelpiece.
TECTON AND SHIFTS NITS TO PICK
These are fast-moving times for skitouring equipment.
There’s now also bindings that can potentially do it all.
With this newness there have been lots of people adopting Tecton and Shift as their do-it-all binding.
Users are also using gear in ways perhaps unintended.
With the expansion of the user base comes the discovery of gear issues.
Along with that are proposed solutions.
That video is WRONG.
Fritschi’s advice to grease with white lithium grease or use some sort of silicone spray is also WRONG.
It’ll work for a bit then snow will get in and strip all the lube away.
All you’ll do is break the brake pads - see pictures below.
What you must do is to use your hand to press the brakes onto the brake pad.
And only then do you engage the tour lever thus minimizing stress on the plastic brake pad holder.
Simply use a file to remove some excess material.
It’s a lot easier to do so when you take the rear heelpiece apart.
Some know what they’re doing.
Nevertheless the sheer number of new Shift users has resulted in a multitude of issues rearing their head.
AFD won’t adjust upwards
The Shift’s AFD adjustment screw usually is shipped in-box in the lowest setting.
You’ll turn it to adjust the AFD upward.
What you may have to do is then insert a boot into the toe.
MnOhas some useful hints on how you could adjust the AFD to have it stay in place
2.
Crank the AFD up to one position above what you need
3.
Adjust the AFD down slowly, while putting a bit of pressure on the toe.
The AFD will then suddenly click down to the position you need
4.
Tighten the screw about 1/4 of a turn.
This isn’t a Salomon/Atomic recommendation so do what you have to do.
There should be the tiniest of gaps between AFD and the bootsole.
If you have snow on your toe and step in you’ll likely pre-release.
Have your set-up off by less than a cm and you’ll likely pre-release.
Instead look closely at the housing where there are two arrows.
This is probably 1-2mm difference than being flush with the housing.
This is slightly tighter than the flush with the back edge of the housing; perhaps 2-3mm more pressure.
The toe lock is initially really stiff.
Don’t be afraid to get aggressive as there’s one lock detent then another further lock detent .
The mechanism works in over time so it’s less stiff.
First toe lever lock.
Then you’ll know the brakes are locked into tour mode.
The Shift brake and walk/tour mechanism.
It’s a user (un)realistic expectation issue.
Newsflash - the Shift skis like a STH.
This means that the Shift will ski as well as an above-average performing binding.
There’s a wide spectrum of performance within the “alpine binding” with good and bad options.
