Question about those Silvretta bindings that take a mountaineering boot ....

Do they have an emergency release, like a downhill binding? Or, is the emergency release your ACL tearing?

mirabela said:

Do they have an emergency release, like a downhill binding? Or, is the emergency release your ACL tearing?

Click to expand...

I have the old 404's and with them, it's a little of both, I'm afraid. Also, softer mountaineering boots won't release as well as regular randonee boots. The newer Silvretta bindings have better release mechanisms, apparently.

Some info here and cbcbd addressed it somewhat in this recent thread also.

This says that they're a DIN-rated safety binding (whatever that means).

As has been posted previously in other threads, for approaches and moderate ski-outs, you'll probably be OK, though I wouldn't suggest any double-black-diamonds using them.

At least, that's how I plan to use mine (i.e., gingerly)...

Has anyone actually used mountaineering boots as ski boots? I used mine a couple of times after my old ski boots stopped fitting, and I found that I got worn out a lot more quickly due to the lessened support...

I've done quite a bit the last few years while my boys skied/boarded. You can't expect to force quick, pristine parallel turns out of this set-up. I've found deliberately stepping into turns on one ski, letting the ski becoming the uphill ski float along for the ride, and then stepping on that ski for the next turn, works better. Before I skied Downhill/Alpine parallel well, I was taught what was called a "Modified Stem Christie". This was the transitional technique after snow-plow. My mountaineering boot/AT set-up technique is a cleaner, more "parallel" modified stem christie, I guess.

Conditions have to be good, also. Ice and steep runs should be avoided.

I hope that makes sense.