Upgrading 75mm to XCD equipment?

[BlackHillsBC]

I have traditional tele gear: Scarpa T2 boots, spring bindings, and (resort-style?) Atomic Beta Mark skis. I’m ok at tele skiing, but getting more concerned for safety.

Can someone suggest a setup that I can use the boots and skis with loose heel for skinning and lock-in releasable for downhill? I’m just a much better alpine than tele skier, and want to access local mountains and skinning-friendly resorts.

I split-board, but don’t like the down time switching the bindings. Still, that’s my go-to for more challenging outings.

I’m not an aggressive skier; I can ski presently “alpine style” with my setup, but would like something I can lock in (and release). I like the boots and the skis I have.

I see pivot bindings in the $200 range and wondering if I can make them work, or if there’s something else to use.

(I would consider getting modern hybrid touring/alpine boots if necessary)

Thank you!

[turnfarmer]

IMO the best binding for alpine skiing both inbounds and out is the Shift. There is a 2cnd version out now that fixes a few quirks of the first. The first version had finicky adjustments for forward pressure and AFD height. If you are handy and check these adjustments regularly most people find it functions fine. Likely can be found cheap. If not willing to monitor this you are likely better off with version 2.
You will need a boot with tech binding toes.I

f you want to use your existing alpine boots, you could get a frame binding. But due to the weight and pivot location the up may be so unpleasant that you never tour again. Especially if your boots don't have a hike mode.

The Pivots will need an expensive Cast Touring kit to go uphill and it is way overkill for most.

If you find you like this style of touring, you will probably find it worth it to invest in a pure touring tech binding setup. These setups will go both uphill and down way easier than your telemark set up.

But it is a bad idea to ski a set up like this when riding lifts.

Tell us what it is like skiing in the Black Hills is like, always kind of wondered about that area.

[BlackHillsBC]

Thanks for the info
My Scarpa boots and cable bindings are fine for both uphill skinning and downhill tele or alpine-style. The Scarpas are a nice balance of flex and support.

I’m looking to do some moderate-level stuff, nothing long or challenging for now, so I do not need great equipment, just gear I can climb up, strip the skins, click in the heels, and go with the reassurance of releasable bindings.

Snow in the Hills gets quite good, plenty of light fluffy stuff. The season is a bit short, due to lower elevation and less snowfall than the Rockies. In good years I’m quite happy here, wouldn’t bother with anywhere else.

[turnfarmer]

If you eliminate the skiing lifts, I'd just get a Marker Alpinist tech binding. It's a good binding and can often be found at reasonable prices.

Just put it on any ski you want.

As for boots, you could use one of the hybrid ones you mentioned or if you wanted lighter there are lots of good options,

Since you are familiar with Scarpa I'd look at the F! version without any letters after it. It's been around forever and is no longer the latest tech so you should be able to find a pair used if cost is an issue.

Reasons to not ski this setup at a ski area-

https://skimo.co/tech-binding-release-testing?

srsltid=AfmBOoolWslwZEGkWbd6ZnzR2yVV_0PyhhS_TMMJ0Lw7J60O6oFEEim7

[stilltryin]

So, is there really such a binding: releasable and can lock down a 75mm heel?

[BlackHillsBC]

Looks like 7tm power is it for tele’s with lateral release
$260 is actually pretty good price, especially being able to use skis and boots I already have

[BlackHillsBC]

Oops, it doesn’t look like the heel locks on 7tm’s

[Mattafix]

Unfortunately, there is no 75mm binding that allows to lock down your heels. You could put together some kind of frankenbinding that uses heels taken from resort bindings or AT bindings. But then releasability would be pretty unpredictable and you’d put your legs into danger.
To be able to choose between tele and a locked heel in one binding, I’d recommend something like BnD‘s tele adapter plates or Kreuzspitze Tele Alp. You’d have to find bellowed F1s, F3s, or TX pros as well as suitable tech heels. Kreuzspitze and Meidjo offer some possibilities. Fritschi Vipec offers the possibility to change between skinning and downhill mode without stepping out of the binding.
All this needs some tinkering and money. And it isn’t XCD anymore. If this is of any relevance
Why do you want to lock down your heels? It sounds that you can make parallel turns with what you already have. It seems, you’re a good alpine skier. With not too soft springs and a binding like switchbacks (x2), it would be the most simple and inexpensive way. If it’s releasability you’re looking for: 75mm is not worse than most AT bindings...

[BlackHillsBC]

The whole picture is getting clearer, thanks everyone for the input
I was misled by vague information that seems to be incorrect. Time to buy an alpine setup for the resorts and beef up my quads to tele the bc

[JohnSKepler]

When I blew my second ACL I feared I have to give up skiing entirely. I wasn't having a surgery(that failed last time) on both knees in my 50s, though someday I may need replacements. I discovered Telemark and analysis showed it was much safer on knees. With Donjoy rigid braces on both legs I can get out and enjoy myself. Granted, I'm more careful than I have to be which makes it hard to shred but I hope to play with grandkids some day.

At any rate, along the way I did a preliminary design for a electronically-releasable binding with pyrotechnic actuators that would be something like a concrete nail-set cartridge like you can buy in any hardware store. (Looks like a .22 case with a crimped head.) Strain gauges, a 3-axis gyro, and a 3-axis accelerometer would be sampled at maybe 1KHz and fire the pyrotechnic at some programmable set of conditions.

I'm a navigation engineer by training and job and design and build systems that employ these technologies. Do the calculations in an FPGA and it would release within .001 seconds and the pyrotechnic would aid in separation. It absolutely would work with a programmable release curve that was as flat, or really any shape, you wanted it to be as set by a simple smart phone app. After a release you'd have to put in a new pyrotechnic. It wouldn't be for everybody but for people like me, who are one moderate crash away from a wheelchair, I'd definitely use it.

As with most things like this it isn't really economically feasible for someone like me to develop something like this, or even get it to the point where a patent would hold up in court. And the free heel lets me ski without the 1,000 hours of commitment something like this would take to prototype. Still, an idea I think about from time to time.