Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

These bindings are still being sold in surplus stores and on line, so rather than tossing the old documents I have on this binding, I thought I would post them here for reference.
The binding was manufactured for a US Army contract in 1996, and is a part for part duplication of the Silveretta 125A alpine touring binding that was popular in Europe and the US prior to more modern bindings being available.
The army bought it to use on their Elan and Karhu skis, and probably on others.
The binding is pretty rugged, and with extra straps will fit just about any shoe or boot, but esp. welted stiff soled mountaineering, climbing and winter boots. As is all other AT bindings, there's no "kick and glide", it's more of a shuffle step, as the bindings pivot at the toe, not the ball of the foot like nordic bindings.
It is possible to set up side clamps to lock the heels down, but there's absolutely no release during a fall, certainly a leg-breaker, and life-taker, so, if you use these bindings, never-ever attach or use the cable side clamps.
The lever can be set for release in forward falls. This feature is worthwhile to use as it will release, at least some of the time.
I'd only recommend this binding to someone wanting to tour with their hiking boots, or a hunter with welted boots, for simple traveling. It is heavy, a bit quirky, and actually can be annoyingly squeaky in use. Fwiw, though, this was a popular binding style in the 1970s and 80s up in Alaska on Denali and for glacier travel, as climbers could utilize the same boots for approaches and for climbing. Much better and safer modern designs are widely available nowadays.
Anyway, here it is:

Pretty interesting bindings. I saw them awhile ago and at the price they were being offered, I had to give them a try.
Mine do not squeak, but I had them pretty well lubricated. I found that I could kick and glide with them fairly well, but it requires slightly different technique (mainly just something you have to feel). The biggest peeve I had was the wire toe cage would snag on every twig and even create a lot of drag in deeper snow. They will also chew up your boots if you're not careful. I think they would have worked have worked well with some Danner Mountain Light boots, but I wasnt about to spend that kind of money to find out. My welted work boots were not really stiff enough to do much as far as the downhill aspect is concerned.

Those are amazing! I have never seen them before. You should make a binding museum!

When I am doing downhill oriented BC skiing I use AT gear, my wife uses telemark skis (always has). I still have a pair of Silvretta 404 bindings, heavy but a classic, I have newer pair of their plastic (or fiber?) bindings that is on my current AT skis. I never liked the Dynafit binding and the weight saving is not much over the plastic Silvretta binding which releases just like a real binding. I have Silvretta bindings on my Dynafit skis! I don't do much AT anymore because we are usually doing fjellski (Nordic touring) up in Norway or Sweden during the Spring randonee season.

I remember the big thing on Alpine bindings in the late 70s was "upward release at the toe".. I had a pair of Blizzard Firebirds (210) with Rosemount Bindings which attached with a pin to a notch in the toe of the boot. Plate bindings were big for awhile too.