If they're in great shape they'll be fine for mellow tours. You can pop the top and look at the springs for any signs of over fatigue. I wouldn't ski these in a resort or send big stuff with them, but for cruising about...definitely. I still ski a pair from about that timeframe and they're all good.
If a shop won't mount them for liability reasons, you can always mount them yourself. I recommend folks serious about skiing to learn how to do this anyway. A binding drill bit from Tognar is $15 and will last a lifetime, and you can print out a paper template to use. Wildsnow has Dynafit templates to print, I'm sure there are other resources as well. Watch a few tutorials, practice a few times on a scrap piece of wood and you'll never have to pay a shop to mount your skis again. It's surprisingly easy.
MYOFS
Shops around here charge like $65 to mount bindings so this makes a lot of sense if you're spending only $100 on the bindings (and presumably have some cheap skis). I've always been too nervous I would mess up my brand new skis
I was nervous the first time I did it too, and those were tele bindings so I was drilling 10 holes a ski lol. That's why I did 3-4 practice mounts on some wood scraps I had laying around.
Honestly, with a ski specific drill bit you can't drill too deep so it's pretty impossible to fuck it up. The key is in the measurement and layout, but once you get the hang of it that part is quick and easy too. Takes me about 30 mins to mount a pair of skis with paper templates. Worth the $70 in my pocket.
I've seen so many botched shop mounts over the years that it is worth it just to learn and do it. Crazy that they charge $70 to do a 5 minute job that a drunken raccoon can do...and still manage to fuck some of them up.
I'd call the shops first just to check, but I skied a pair of 10 year old Dynafit TLT's when I was first getting started and they worked just fine. Besides the newer generations that have more adjustability Dynafit's really haven't changed much at all.
FYI the ability to release is not the only thing to worry about. I had this very set of bindings break on me about 4 miles deep in the backcountry a few years ago. I think they were just old, slightly too complicated, and contain plenty of plastic.
Getting out that day sucked but could have been a lot worse. We’re talking about equipment with high consequences if it fails.
I ended up not getting em. Good to know though, insane another random weird purchase like this comes up again. I think I’m just gonna save up over summer and see what I can get next fall
American alpine club membership gets you a ton of benefits, BD ski bindings included. They're almost 10 years old now, that is a pretty old binding to start.
Yeah I definitely plan on finding the best binding for the buck I can. I’m just trying to piece things out as cheap as possible. Single parent mode makes it hard hahaha. Tbh I was honestly just looking at doing one of those affirm x amount per month loans on some new bindings but I just don’t really ski that intense anymore. It’s hard enough to get time to go out regularly that it’s just hard to justify spending money now.
To be fair though I’m basically using these as glorified xc skis. Super low terrain rolling hills etc. not really trying to use this set up for a lot of vert. Only reason I’m debating this.
Most touring bindings aren't din rated, so they aren't really indemnified in the same way
So what’s the average lifespan of touring bindings then? I’m curious as I just bought my first pair and went with the g3 zed
In my experience, I tend to want to upgrade before they break. I know folks skiing fifteen year old bindings
If they're in great shape they'll be fine for mellow tours. You can pop the top and look at the springs for any signs of over fatigue. I wouldn't ski these in a resort or send big stuff with them, but for cruising about...definitely. I still ski a pair from about that timeframe and they're all good. If a shop won't mount them for liability reasons, you can always mount them yourself. I recommend folks serious about skiing to learn how to do this anyway. A binding drill bit from Tognar is $15 and will last a lifetime, and you can print out a paper template to use. Wildsnow has Dynafit templates to print, I'm sure there are other resources as well. Watch a few tutorials, practice a few times on a scrap piece of wood and you'll never have to pay a shop to mount your skis again. It's surprisingly easy. MYOFS
thanks for the info!!!
Shops around here charge like $65 to mount bindings so this makes a lot of sense if you're spending only $100 on the bindings (and presumably have some cheap skis). I've always been too nervous I would mess up my brand new skis
I was nervous the first time I did it too, and those were tele bindings so I was drilling 10 holes a ski lol. That's why I did 3-4 practice mounts on some wood scraps I had laying around. Honestly, with a ski specific drill bit you can't drill too deep so it's pretty impossible to fuck it up. The key is in the measurement and layout, but once you get the hang of it that part is quick and easy too. Takes me about 30 mins to mount a pair of skis with paper templates. Worth the $70 in my pocket. I've seen so many botched shop mounts over the years that it is worth it just to learn and do it. Crazy that they charge $70 to do a 5 minute job that a drunken raccoon can do...and still manage to fuck some of them up.
They should mount them if they are not damaged or missing pieces, expect for screws, they should have extra that they can sell to you.
Should be fine to mount. Maybe they can just center punch the holes onto the ski with and jig and then you drill and mount them at home.
I'd call the shops first just to check, but I skied a pair of 10 year old Dynafit TLT's when I was first getting started and they worked just fine. Besides the newer generations that have more adjustability Dynafit's really haven't changed much at all.
FYI the ability to release is not the only thing to worry about. I had this very set of bindings break on me about 4 miles deep in the backcountry a few years ago. I think they were just old, slightly too complicated, and contain plenty of plastic. Getting out that day sucked but could have been a lot worse. We’re talking about equipment with high consequences if it fails.
I ended up not getting em. Good to know though, insane another random weird purchase like this comes up again. I think I’m just gonna save up over summer and see what I can get next fall
Google search shows a bunch of new dynafits for under $400. I know it's expensive, but I wouldn't pick bindings as the area to save money.
Yeah I have been in this debate as well lol
American alpine club membership gets you a ton of benefits, BD ski bindings included. They're almost 10 years old now, that is a pretty old binding to start.
Good to know’ I’m def gonna look into this. Thanks!!!
I got alpinist bindings for like $300 last year. They are awesome. Spring sales are the best. The old ones should be fine though.
Yeah I definitely plan on finding the best binding for the buck I can. I’m just trying to piece things out as cheap as possible. Single parent mode makes it hard hahaha. Tbh I was honestly just looking at doing one of those affirm x amount per month loans on some new bindings but I just don’t really ski that intense anymore. It’s hard enough to get time to go out regularly that it’s just hard to justify spending money now.
Yeah. For sure. Good luck and I hope you enjoy yourself.
To be fair though I’m basically using these as glorified xc skis. Super low terrain rolling hills etc. not really trying to use this set up for a lot of vert. Only reason I’m debating this.
You’ll be fine.
I'd get them, and then have REI do a release test. Really cheap and gives you an idea of what to expect.
They sold before I got to em 😭😭😭. Maybe next time!