Hybrid freeride bindings are all the craze this season, and Tyrolia Bindings joins the market with an revolutionary new freetouring binding known as the Assault Hybrid. Taking cues from the CAST Freetour, Tyrolia seems to go all-in on strong simplicity with a design that has me scratching my head considering, “why hasn’t somebody considered this earlier than?”
The brand new Assault Hybrid makes use of a swappable toe piece, just like the CAST Freetour 2.0, the place the skier can bodily change out the toe unit between a full alpine toe (for descending) and a light-weight pin tech toe (for touring). The toe unit (based mostly on the prevailing Almonte binding) attaches by way of what seems to be the same piece to Tyrolia’s low-profile metallic demo plate. It is so easy! Out again, the heel unit is predicated on the usual Assault heel, with locking brakes and a single heel riser.Â
When touring, you will put the alpine toe in your backpack, swap it out on the high of the skintrack, and rip down with the tech toe in your pack. The binding reportedly affords an “emergency mode” that enables you ski with the tech toe and a locked down heel, although this doubtless removes correct releasability from the equation, however looks like a very good backup plan in case you lose/neglect your alpine toes. Neither the CAST or Marker Duke PT bindings provide this performance.
Associated: Assessment: CAST Freetour 2.0 Binding
Whereas this may not be the most effective binding choice for everybody, particularly skiers in search of lighter weight and extra environment friendly touring efficiency, it is cool to see an evolution of the fundamental design the CAST Freetour first ushered in practically a decade in the past. I am at all times a fan of outside-the-box considering relating to gear design, particularly relating to protecting issues easy whereas specializing in downhill efficiency. The brand new Assault Hybrid appears to verify these containers, and is clearly geared toward hard-charging freeride skiers in search of the choice to sometimes tour on the gear to entry the products.
For the sake of readability, I’ll outline “hybrid” binding as a binding that totally transforms between alpine and touring performance. Meaning the toe piece affords full releasability and clamps to your boot the best way a conventional alpine binding would. That guarantees extra security, extra elasticity (shock absorption) and a extra dependable launch, significantly when snowboarding aggresively within the resort. Sure, most tech bindings nowadays provide a level of toe releasability, however virtually none provide lateral launch (which many skiers would argue can result in ghastly leg/knee accidents in fall).
This definition doesn’t embrace freetouring bindings just like the Marker Kingpin or Fritschi Tecton, which nonetheless make the most of a tech toe, even on descent, which is why I would not suggest utilizing these within the resort. The listing of hybrid bindings accessible for skiers is rising: Salomon/Atomic Shift 2.0, CAST Freetour 2.0, Marker Duke PT, ATK HY Free, and now the Tyrolia Assault Hybrid.Â
The binding is offered in two variations, with a DIN vary of 4-14 (14 MN/PT) and 3-11 (11 MN/PT) respectively.
Additional specs:
Heel stand peak of 32 mmRamp angle of 4 mm (SKI mode)Assault Hybrid 14 Weight: 880g in hike mode, 1125 in ski modeAttack Hybrid 11 Weight: 820g in hike mode, 1065g in ski modeTwo climbing positions (0°/9°) GripWalk boot suitable
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