Insights into a (further) development of a touring binding

Fritschi and PowderGuide have been working together for over a decade and a half now. The effects of such a partnership are more far-reaching than one might initially expect from the outside, because the dialogue is intensive and our feedback is valued as partners. And so, last winter, we met again in Reichenbach in the Bernese Oberland. Fritschi not only assembles skis for and with us there, but the entire development and production of Fritschi touring bindings is primarily based there. They were happy to open the door for us to exchange experiences with the freeride-orientated hybrid binding Tecton - and it didn't stop there. The binding has been very popular with some of our users and on the freeride market in general for years and is often used intensively.

While we discuss many small details and suggestions for improvement, the development work is clearly explained to us at the same time. In addition to the already familiar insights into production, which we have been able to visit intensively and several times in recent years, this time we are given a detailed explanation of the quality approach that is integrated into the development of a binding at an early stage. Finally, we are allowed to visit the company's own "torture chamber for touring bindings" and take a detailed look at the various test procedures and the associated equipment. This not only gives us an understanding of the complexity of the binding and the development ideas behind it, but also the high sense of responsibility with which Fritschi approaches this task.

In feedback discussions with the development, sales and management teams, where our feedback is received with great appreciation, we learn about the diverse requirements that athletes, guides and international opinion leaders place on the specifications of a binding. They report on extraordinary challenges, such as skiing in Saharan dust or storing equipment for several days in extreme, arctic conditions - demands that are placed on the experienced development team. We can hardly imagine the full impact of these special conditions on the product development process.

They give us a fascinating insight into the small but fine details of the latest generation of the Tecton, which is already being intensively tested by the PG team. They vividly explain the changes that have been implemented in response to the wide range of feedback and illustrate how these have been incorporated into the new model.

For a better understanding: every change, no matter how small, must first be tested on a prototype. If lightweight plastic components or heavy-duty fibre composite components are modified, this requires the costly approval of new or adapted tools for reliable series production.

The fact that it is not just a matter of a few tenths of a millimetre more or less material only really becomes clear to us when we visit the numerous test benches and facilities in the quality department. One example: a carbon part has a different moisture absorption than a comparable injection moulded part, which leads to a different tendency to ice up. At this point, we are in the middle of the development process.

The developers take a lot of time - until well after closing time - to explain the various tests to us in detail. In addition to the different weather conditions that are simulated in the cold chamber, long-term effects are also tested under UV radiation or salt water. The reliability of the binding and its mechanical properties are continuously tested.

Every newly configured spring is first tested for its setting behaviour. At Fritschi, this means how do its characteristics change after 1,000 load cycles of clamping and unclamping?

This is what it looks like in the moving image:

Only when these tests have been passed is the spring categorised as functionally safe. Every product that leaves series production is also subject to a functional test that checks the critical points of use once again. The precision with which the release value is set is particularly emphasised here. The repeat accuracy of the settings is also checked: Each automatic heel lifter is set to the maximum and minimum value and released several times, with repeated relaxation in between to counteract the settling behaviour of the housing components.

This can be clearly seen in a section (2:30-2:35) of the Tecton product video:

In a further series test, the safety function of the front jaw is tested. Here, too, it is clamped again and again before the side parts are released. These comprehensive tests ensure the reliability of the spring systems in every binding to be delivered.

This is clearly shown a little later in the same video (2:55-3:02):

All series tests meet the alpine standards and, according to Fritschi, clearly stand out in the touring market. A detailed list of the many comparative tests and trials would go beyond the scope of this article. What particularly impressed us, however, was the high value that Fritschi places on quality assurance in its complex product development.

Just one week later, I turn left again on my way to Valais to drop off another personal experience report from a long-term user from Norway. Somehow I feel a sense of shared responsibility and eagerly await the next product announcement from Reichenbach.