The Fritschi Xenic has now been on the market for over five years and was already a very successful pin binding in its first version. Among other things, its innovative opening mechanism on the toe piece was impressive. As a long-standing PowderGuide partner, Fritschi also provided us with a binding for testing back then, which I was delighted to test.
The new Xenic Plus 12 is a significant update to the first Xenic, but has of course retained the proven advantages. In the following test, I will therefore focus in particular on the new features and, of course, how the binding performs in the snow.
First impression
At first glance, the Xenic Plus 12 hardly differs from my "old" Xenic. On closer inspection, however, there are some significant differences.
For example, like most comparable ski touring bindings, the Xenic Plus 12 now has two climbing aids and no longer just one. The Z-value adjustment is now easier to make thanks to the magnifying glasses integrated into the cover plexiglass. The slightly more solid-looking rear jaw has more visible metal, which, according to Fritschi, should help to make the binding more stable and torsion-resistant.
In addition, the maximum Z-value of 12 is new and makes the Xenic Plus 12 interesting for heavier and more aggressive ski tourers.
The features, such as the long elastic path on the rear jaw and the likewise elastically mounted pins on the front jaw, have been retained. Both contribute greatly to reliably preventing false releases on smaller but hard hits, giving the binding a high level of safety.
All in all, the Xenic Plus 12 has inherited all the advantages of the previous version and addressed the minor weaknesses, i.e. the maximum Z-value of 10 and the single climbing aid.
In addition to the Plus 12, the new Xenic is also available in the Plus 10 version with a Z-value of 4-10.
Tester and test conditions
I am 183 cm tall and weigh a good 80 kg. I tested the binding on an Atomic Maverick 96 CTI, i.e. a genuine all-mountain ski, not an ultra-light touring model. I mainly used my Scarpa Quattro XT boots, but also the Dynafit Tigards.
I ski a lot and go on a lot of ski tours, but my main focus is on the downhill. That's why I generally use serious skis and solid boots. In terms of bindings, I've used almost everything on the market in recent years, sometimes more and sometimes less, although the Xenic and the Dynafit Radical have certainly been my favorites.
The bindings have been in use so far this winter, but unfortunately not as often as I would like due to the poor snow conditions. In addition to ski touring in various conditions, it was also used for testing on the piste one day or another.
