Skibindung

With the "Black Edition", Fritschi has brought out a revised version of the Vipec for this season, which, like its predecessor, combines maximum safety with high ease of use, light weight and great downhill performance. We have already tested the binding.

There were also no major revolutions in the area of ski boots and bindings at ISPO 2016. When it comes to boots, however, many manufacturers have at least followed suit in the freetouring boot segment with a focus on downhill performance and a weight of between 1500 g and 2000 g. For many manufacturers, however, only product maintenance was on the agenda. Tech inserts were often integrated directly into the shells instead of in removable soles. The biggest news in the ski boot sector is probably the withdrawal of Black Diamond. Following the end of telemark boot production this season, there will also be no more touring and freeride boots from Black Diamond from next season. There will be virtually no innovations in bindings. If anything, the manufacturers have limited themselves to product maintenance.

"Bavarian Alpine Manifest" (BAM) is the latest project from busy hobbyist Markus "Bambam" Steinke, previously best known as an indie ski builder for Mountain Wave and Skylotech. At the heart of BAM is the Pindung®, a touring binding that combines a PinTech system with an alpine jaw binding.

Based on the Dynafit Beast 16, the 14er version has been the little brother of the big Beast 16 since this season. The binding has now had to prove what it can do on many tours and in a wide variety of conditions.

In the second part of our report from ISPO 2015 in Munich, we also present the new freeride ski boots and bindings. One thing up front: there weren't many real "bangers". Most manufacturers have limited themselves to product maintenance in the boots segment, but especially in the bindings segment. However, we did find a few goodies. Here is an overview of the most interesting products for the 2015/16 season from the various manufacturers.

Ski tours are undoubtedly very much in vogue and more and more freeriders, who are less interested in winning the summit than in an interesting descent, are taking on shorter ascents from the lifts or even full-blown ski tours to get to the coveted untracked powder snow.

Downhill performance like an alpine binding, combined with almost all the ascent qualities of a pin binding and all this at a weight of well under 2 kg per pair? Sounds too good to be true? No, it sounds like the Beast 16 from Dynafit ...

Based on the Dynafit "Beast 16", the little brother "Beast 14" has been on the market since this season. The binding has already had to prove what it can do for a few days and in a wide range of conditions.

Next week sees the launch of the Marker Kingpin, not only one of the most interesting products of the season in the ski touring sector, but also the first major manufacturer of ski bindings to enter the rapidly growing and increasingly competitive market for Pintech bindings. We have already briefly tested the Kingpin for you.

I've been using the Salomon Guardian for over a season now and it's time to draw a conclusion. From Andermatt to Alaska and from hardpack to bottomless powder, the binding has had to put up with a lot and I want to report on it...

As we do every year, we present the entire "splendor" of ISPO 2014 in pictures. After all, what is more meaningful than the impression of your own eyes.

The PowderGuide crew was out and about for you at ISPO 2014 and took a look at the equipment for the coming season. In the second part of our ISPO special, we show you what's new in the areas of ski boots and bindings. Here we show you the new products in the area of ski boots and bindings that are of interest to freeriders and downhill-oriented ski tourers.