The first thing I noticed about these bindings is their pop. What I mean by pop is how they assist you in your transfer from the heel up to heel down, i.e. swapping your trailing and leading legs. The resistance of the springs requires you to put drive into them and when you take that drive away they put you back up with your heel on your skis. This makes them great for quick turns and skiing moguls. These rapid turns are more energy efficient with this springiness.
Bird’s eye view of the BMF/Rs
These bindings have improved my forward drive. The BMF/Rs have great power transfer allowing you to put the pressure from your legs directly to your skis. They excel in steep terrain due to this and you can rely on the springs to support some of your weight. Thanks to this support, the aforementioned energy efficiency comes back into play. This makes them great for carving and really laying into an edge. They are not floppy and thus respond very quickly to any pressure. There is no lateral play in the binding which makes them awesome for alpine turns as well.
Testing the spring resistance
I like the downhill mode more than the touring mode. Going uphill is clunkier and louder than I am used to, and at a whopping 4.5 lbs (with breaks) these are designed more for stability than uphill speed. With all that being said, there are no issues with the tour mode. It is easy to switch back and forth via the clip in front of your toe and I didn’t have any issues with snow build up. The 60º range of motion and 7º and 14º heel risers are excellent features as well.
Gear testing is fun!
A really neat feature of these bindings is their boot versatility. They are one size fits all and can be used with either 75 mm boots or NTN boots. When you make the purchase you can select which boot you will be using and you will receive bindings with the appropriate toe piece. Even cooler, if you decide to switch your boots after you have the bindings, you don’t need to repurchase the bindings. Simply order a different toe piece and voila! I would recommend setting these up on the NTN system though. I think most 75 mm boots could be overpowered by the binding, I know my old boots would have been.
Eliza getting familiar with the binding
Getting into the binding is really simple as you don’t need to bend down. Put your toe into the toe piece and push down with your heel. The heel piece will click in then pull a locking lever up with your pole and you’re set to go. I have ejected from these bindings once. I was in deep snow so I’m assuming the heel lock came unlocked and that’s how I popped out. Brakes are included in your purchase and are available in 90 mm, 100 mm, 115 mm and 125 mm options.
touring mode engaged.
The springs are adjustable giving you the option of a stiffer or softer flex. It’s as simple as a couple turns of a screwdriver and you can customize your springs to match your preference. Since I transferred from a really soft binding to the bishops I have found this feature to be a real lifesaver. I made them a little stiffer every couple days until I found the stiffness I could ski best on.
side view of the BMF/Rs
If you’re looking for a pair of bindings to help you transfer power directly from your legs to your edges, these are what you’re looking for. I would recommend them for someone who is primarily on the resort but likes to get out and into the backcountry every now and again. They have helped me tremendously with my alpine turns due to their lateral rigidity and I’m a huge fan of the support they give me in a low tele stance.
Growing up snowboarding and hiking in the bitter cold winters and humid summers of northern Vermont, Eliza learned how to beat up gear and quickly became infatuated with new technologies. After moving to Colorado in 2015 to pursue a degree in recreation and outdoor education at Western Colorado University, her passion for the outdoors grew exponentially. Soon after, she picked up rock climbing, telemark skiing, backpacking, canyoneering, and is slowly learning to love rafting. Through these learning processes, Eliza began to understand the importance of the right gear and hopes to share her experiences and knowledge with others through Engearment.
Now working for Beacon Guidebooks as the ‘Wearer of Many Hats’ (yes, that is her official title), Eliza has learned the ins and outs of the outdoor industry. She has also worked on marketing teams, as a photographer, media coordinator, outdoor instructor and as a wrangler. She is especially excited to encourage other women in the outdoors and is an advocate for diversity and inclusion.
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