Custom Skiboard Tech Binding

[jjue]

Here is my latest backcountry modification of the Receptor binding. More info to come.

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[mvhoffman]

wow Jack, youre an artist

[Steeps]

Ooh, exciting!

[jjue]

Ok out testing the binding today at the resort and side country . Uphill and downhill the binding is fantastic . Uphill you are going on a free pivot at the toe just like walking without the encumbrance of the frame type touring bindings . Downhill it feels just like a non release skiboard binding , rigid and precise. .
I will discuss the design process and how this mod is done and also some caveats about boot sizes. later. The basic goal of this project is to use only the Tech binding toe piece and use a skiboard type bale heel piece. So this is a hybrid tech binding and skiboard binding . Basically you are using the Tech binding to replace the traditional front lever closure of the traditional non release skiboard . You do not use the Tech heel piece. It is possible to buy just the toe pieces separately .
But first let me share a you tube video about tech bindings for those who don't understand them . They are all the rage now and the most popular ski touring binding . Disregard information about the heel piece and concentrate on how the toe piece works.

[jjue]

Here is a picture of me touring on the binding today

20210105_104240 by Jack Jue Jr, on Flickr
Ok , let's talk design and how this is done . My goal was to use a pair of old Dynafit Tech bindings that I had previously mounted on long skis and to use them on skiboards. My original idea was as suggested by Steeps to use custom toe and heel plates on which the Tech binding toe and heel pieces would be drilled . Unfortunately the Receptor base plate is really not long enough to do this unless you have a large overhanging front and rear custom plates . So my next idea was just to push my boot back as far back as it would go in the traditional Receptor heel bale and then mount a high density plastic front plate to the Receptor by using the same receivers and machine screws as the front lever toe piece is attached
. My other goal was to have the critical 4 main front screws of the Tech toe piece mounted on top of a plate that rests on the firm support of the receptor base plate and not hanging out in space on an unsupported plasstic riser . Unfortunately for my size 11 boot size , I could not do that with the standard Receptor heel plate , I just can't get my heel back far enough. Luckily I have a custom heel piece designed by Bill for the Receptor binding for another project that has a heel bale further back. If you have s smaller boot then I , you might be able to do this modification with the standard receptor heel piece . Alternatively , if you have a Line FF pro heel bale or a Zero heel bale , those also can get you further back so you may be able to do the modification as I have . Basically I just simple drill a piece of high density plastic and create counter sunk holes and then use M8 x1.25 8x 1. screws to atttach the plastic binding support piece to the receivers in the receptor binding. I then use a paper template available on line to show me where the Tech binding mounting screws need to go and mount the tech binding front piece on the plastic binding toe piece . If you look at the over hanging part of the plastic toe piece , that only supports a cosmetic housing on my binding and a single screw that supports the front lever. The four main binding screws are right on the plastic part attached directly to the receptor base with one of the counter sunk screws attaching the plastic plate to the Receptor base plate square in the center of the 4 hole pattern.
Most of the torque on the front toe will be right on a toe piece resting on plastic right on the Receptor base.
I torture tested the whole set up at the resort today and everything was really tight and firm . Because the Tech binding reaises the toe of the boot higher , you need to add a plastic shim to the rear heel piece to get it up to match the height of the front piece and tech binding . I just drill holes through the shim and use longer M8 1.25 screws to attach to the receiver in the receptor base.
To get into the binding for touring you just step in normally as any tech binding .
To lock into the binding for descent you back up against the heel bale ( It helps to have some way to keep your heel bale upright and not falling down) I just put some duct tape around the pivot joints or if using Receptor bales you could just put some rubber sheeting under the heel piece where the heel bale sits. After backing up against the heel bale you just step down into the pins.
The most difficult and exacting part is to get the toe piece and heel bale just the right distance apart so this all works out It has to be very precise. The problem is once you mount the binding you can't move the underlying plastic riser since the toe piece covers those screws . I just lightly attach the front piece to the binding and keep removing and moving the front plastic piece until I get it just right .

This system does not use brakes and I have found that you need to use a leash from the front piece of the binding not the heel bale as when walking you keeping pulling up the heel bale .

You can set the Tech toe piece to Din front release and it will release on sideways impact but of course with the skiboard heel bale there is no heel release.
If you want this system to release in event of avalanche , you could leave the front piece set to a release setting and buy a break away leash sold by B and D ski gear that would break away in event of the violent force of an avalanche.

I am not so worried about avalanche risk . Remember skiboards are much smaller then long skis and cause less drag in an avalanche. Snowboarders of course ride in the backcountry and accept the risk of their board remaining attached to their feet as well.

In fact I lock out the Front lever, the same as I do when touring and thus create a non release attachment at the front as well as the non release standard skiboard heel bale in the rear with no pre release problems .

This system puts you about 12mm higher off the board then a boot in the standard Receptor binding. I found no problem with this and actually appreciated the higher position to get more edge control on my Rockered Condors on firm snow .

The rigidity of this system feels exactly like a standard nonrelease skiboard binding going down , very rigid and precise
I attached a commercially available dual height splitboard heel elevator with the highest heel bale provided compensating to the fact that it is bolted on to the receptor base plate lower then the level of the binding . The heel elevator is attached with M6 machine screws and M6 flange nuts which fit in the receptor base plate .

I also attached crampon support studs which are just inverted M6 machine screws put up through the receptor base holes.

All this modification is made possible by the versatile Receptor base plate !
Let me know if any of you have questions ! I look forward to this opening up other folks experimenting with attaching parts to the Receptor base plate to get touring in the backcountry! Please share your stories .

Disclaimer:
Understand that backcountry skiboarding is a high risk activity and I recommend you take avalanche courses , purchase additional avalanche gear such as beacons , shovels and probes and go with experienced backcountry riders. Also this a personal modification that you choose to use on your skiboards accepting all risks inherent with equipment failure and backcountry risks . This is not a manufacture recommended use of your binding or these binding parts and is only a binding modification I have done myself for my own use and am sharing with the skiboard public for their own education as to possible personal ways of modifying their bindings for backcountry use.

[jjue]

One of the cool things about using the Receptor as a basis for touring modifications is that you preserve the wonderful flex of the RVL8 boards. Nowhere is this as important as on the Rockered Condor which is flex to the max . I had a wonderful time with this system today on the RC. By the way with my boot and this system I get about a 2cm set back defacto. This works great on the RC , I didn't feel like I was in the back seat and this position supported an aggressive leaning forward stance in pow.

[ysb33r]

One of the cool things about using the Receptor as a basis for touring modifications is that you preserve the wonderful flex of the RVL8 boards. Nowhere is this as important as on the Rockered Condor which is flex to the max . I had a wonderful time with this system today on the RC. By the way with my boot and this system I get about a 2cm set back defacto. This works great on the RC , I didn't feel like I was in the back seat and this position supported an aggressive leaning forward stance in pow.

I've been giving thought to flex quite a bit the last couple of weeks. Basically the shorter the section that touches the board underfoot is, the more it allows for flex. With NR bindings such as the Receptor or Merit AX-I, it is nearly the full length of the binding. With Spruce Risers it is effectively the length of the plastic section. Then what is the cautionary area is the part of the board that may flex high enough to touch an area on the binding / riser that might be sharp. The commercial offerings don't have this problems, but for any new design this has to be taken into account.

[Steeps]

This is the reason I like the idea of doing mods/add ons to the base Receptor plate, rather than a replacement riser. It may be outside of what the plate is meant for, but at least the match between binding and board is preserved.

Mind you, I've bent Receptor plates with unmodified bindings, so everything has its limits.

[Bert]

Any thing I need to watch out for if I get a couple blocks of aluminium machined to fit the tech toe piece? I have same size feet 10.5 and 318mm boots currently. I will be getting new boot that could have a shorter boot length but not by much.

With the slight extra overhang with tech toe adapters I would want the corners milled away as much as possible to tour with my Condors. Or will this be a non issue with the overhang as it is high enough to not matter correct?

I love the idea of a tech binding and am willing to get things machined, it just seems there is so much info here to glean as I go about this.

I have toured in the softboot setup and it is just not as fun and easy as a tech set up and I would really like to get there. Condors in the back country are amazing.

Thanks for any more ideas!

[jjue]

Any thing I need to watch out for if I get a couple blocks of aluminium machined to fit the tech toe piece? I have same size feet 10.5 and 318mm boots currently. I will be getting new boot that could have a shorter boot length but not by much.

With the slight extra overhang with tech toe adapters I would want the corners milled away as much as possible to tour with my Condors. Or will this be a non issue with the overhang as it is high enough to not matter correct?

I love the idea of a tech binding and am willing to get things machined, it just seems there is so much info here to glean as I go about this.

I have toured in the softboot setup and it is just not as fun and easy as a tech set up and I would really like to get there. Condors in the back country are amazing.

Thanks for any more ideas!

Hi Bert , Out on a long tour today on the binding and there are some additional improvements I am working on , There is a lot of twisting motion on the front plastic piece that the dynafit toe piece is on when you are climbing and one of the plastic pieces loosened up which was a real pain . I could not access the screws to tighten the plastic block because they covered the screws attaching the block to the binding . It is important to have at least one and preferably both screws exposed to tighten if they get loosened. I am going to get a longer plastic block and attach the block so that both screws attaching the plastic block to the receptor binding are visible and the dynafit is in front of that . With the block I have now I included a picture of how I can remount the dynafit toe piece with at least one screw exposed to tighten but I think a longer block with two is better. The binding is a pain to get into by just backing against the heel bale and stepping down especially if the binding is not perfectly flat and you are not in firm snow.. A better solution is to buy a telemark heel piece at attach it to a front bale of a skiboard binding and put it on the heel . That way you can snap into the dynafit toe piece and then snap the telemark heel lever on the heel . The standard front levers of the receptor or other skiboard bindings don't work as they do not have the right geometry for the heel . I tried using the Receptor front bale on the rear with a telemark bale and it does snap shut but the receptor front bale is just a bit short to have a real nice secure snap at the heel and I am concerned it would snap loose while riding . I have spare Line FFpro front bales and they are longer then the Receptor front bales and they work great and that is what I will use . Although the aftermarket telemark heel levers are meant. for 5mm bales they can be attached to the 6mm bales of Line FFpro . Pictures are included.in next post . Otherwise using a Dynafit toe to climb is great.

[jjue]

Here are pics of the improvements

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[jjue]

Remounted Dynafit toe piece on longer plastic block allowing easy adjustment and tightening of M8 screws into receiver in Receptor binding.

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[Steeps]

Nice work!

What's the plastic, is that HDPE?

I love the idea of a tech binding and am willing to get things machined, it just seems there is so much info here to glean as I go about this.

I have toured in the softboot setup and it is just not as fun and easy as a tech set up and I would really like to get there. Condors in the back country are amazing.

Thanks for any more ideas!

Hey, you're in BC, right? Let me know if you're getting something milled locally, I'd be interested.

I've been thinking about talking to Carl Labonville in Golden, he does custom work and might be able to make something. It might end up being carbon fibre, though...
https://exegi.ca/

[jjue]

Nice work!

What's the plastic, is that HDPE?

'''''

Yes HDPE plastic. I've used it before for other projects and it seems to hold drilled binding screws well.

[Bad Wolf]

I’ve used HDPE as well in many of my riser and binding projects, and yes it will hold screws and is very durable. My “Binding Freedom” risers are now in their third season and still holding strong.