This post is a part of GearJunkie’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2013 coverage, which features new products to be seen on the trade show floor.
Dynafit is a core alpine-touring and backcountry ski brand. This year, the company nudges more into the freeride mainstream with a binding model, the Beast 16, which is aimed at “hard-charging” skiers.
They have a free-heel mode and a light, frameless design for going uphill. On top, clamp in your heel and the bindings are set to take on any type of burly terrain below with a max DIN setting of 16.
Freeride pro Eric Hjorleifson helped in the design. He said that “new-generation skiers need equipment that ensures equally top performance whether you’re jumping, skiing off-piste, or going cross-country” while on a backcountry tour.
We at GearJunkie are fans of Dynafit’s solid yet lightweight gear. These bindings look impressive, though don’t plan on a budget buy. The Beast 16 bindings will cost $1,000 for a pair when they ship later this year.
Dynafit made the model to compete against burlier touring/sidecountry bindings like the Marker Duke, Tyrolia Adrenalin, Salomon Guardian, and Atomic Tracker. But at 935 grams per binding and with a two-piece (frameless) design, the Dynafits are much lighter than the competition.
We asked a Dynafit rep about some differentiating factors of the Beast. He noted the release capacity of DIN 16 and a new “rotating/elastic toe design, a 6-degree ramp angle,” and its wider base plate.
For hucksters, increased “elasticity” of the setup gives more ability to absorb jarring impact without unnecessarily releasing, he noted.
Demo the Beast 16 bindings at events this winter if you’re in the market. They don’t ship to stores until later in 2013.
—GearJunkie editors will demo the Beast 16 bindings at the Outdoor Retailer trade show later this month. Stay tuned for updates.
