Black Diamond Fritschi Diamir Freeride Plus Binding

These are an extremely reliable, dependable strong binding. I have used these in the bumps on the resort to high speed runs in powder to small hucks to icy couloirs in the backcountry to variable conditions on an 8000 meter peak, and they withstood the tests of all- never once came out of them. As a female, 5'7, and 135lbs, these bindings are plenty strong enough to withstand any ski activity. They are light weight, easy on/off, and have an excellent riser system that is easy to adjust while on the move in the backcountry. Highly recommended for anyone skiing in varying terrain in both the front country and backcountry.

Performs well in out-of-bounds as well as in-bounds, never had a problem with them releasing when they shouldn't (6'2" 230). They are easily adjustable to allow your friends to try touring, my 335mm boot fits in the upper end of the M size, and I also used an XL pair that worked great as well. It's important to maintain the tightness of the bindings' screws however, there are a lot of them and there isn't much meat to the bindings so they undergo a lot more tortional stress than other bindings I think. Especially in AT mode. I recently had the base plate of one crack in half after a hard two seasons of use, not surprising really. I'll be replacing them soon with more Fritschis!

I am a telemark skier who is filling out my gear quiver with AT gear. After receiving tons of silly and not so silly advice and a lot of "don't knows" this is what I discovered: These are great bindings, if you are marginal on the size range and could fit into 2 sizes, choose the smaller size.

What more can be said about these bindings. They work well switching from in-bounds, to slackcountry, to sidecountry to backcountry.

The Freerides are tortionally stiff (drive my Gotamas nicely and will be throwing them on Megawatts). Easy to switch to touring mode from ski-mode. Biggest sell for me v. the Dukes is the climbing mode. They had 3 levels (walking and 2 climbing modes) which raise your foot much higher than Dukes appear to. This makes climbs w/ skins MUCH more comfortable.

If you are hucking 60 ft cliffs or have another reason for a 16 DIN, get the Dukes. Otherwise, I would recommend the Freerides.

I started out a Midwestern bump skier that got into AT when I moved to the west. These are the only AT bidding that I that allow me to go from the Back Country to under the lift without an afterthought. You also never boot out on a good aggressive corduroy turn due to the lift they provide. I will never go back to have two separate setups again. Even though they are expensive they saved me money by only having to buy one set of gear for all terrain! BUMPS and BC FOREVER!!!

2 seasons of full time patrolling and hard skiing on 1 pair. These bindings have performed flawlessly since day one. The release is smooth and predictable but they hold solid when you need them to. Unlike the duke, you can go from ski to tour mode without having to remove your skis which saves time and is safer in certain rescue situations on hairy terrain. I will never patrol on another binding. Only complaint is the price.

I put them on some Dynastar Legend Pros with Garmont Adrenalines and have never been happier. The good old Fritschi wobble is gone. They release well (I can attest to this up to DIN10) and tour well. Never released the touring mode unintentionally and relatively easy to get in and out of. Bit on the heavy side. Front DIN should be half a number higher as they seem a bit soft there like all prevous Fritschis.

I read the reviews and I talked to some locals who had these up at my local hill, Alpental. They swore by them and said how they take air, carve on the groomers and climb with super ease. I believed them and you should believe me. These lived up to the hype and then some. I am amazed and find it hard to believe that I ever used regular bindings before. I put them on my 184 Volkl Mantra's and they are unflippinbelievable!

Absolutely bomber, stiff, reliable, responsive binding. A bit heavier than some of the others out there, but you can throw these on some true fat alpine skis and control them as though you're on a dedicated alpine binding. Some postings mention the Diamir pivot point not being ideal for a natural foot swing. I haven't tried any other brands of AT bindings and can't comment, other than saying these skin much smoother than my old tele setup. They have never "auto-teled" on the descent either. A highly recommended AT binding for anything except multi-day long hauls with little vertical. But what's the fun in that?

Used: 4 years, touring, in area with AT and alpine boots
Durability: excellent- some wear in the rear of the binding where it locks down for ski mode with no effect on performance. People who are breaking the are probably stomping on them with their opposite ski.
Vs. Marker: lighter, better materials, better riser, proven design. Higher rise off ski and din 12 may be negatives fir some.
Vs. Dynafit: heavier than; dynas can release in tour mode if too much lateral stress. Work with alpine boots

Just completed a week long backcountry ski trip in the Norwegian Alps, and wanted to share my excitement about the bindings I bought just before the trip.
I am 6'6" and 250 lbs, and I am an aggressive skier. These bindings proved to be durable. I also enjoyed the heel release, without having to take off the skis to adjust. Also, the three height levels of the heel when hiking, proved to be a big plus. It makes for easier adjustments during the hike, for different terrain and slope angles. Once locked in and skiing, the bindings responded well, and gave me the confidence in all snow conditions, from hardpacked, powder to spring conditions (heavy snow).
I do recommend these bindings.

Best AT binding that I have skied that works with all boots. Use these bad boys for both backcountry and inbounds skiing. Even though you think the rise off the ski will be a big deal, its really not and it is barely noticeable. Dropped cliffs of small/moderate height, up to 25 feet to powder with no problems at all, and the ability to change to AT without taking your boot off makes it easy to switch when you hit flats while with other AT bindings you'd have to take your foot out and then clear all the snow off which on a deep day SUCKS, with these, its no worries all day.

Wow, what a great binding! Touring in moist snow can cause some small areas to suffer ice build up. Having something along to pick the ice out of some of the small spaces prior to locking the heel back down is handy.

They ski really well, this is a great choice for the performance minded skier pushing big boards or crossing over into resort skiing.

I started skiing when I was six. Went snowboarding when I was nineteen and returned to skiing when I was 30. We used to build all kinds of "home made" touring bindings when we were kids in New Hampshire and did the same thing when we were running the old Burton Airs over the table saw to figure out how to make spitboards. When I went back to skiing I purchased a pair of T1 bindings to use with my Structuras wich were left over from my final split board days. After destroying the T1s I went to a T2 and ran those like a couple of rented mules until I could not get any more toe pieces from Black Diamond. I picked up a set of Freerides and went to town on those for a couple of years until I passed them on to some kid in Vermont with back country dreams and no money ( ya gotta give to those in need if your cup runs over). That day I picked up a set of Freeride Plus clamps and have since been all over Canada, Europe, the West and New England with them. These are the last bindings I will buy unless they come out with something better. Cometition is good as it provides the consumer with more choises but if you are looking for the one binding that does it all this is the one. I am 5'-7" and weigh 180 lbs and ski the Freeride Plus with Evo and Zzero 4U boots with a DIN set on 7.5 front and back and have NEVER popped out unless the fall requires the binding to release my boot. Do your self a favor and throw down for a pair. P.S. Mount them with brass helo-coils so you can use them with more than one paie of skis.

I sold my old AT setup - skis/skins/bindings. I bought new skis and I stuck with the Fritschi binding. They are dependable and easy to use in all snow conditions. I am 5'5" and 130 lbs and I am not an aggressive skier but I ski advanced terrain. I would recommend them under all circumstances (except a someone over 200 lbs and super aggressive). They are worth the extra weight.

These have been trusty companions on several pairs of A/T skis and they work really well. I love the touring feel and pivot location. I prefer not having the optional springs installed--seems to allow me to execute switchbacks without having a mousetrap feel that the springs provide.

They are a bit heavy, which is making me lean towards going to Dynafits next year after 8 years of using Freerides. I've found them to be solid inbounds (yeah, they might flex a bit if you hammer the bumps like Moseley) and invisible in the backcountry.

Changing the lift is super-easy with the flick of a pole and locking them down for the most fun part of the day is just as simple and easy. Toe-height and length adjustments are equally easy--even in the field.

Great binding, but it is a little heavy... the only real downside.

I agree with the other reviewers that you need to set the DIN higher than you would expect. I was prematurely releasing on hard snow until I cranked mine up. Other than that, my only gripe is that the enclosed user manual contains no information about setting them up, although Lou Dawson provides ample information at wildsnow.com.

As far as on-hill performance, they have been fantastic. Every bit as stiff as I would expect an alpine binding to be at a fraction of the weight. And they climb well to boot.

Not sure I understand the one comment about having to reach down to put them in tour mode. Just use your ski pole to release the heel or set any of the three tour heights.

I usually ride on Diamir Explore bindings but had a chance to try these out. In short they are bombproof. They are noticeably stiffer than the Explore version. The action clicking in and out is much smoother and I didn't have any rattling while skiing on hardpack.

These bindings are very solid. the three different touring modes and the ease of use is outstanding. I come from telemark sking and the flip turns on skin tracks are a little difficult due to the lack of a return spring. other than that hey hold me hucking off jumps and i weight 250 lb

these bindings are officially more torsionally rigid than any binding marker makes. i mounted them on my b-squads. mount these on the biggest stiffest skis you can find, get some skins and you're the man.

I'm new to AT set up, and decided to just cough up the cash and get these. They're mounted on a Dynastar Exclusive all-mountain ski and are GREAT in- and out-of-bounds. I was hesitant to use them with lift service as to not wear them out or ride too hard, but they're beefy and sturdy. Plus they're lightweight. Very happy.

I wanted a beefy AT binding and was instantly drawn to the Dukes. After about half a season on the Dukes, I traded them in and got the Freerides....big difference. For starters, the Dukes would eat up the heel and toe portions of the boot...not so on the Freerides. I can also switch from skinning to downhill without taking my boot out...a big problem with the Dukes. Another point which I love about the Freerides are the lift positions and height: These things put you up there ready to take on the steep...not so on the Dukes (only 2 positions...both pretty useless except for really low angle). Lastly, some words on the performance. These things are lighter than the Dukes, so when combined with the heel lift options and height, it makes for much better touring...guess the Duke is really a side-country binding. Although the Duke has that 16 DIN, for my 145lbs, the 12 DIN on the FR's is more than enough for me. Lastly, I've seen folks talk about the height of the binding which is a non issue for anyone who has skied on a modern alpine binding lately with a lifter plate....aren't they standard/integral these days?

Great for touring and easy to use. I especaily like the differnt heel elvations good for hiking up steeps. I havent had a problem with them going in to touring mode when downhilling. Overall the bindings have met all my expectations i highly reconmend them.

This binding is a great touring binding. Tours really well on the uphill, with 4 different heel elevation positions. Very smooth lift. Pretty lightweight. This binding is great for someone who wants a binding exclusively for touring, and even for the person who wants a binding to ski inbounds and out. Even though there is a ton of plastic on this binding it is pretty durable, and feels quite solid. The only complaint I have about this binding is when actually skiing it, there is some lateral play. There is some side to side wobble when you're skiing downhill.

Well for all those folks that have broken these bindings or are looking for a good AT binding that will hold up let me just say that the perfect AT binding probly doesn't exsit yet. Because it's either too heavy (the Duke which has it's problems also) or it doesn't hold ya in tight enough or it's too flimsy or whatever your gripe may be. I've also broken various bindings on the hill and I know that it sucks. I'am happy to report however that I have had nothing but good results with these and believe that these are the best bet for your money presently, unless your doing seriuos mountaneering and want light weight then go with the dynafits. Anyway back to the Fritschi's. I have put them through there paces from backcountry tours to hucking cliffs to resort skiing including some terrain park and just about anything else and they have held up. Do I have my complaints? Sure, I wish they sat closer to the ski and stuff but until something better comes along I'am a very satified user.

Got the bindings last winter. Have to say they have rocked a 70 plus winter last year and are still killing it this winter. I know the they don't have as a high din setting as the marker duke bindings. But the ablitly to take my skins off at the top of the climb and switch from walk mode into ski mode without having to take the ski off in deep powder is a HUGE plus!!

Ideal binding for backcountry tours... probably the best. Great mix of lightweight and burly. However, if you are looking for a crossover biding (backcountry and resort), these would work ok, but it may not be your best option. Just realize that the marker bindings are going to be heavier.

Just finished the first day on these...after nearly five hours of touring I can say that they perform above all expectations. The pivot point is perfectly placed, greatly reducing the energy needed to drive the ski while skinning. They do just as well going downhill, powering my gotamas with very little perceptable flex. They do create a slight dead spot underfoot, but nothing more than I have experienced with any other alpine binding. The heel piece is a bit stiff, making changing the boot angle a bit tough, but I expect that they will break in and this problem will solve itself.

Sweet binding that stands up to anything. I had a pair of Naxo's that I ruined within a month. I mounted these on my 185 pocket rockets and now I am unstoppable! Work awesome with my Garmont Adrenalines (with both soles too I might add)!
Go big or go home.

These are bomber, light weight and very effective. Stable for both climbing and skiing.

not a fan I am 220lbs and a very agressive skier when they wernt flexing like warm silly putty they were releasing on powder landings. Two thumbs down. Get the Marker Dukes

I used this binding on demo skis for several years before purchasing, and find the Freeride to be a great all-round choice for backcountry or resorts. I mounted these bindings on a pair of 177cm Volkl Mantras with Black Diamond Ascension STS skins and they have performed exactly as I expected. I would recommend this binding for any serious backcountry skier, as well as skiers that occasionally hit the resorts.

This is a great binding. I put in on my 183 gotamas. The breaks only have to be bent a little to get around the 105mm waist. Make sure to set your DIN high.

Bought these in France last year, and have had about 30 resort days and 15 touring days on them, only once have they turned into Tele turn mode whilst skiing. They vibrate when pushed, on hard pack, but for me that’s there only down fall, they tour and climb very well and after using them 2 - 3 days a week for a season, they look like they'll be good for another couple of seasons yet

If you are debating between these and Dynafits I personally like these better even though they weigh more. You don't get as far of a stide out of each push and they do weigh more but that is easily worth the power you can get out of each turn when you are moving downhill. The extra vertical boost you get with these gives you more control over your turns. They make turning the fattest longest powder skis butter.

Hey these are expensive bindings, but they do absolutely rock. The springs located in the bar running down the middle of the binding are very responsive and will aid with your turning, snapping you out of your turns as it loads and releases. It really is no joke, these things are fun!

These bindings are pretty lightweight considering how beefy they are. Excellent in and out of bounds, although they tend to release prematurely when bump skiing or when making super hard lean-way-over turns on hardpack.

If you are looking to get up early and skin up to get first dibs on the pow days this it the ticket. I had them set up on the megawatts, made for a dream on the way up and even better on the way down.

These are perfect for anyone, that is intermediate level and on, would not recommend them for beginners, would only recomend these for those who are aggressive skiers.

I skied my friends Diamir bindings and they were super flexy under my 210lb bod. I was not impressed if you are looking at these get the MArker Duke, they ski much better

Despite competition from others, the Fristchi Freeride Plus remains the most popular and trusted alpine touring binding on the market. If you need proof, simply look to Chris Davenport, who depended on this binding to get him up and down all of Colorado's 14ers last year. Returning unchanged, the Freeride Plus excels inbounds and out due to a heel-locking mechanism to prevent unwanted switches to touring mode. Wide mounting plates allow you to gain leverage over increasingly wide skis. Accepting both alpine and touring boot soles, the possibilities are huge with this binding.

I skied with these for over 100 days. I used them both in the backcountry and on the piste with stiff alpine boots (both places). They worked as well as I hoped most of the time. I clicked out, or went into tele-mode, probably about 5 times in those 100 days.

I found that in the spring snow, towards the end of the season, there would be a lot of ice buildup near the rear attachment after skinning uphill. Not a major problem, but could take a minute to clean out.

These bindings are sick for touring but that's about it. If you buy these you better not be huckin it with these on your feet. I had them setup a pair of rossi Steezs and it works just fine, not too heavy. However, I broke mine in less than 2 months of riding them and Black Diamond told me to fuck off when i asked them to fix it. If you like to ride fast and hard i would not recommend this binding. I'm definitely going to buy the Marker Duke the next time I buy an AT setup.

I live in southern Idaho and hammer out a new line every week. The fritschis are easy to use, entry and exit is smooth and reliable and there's almost no friction when you unhook the heel and go for a walk. I also like how the design of the binding lifts your foot off the ski more than a traditional binding, making turns easier at higher speeds. The only thing that's mildly tough is releasing the heel when touring or on approach. You have to bend down pretty far and the release is stiff (which is good so it doesn't pop at awkward moments). It just takes a little practice. I love the binding and ride it on and off piste.

When you can't ride up on a lift, the Freerides are the best way to go. If you are going to ski hard in-bounds snow, more than you will be touring, go for the Dukes. The taller stance you get on these is tough to handle on hard stuff, but in pow they are great--and who tours for hard snow anyways??

I bought some BD Lyrics about a year ago and threw some Fritschis on them. I haven't had any problems with this binding, I like the four heel position options, and they've never turned tele on me. They're reasonably lightweight although if I was doing major multi-day tours I'd probably want the lighter Dynafits. For a mix of resort and day tours the Fritschis rock!

These bindings rock! I mounted mine on a pair of Rossi Scratch BC "create it" editions, and i couldn't ask for a better setup. They are great for groomers, crud, and of course backcountry touring...The new rail system is amazing, just flex forward and the bindings arc the ski. The only down side is the price. Enjoy!

These are an excellent first AT binding. They're reliable and relatively light, and if you aren't ready to make the plunge for AT boots, they get the job done with your everyday downhill boots. Their biggest drawback is you are really high off the ski, which feels pretty different. I heard older Fritschi bindings felt very flat and put you in the backseat, but this current Freeride seems slightly higher in the heel, and I think they've fixed the problem. The bindings themselves seem pretty durable, but the red plastic on the front of mine cracked pretty early on, and it is mainly a superficial piece. Unless you're ready to spend the money on a Dynafit set-up, I'd highly recommend these!

I'm 6', 220lbs and these bindings have worked quite well for me. On the skin track, the bindings have performed great for me -- the climbing wires are easy to change on the fly and there's no twisting or flexing when traversing the fall-line (unlike my naxos which twist as much as half an inch). Locked down, they provide a solid ride that lets you feel the ski just like any other alpine binding.

These are the only AT bindings I've owned, so I can't really compare them to others. However, I will say that they are very intuitive to use. I really like having the two different heel lifter settings and being able to easily adjust them with my ski pole. One downside is that they can be hard to get into in soft snow or on a slope because of how far the heel-piece retracts. But I'm comparing that to alpine bindings and not other AT bindings.

These are burly yet light bindings that certainly do the trick. I do more sidecountry then straight backcountry and normally use Marker Dukes for my assaults. The weight difference is significant between the two bindings. These bindings are far lighter and far more efficient at uphill ventures. The multiple heel height adjustments make the cruise up efficient and enjoyable and allow the user to tweak the heel angle to a multitude of positions for the most efficient skin up. On the way down (my biggest concern) the 12 DIN setting is more than enough for MOST of my descents. I am 6'2" and 165lbs and rarely feel the need to set my DIN higher than 12. Overall, if you are going to be doing a fair amount of climbing and are an expert skier who wants reliability on the way down, this is hands down the binding for you.

I have ridden these with out any problems last season. easy to switch ski and skin mode. They fell like regular bindings but just higher off off the ski. Glad I spent the extra loot and went with these.

These AT bindings are great. They are light and strong and work well with alpine boots. I have never had a problem with them pre-releasing, in bounds or out. I am a total ripping skier too. Just kidding... But I have tried other AT bindings such as Naxo's or Silvretta's and they do not compare.

Picked up a new pair for 07/08 and have put about 15 days on them so far. Once I got my din figured out (set it higher than you think) they've performed flawlessly. I've only toured on them twice so far, but I'm impressed with the ease of operation and performance.

These are the benchmark in AT bindings right now, but I didn't have a chance to take these bindings into the backcountry when I got to use them. I did play around with it a bit and it seemed easy to get into the touring mode without taking them off. The bindings seemed very vague inbounds, especially when compared to my Dukes. Additionally, the binding was very difficult to adjust to different BSLs. I would also recommend setting the DIN a notch or two higher than you normally would as I pre-released several times out of them.

Overall, this binding is a great choice for someone who is looking to use them only for touring, but I wouldn't recommend charging inbounds on these at all!

easy to adjust, easy to tour in an all around great binding. They were the first fixed heal bindings I have been on in 5 years so it's hard to comment on how they ski, but i enjoyed them.

Crampon attachments for touring skis don't work well when using AT binding risers on steep inclines. The heel doesn't drop enough to engage the crampon attachment. Use skins then boot crampons when it gets steep. Tried and true