Fritschi Diamir Freeride Binding - 2005

Why do I call these "invisible"? Well, because they are just like any good binding should be... you click in and forget about them. I was skeptical at first and thought they wouldn't be durable and all that other stuff. I got proved wrong after 2 days of bombing steep pow at Silverton. I didn't even think about them. Then, when it's time to go up, they are great for skinning. These are the ultimate bindings.

I put over 80 days on these bindings last season in the moguls, the park, the powder; in-bounds and 20+ days out. I've taken 2 hour tours on these and 15 mile all day trips. These are reliable bindings. No, they do not have downhill performance like a pair of Tyrolia RailFlex, but don't expect it. This is a touring binding. It that respect, it's got awesome performance but it's heavy. I have these and a new pair of Dynafits to give me choices.
I got these first, because if you can deal with the weight, these bindings do everything that any other touring binding made will do, and probably better.

In the two trips since I got my new Freerides I have been very happy with them. They are solid, predictable and easy to use. They are nice and strong and that feels good when you are stomping out a stance while skinning. They have very nice downhill performance too, transferring the movements from the boot to the ski precisely. The only problem I have had with them was one inadvertent switch from alpine to tour mode. It was in a fall where I popped right back up and I didn't notice it for a couple of turns.

I have skied 2 seasons on my Freeride Bindings, and I am just as pleased with them now as I was when I first bought them. Dual function, has enough stability and strength for on the ski hills hitting tables and the pipe and great for the backcountry. I have done several hut trips on the Wapta Ice Field, and other glacier trips in the Rogers pass area, as well with my friends and we all love them. I have got 160 days out of them and still going strong. Keep up the good work.

Fritschi Diamir Freeride Alpine Touring Binding is Swiss precision at its best. My company builds spacecraft components, and the freeride is built to orbit! It functions very well in all conditions. I wish I would have had this setup back in the 80's!

These are the kind. I've been skiing on Silvretta 555's which chattered out on bumpy ice (resulting in 2 cracked ribs!). The Freerides with a DIN of 12 (I'm skiing on 11) have stayed on in all conditions. If you ski hard and fast and don't mind a little extra weight, they are for you. I have two friends that are professional guides in Europe who say they are using them all the time now, they don't even bother with their alpine setups.

I have five days on them so far, three in the backcountry and two in the resorts, and so far so good.

My main concern prior to purchasing was talk of there being a fair amount of flex in the rail. The various reviews sometimes touch on the subject, one of which noted that the Naxo had more flex. However, after skiing on them, I have to say that if there is flex I don't notice it. Perhaps if I was spending my time on groomers, especially hardpack, it might be evident, but who wants to ski groomers anyway?

One might also describe these as the ride for those who want ski hard in and out-of-area without owning a truckload of gear. I've been using these since last season. They come off when they need to, and stay on when they should. A little heavier than other AT rigs, but the better releasability may save your knees. I'm down to one pair of Denali [boots]. For simplicity's sake I no longer own any alpine gear.

Put over 15 days on these binders and still sweet. I took some nasty falls on these bindings and they just won't release. sweeeeeeeeeeeet! IN touring mode they are super sweet, be sure to get the return springs. The only downside of the freerides is the tab that holds it down. Over time it can wear down and there will be some slight play in the heel. Next year I will buy the NAXO's becuase it's just a bar holding it down and there's no chance of play. Other than some slight play these binders are tight.

Excellent backcountry binding that climbs well. Despite the seductive advertising expect plenty of lateral twist when skiing at high speed or on hard pack. This seems to be due to the heel not locking down firmly enough and despite the weight penalty. They are also suprisingly fragile when struck in an abnormal way, such as tumbling onto rocks.

I use both the Fritschi Freeride and the Dynafit TLT comfort bindings (see Dynafit review for more info on them).

I like the Freerides for their crossover ability. I feel confident skiing them in the area down chutes and in steep trees.

Their hiking ability for shorter hikes (1 to 2 hours approach) is acceptable and their heel adjustment is quite nice.
I would give high marks for their ease of use. If you have skied traditional bindings, you will have no problem.

However, if you have a longer approach to reach your skiing these may not be your best bet. On flats the stride is not natural and the thud, thud, thud of the stride is not peaceful. I have had knee joint pain when I use these for longer hauls. I would not recommend these for longer backcountry trips.

These bindings are terrific. Why buy anything else? They provide the best solution for someone who spends time both in and out of bounds, and who doesn't want to mess with two pairs of skis. They offer plenty of security for resort bashing, with the flexibility of heel release for backcountry randonnee. They are reasonably light (certainly lighter than most alpine bindings), and best of all, they are cheaper than most alpine bindings. I have put one pair through two rugged seasons, including backcountry in the Alps and lots of schussing in the Sierras, and have not had any problems such as pre-releases. In fact, since their introduction two years ago, you see almost nothing else amongst guides and serious skiers in the Alps.

I have owned a pair of freerides for 2 seasons and I'm moving to Silverettas or Dynafit. I have had the lateral support come free from the heel piece while in ski mode, even though the heel piece is still locked down (picture going from alpine to telemark out of the blue). I am a big guy and ski hard, cant afford to fall.

I have been riding the freerides for about two weeks now. They work great in touring mode and have had no problems going downhill. I was worried that they wouldn't be durable because they have a lot of plastic in them but have landed a couple of sizable drops on them and they dont seem to be much worse for the wear. I definetely recommend them

Very happy with the Freeride binding. Finally got tired of prereleasing from the Dynafit bindings (about 5 years old) and the insecurity of minor breakage. While the Freeride is heavier, it worked great on a 10th Mountain Hut trip (6 days) and several days of aggressive powder skiing in Jackson Hole. This binding inspires confidence.

These bindings are the best! My 404's broke and rather than rent skis and boots until I got them fixed, I bought these and had them mounted on my old skis. What a difference. Going from one binding to another on the same ski really showed off the better binding.

I have been using the Freeride now for two seasons. I average about 50 days a year, of which the majority are at resorts. This is the only binding I have used over the past two years and have not had any problems (I did break a brake last year on some rocks). The bindings rock!

When I received the binding, I noticed that the rear end had considerable side-to-side play along the center bar. Fortunately, I test-mounted the binding first before drilling my skis. The boots had a lateral play of about 2 inches, too much for comfort. I sent the bindings back, and BackcountryStore.com refunded my payment, no questions asked. This may have been a defect, but I didn't follow-up on it. For the mixed resort/backcountry skiing I'm doing, the binding seemed overall too flimsy, definitely not what I expected. I wouldn't mind some extra weight for something rock-solid.

I have used these bindings for three years now in all possible conditions. They have released when I wished they should and kept me aboard when I have pushed my limits. I have mounted them myself with excellent results. While I have only skinned a few times the bindings worked flawlessly. I ski about 70% in resorts.
I gave these the highest rating possible.

I purchased the bindings to use on Pocket Rocket skis. I wanted to ski both powder runs on the ski mountain and also use the bindings and skis in the backcountry. Both have worked out well. We had 23 inches of new snow in Aspen recently and the skis and bindings worked wonderfully. I also just returned from a backcountry tour and the skis and bindings again worked perfectly. Skinning up a trail is a piece of cake with the binding's rear adjustments.

These bindings are excellent. They actually have four touring positions. One flat and three riser positions. You have to lift your heel and push the post back down to get to the first riser position.

They are definitely heavier than a pair of dynafit bindings (which are also great for their intended purpose) but will accommodate a downhill boot. They are just a little heavier than the explore/express, but come with brakes so if you want brakes, get these since it'll cost less, give you a more durable binding and only weigh 3 oz more.

Yes, these are great bindings. Probably the best currently on the market. However, there are a couple of things I've noticed since I mounted them early this season. One, there is a bit of movement in the heel locking device, and now that I've skied them a a couple dozen times, there's some serious signs of wear and now there's even more movement. Two, the very first time my knee touched my ski in walking mode, I noticed a nice dent in the toe piece and the rubber that's supposed to prevent that had split. I've seen this on both my own bindings and my friends. They're tough bindings, but they still need a few years of modifications before they're perfect.

I just broke my leg on these suckers. The heel didn't release, so obviously I'm not pleased. Also, on the leg that didn't break, I had the same problem as Gavin, the heel released into touring mode, instead of popping out all the way.

I'll confess up front that I'm a complete neophyte to AT gear and skiing, so perhaps this should be taken with a grain of salt. I have these bindings on some Atomic 9.22's (190 cm) and they have worked fine in the 10-odd days I've used them. No problems. None. They function well in downhill mode, and have released both on the hill and in my house, in all sorts of falls. But then again, I had the DIN set conservatively for safety. I don't feel failure to release is a problem inherent to these bindings, for regular bindings will do the same if incorrectly adjusted. The touring mode worked fine, with the risers being very effective, but the weight simply can't compete with a lot of the Dynafits out there. I'll put up with the weight, however, and keep my old boots and have fun on the downhills (I'm gonna work on the climb anyway, right?).

I've been on mine about two years and they rock. I get about 80 days a year on them and they've only released on two or three occasions and all when you think they should. When I first got em I was worried about using them to kick the snow off my boots, but no more. I wore out my first pair of boots with them and the toe down adjustment completely took care of the fact that my boot had no toe. I almost died twice when riding my friends G-4's with alpine bindings that kept pre-releasing at speeds. They stomp up the hill as well.
Downside-When I got them they were far cheaper than quality alpine bindings. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore.

I just got back from a trip in Aspen and Telluride as well as backcountry in Silverton, Colorado. The bindings performed in all types of conditions. The greatest appreciation came when dropping into steep narrow chutes with varied conditions. I knew I had bindings I could trust.

Fritschi Diamir Freeride Binding are one of the best bindings. I have used them in the park and backcountry. They hold up on anything. I am working in Norway and here there is a ton of ice they will hold. They are great for climbing. Never fail.

I'm on my 3rd generation of Fritschi. I weigh 170lb and ski very fast and hard. Jumps, but not like the movies. Knock wood, never had a problem. Never pre-release and never wished I coulda got out of them when I didn't. Some huge crashes.

I bought the Naxo, but didn't like hiking with that way forward pivot. Not natural to me. Also measurably more slop in Naxo. Took 'em off, sold 'em and bought the latest Freeride.
I'm home.

I bought last year's model and have beat the crap out of it, and it has held up great. I've had a number of days in the backcountry but many more in the park at the resort. This binding is not made for the park but just to show how beefy it is, it’s held up all season until I bent the bolt in the front toe piece, not bad for a backcountry binding! I haven't had any problems with it releasing if anything it releases early on occasion. One problem I have had in the backcountry is while traversing on step slopes I've had the toe joint flex so that my heel end moved over and to the side of the heel riser. But all in all a great bomber binding!

These bindings are amazing. They work just like downhill bindings but with a touring function. I have skied them for a couple weeks now in the resort and have had no problems with them, and I weigh 200lb! They carve just like downhill bindings, with no additional flex. Just make sure that you get them professionally mounted, i.e. don't try to do it yourself. I will be touring with them in a week or so, but I figure that if they can handle the dynamic stresses of hard carving on groomers, they can more than handle the soft pow in the backcountry.

I purchased the Freerides for my wife and I was concerned about the excessive play on the release handle, so I called the warranty department at Black Diamond. The play in the release handle is cool, and it varies with different heights of the heel.

I think they are a great touring binding with the capability of still skiing big lines. The people who have complained about them are those who think they will get the same performance as a resort binding. It's not possible. They are the best AT binding out there.

I don't know what these other reviews are talking about, I work on ski patrol in Washington and 75% of the people on patrol use these bindings as their everyday set. Very versatile, tough, reliable and smooth to tour in. What else could someone want?

I have had a pair of Freerides as my main bindings for 2 years. I have skied them extensively both in and out of bounds. They are bomber bindings I am not afraid to take anywhere, including long hikes to remote summits. The only reason they only get 4 stars is that they don't always release laterally.

I've put in around 130 days over the past two years on Freerides and they still the best purchase I've ever made for backcountry skiing. They've only once given me issues on pre-releasing and that was on a under rotated front so I guess I can forgive that. All in all the bindings are amazing, both inbounds and out of bounds. If you rip these binding are for you. (oh ya and get some avy-training and keep your self alive in the backcounty)

A year ago I blew up my alpine skis and bindings in a big wreck. So, last year I had to ride my AT gear at the resorts. I loved the binding in the backcountry, but it held up really well with weekly use on even the groomers. This binding is also strong and will hold up to big drops and big wrecks.

Several weeks ago, I got a pair of Fritschi Freerides and they seriously rock. I have them mounted on Karhu Jaks and I use them as my inbounds powder setup as well as my backcountry rig. When locked down, the Freerides perform just like an alpine binding and skinning up stuff is a breeze when you free the heel.

These bindings are awesome. I was previously skiing the old Titanal version of the Fritschi Binding. These binding take a lot of abuse. The uphill capability is more refined than earlier models. I am using the Fritschi Freeride in combination with the Scarpa Denali TT Boots and they make going uphill as easy as going downhill. I also use the same set up for Ski Patrol and have not complaints.

Ok, so some people will break a leg no matter what they're skiing on, but these Freerides are pretty amazing. DIN of 12, functional adjustments, very robust for NORMAL use (not including jumping 20 foot cliffs onto rocks)... So they could be a bit lighter and stiffer for AT bindings, so I'll take a star off for that, but they're a big step forward.

Bottom line, they do the job, and well !

I just returned from a 3-day 10th Mountain Backcountry Hut trip with these bindings. They were very easy to use and I liked the different heel settings for climbing. They seem very sturdy and I plan to use them both in the backcountry and at the ski resorts.

I can't really compare these to other AT bindings since this my first pair, but I can say that they are fairly easy to use and I haven't broken them yet :) I am using this set up as my normal downhill on aspen and surrounding mountains. It seems to be just fine.

These bindings are great! My husband bought them for me, and I feel just like a goddess on them. The height is perfect for a short person like me and the three positions are great for the different terrain that we ski!

I like my bindings - they're great for the casual touring I do. I still do a lot of skiing off piste and inbounds at Whistler, so the freeride seems to hold up quite well under those conditions. One biggie that bugs me is that the brakes tend to catch on one another when I'm skiing.