Black Diamond Fritschi Diamir Freeride Plus 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.

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 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!!!

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 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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Fritschi bindings are the strongest bindings on the market. I've owned the Diamir III and the Freerides and both are great but you might as well pay the extra and get the break included with the Freeride.

I have the old freeride (Wht one) on a pair of Black Diamond Crossbows as touring skis, then Fritschi made the Freeride Plus... I'm riding the new freeride Plus on my new powder boards, BD Zealot 192s, The BD Zealot is a wide powder board/wood core so it's stiff and I couldn't imagine the old Freeride with it's wobble? I'm also riding these new Powder Boards (BD Zealot) with the new Garmont Shaman Boot (Freeride/Alpine boot-not an AT boot) and the freeride Plus w/it's new stabilizing track solved the wobble/flexing of the older wht ones, plus it stands up to my aggressive style skiing/Extreme skiing profile (100 days a year at Alta UT) I'm getting a pair of BD Machines next which is BDs ski w/ a Slalom Race styling, I'll be mounting them w/freeride Plus' as well after the way my new Freeride Plus has worked out on my Powder Boards (BD Zealots) I've broken toe pieces on the old freerides, but I have 40+ days riding the chairs of Alta on the Freeride Plus/BD Zealots and they've rode well... As far as touring, they're more solid than the older Freeride (Wht one) Little stiffer too, and again, the track so improves the stability at speed, as well as less apt to do heel ejections if you learn to hard forward on them...

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 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!

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.

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.

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 ride prophets 130 and have broken 4 pairs of bidings. 3-naxo's and 1 fritchi freeride. the fritchi were great until they let me down on a (geen) groomed run. i tried to cut a hair pin turn and the binding busted at the toe piece sending me into the trees. if you're planning on buying these i recomend to use them only in the back country and walk the rest of the way down if you get spit back onto a resort

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.

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?

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

I have these bindings on my 183 Volkl Gotomas they work grate to skin in but I broke the toe the seconded time I used them. They are to weak to take the abuse of hard skiing I think they were a mistake I should have just gotten look bindings and alpine trekkers. Has any one else had a problem with braking these bindings or know of an AT binding that can take some abuse?

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

First time with this ,its great ups and down

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.

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.

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.

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.

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