One hit no-wonders

By: Ed MacKerrow February 28, 2010

Thanks for the report and photo Ben! I think I will stick with the Axl's for now until I see more about the long time durability of the lighter weight Switchbacks.

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes

By: Silky-D December 22, 2009

This is very interesting to me. I got a pair of these direct from Voile before they were available to the public for a trip to AK. I mounted them and used them at work as a ski patroller (running toboggans, skiing moguls, hard pack and powder) for about 12 days plus about 4 BC days in the Wasatch before I did my trip. No problems at all. 9 days on an unnamed glacier in the North Chugach skiing steep chutes and touring on the glacier. That original pair got over 100 days of work and touring including a descent of Rainier before I retired them. I have three other pairs on other skis that all have 20 to 50 days apiece, work and touring, with no problems except for occasionally the latch freezes open when it's been sunny and warm on the up and then gets cold and shady. Not a deal breaker as I have been able to unfreeze them by breathing on them or putting them in a sunny spot for a few minutes. This has happened maybe three times. The only other issue is that the plastic under the boot gets worn with time and starts retaining snow and icing. I use clear packing tape to create an anti-ice sheet. The standard Scotch brand is exactly the right width and lasts about 25 to 30 days before it wears off and needs to be replaced.

Helpful Votes: 1 Yes

By: Ben Lyman October 16, 2009

In case you couldn't tell from the photo, the metal piece that holds the duckbill on the boot in place blew out on one side and bent up, allowing the support under the other side of the boot to fold back on itself and making the binding unusable. This is the result of skiing a single intermediate run on the binding (no jumps or rough treatment, I swear).

Helpful Votes: 1 Yes