Splitboard.com Forums

so I'm a firm believer that a splitboard can give us access anywhere skis can, including long multi-day tours with the promise of a few 'worth-it' turns thrown in. I've done a few shorter tours on the split (< 30 km) without problems and keeping up with skiers, but I found that sometimes it's easier to ski the board split (for example, roped up on gradual glaciated terrain).

I've never been a great skier, but find I can get by on the splits snowplowing and turning as needed. I'm thinking that having an option to fix the heel in touring mode would make this a bit easier, as well as reduce the pressure on the knees.

so has anyone given this any thought or tried anything? I'm using Spark Fuse's, and envisioning an extension piece attached under the riser pieces that could be engaged when needed, or something like that. I don't imagine it would have to hold a strong up/down force, because there's not usually too much of that when skiing.

thoughts?

A hard boot set up could solve that with/without the heel being locked down.

It would be great to be able to fix the heal down for low angle slopes that are too mellow and/or sticky to ride. The problem is, is that if Will, Karakoram, Voile etc... offered a heal lock-down option, they would likely open themselves up to liability issues since splitboard bindings don't release. So we would need to do it ourselves I'm guessing. I'm finding that is is possible to "ski" pretty well even with the heel free, but it really depends on the binding that you are using...




Actually the theoretical heel attachment would have to be very strong, and probably T-nutted. The "up/down" forces on ski bindings is very high, and so the releasable heel pieces have undergone years of detailed engineering. Our simple solution would need to be super easy to engage/disengage, and be strong enough that when you jam into a snowbank it won't rip out (although that is the primary danger of locking your foot in.... ACL injuries might be an issue!).

It would be good to draw up a free body diagram to measure theoretical forces acting on the heel attachment during a front-end impact or torsional/shear load. That way we would know for sure how strong it needs to be.

I used to think about this a bunch. I bet everybody does. After clocking ALOT of vert... up and down. This is what I pretty much decided.
You can get pretty adept at split skiing a bunch of stuff with your heels unlocked.. certainly the mellow stuff. To be honest it's not totally unreasonable to roll some pretty full on stuff . Sort of funny..... funny looking... that's for sure;)

What I'm getting at is.. if it's too steep to split ski with your heels loose. You may as well shred properly and get some turns in.

Not to mention there would be a weight penalty and one more thing to switch around.

Although.. I have seen folks tear out their toe pieces going over the handlebars while trying to ski in tour mode. Avoid that .. cheers

could you not just mount extra touring brackets just behind your heel lifters then drill holes in the the rail of your touring plate (like the holes in the front) and slide another climbing pin through? Scary on the knees when you blow it.