Summary - Once know as the lighest AT binding on the planet, the TLT lacks some of the convenience of alpine-style AT bindings, but if you need a dedicated backcountry binding and want to go lightweight - Dynafit is the way to go.
This simple, proven design has been around for 12 years and has changed very little during that time. The TLT tours well and has a very reliable release, with a maximum DIN setting of 10. Climbing and touring is tons easier with less weight on you feet, and energy saved can be used on the way back down. These bindings don't have the step-in / step-out convenience of heavier AT bindings, and they can't take quite as much abuse either. Also, in situations of very extreme ski flex the binding can pre-release. That said, these are the bindings many skiers choose for big mountain, extreme descents (the toe piece can be "locked" if you are in a situation where you absolutely cannot lose a ski). If you get the TLT, you'll need a Dynafit compatible AT boot and can currently choose from models by Dynafit, Scarpa, and Garmont. It may look a little different than an alpine binding and can take a little getting used to, but this light weight binding rocks! |
The Tourlite Tech, a.k.a. TLT Classic
The Original, Trusted, Tested, Speedy, Proven and now....Classic!
So many doubters have tried to find something wrong with the TLT and all have failed. The secret is finally out in the USA, this binding out performs all others while weighing a feather light 1 lb. 8 oz. a pair. The TLT has been the choice of serious backcountry skiers, guides, expeditioners, rally racers and all of Europe for the past 12 years. No other A.T. binding has proven more durable or as lightweight. The TLT Binding was the official Binding of Choice for Ski Mountaineering Expedition Leader Mark Newcomb and Team Sepu Kangri, on their First Ascent in Tibet, October 2002. Who uses the Dynafit Tourlite Tech Bindings for their most important tours, expeditions, ski descents, and rally races? Ruedi Beglinger, Mark Twight, Jimmy Chin, Some fast and light guy in Salt Lake, the list goes on, and on, and on..... -Lightest |
Backcountry magazine: "The stalwart TLT hasn't changed in nearly a decade. That indicates just how durable and dialed it is. The TLT weighs two pounds lighter than any other manufacturer's binding. Without experiencing it yourself, it is hard to imagine how much faster you'll climb after lightening your feet by two pounds….Skiers unfamiliar with AT gear often pass over the TLT because it looks different from downhill bindings. Because this reliable binding can really speed climbs and ease the pain of ascent, it's worth a second consideration."
Couloir: "…This is the binding that revolutionized randonnee skiing by beating telemark gear at its own game. The grabber that wins races; descends peaks from Antartica to Alaska; allows smaller skiers to shed the ankle tweaking sandbags from their feet; lets the fittest skiers in the world slam vertical that rivals days of helicopter skiing. The downside? TLT bindings require boots with special fittings (Scarpa, Garmont, Dynafit and others), and you can't slick in and out as you do with step-in rigs such as the Fitschi models. Nonetheless, skiers worldwide have voted with their feet, and Dynafit… is a clear winner."
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