I like a performance fit even with an AT boot, but do have a bone spur on both back heals that I need to make sure doesn’t get worse.

Do I stick with a 27.5 or size up???

Of course, that means nothing when it comes to the wonderful TSA If you carry the correct paperwork and allow yourself enough time at the airport they should not be able to stop you traveling with the ABS.

Great review. I would like to upgrade my bag in a couple of years time when they’ve worked out how to make them lighter!

Perhaps Lars Chickering-Ayers is on the right track, sliding a dynafit toe in like a splitboard binding and then sliding in an alpine toe for the descent. Super high fiddle factor though, among a number of issues. Handfull of bindings out there getting tested right now from what I hear..

Feel free to get your aerospace on and design something better. Just remember consumers can’t afford the same toys as NASA.

What I’ve been puzzling over is what will replace my Naxos on my lighter A/T setup when it’s time to replace it. Hard to cut through the chaff of the Dynafit/Fritschi wars on bulletin boards, etc. with staunch encampment on both sides. When the Marker Tour came out I was pretty thrilled…until I read how it reviewed (and liked to break).

Was there anything at SIA in that “no man’s land” category binding wise? Somewhere between Dynafit and Fritschi? I guess I would be leaning towards Fritschi, assuming they keep evolving and improving, but there is no killer in my mind, no obvious choice.

Maybe I’m just elitist because I build aerospace stuff for a living and know that materials and engineering exist right now to make a binding that hammers like a Duke but weighs close to a Fritschi or Naxo. I got excited at the beginning of your blog entry here until I saw a) that no major weight losses were incurred by either and b) Tyrolia had a complete plastic bridge plate. Arrrgh!

It was cool to see free flex coming back though. Ironically, I remember Marker piston bindings (front side stuff as you remember a few years back), I had a pair. Then they completely eschewed that concept on their next evolution of binding, only to see it come back from their competitors.

Anyway…still waiting for the lighter weight A/T killer….

Good writeups btw, thanks.

or email me at kimball at trails nh dot com.

There is lots of up-to-date NH 4000 trail condition info on my site at http://trailsnh.com/NH-4000.php

I have not skied the Titan or Titan UL, but I did spend the past 4 seasons in the zzeus, which is nearly identical except the zzeus uses a slightly softer plastic. The Cochise tours a little better, IMO. Comparing those two boots on the descent is like comparing a Yugo and a Ferrari. The Cochise Light will be as light or lighter than the Titan UL. Of course, we’re talking boots here, so if the shoe doesn’t fit, as they say… better off with whichever boot fits your foot best.

I know this is a review for the cochise…but have you been in the dynafit titan ultralight? I would prefer to stick with an alpine ski company for my beef AT boot…hence the cochise as my first choice….but a lot of good boots out there!!

Girdwood just got 27 last night…another 10 on the way!!