Nathaniel V

I got these as a spring skiing/firm conditions complement to the Free 107s, which are some of my favorite skis ever. I'm super happy with the Free 97s. Set up with Trab Titan Vario.2 bindings, these skis rip hard pack, play in the trees, and swivel through bumps. They are less forgiving, but more powerful. Edge power on steeper terrain is what I was looking for, so that's a win! I'm skiing the shortest version of both Dynafit Free models--170cm in the 97, 173cm in the for 107, and this size is great for m...

These poles are probably the best deal running for a durable, adjustable kids' downhill/backcountry/nordic ski pole. My five-year old is obsessed with getting "uphill skis" once he's big enough, and these poles are scratching the itch while he builds skills. To date, the poles have survived the following abuse with nothing worse than dinged paint: a) Tip-caught on the exit ramp of a fast lift b) Crashed on and edge-struck repeatedly c) Drug between skis at high speed to create "drawings" in the snow d) Mult...

I'm contemplating the (beautiful?) heresy of mounting Trab bindings on Dynafit Free 107 skis, but I'm caught up questioning which release value to get. At 5'8" and 145 lbs, I run Dynafit Radicals cranked up to 8 to stop pre-release in moguls and trees, but given that the Vario.2 has actual elasticity, I'm wondering if I can go lower with the Trab heel. Do you think I'd be better served by the 5-7 or the 7-9?