Ski touring bindings · Test magazine 2023
Tech talk with Stefan Burki, FRITSCHI
Sales and Marketing · Print page 117
Who is Stefan Burki? Sales and Marketing at FRITSCHI
Stefan Burki works in sales and marketing at FRITSCHI. In his interview for the BACKLINE 2023 test magazine, he reports having spent more than 20 years with the company. Skiing has been his passion since childhood, followed later by off-piste skiing and ski touring. He combines his professional experience with his enthusiasm for snow sports.
For Burki, choosing a ski touring binding starts with individual needs and abilities. He asks about touring areas, favourite tours, the relative importance of climbing and descending, and the ski boots and skis used. He identifies the Low-Tech pin binding, the 1995 Fritschi Diamir and the 2013 Vipec, with lateral release at the toe and frontal release at the heel, as defining developments. He sees the central development challenge as combining performance and safety with minimal weight. Snow accumulation on bindings is also an important design consideration.
According to Burki, Fritschi binding components are manufactured in Switzerland and assembled by hand in Reichenbach. Bindings that can no longer be repaired are already recycled there. At the time of the interview, the company is considering expanding this approach.
As a 'salesperson' for Fritschi bindings, what questions would you ask a prospective customer to recommend the right Fritschi product?
Ski touring is incredibly diverse, and so are the demands on bindings and their functionality. The binding must harmonize with the user's aspirations and abilities and function perfectly with modern equipment. To find the right model, I would ask the following questions: Where do you go ski touring during the season? What are your favorite tours? What do you focus on: the ascent, the descent, or both? Which ski boots and skis do you use?
Looking back, which developments in touring bindings do you consider revolutionary, and what technical developments do you expect in the future?
From my perspective, two systems that cover very different needs stand out. On one hand, the 'Low-Tech' pin binding, developed almost 40 years ago by Fritz Bartl for easy ascents and manufactured by Dynafit. This technology is still applied in most pin bindings today. On the other hand, Fritschi's legendary Diamir, which in 1995 integrated the downhill and safety technology of alpine bindings into a full-fledged touring binding. With the innovative transfer of the alpine binding concept – lateral release at the front and frontal release at the back – Fritschi made reliable release possible for pin bindings in 2013 with the Vipec. Apart from ultralight bindings for ski mountaineering, the current trend in every segment is to combine the advantages of both systems, offering the best possible performance and safety with minimal weight.
The weight of bindings plays an important role for some ski tourers. Both product design and the materials used have a certain influence on the adhesion/accumulation of snow on the binding. Is Fritschi aware of this issue?
Weight is an important factor for all ski tourers when choosing a binding. Ultimately, however, it's about meeting the individual needs already mentioned. These determine the technical design, the materials used, and, of course, the design for each Fritschi model. Snow is a constant and loyal companion on ski tours, so it must be given due attention. This can sometimes mean clearing snow from the binding. Of course, the mentioned accumulation of snow is an important topic for our engineers.
Where are Fritschi bindings manufactured, and where do the materials used come from?
The individual components of Fritschi bindings are manufactured in Switzerland and then assembled by hand into finished bindings at our facility in Reichenbach, making them Swiss Made from concept to product.
Are the materials in Fritschi bindings recyclable? Is there a program for old bindings, or are there plans to set up such a program?
At our facility in Reichenbach, bindings that are beyond repair are already recycled. We are considering expanding this concept.
