500 LSV Binding

Comments about Salewa USA Silvretta 500 Binding:

I live in Maine and this is a good setup for backcountry winter camping and climbing (e.g., Baxter). I have the bindings on 175-cm backcountry skiis and I use my leather mountaineering boots. This lets me ski, snow shoe, and ice climb in the same boot, meaning I only have to haul one pair of boots in.

I also like the setup better than my normal backcountry setup because the hinge point of the ski is under your toes rather than at the tip of - or in front of - your toes. This seems to give more control, especially on icy trails and where trees are close together.

It performs surprisingly well as a tele binding, but can't compete with a true modern tele setup. The binding also allows you to downhill ski, but because the end of the rail is well behind your foot, the effective length of your foot on the ski is much longer than a normal alpine setup (i.e., your foot feels longer than it is). This feels somewhat uncomfortable and strains your achilles a bit, but it "works".

As a 50-year-old, the setup is actually very similar to what I started skiing on in 1967, so I'm very comfortable with the low, leather boots. Younger people who started out with higher, plastic boots might initially feel that the setup lacks ankle support.

It is quite easy to switch between normal cross-country and climbing modes and the climbing mode does noticeably help reduce fatigue, even on moderate grades.

It is hard to get solid information regarding whether your particular mountaineering boot will fit. What they do say, though, appears to be true -- if your boot will take a crampon with a front toe bail, it very likely will fit this binding.

The installation instructions weren't written by a native English speaker, but you can generally figure them out, especially if you've installed bindings before. Given that most shops haven't installed this type of binding before, it would be helpful to have a better set of instructions on where to mount the binding. I eventually settled on positioning the front plate so that the ski tail hangs slightly when you lift your foot, and this seems to work well.

It is a good binding and I expect it to last a long time. That said, it does seem a bit over-priced.

All in all, a good backcountry ski binding for those in the Northeast, or anywhere else with a very wide range of snow conditions, and a versatile climbing approach ski for any location.

Comments about Salewa USA Silvretta 500 Binding:

Replaced old 500's. Not a step-in, but a pull up. No 'button' for heel release (pole slot instead). Pole slot for standing adjustment angled slightly too far back for my height(5'11").
You can adjust all aspects (DIN/sizing) with a quarter. Very Rugged construction. Solid once locked in and no problems driving skis in tight glades and trails.
I probably won't notice the pole slot by the end of the year.