![]() As you rock your boot back and forth on the binding, this auger will dig snow and ice out of your boot’s tech insert. Why is a pin auger important? It maintains binding performance in the field. For myself, this is a very welcomed feature in other bindings that is notably missing from the Black Diamond Helio line. A common feature in modern pin bindings is this little groove machined out of the toe pin called an “auger”. ![]() The next feature I want to highlight seems insignificant and perhaps a little exacting and fastidious. Fully locked out, the smooth action of the lever is achieved through a rolling cylinder that snugly locks into place. In this category of binding, we are dealing with something that is a half-step above the purely racing binding and something that is at home on long days in the mountains.Ī close look at the toe piece of the Black Diamond Helio 145 binding. Even though the Helio 145 was first introduced under the Black Diamond brand in 2019, it comes from ATK’s strong reputation for high quality and durable construction.Īt 145 grams the Black Diamond Helio 145 sits very comfortably on the light end of the binding spectrum. A combination of alloy metals and stainless steel, this binding tops the charts in build quality and long-term durability. The binding construction is a testament to the skill of ATK’s engineers when it comes to low-tolerance CNC machining work. ![]() ATK’s reputation for making durable, lightweight, and innovative bindings arrives overseas through Black Diamond’s distribution network. The Black Diamond Helio 145 is a rebranded binding from the Italian ATK Trofeo that fits neatly into this category of lightweight bindings that are a half-step above a full randonee race binding. At least in steep and consequential terrain. The moral to that story: I no longer opt for plastic in my tech bindings. Three well-placed straps later I had relative peace of mind that the jerry-rig should hold long enough to get me through a couple of jump turns. I pulled off my right ski and got to work with a handful of Voile straps. I snatched up the dangling pins before they careened down the steep couloir and then sank my ice tool into the firm snow. The plastic casing lay open like a clamshell and the interior pieces sat ajar, doing nothing to lock in my boot to my ski. The heel turret on my binding had exploded. I quickly caught myself on my downhill ski and looked at my uphill boot. I side slipped down the slope, my skis chattering against the bulletproof windboard when I heard a mysterious pop and felt my heel slip sideways. There I was, perched at the top of a committing line deep in the Gore Range, my sole focus on navigating a tight choke before the couloir opened up above a rock band. Fellow WildSnow contributor Slator Alpin skis the BD Helio Binding in a steep and icy chute in the Gore Range.
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