Some good intec experiences?

[Fleaman]

After reading all the recent posts about the drawbacks and failures of Intec heels and bindings, I am a bit worried. I picked up a pair of Intec Cateks to replace my Snowpro Fast system which I wore out in one season. Being a heavier guy, and hearing about the failures of the heels I am a bit leery now to use this system. Last year I had a few releases on the back foot and broke a bail on one of my bindings so now I am a bit gunshy. I think the snowpro heels shouldnt have worn out in 18-20 days of riding, but they did ( not broken but just wont stay fastened). I thought it was the heel receiver on the binding but after replacing them (Thanks Dan Yoja) I still had the same problem. This is why I bought the Cateks to try out a different step in system. I know I could go to traditional bails, but being a Patroller, I am in and out of my board more than most riders and I really like the convenience of just pushing off and clipping in.

Lets hear a few good things about the bindings and how long you have used them with no problems.

[RobRidesSquaw]

I had TD-1 step ins for a while and they were awsome. I switched away from them because the all metal binding was just to stiff for me. They do seem way more secure though, there is more than just a single lever holding your leg in.

[bobdea]

just make sure your binding is not set too tight

I weigh 260 or so and put a couple hundred days on my first pair of heels many of those days were spent setting courses, riding around prepping lifts and other assorted ski area sort of stuff

So I think you will be fine, my application seems like it would be close to yours.

I did eventually break the plastic "ear" but I did not come out of the binding.

My heels saw a ton of abuse, doing allot of walking on rough surfaces(ledge for example), being banged up while in motor rooms and stuff so in hindsight I would replace them every 60 or so days.

[kamran]

I had Burton physics stepin for a good 20 days. Never had a problem.

Also had catek + intecs for a short while (a few days), Again no problem!

But I switched to regular bindings after that, because I simply don't trust two metal pins hugged by some piece of plastic in charge of carrying all my weight plus some G forces.

Having said that, I think everyone should use the gears they are comfortable with.

[D-Sub]

you know...something tells me the pins arent holding as much force as people seem to think.

its not like your body is pulling one direction and the board (pins) being pulled another, opposite direction

[Tommy D]

Or with any of my friends either. I'm on the lighter side of things, but I have a friend on the *much* heavier side of things, who rides hard, too, and he's never had trouble.

But then again, we made sure to adjust the interface properly, so there's no play whatsoever. We also keep a close eye on the heel pieces/pins/screws, etc.

We've been using the Intec system for two seasons now, this will be our third.

I love the interface, and was never very fond of how toe levers work. With Intec, I step in right the first time, everytime.

[bschurman]

I have put about 40 days on my Intec heels over the last couple of seasons and I have not had a problem yet. I'm about 200. (Sometimes more, sometimes less)

I think that the key to the Intec heel is proper adjustment so that the heel pins aren't taking all the load. The wings/ears on the front of the heel also take up some of the load and they need to be resting on the ramp of the reciever when the heel is egaged. There should be 0 play in the system when adjusted properly.

[Mike T]

I'm 195 give or take, and have at least 80 days on Intec without incident. I've popped out of bails on standard bindings (Burtons, once in 2 days' use; plus Catek WC's once in ~ 40 days use) but never the Intecs.

[Mark.Andersen]

Here's a thread I started last season. The tinypic photo has expired, but I might be able to dig it out of my laptop if anyone cares to see it.

http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=5037

Stay safe!

[ARCrider]

my 200lbs has been on them since Feb05. 2 months riding them, so not a whole lot of time yet.

[Guest Randy S.]

I've had good Intec experiences so far. However, some of the recent failure reports have me rethinking things too. That said, it seems they either fail immediately, or work for quite some time so maybe there isn't too much to worry about. I'm 200lbs and ride pretty fast/hard.

[John K]

I love my intecs and with 3 years and about 90 days, I have had no problems. Still I have concerns given the reports, but I am 165lbs and plan to keep a close eye on things and stay with the system.

Maybe someone could clarify for me how the system is designed to work. I know that there is from time to time upward force on the pins, but most downward force would be taken by the "ears" and the front bail right ? and during this phase it seems that you would not comeout untill you applied the upward force or unwaited in a transition.

Does anyone know if Bomber will be selling Intecs prior to the lawsuit settlement ? Where else can I go for a backup set of heels?

JK

[Jack M]

I think I have about 50 days on my original set of heels. I'm 170lbs. Only problems have been in sticky snow when it gets caked on the bottom of the heel, preventing engagement.

[JoelP]

I started using Intec's when they were first introduced into the US market some 10 years ago. Back then they had even a smaller diameter pin in the heels. I now ride 40 + days a season (use to get near 100 days) and have never had a problem. I'm on my 3rd set of heels in 10 seasons. I just need to be sure that the snow is not stuck to the heel or toe but other than that no heel issues. I had base plates break back in the old days when F2 had a plastic problem, changed to Titanals and now Bombers and no more breakages. I ride my boots in walk mode...maybe not being overly stiff helps take up some stress from the system.

I've been happy and will continue to use them.

Joel

[Jon Dahl]

Intecs have only been used a few times last year(really bad snow year) with no problem at all. Fast system, I've only had 2 releases and they were setup error on my part, and are the choice for my backcountry gear, because they survive hikes better than the pins sticking out of my boots.

[D-Sub]

I started using Intec's when they were first introduced into the US market some 10 years ago. Back then they had even a smaller diameter pin in the heels. I now ride 40 + days a season (use to get near 100 days) and have never had a problem. I'm on my 3rd set of heels in 10 seasons. I just need to be sure that the snow is not stuck to the heel or toe but other than that no heel issues. I had base plates break back in the old days when F2 had a plastic problem, changed to Titanals and now Bombers and no more breakages. I ride my boots in walk mode...maybe not being overly stiff helps take up some stress from the system.

I've been happy and will continue to use them.

Joel

howdy joel!

[Fleaman]

I use Deeluxe lemans boots so I have lots of play in them. I am thinking stiffer boots would put more stress on the heels. I usually ride them unlocked in the trees and steeps, then lock them to do some hard carving on the rest of the mountain. I am looking forward to the Bomber RAB spring assembly, I think it would be right up my alley.

[kamran]

JoelP wrote: I ride my boots in walk mode..

Me 2. I wonder how many others ride in walk mode?

[Steve Dold]

Kamran: I do. I've ridden with other people that do too, I think Dave Morgan did when he was down here. It works great and I think I'm less prone to injury in the walk mode. My boots are the AF-600, if they were a softer boot it might not work so well (too sloppy).

I weigh 175 and put about 30 days on a new set of Intecs each year. So far no problems other than snow clogging, which taught me that it isn't enough to just click in and go, or even to lift up to "check" before riding. You have to look at the pins to be sure they are in. The way the heel block wears, it's possible for the heel pins to be partially in and feel locked in, but pull out after you get going. I wish they were made of steel like the F2 bindings.

I have only witnessed two people pop out of bindings while riding, both were uninjured and both were bail bindings that were not adjusted correctly.

[kjl]

I rode ~50 days on my first set of heels and then the cable broke. Maybe another 100 days on the second set, with a cable replacement halfway through. Pins have been fine so far, knock on wood.

I ride with my front foot locked and my back foot in walk mode. (I like to drive the board angle with a hard connection at the front boot, and I like being able to crouch down without twisting the board too much by opening up the back).

DSub - I would guess that there is actually quite a bit of force on the pins when on your toeside, especially if you have significant underhang. I imagine that very high angles with lots of edge underhang would be the worst possible case.

Also, I was under the impression that the little wings were just there to guide the pins into the holes, and don't actually support any weight, but I could be completely wrong - I should use the opportunity to check as an excuse to stomp around on the carpet tonight ;)

[kamran]

thanks Steve. I thought I was at odd doing so. Now that I think about it, I saw Hagen for the first time riding in walk mode and decided to try it and stayed in walk mode ever since. it works for me (Head strato's).

[Bobby Buggs]

This might be an indication of how I feel about intec

[csquared]

I have been riding Intecs since I won a set of Bomber TD1 SI's at the ECES draw event in '02. I weigh about 185# and ride fairly aggressively with both boots locked. I have had no instances of releases (I always check for visible pins after step-in to make sure of engagement) and I have had no spontaneous heel fractures. However, I did destroy one heel in a crash and I think the incident probably hints at the strengths and limitations of the Intec heel,

The incident occurred at Owl's Head in Quebec, a resort that seldom sees grooming but has some great cruising terrain, Usually I take a cautious approach at this resort because the snow conditions are often not what they seem. The run I was on is split near the bottom by a chair take-off and the run funnels into very narrow spillways each side. I should have anticipated the ice above this from the skidders slowing down to take the spillway but I carved in at speed too close to the trail edge and and sketched. Although I corrected, I was too close to the trail edge and moving too fast to initiate even a defensive turn and I nailed a tree that was at the edge of the hill. Thankfully, I was helmetted but the concussion and shock have obliterated a lot of the details.

What I do know is that I pitched forward, possibly on hitting the minor snowbank at the trail edge and augering. The force on the board was enough to destroy the camber completely (Coiler RC 180, 6.3 stiffness). Like a headless chicken, I somehow got up, got back on the trail and rode to the bottom without knowing anything had just happened because I was in shock. I was puzzled to find my wife standing in the lift line in tears (no, not from laughing) who told me that I had better take my board off and go into the lodge.

At that point, I noticed that I could not remove my rear foot which seemed jammed. Note that the boot was still locked in the binding and that I was able to ride out that last 100 yards of the trail! Later inspection revealed that one pin had fractured the plastic beneath in a triangular break-out profile. The pieces fell away once I had pulled my foot out ot the binding but the other pin was still intact, unharmed, and retaining the boot (perhaps not too solidly). The pin that broke out was the one furthest to the rear which obviously saw the greatest load as my weight was thrown forward. As the day drew painfully on and I began to understand what had happened I realized that my rear ankle was sprained and as the swelling increased, I had more and more difficulty walking until I had to give up. Oh yeah, I broke my collar bone into the bargain but it took two more weeks to discover this (like I said, a headless chicken).

So, with apologies for a long story, here is the evidence: Intec heel pin break out (the pins themselves don't break as far as I know), Bomber TD SI's completely unharmed (bulletproof), Coiler in the dumpster, modest injuries, Raichle's unharmed. This was one of those "unstoppable force, immovable object" crashes where something had to fail. The possibilities were board, bones, boots, or bindings. The board took a great deal of the crash pressure in flexure but at a certain point something else had to give and I am glad it was the Intec heel and not my femur. As it was, the heel pin held to the point of ankle sprain before it gave up. I would have to say that was the right point at which to fail.

I don't have a problem with Intec heels and I am still riding them on both my TD1 SI's and Cateks. However, I now feel that I have a good sense of their limits which I would not care to test them again.

[philw]

Lets hear a few good things about the bindings and how long you have used them with no problems.

I've used Intecs since they first came out - I'd have to dig out the receipts to figure out when it was, but 1997 or something? I still have my first pair of heels/ bindings and I still ride them. I suppose they've done more than a man-year on snow and they work as well as the first day.

These are actually in "proflex" [now F2?] bindings, the ones which make Bombers/ Cateks look like tanks. Anyway, they have a few nicks in the plastic from European lift lines, but they're good for another n years.

I'm only putting 60-odd kilos through them mind, and they're adjusted so they're tight.

[ar(angel]

I love my Intec's too!!!

Have fun,

Paul