Just wanted to get this one out quickly.  On Sun. I hit MRG with Kathleen,
Jim, Conor, Patrick.  Got 2 tickets for 3 skiing adults, so that kid watch
could be split and Kathleen took Conor to Birdland.  Almost immediately I
met Mark Renson, enjoyed a 45 min or so lift line conversation and headed
up the single.  Mark had to answer a patrol call at mid, so I opted for a
solo end to end run on Antelope.  Saw 4 people on the entire descent and
was alone with the beauty of winter for many long moments.  The coverage
and snow could not have been better.  In the afternoon we met Ben Bloom
and friend and headed up the single for a 20th run.  As I stepped into my
ski I saw the left binding was loose, sheared screw.  No problem says I,
it's telefest, I'll just demo one.  Easier said than done, most of the
demos were on the hill.  Finally I got a Black Diamond Arc Angel, 190 with
a Riva-Z binding.  The bindings were finely adjustable and had a gross
adjustment that involved seating the cable in one of 3 grooves in the
lifter plate in front of the toe.  I needed the forwardmost position with
my 7.5 size boots.  I paralleled the first few switchbacks of Antelope to
get a feel for the ski- nice.  So we entered the woods and traversed about
1/2 mile out.  I launched my first tele turn and the cable popped out of
the groove on the left ski.  To make a long story short this was the first
of at least a dozen unintended releases.  Any significant lifting of the
left heel would do it; it even happed diagonal striding.  After announcing
to the (unbelievably patient) guys that I would probably have to walk out,
I decided to just survival ski in parallel mode, sideslipping the tight
spots.  This worked and I got bolder, finally linking some 4-5 turn shots
without another release.  After well over an hour I got out.

I told the BD people what an incredible piece of crap their binding was
and their lame reply was, well when you buy this binding you don't get the
lifter so you won't have to worry about it.  We just use it so we can
cover all boot sizes for demos.  I told them I won't have to worry because
I will never buy another BD binding.  It would have been OK if they had
simply cut the grooves angled backwards so the cable couldn't pull out, or
if the had a lock down latch.  This is why I use a Rainey binding.
Russell had some problems along the way but he kept improving, replaced
failed parts with free upgrades and finally got it dialed in.  His
bindings have the strengths (and weaknesses) of design by one dedicated
man.  BD bindings have all the weaknesses of design by committee, and they
nevr improve them.  They just put out a new piece of junk every year and
market it as the best yet.  Just my NSHO.

Don't ever take a demo into the woods.

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