Boot Lace Cinch / Release Replacement

[PeterAK]

Late last year I picked up a Carbon Omni with XMax Direct Connect bindings. The cinch mechanisms on the lace and bungee are a pain to release. No chance of releasing either with ski gloves on, so I sit in the water and do battle to get a glove off so I can then do battle with the binding trying to squeeze the tiny cinch on the lace and pull it loose, and use a fingernail to try to release the cinch on the bungee. It's seriously infuriating, a really poor design. Has anyone changed these pieces out?

[Lars]

If you're talking about the piece on the left, the key is you have to slide the whole thing down to tighten it a bit to work the circle part to the released position.

[dvskier]

I’m not familiar with those but Radar makes a similar type. Very easy to adjust with gloves on. I believe the kit is < $20

[BraceMaker]

Aren't you able to pull your foot out without loosening? Or how tight do you run yours?

[ScottScott]

With a slip off boot like that, you should be loose enough that you can just kick it off in the water without loosening the laces.

[PeterAK]

I can get my foot out without loosening, but it's a battle... The boot is not so tight that it won't allow me to eject in a crash, but it's no fun to crank my foot out of. My prior ski was a Connolly and the cinch mechanisms were similar but had a larger nub on the release so it was easy to use with a glove on.

[Hallpass]

@Lars has it right. Pull it a bit tighter, then it will release easily. If you are looking for alternatives, do some searches on Elastic Shoelaces. You should find a number of different sliding cinch devices.

 

[BraceMaker]

Real alternative is switch to mob- go to rigid laces. Boot comes off the ski with a lever and then you can climb up on the dock and loosed the laces at your leisure.

[mmosley899]

@PeterAK if you cannot grab the front of your ski and pull your foot out, you will not release in some falls that could lead to injury. Do not replace bungee laces with hard laces unless you put the boot on a MOB release.

[skialex]

D3 t-factors have the easiest to adjust bungee cord cinch device... in the water.. gloves on... no problem. But as mentioned loosening the cord is only for getting your foot in, not out.

[PeterAK]

Skied this week and left my binding looser than usual and was able to get it off no problem. Can't say I really noticed much difference while skiing, but there was a bit of chop so I was probably a bit off anyway. Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

 

[MDB1056]

+1 for @skialex post. The D3 t-factors are a breeze. You can get the bungee and keepers off the website as I recall

[BugHunter]

I have the 2020 Skymax and have the same problem. My problem was so bad that I kept a small screw driver with a float on the boat to pry in the thing to get it released. I hoped it was a specific problem to the binding I had so I replaced the lace and cinch under warranty but it has the same problem. Bad design. A simple design fix would be to make the release knobby stick out more so that you can actually put some force on it.

I sprayed some white lithium grease on the cinch last week which seems to help.

[Dockoelboto]

I just got set up with the MOB release system and couldn't be happier! I realize it is a bit more of an upgrade than you may be planning but it is quite lovely taking boots off on the dock.

[PeterAK]

I can't find a good pic of the D3 T-Factor lace locks, but I did just find these, which look really good:

 

https://www.amazon.com/CWB-Boot-Lace-Lock-Replacement/dp/B003900FPS#customerReviews

 

They look like they would be the right size locks to work on the rubber upper lace I have now, and I could replace the skinny lower lace with the one that comes with the kit.

 

@Dockoelboto thanks for the suggestion, but I'm going to keep it simple and keep the cash in my pocket!

 

[MDB1056]

Here are pics of the tfactor laces and locks. Also D3 picture of parts from their site. Super easy to adjust, in the water or out. I do recommend the knot at the top of the loop so you don't accidentally pull it off. Highly recommend these.