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Gear Review | Fritschi Xenic

Stable, comfortable and super light

by Lorenzo Rieg 02/27/2020
Lorenzo Rieg
Fritschi Xenic
With the Xenic, Fritschi is launching a new, particularly lightweight pin binding onto the market. Despite its low weight of just 280g (per unit without stopper), the Xenic scores highly in terms of ease of use and numerous safety features, as you would expect from Fritschi.

First impression

At first glance, the Xenic resembles a classic pin binding, but the far more elaborate and sophisticated design is revealed in the details. For example, unlike practically all other lightweight pin bindings, the pins on the toe piece are not mounted in a knee joint, but thanks to the ingenious design they actually open to the side. This not only makes it particularly easy to get into the binding, but also prevents false releases on the toe piece due to impacts on the ski from below.

The rear jaw has a length compensation of 10 mm, which enables a constant release even when the skis are bent. The release value can be set between 4 and 10 on the rear jaws, with separate settings for the horizontal and vertical values. It should also be mentioned here that the two pins are not connected to each other and can also be swivelled. This not only makes it easier to get started, but also improves the release behaviour.

The binding is compatible with practically all ski touring boots, but with the Dynafit TLT models, a small bracket must be removed from the toe piece during assembly to ensure full freedom of movement. This is not necessary for other boots.

In contrast to most other touring bindings, the Xenic only has one climbing aid, which is solid and can be easily folded in and out.

Testers and test conditions

I am 183cm tall and weigh about 75kg. I ski a lot, especially on ski tours. I've had the Fritschi Xenic since shortly after Christmas and have used it on almost all my ski tours since then. The binding is mounted on a Downskis Countdown 104 and I've mostly used a Scott S1 Carbon boot, although I've also tested the binding with the La Sportiva Skorpius.

In the meantime, practically all conditions were covered, from powder to hard snow and even some firn - everything was included.

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Test report

Getting into the Xenic is really easy. At first, I kept touching the lever that snaps the pins shut too early and then had to open the toe piece again. However, after a short familiarisation phase, getting started is really easy and works well.

When converting to ascent mode, turn the rear jaw by 180°. If you use the climbing aid as a lever, this works quite well. The stoppers fold in when you first step on them. It's a bit unusual that this doesn't work if you press down the stopper as you are used to with Dynafit bindings when turning the rear jaw. However, I quickly memorised this too.

What I find really unusual is how stiff the lever for locking the front jaw is on the ascent. I can easily lock other pin bindings while standing with an upturned ski pole, but with the Xenic, especially when it was still very new, I had to pull hard on the lever with both hands to get the binding locked. Over time, the locking lever has become a little smoother and I can now lock the binding with one hand.

Of course, the lightweight Xenic really comes into its own on the ascent and is practically unnoticeable at first. Personally, I also like the single climbing aid. I only use it for tracking anyway and the Xenic climbing aid offers a reasonable height and is easy to fold in and out. Apart from that, the binding is pleasantly unobtrusive on the ascent. It works very well and it is practically impossible to accidentally release the binding on the ascent. Compared to other bindings, I feel that the Xenic is less prone to icing up and that less snow accumulates on the binding.

Getting out of the binding and converting to downhill mode is done quickly, and as mentioned, getting into the binding for downhill skiing is also easy. During the descent, the Xenic proves to be very stable and extremely reliable. I have not produced a single false release so far, even when skiing fast in rough conditions, although I have set the binding to a rather low value of 9 for me. The high elasticity of the binding certainly plays a positive role here. The power transmission with the Xenic is also really great. There is not the slightest play on either the rear or front toe and so the skis can be controlled excellently even in hard snow. To be honest, I can see practically no difference here compared to more solid pin bindings.

Lea Hartl
Lorenzo Rieg

Conclusion

With the Xenic, Fritschi presents a minimalist binding that nevertheless fulfils all requirements in terms of comfort and safety. This makes it a real alternative for ascent and descent-orientated tourers for whom the setting value of 10 is sufficient. You get great ascent and descent characteristics at a really low weight.

Advantages & disadvantages

+ Top performance

+ Very light

+ High elasticity

- Locking is very difficult

- Only one climbing aid

Details

RRP: €329.95

  • Firm stop and wide step-in pedal for easy entry

  • Refined technology for easy operation without compromise

  • Infinitely adjustable with a length compensation of 10 mm for a defined release

  • Innovative front unit for a secure hold on the descent without blocking

  • Exceptionally wide supported heel unit for direct power transmission

  • DIN: 4 - 10

  • Weight: 280 g / unit without stopper

Here is the link to the Fritschi website with further information.

The binding was provided to PowderGuide by the manufacturer free of charge for testing. You can find out how we test them in our test statement.

This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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