How to Choose Ski Bindings

Bindings have come a long way from the old days of cables and step-ins that strapped to your boots. These older models did not release well (if they released at all), and injuries were common. Today's bindings are high-tech wonders by comparison. Quick and easy to use, they can be set to release based on your skiing ability. Combined with boots, bindings help control your skis, increasing your performance on the slopes.

 

Understanding Bindings


Just as boots affect how your skis respond, bindings are also elemental to skiing control and safety. Skis, boots and bindings work in unison, and a good pair of bindings can even help you ski better. They absorb shock, filter out vibration and reduce fatigue.

Components
Bindings consist of both a toe piece and a heel piece. The toe piece is mounted to the front and releases sideways. The heel piece holds the heel in place and releases upward. Other components are ski brakes and anti-friction devices (AFDs).

Ski brakes are prongs attached to the bindings, under the boots. When boots are in the bindings the prongs line up with the sides of the skis, out of the way. When the binding is released as in a fall, the prongs flip out and catch in the snow. This stops the ski from running away. Ski brakes also lock ski bases together for easier carrying.

Anti-friction devices or AFDs are metal or Teflon® pads mounted on the ski under the forefeet. The AFD allows the boots to slide easily out of the bindings when the toe pieces release.

Accessories
Lifters increase performance by stiffening the ski under the boot and adding leverage for better edge angle and response. They help boost the energy transfer from the foot to the ski's edge, and they are especially helpful for new skiers in keeping their tips and tails on edge. Too much lift lessens the returns making the ski heavier and less versatile. Marker, which has about half of the binding business in the US, has research results showing a lift of 11 to 12mm is optimal for 95% of the skiing population.

 

Which Bindings Are Right for You?


In today's market there are many bindings to select from. The first step in determining the best binding for you is to answer the following questions:

 
  • What type of skier are you — beginner, intermediate, or expert?

     
    • A beginner is someone new to the sport
    • An intermediate is an advancing skier (this refers to the majority of skiers)
    • Advanced refers to someone comfortable on almost any terrain
    • An expert is someone who attacks the slopes
    • A racer skis competitively and/or on any terrain


     
  • Are you aggressive on the slopes? Will you try just about anything? Or are you more cautious?

     
  • What are your height and weight?

     
  • How often do you ski?

     
  • What is your budget?
Skiing Ability, Weight and DIN
Bindings are made with specific DIN ranges or tension release settings — the amount of force needed for the boots to be released. DIN actually stands for Deutsche Industrie Normen, the German industrial organization that sets standards for binding release tensions, but the term is used loosely to refer to the release settings themselves.

The lower the DIN setting, the more easily the binding releases while a higher DIN setting is harder to get out of. Beginners fall frequently, so a lower release tension is necessary for them to avoid injury. Experts, on the other hand, need a higher DIN setting so that the vibrations and jarring of a fast downhill run don't release the boots and cause a crash. Body weight also affects your DIN setting. A heavier skier puts more force on bindings during a fall, and requires a higher DIN, whereas a lighter person should go with a lower setting. In general, DIN settings are as follows:

 
    Beginner — 3 to 6
    Intermediate — 5 to 9
    Advanced — 6 to 12
    Racer — up to 24
Release is as important as the holding function of a binding. When screaming down a mountain, you don't want your boot to slip out of the binding, but you don't want your boot to stay attached in a crash, either. A binding with a DIN of up to 24 is great for racing, but it could cause injury to a casual skier if it doesn't release during a fall. Buy a binding that's designed for your ability. If it's set properly, you can be confident it will release properly.

Durability
Bindings are typically made of a combination of metal and plastic. Today's plastic is impact resistant and tough, but if you ski aggressively on your edges, you may want to go with a tougher binding with more metal parts.

Price
In general, the more expensive a binding, the better it performs. Bindings such as Marker's Selective Control binding have high-tech features that are worth the expense for advanced, expert or racing skiers. The Selective Control has 3 settings for different snow conditions, a feature that beginning or intermediate skiers could probably do without. High-quality bindings are available for newer skiers, but without the added features and higher prices.

 

Mounting


The binding itself makes a big difference in ski performance, but so does how and where it's mounted on the ski. Generally, the farther back the binding is mounted, the stiffer the ski response. Most ski manufacturers recommend a mounting position, and a qualified ski shop will mount them correctly. Because women have a different center of gravity than men, their bindings are often mounted slightly forward of center. This allows for less fatigue and better control when skiing.

 

Using Your Bindings


Attaching your boots to your bindings is easy. It's helpful to first use your ski pole to tap excess snow off of the boot soles. Next, align the boot toe to the toe piece and the boot heel to the heel piece, and then step down into the binding. The binding will click into place. It's easiest to stand on a level surface when putting your skis on. If you're on a slope, stand sideways to the fall line and put your downhill ski on first for balance. To release your bindings, push your ski pole down on the indentation on top of the heel piece until it springs open, then lift your foot up and out.

 

Binding Maintenance


Bindings are virtually maintenance free. Remember these few things and they should give you many seasons of service:
  • Have your skis and bindings tuned by a technician before each ski season.
  • Keep the AFD (anti-friction device) clean and replace it immediately if it gets damaged.
  • Store your skis in a warm, dry place in the off-season.
  • When transporting skis on a car rack, cover the bindings to protect them from road grit.

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