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317mm boots, 315 or 320mm bindings

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So i had to buy new boots at 317mm. However bindings (Device 310, made in 2004 so not part of the known recall) only adjust in 5mm increments.
1) I tried 315mm for both front and rear, boot locks in binding, but very tightly.
2) I tried 320mm for both, boot feels lose, and slightly moves inside the locked binding.
3) I have set it to 320mm rear and 315mm front, feels snug but best than the other two options.

However, I had a (smooth) crash the other day, the bindings did not release (glad they didn't as I was on a black slope and managed to stand right back up after 10 seconds contemplating what I did wrong to fall in the first place), but this got me worried that maybe they should have?
Like I said, it wasnt a painful / stressful crash, so maybe bindings did not need to release. This a description of the crash: as I was parallel turning (fast), one of my legs may have given out due to tiredness (last run of the day, after 5 hours) or I may have turned/leaned in too much. Ended up sliding out/sitting sideways on the slope then laying flat - face up, head facing bottom of the mountain and legs with skis attacked pointing towards the mountain top.

This got me worried so today I spend 2 hours readjusting toe (to the 0.5mm thickness / paper / card trick) and heel settings (screw flush with plastic part), they did need some adjustments. Left DIN at 5 (normal for me is 6).

So what you guys recommend about the binding length setting?

thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@brainii, usually, the marked ranges are for gross adjustment and there are screws somewhere for fine adjustment to boot size and sometimes toe height.

Google for the Atomic manual for the binding of that year?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Sorry to say this but I would be thinking twice about using bindings 18 years old.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
@WASHOUT, hadn't read that, yeah, probably a very good point Shocked
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@brainii, if you've managed to set the forward pressure, which sets micro adjustment, then the length is set OK. From "...heel settings (screw flush with plastic part)..." it sounds like you have.

The fall you describe probably won't cause a ski release in most instances (no hard twisting/forward force to release toes/heels).

As for the 18yr old bindings, are they still indemnified as safe. You should look it up.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Went out skiing again today. All adjustments I made feel fine, boots click into place and they feel as I think they should with the bindings, and as I experienced before in my 20 years of skiing, not too tight, and def not loose.

Yes, I did set tow and forward pressure as well, these old bindings have no "lines" for indicators, but reading about them and watching online videos and comments the back screw being flush with the body of the binding means they are properly set.

I also put on one boot yesterday in my room before skiing, and locked in one ski at a time, and did a forward release test of the bindings by force-leaning in too much and behold, the bindings did release at some point.
I tried to do the same with twisting but couldn't get the bindings to release, but probably did not apply enough force on the twisting, its quite difficult to twist with enough force I think just standing in your room Smile

The bindings are old I know, however they look and feel very solid, no plastic degradation/discoloration, no cracks or anything like that, they haven't had much use also, I ski maybe 4 full days in a year, if I'm lucky. Not going to be replacing them just because they are old unless its absolutely necessary. Skis are also of the same age. Bought both back in 2007 brand new, so really not much use at all.

Thanks for the replies.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I personally would be replacing the bindings, and I would strongly advise you to do so.

Look at it this way, they fail, you have a nasty crash and can’t ski for the week, that’s a good grand or so (at least) down the drain. Hiring skis will cost you £50-£100 for the week and you’ll likely have a lot more modern kit with no potential issues. You could always get a new set of bindings on your existing set but that’s down to the tech fitting them.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
brainii wrote:
I tried to do the same with twisting but couldn't get the bindings to release, but probably did not apply enough force on the twisting, its quite difficult to twist with enough force I think just standing in your room Smile


Whenever I hire skis I'll always check they release 'as expected'. The toe release can be quite hard to do with static pressure, so I just clip one ski and then kick the toe of that boot with other boot - the binding should release laterally quite easily. Don't kick too hard and end up falling on your face, don't ask me how I know that.

But getting binding checked in a shop, or just replaced, remains the best advice here.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
brainii wrote:
......The bindings are old I know, however they look and feel very solid, no plastic degradation/discoloration, no cracks or anything like that, they haven't had much use also, I ski maybe 4 full days in a year, if I'm lucky. Not going to be replacing them just because they are old unless its absolutely necessary. Skis are also of the same age. Bought both back in 2007 brand new, so really not much use at all.......

Device bindings went of indemnity donkeys years ago. They may look fine but that model severely degrades with age. I've torque tested a couple of pairs in the last few years that were in excellent condition and on both occasions a toe wing broke.

You should bin them.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
And there's the definitive answer. They're not safe!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
LDP816 wrote:


Look at it this way, they fail, you have a nasty crash and can’t ski for the week, that’s a good grand or so (at least) down the drain


A week world be very lucky!
After a binding non release (not a fault of the bindings, just a weird angle fall/slide and relatively high din meant they didnt come off until the damage was done), I'm not expecting to be skiing again until April if things go well!
Will probably spend far more on physio than a new set of bindings!
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Shocked Shocked @spyderjon, yikes!
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I fully understand the risk.
I will also be trying the "kick the toe of that boot with other boot ", which seems like good advice with any rental skis as well Smile Pretty sure many (if not most) ski shops don't do proper release tests with measuring equipment/tools often.
Hope I don't fall flat just trying it:)

thanks again.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
kerb wrote:
brainii wrote:
I tried to do the same with twisting but couldn't get the bindings to release, but probably did not apply enough force on the twisting, its quite difficult to twist with enough force I think just standing in your room Smile


Whenever I hire skis I'll always check they release 'as expected'. The toe release can be quite hard to do with static pressure, so I just clip one ski and then kick the toe of that boot with other boot - the binding should release laterally quite easily. Don't kick too hard and end up falling on your face, don't ask me how I know that.

But getting binding checked in a shop, or just replaced, remains the best advice here.


Re-reading this, not sure I get exactly how it's done: u wear both boots, clip one of them in, then kick it's front part sideways with the non clipped in boot?

Maybe this is better as a 2 person job? One wears and the other kicks?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Think you'd kick it on the inside with your heel. Still won't tell you if the settings are still accurate or if the plastic is good or how it will behave when loaded in other directions at the same time.

I had a toe wing break on me once. Luckily, I was skiing relatively gently on soft snow. I turned and one ski didn't followed by a yard sale. I'd been skiing a lot faster earlier, in places where it could have been a lot worse result. As it was I got lucky.
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