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Own skis safer than hire skis?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
That chart is so out of date, I wish people would stop referencing it.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
veeeight, I was wondering when someone would point that out. Unfortunately it's the most common hit on Google and the masses flock there.
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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?
It's the best I could find to illustrate that more than weight is taken into consideration!! If you know of a better one please post it Smile
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
But it does illustrate the three setting spread between release and retention, in the end it comes down to a choice, I want to be informed enough to make that choice myself.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
kitenski,

notice that the window display numbers are purely there for the tech's convenience, the torque numbers are on the right. Direct mapping is for Level 1 skiers.

Edit: jbob, I don't know the training course schedule for your area, perhaps spyderjon knows.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
skiermartin, I had a similar prob with a hirer setting my DIN by his method of dividing my weight (90Kg) by 10 and as a 50 year old, four day skier, the inevitable happened, the ski didn't come off and snapped my achillies. As a result I've done a LOT of research into ski bindings and am quite satisfied that commercial ski bindings (if cared for properly) all perform and conform to DIN standard and industry regulation. There are a few small manufacturers developing different release systems to target the modern skiing injuries to the knees but they still have to meet industry and legislative standards.
All bindings have a service and test requirement usually listed in days or hours in use and this use is normally accepted to be in good clean conditions. Dirt and extremes of temperature will shorten the service interval. Any good ski hirer should be able to provide the binding test certificate (machine print out) for any ski you want to hire. Though it has to be said that many retail hirers replace their top end skis every year, store them in a cool dark, dry environment and cycle them down to next season's 'silver' package, so unless you're looking to hire the intermediate or cheapest package (where it will be advisable to demand proof of testing and conformity) it's unlikely that you need to worry about bindings functioning properly.

As for the setting . . . well, you're going to have to read everything you can and make an as informed decision as you can. The charts average as a setting of about 5.25 for me and I commonly leave everything at 5. This last two weeks the conditions were hard and rough on the glaciers so I upped it to 5.5 and they only released when I fell. Many snowheads have now seen me ski and I don't hang about too much and I didn't go any higher when I undertook the race training and My skis didn't come off as long as the wax was pointing vaguely downward wink

If you're in control and skiing well in public conditions you don't need mega-high DIN settings, leave them for those that actually need them and take lessons to improve your skiing. That's what will prevent pre-release far more effectively than winding the needle up the DIN scale.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
There is an enormous - and very useful - wealth of information regarding bindings and injuries on Mike Langran's website ( http://www.ski-injury.com ), including a simple set of tests you can do to ensure that your bindings will release properly ( http://www.ski-injury.com/st.htm ).

I strongly recommend this resource to all skiers.
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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!
kitenski wrote:
.....With regard to the differences between bindings, one difference is the range, ie one binding may have DIN 6-10 as the range, another more expensive one may have DIN 8-12, you should get a binding where your setting isn't at it's max range.....

In most cases (not all, & I'll avoid this opportunity to pimp wink bindings tend to be of a higher 'quality' the higher their DIN range. By quality I mean materials used, tolerances & durability etc - which usually means that they're heavier. Irrespective of market position they do all have to achieve the same DIN standard & all my testing on my machine (thanks for the plug Nick) has proved that they do, certainly when new. Were I have seen differences in actual versus stated release values is on bindings that have had plenty of use & it's always the low end ones that are inconsistent.
So basically, like any other mechanical device, you get what you pay for.

I recently mounted some low end plasticy 4-12 bindings. My customer, who was an experienced & genuine 'binding chart level 3+' skier, had spent days testing skis & hours on the net in deciding which skis to buy & had then bought a very nice pair of high end all mountain skies, only to mount them with the cheapest bindings he could find. Yes, his DIN setting of 8 matched the binding's range nicely but I certainly wouldn't want those bindings on my skis.

It's also a misnomer that bindings can't be used with DIN's set at their extremes of range. I've done loads of testing on my torque machine & they are equally accurate & consistent in their release setting whether set at their extreme postitons or in the middle. The internal springs in the bindings will only be inconsistent if they're set so low that they don't have sufficient tension/compression in the springs or if they're set so high that the spring coils bind on each other. For this reason bindings have internal 'stops' to limit the adjustment (ie min 4 & max 12) to settings were they are accurate.

A perfect example of this is that there are thousands of female skiers on their 'Luv' range skis with their 4-12 bindings set on at 4/5 with no problems at all. Remember the manufacturers are legally liable for their products to meet the DIN standards throughout their full range of adjustment & they have designed & tested their products accordingly.

BTW, I ski on an 8/9 DIN setting & this season I will be using VIST 8-16 race bindings. And of course they match my new boots.

Users must also remember that even if everything related to the binding is perfect that the actual release force will only match the DIN scale when the forward pressure adjustment has been correctly set.
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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.
Will all ski hire shops have this machine to check front bindings with the boots in. i.e. is it something I could reasonably assume my ski hire shop in resort to be able to test and set for me? If not I might contact SkeeTex and see if they can help before I go - they have a huge workshop and I bet somewhere there they must have a gizmo that can do the job.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Megamum, All shops should be able to preform a binding function check, ie does the boot actually come out in each release mode. However very few shops have the ability to actually torque test the release. AFAIK there's only four of my machine in the country.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
maybe I'm weird.. but I set my bindings myself. Plant the skis at a 45 degree angle on the inside edge and twist the toe out. When it starts to be uncomfortable on my knees I add .5 which puts it amazingly close to the recommended settings. I go a point higher on the rear because I still tend to flop around at times. I don't like to noseplant.. lol

If I followed the DIN settings I found online, my Rossi's would break body parts and the K2's would be somewhere in the trees playing hide and seek
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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.
It's reasonable to assume that all new bindings will meet the required DIN standards over their designed operating range. I would imagine quality control standards are pretty high on these products. If you own your own skis, it makes sense to have your bindings bench tested at least once per season to make sure they are still within tolerance.
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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
Thanks everyone for the information, it's been really useful.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
spyderjon, I've just checked their website and Skee Tex claim to be a Wintersteiger approved service partner. The Wintersteiger website says that:

Your WINTERSTEIGER partner can check your boot/binding system with a computerized calibration machine to measure the recommended release values.

Does this sound the right sort of gizmo?
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