 Poster: A snowHead
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By tradition, ski bindings are mounted forward* of the centre of the ski for optimum steering and to align with the ski's geometry ... but times are changing. With more freestylers switch-riding (skiing, launching or landing backwards) and riding terrain parks there's a growing demand to mount the bindings dead central.
This article from Powder magazine explores the issues and what's involved.
Anyone tried centre-mounted bindings - on twin-tip skis - with a view to spending lots of time skiing backwards, or maybe enjoying a bit more lift in the deep?
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* Error - corrected below
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 4-10-05 23:49; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| By tradition, ski bindings are mounted forward of the centre of the ski |
Not on any skis I've ever owned.
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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?
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davidof, many thanks for the correction - my boo-boo of the autumn!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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WTHF told me that most skis were central which was contrary to my experience i must say.... glad to read this point and see im not totally mad 
I use skiboards and one of the defining features that has been pushed is the central mounting of bindings, whether it is the length of boards or the central location of the binding, i dont know, but I do know that the ride on short centrally mounted boards is very different and I know for fact that it makes riding fakie a whole load easier!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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certainly riding / landing switch with bindings traditionally mounted requires more shift in body weight to retain control, or at least that's whct I have found. I personally don't do nearly enough of this (yet  ) to justify mounting centrally but if I ever think it's worth my while owning a pair of park skis, I may consider it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| davidof, many thanks for the correction - my boo-boo of the autumn! |
not a correction, just an observation. I think the article, if I read it correctly is making a distinction between bindings mounted forward of the "boot center line" and those mounted dead centre. I think most manufacturers (please correct me someone if this is not true) put a line on their skis and most skimen will then fit the bindings so another line on the boot is directly above this line. This may even correspond to the infamous "sweet spot" that they burble on about in the DM Ski and Snowboard magazine in reviews.
Quite what difference it makes I don't know as have only a vague grasp of ski physics. However I note that with skis where the bindings are back from the absolute center you have to lean forward to ski backwards. Not that I make a habit of skiing backwards, especially not at 57mph into Gapers Gap or whatever the article was saying.
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| buns wrote: |
| WTHF told me that most skis were central which was contrary to my experience i must say.... glad to read this point and see im not totally mad |
Ah, I'd need to check back on what I actually said, but there are at least 2 "centres" on skis...
1. The centre of the length of the ski
2. The boot centre mark.
Most skis, the bindings are mounted at the boot centre mark (some brands used to mount based on the toe, but that idea died a death)
When you buy a pair of twin tip skis, and sometimes on normal ones too, you will have graduations marked off for where you want to mark the bindings, depending on how you plan to use the skis. Some manufatcurers (I think Head did it a couple of seasons ago) even allow you to move the bindings forward for the park, and back for the piste/pow.
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Indeed they did, but the "MadTrix" system weighed a ton!
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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.
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WTFH,
What exactly is the 'boot centre mark' on a ski?
Adam
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When I were a lad, it was toe on the (measured) centre of the ski for SL, toe back 1cm for GS. The manufacturers said that that method didn't take enough account of differing foot sizes and so the "boot centre line" idea was born. Also tip shapes have been reduced which changed things.
When landing switch off a jump (or so I would imagine!) you may need more tail to minimise it catching. That was the idea behind Head's Mad Trix (allegedly designed on a restaurant napkin by Jonny Moseley). Also, Zag have two "boot centre line" options on their skis - slightly forward for "freestyle" (landing jumps switch), slightly back for "freeride" (normal forwards-facing off-piste skiing).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Centre mounting reduces the swing weight in the air too when you're spinning, so rotations are smoother.
I've remounted a pair of Scratch BCs dead centre, they're so fun! They suck for pow though.
The new LINE Invader is symetrical in the tip and tail, and designed to be mounted at dead centre.
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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.
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There's an article on mounting in the Nov. issue of Freeskier in case anyone cares!
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| MagSeven wrote: |
Centre mounting reduces the swing weight in the air too when you're spinning, so rotations are smoother.
I've remounted a pair of Scratch BCs dead centre, they're so fun! They suck for pow though.
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Well leaning back always helps!
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