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Expert Advice Snowsports Downhill Skiing

How to Choose Downhill Ski Bindings

4.4 (35)

Bindings are the performance link between your boots and your skis. For your safety, they release
you from the ski when pressure exerted on them exceeds their release settings.

Today's popular integrated ski/binding systems simplify the decision-making process for some.
But for those considering a non-integrated system, this article can help narrow your search.

Shop REI's selection of downhill ski bindings.

Video: Downhill Skiing Bindings: How to Choose

Downhill Skiing Bindings: How to Choose

The Basics of Ski Bindings
The two rules of ski bindings:

They must be compatible with your chosen boots.

Never adjust your binding settings yourself. Have a professional do it.

Bindings consist of a toe and heel piece. In a fall, the toe piece releases sideways and sometimes
upwards, while the heel piece releases upward or multi-directionally.

Other binding components:

Ski brakes: When boots are in the bindings, these prongs line up with the sides of the skis,
out of the way. When the binding is released in a fall, the prongs Sip down and catch the
snow to help stop the ski from running away. If buying a wide ski, make sure your brakes
are wide enough to Tt across the waist of the ski.
Anti-friction devices (AFDs): These metal or TeSon® pads mount on the ski under the
forefeet. The AFD allows the boots to slide easily out of the bindings when the toe pieces
release.
Lifter: This material under the binding is designed to boost edge hold. It's more of a race
feature these days, enabling the number of actual edge angles before a skier "boots out" or
has boot sides touching snow. See details below.

Integrated Bindings
These are designed for a speciTc pair of skis and are packaged as a system. Integrated bindings
are primarily available on all-mountain and all-mountain wide skis. These bindings are often
desirable because they tend to Sex more naturally, facilitate better edge-hold and allow easy
turning.

Your Skier Profile

The bindings you buy should match your Skier ProTle (described in our Downhill Skis article).
Here's how this translates to bindings:

Beginner and intermediate: You are a cautious to moderate skier (Type 1 or 2). You don't
need the highest release setting or the most lightweight or impact-resistant materials. You
can save money, but still stay safe, by going with a lower-end to mid-range model. The
exception: If you're a heavy person, you'll need a higher release setting and may need to
purchase up to the next level of bindings.
Advanced: You are an aggressive skier (Type 3). You plan to push it, so you probably
require a higher release setting. Lightweight, bomber bindings made with performance
metals such as titanium enhance your skiing at high speeds and on steep terrain.
Juniors: Kids' bindings have lower release settings than adult bindings. While made to
accommodate kid-speciTc boots, some bindings are designed to work on adult sizes as
well.

Comparing Bindings
Intermediate vs. Advanced Models
Intermediate: For value-minded skiers who put a priority on ease of entry.

Advanced: Usually higher in price, with added features typically important only to sophisticated
skiers, such as longer retention and travel before release. Wider bindings usually fall into this
category. Often with higher DIN (release settings; see below) and beeTer construction due to the
higher forces exerted on them.

Release Settings (DIN)

A binding's ability to release at the right moment is as important as its ability to hold you the rest of
the time. Release settings are often referred to as DIN (short for Deutsche Industrie Norm), a set of
German standards that has long been used by the ski industry. Note: A few manufacturers use the
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Standards) equivalents.

Release settings (whether DIN or ASTM) are based on your height, weight, age, skier type and boot
sole length. The lower the number, the less force a binding needs to release. All bindings offer a
range of release settings (usually 3 to 10 for intermediate models and up to 14 or 16 for advanced
models).

Many words could be used to explain the rationale and complexities of DIN settings. The smartest,
briefest guidance we can offer on the topic is this: Never attempt to adjust your bindings or your
DIN on your own. Leave the task to a professional, preferably an REI ski specialist.

Adjustment Range
This spec gives an indication of what size boots will Tt into the bindings. Bindings with a large
adjustment range will Tt a wide range of boot sizes. This is most often a factor on kids' bindings.

Lifters
Some bindings come with lifters that stiffen the ski under the boot and add leverage for better
edge angle and response. Lifter materials may also help dampen ski vibration on the snow, absorb
shock on landings and boost the energy transfer from the foot to the ski's edge. The Marker brand
says their research shows that a lift of 11 to 12mm is optimal for 95% of the skiing population. Too
much lift, however, makes skis heavier and less versatile.

Not everyone wants or needs lifters. Some powder skiers prefer little or no lift, so their skis are
more stable when going straight at speed. Similarly, terrain park skiers require little or no lift for
jumping, landing or skiing backwards.

Mounting and Setting

Mounting
Where exactly the binding is mounted on the ski affects performance. Most ski manufacturers
recommend a mounting position, and a qualiTed ski shop such as REI will mount them as
suggested. The farther back the binding is mounted, the stiffer and less "turny" the ski feels.
Because women's center of gravity is farther back than men's, their bindings are often mounted
slightly forward of center. Park and pipers also tend to prefer a forward mount.

Setting
After purchase, your bindings should have their release settings (DIN or ASTM) set and tested by a
certiTed technician. As noted earlier, this setting is based on your height, weight, age, skier type
and ski-boot-sole length. The technician will have you Tll out a form to answer these questions.
Have this done at the beginning of each season or every 20 days of skiing.

Important: We cannot guarantee release in all conditions and circumstances.

Backcountry Bindings
These activity-speciTc bindings are used primarily in the backcountry:

1. Randoneé: Free-heel movement for climbing; locked setting

for descents. Can release at toe and heel. (Some are DIN
certiTed and some are not.)

2. Telemark: For full-time free-heel movement, on climbs and

descents. (Example shown at right.) The binding usually does
not release.

Shop REI's selection of randoneé bindings or telemark bindings.

Use and Care of Bindings

Tips on Use
Stand on a level patch of snow. If you're on a slope, stand sideways to the fall line and put
your downhill ski on Trst for balance.
Use your ski pole to tap excess snow off of your boot soles.
Align the boot toe with the toe piece and the boot heel with the heel piece and step down
into the binding until it clicks in.
To get out, push your ski pole down on the indentation on top of the heel piece until it
springs open and lift your foot up and out.

Tips on Maintenance
Have your skis tuned and bindings inspected by a ski technician before each ski season.
Bindings can't be tuned and are maintenance free. They can only be adjusted for release
settings and inspected/tested.
Keep the AFD (anti-friction device) clean and replace it immediately if it gets damaged.
Do not attempt to wash out your bindings at the end of the season, as this can remove the
factory lube. Only a certiTed technician should work on bindings.
Store your skis in a warm, dry place in the off-season.

How helpful was this article? Click a star to rate.

35 votes so far - average rating 4.4

Questions Ask a question

1–8 of 8 Questions Sort by: Newest answers ▼

SkiTheEast · 3 months ago 1

answer
My skis are 91mm at the waist (Black Crowes orbs) and I
want to put Griffon Markers on them, which only come in
90mm (which I'm assuming is too narrow) and 110mm
(which I'm assuming is too big). Should I look for another
brand that comes in 100mm instead?

Joe at REI Co-op · 3 months ago

Hi SkiTheEast. Great question. The only difference in the versions of the Marker
Griffon 13 ID bindings is the width of the brakes. Since your Black Crowe Orb skis
are 91mm at the waist, the 90mm brakes are just barely too small, but the
110mm brakes will work great. When the brakes are deployed, you'll have about
1cm between each ski edge and each brake arm, which is a Tne amount of
space.

Helpful? Yes · 0 No · 0 Report

Dano · 3 months ago 1

answer
Are 110mm brakes to big for a 98mm width ski ?

Joe at REI Co-op · 3 months ago

Hi Dano. No, they're not too big. With 110mm brakes on 98mm-wide skis, you'll
have only 6mm (just shy of a quarter inch) of space between the ski edge and
the brake on each side of your ski. That's a Tne amount of space.
 Helpful? Yes · 0 No · 0 Report

Duncan · 4 months ago 1

answer
Okay, so I am a sixteen year old who got my Zrst job
speciZcally to pay for skis and bindings. I’m getting new
skis and bindings, but I’m now out of money to buy boots, so
I’m wondering if I can get bindings mounted without boots
and adjust them later.

Joe at REI Co-op · 3 months ago

Hi Duncan. Thanks for the question. You're going to want to wait until you have
boots to get the bindings mounted on your skis. In fact, ski shops typically
require that you bring in the boots when you want to have the bindings mounted.
This is because the shop technician will use the boots to ensure the bindings are
properly positioned on the skis and to be able to test the release mechanisms of
the bindings. To learn more about our ski shop services check this out:
https://www.rei.com/stores/snowshop.html.

Helpful? Yes · 0 No · 0 Report

Luis · 17 hours ago 0

answers
I need to buy bindings for Kore 99, 171 cm. Im an
advance/expert but not really aggressive. I weight 150/155.
Can someone recommend what would be my binding
options to buy?? Appreciate your help.

skiR · a month ago 0

answers
I have new Nordia Enforcer 93 skis and Nordica 120 STRider
books. What bindings would be compatible with these?

Derek · 2 months ago 0

answers
Are there good ski bindings that protect the ACL in the
 knee? This is one of the most common ski injuries.

Darren · 3 months ago 0

answers
I am a 155 lb type 3+ skier who skis 20-30 days in Utah per
season; pow/bumps/trees/high speed groomers: Marker
Griffon 13 or Jester 16 to pair up with Nordica Enforcer 93s?

Durtkillon · 3 months ago 0

answers
My daughter is 15 and very small (5'0", 90 lbs). She is a very
aggressive Type 3+ skier. Is an intermediate binding
sufcient for her?

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