Ski Workshop | Binding adjustment - Alpine bindings

This article is about the adjustment of regular alpine bindings, especially those used for freeriding. Alpine bindings are generally understood to be ski bindings that are only built for downhill skiing. In contrast to racing bindings, they do not have to be mounted on a race plate and therefore allow a low standing height above the ski. However, this is only possible as long as the skis are wide enough so that the ski boot is not dragged through the snow at sharp turns. This condition is always met with freeride skis and even with narrower park skis.

As hybrid bindings, i.e. alpine bindings that can also be converted into touring bindings, can often be adjusted in the same way, they will also be covered in this article. An additional article will be published in the near future on how to adjust pin bindings, i.e. lightweight bindings that are intended exclusively for touring.

Z-value setting

We now set the determined Z-value on each toe and heel piece with a screwdriver. On most bindings, a small slide with a white marking moves when the correct screw is turned. The screw tensions the spring inside the binding and thus determines the forces required to release the binding. The adjustment screw is usually located at one end of this spring.

Toe Piece:

With classic freeride/freestyle bindings such as Look Pivot, Atomic/Salomon/Armada Strive, Shift and STH, the Z value is set using the front screw, which is usually very visible. On the Marker Squire, Griffon, Jester, Tyrolia Attack and Atomic/Salomon/Armada Warden, the screw for adjusting the Z-value is located on the side of the toe piece.

Heel Piece:

The screw is located either on the lever that snaps up when you get on (Look Pivot, Marker) or underneath this lever (easy to confuse with the screw for the contact pressure) (Atomic/Salomon/Armada, Tyrolia, Marker Squire 10).

If the screw is difficult to adjust, it often helps to pull up the automatic heel lever.

Example calculation for the correct Z value:

The Z value of the following person is to be determined:

• 294mm sole length

• 65kg

• 175cm

• Skier type 2

• 37 years old

Solution:

Sole length 294 can be found in the fourth column (291-310 mm), with a weight of 65 kg you end up in the column with Z-value 4.5.

With a height of 175 cm you end up in the column with a Z-value of 5.5, but you have to decide in favour of the lower Z-value (see text above).

Skier type 2 means that we slide down one row in the column, which results in the Z value = 5.5.

The age correction is irrelevant, so our final Z-score is fixed: 5.5.

Function of the binding - elasticity, contact pressure, sole systems

For a bond to trigger properly, you have to give it the chance to function properly.

This includes:

• Correct mounting of the binding

• Binding adjusted to the length of the ski boot sole

• Pressure set correctly

• AFD plate set correctly (anti-friction device)

• Z-value set correctly (already done)

• Ski boot and binding freed from snow and ice

Now again in detail...

Fitting the binding

Fitting ski bindings requires a little more manual dexterity and tools. This is why many people get help from a specialist shop, but you can also do it yourself. A separate article will be published on this topic.

After the binding has been fitted, it is often worth taking a quick look at it.

Are the bindings centred (seen from the edges) on the ski? Are the skis mounted at the same height? (Caution: Recommended lines on conventional skis are often printed on the topsheet, these topsheets can be a few mm to cm off-centre on the ski, so the recommended lines would also be wrong. Tip: Simply measure from the tail with a tape measure).

Does the binding lie smoothly on the ski and is there no visible gap between the ski and the binding?

Ski boot sole length

Once the binding has been fitted perfectly, the next step is to adjust the binding to the length of the ski boot sole (the sole length is marked on each ski boot in millimetres on the outside of the lateral heel section just above the sole). With freestyle and freeride bindings, it is usual for the sole length to be taken into account when fitting the binding. With demo/rental bindings and alpine bindings, the sole lengths can be adjusted and the toe and heel pieces can then be adjusted on a slide marked with the sole lengths.

AFD-Plate

The AFD plate ensures that the boot is high enough in the binding and guarantees lateral release. As there are now several different soles for ski boots, the height of these can be adjusted in newer bindings. Once again, we place the ski boot in the binding and close it. Pull the ski boot backwards at the top end of the shaft (with force) and check whether there is a gap between the movable plate. If there is, screw the plate up until it touches the boot and check the contact pressure on the rear jaw (see contact pressure). Then place a folded piece of paper (preferably glossy paper, e.g. from an advertising catalogue) on the AFD plate and click the shoe back into the binding. The plate must now be screwed so high onto the shoe that the paper can just be pulled out of the gap without tearing. Because the settings of the contact pressure and the AFD plate can influence each other, it is worth adjusting the two together and checking each again. So we take the boot out of the binding again, click it back in and check whether the contact pressure and AFD plate are set correctly. Practice has shown that certain bindings should be adjusted with particular care (ex. shift bindings).

Now you can set the Z value (see above).

Off to the snow! Before you get into the binding, remove the snow and ice from the binding and your boots and off you go.