Splittie of the Week | Mounting the binding

While the assembly of the splitboard binding is only slightly more complex than that of a normal snowboard binding, it is still worth proceeding systematically. This prevents screws from getting lost or being used in the wrong place.

The pictures taken here for illustration purposes were taken in my living room. You don't need a professional workshop, even if most of the videos on this subject on YouTube make it look like one.

Getting an overview

As can be seen here using the example of the Plum Feyan, a splitboard binding can consist of a relatively large number of individual parts. That's why you should check at the beginning whether all parts are present according to the manufacturer's specifications.

Many manufacturers deliver the binding already assembled so that only the pucks and interface need to be fitted. It makes sense to adjust the highback according to the shoe size right at the start. If you are at the lower end of the shoe size scale for the binding size, the highback should be set all the way to the front; conversely, if you have large feet, it should be set all the way to the back.

Tip: Once everything is assembled, check the position of the shoes on the board and adjust again if necessary.

There are four positions where the highback can be attached to the base plate. Right at the front for small shoes, right at the back for large boots.

Till Mangesius

Touring Interface

For the sake of clarity, it makes sense to mount the four (sometimes only two) parts of the touring interface first, as almost nothing needs to be adjusted here. First, the touring brackets are fitted, which are the mounts for the binding in ascent mode. There is no left or right part, simply loosely attach all three screws and then tighten them. Some manufacturers, like Plum here, supply the mountings for the crampons as an extra part. Care must be taken here to ensure that the correct screw length is selected.

There are different versions of the climbing aids from one manufacturer to another. Here at Plum, the climbing aids are mounted on the board; at Spark R&D, for example, the climbing aids are attached to the binding. At Plum, the climbing aids are mounted with the brackets facing forwards; at many other manufacturers, the direction is even marked with an arrow. Spark has a plastic counterpart that protects the board and is also marked with an arrow. With all manufacturers, the parts for the climbing aids are made of plastic, so make sure to tighten the screws with caution, otherwise the plastic can be damaged.

Tip: If a heel lock is used (standard with Plum), make sure that the position of the climbing aids is correct so that they can engage. There are pictures in the gallery to illustrate the incorrect and correct position.

Pucks

Here we come to the more complicated part of binding assembly. As you can see here at Plum, the pucks can consist of many individual parts. However, once you understand what goes where, it is relatively simple. The individual steps are documented with pictures in the gallery, but the manufacturer's enclosed instructions are also very helpful. The big advantage here is that you can screw the mounts parallel onto the board halves, the angle is adjusted using the two small inserts with a scale, just like a normal snowboard binding. The positioning in the direction of the toe or heel edge is then done via the small triangles, which are each mounted with three screws.

Tip: Don't screw the triangles on straight away, but only attach them loosely and then select the correct position with the mounted binding and tighten the screws through the binding.

The Spark R&D has a different solution. Here there is an aluminum disc that can be moved and rotated on the plastic holder to adjust the angle and position towards the toe and heel edge. The pucks are supplied with a template for this purpose, which should always be used for fitting. Especially with the front foot, it is necessary to mount the pucks on the two board halves offset due to the larger angle, which is not so easy to do by hand.

Tip: With Spark, it is particularly important that the pucks are aligned exactly so that the binding can be easily slid over the pucks.

I haven't had any contact with other binding systems so far, but there are also videos on the manufacturers' websites that explain the respective special features well.

However, the following applies to all binding systems: Because positioning on the board is not as easy as with a snowboard, it is usually necessary to move the pucks more often, especially when fitting your first binding. Once the final position has been found, the Loctite on the screws should be renewed, as the pucks are exposed to strong forces during the descent due to the split and can otherwise loosen quickly.

After mounting, it is only necessary to adjust the straps correctly and test whether the position on the board feels right with the boots on. As you are not usually near a ski resort on ski tours, it is not advisable to adjust the straps on the go. Nevertheless, a multitool should be part of your standard equipment when splitboarding to tighten any screws that may have come loose. It also makes sense to check the screws of the binding every few tours.
You can find out more about standard splitboard equipment in our article on Tech first aid.

Skins

Many splitboards are offered with skins already cut to size in the package. However, you are bound to the brand or technology of the skins on offer. If you have other preferences, it is also possible to buy skins that are cut to size. In comparison to skins for touring skis, you will have to deal with the attachment to the board before cutting, as it is not always easy to attach the tail clip, especially on boards with a fishtail. The optimum solution is offered by manufacturers who provide the splitboards with holes at the front and notches at the back so that the skins can be mounted at the front without a metal bracket. This solves several problems at once. If you prepare for the tour at home and have already skinned up, you quickly realize how annoying transporting the two halves of the board can be. Spark R&D has verts that make packing the board much easier. These are attached directly to the splitboard binding. If you then want to attach the splitboard halves in the A-frame to the backpack, this is not so safe without the binding, as they can easily slip out. The better solution here is to assemble the board and attach it to the backpack at the back, but this only makes sense if you can leave the skins on.

Only one thing can be said about cutting to size: Watch the video on the manufacturer's instructions and measure or check twice before making a wrong cut.