by Stein, Eric's Son
Ski Bindings
Bindings should be matched to the type of skis you have
and the type of skiing that you do. Basically, there are
four types of modern binding: 1) cable 2) 75 mm telemark;
3) backcountry; 4) diagonal stride or classical; and 5)
skating or freestyle.
The cable binding is used for freeheel downhill skiing
or mountain touring. It basically uses a cable around
the heel of your boot to wedge your boot into a toepiece
that is attached to the ski. It is very strong, simple
and easy to use. The 75 mm telemark ski binding essentially
a very strong version of the old 75 mm "nordic norm"
cross-country binding. It is also simple, durable, but
a little more difficult to use. Your boot is held in the
binding by a bail that clamps down on the extended sole
of the boot. The boot is located in the binding by three
small pins under your toes. With both the cable and the
telemark binding the boot flexes under the ball of your
foot. In the old days this is where a lot of lighter touring
boots would crack, resulting in wet feet on the trail.
New cross-country bindings pivot in front of the toes
and eliminate this problem.
The backcountry binding is a heavier version of the modern
cross-country binding. The increased weight is due to
the greater width and heavier construction of this type
of binding. Not only is the binding wider, but the length
of the attachment bar is longer and the bar is thicker.
Both Salomon and Rottefella, the two biggest binding manufacturers,
make a backcountry binding. This type of binding is well
matched with a backcountry or touring ski.
The diagonal stride or classic type cross-country binding,
is characterized by a clamp located at the front of the
binding that, when closed, encircles a small bar embedded
in the toe of your boot. Back of this clamp the binding
may have either two thin ridges (Rottefella), or a single
large ridge (Salomon), running the length of your boot
and ending at your heel.
The skating cross-country bindings are similar to the
diagonal stride bindings in appearance, but use stiffer
flexors to hold the ski closer to the boot. The racing
bindings also use a stiffer spring in the latch mechanism
that attaches the ski to the boot for more holding power.
All of the bindings except the cable and telemark use
rubber flexors to control the motion of the ski and keep
it close to your boot while skiing. The skating bindings
have the stiffest flexors and the backcountry bindings
have the softest ones.
The backcountry and classic bindings also come in automatic
versions, where the clamp is held in place by a spring,
rather then a lever. The automatic versions are fine for
most types of recreational skiing.
There is an amusing story about the origin of the name
of the Rottefella bindings. The original Rottefella cross-country
ski binding, designed in 1928, looked like a lighter version
of the 75 mm telemark binding we still use. When the founder
of the company was asked what he intended to call his
new binding, he said, “Why it looks like a rat trap.”
Rottefella is Norwegian for rat trap.
