patch@nsc-pdc.UUCP (Pat Chewning) (11/04/85)
Rob Rosen (rosen@ucbvax) writes: > Using bindings that are less than four years old is a very dangerous > practice... Back in 1977 I broke my arm in three places because my > Salomon 444's didn't release properly... Surely Rob meant that he broke his LEG, not his arm. It would be unreasonable to expect bindings to offer any protection to any part of the body except the legs. Unless of course Rob skis on his hands, which I would like to see. In a more serious vein, I have these comments on the current discussions of bindings: 1) References to Solomon bindings being unsafe: Back when I started skiing, virtually everyone who was anyone was using Marker Simplex toe bindings with Marker Rotomat heels. (The ones with two springs that "exploded" to release.) The rest of us had to be content with Marker Simplex Toes and cable (that's right, CABLE) heels. I can't remember when it was, but all of a sudden everyone started looking at my bindings and saying "You're skiing on those deathtraps?." This was about the same time that people started skiing on the Salomon bindings (the first popular styles, the 404, 444, 505, 555 types). Now I hear that these are causing a lot of leg injuries. Now for my theory: I believe that the reason you saw a lot of people with broken legs ~7 years ago with Marker bindings, and more recently with Salomon is because MORE PEOPLE WERE USING THOSE KINDS OF BINDINGS. Not because of any lack of safety in the bindings. 2) My personal preference is for either Look bindings or the new Solomon styles (the 637, 737? etc) which are a copy of the Look design. One binding that always did look interesting to me were the new Marker M44 styles, just because they had a unique method of adjustment. (You adjusted the lever arm that a spring acted on, not the spring tension.) 3) Adjustments: The most important adjustments of the bindings are not the force settings for release, but all of the other adjustments that interface the binding to the boot. These adjustments probably are best made by a reputable ski shop, but can be made correctly by any 8th grader who can read the instructions and has a drill and a screwdriver. (I have been mounting my own bindings since about 7th grade, ever since a large sporting goods store in Denver mounted some bindings on my new skis and the screws were sticking out the bottom of the ski! They actually tried to give them to me that way!) Among these important adjustments are: A) Heel-Toe location: usually set correctly by finding the centerline of the ski, the marking on the ski where the ball of the foot should be, and using the cardboard templates that come with the bindings. (The old Marker Rotomats had left and right templates because there were left and right heel units.) B) Forward pressure: Usually there is a range indicator on the heel unit because it provides the forward pressure. This must be set right for the heel-toe units to work correctly. It is usually the only spring that is NOT adjustable without actually moving the heel piece forward or aft, therefore it is the spring that determines the bindings "use" range. (The weight and ability of the skier using the binding.) C) Toe piece height: Usually set correctly so that a credit card can be slipped between the sole and the AFD (anti friction device.) Use the credit card as a feeler gage and adjust downward until friction is felt, then back off a little. D) Toe piece "arms": Usually set so that the front toe of the boot "just" touches the AFD insert in the binding. They adjust the width of the toepiece grip, and should be adjusted symetrically, so that either boot can be used in either binding. This is only possible if both boots are the same size and shape right where the bindings touch. (The whole purpose of the DIN standards on boot sole shape and size.) 4) Finally, the release adjustments: A) If the shop adjusts them, make a note of the settings and then do the following: B) The first step is to put BOTH boots on to get ready to do the "living room floor release test". (Using one boot only will set you up for a John Zagnoli. This is where you successfully mount and adjust your bindings, only to step on your unbooted toe and break it the day before you were supposed to go to Steamboat Springs for a week.) C) Set the toepiece at its lowest setting and put your boot in the binding. Twist out of the binding in each direction, and gradually increase the settings until it becomes "somewhat of an effort" to twist out. You should have your weight centered or slightly forward in your boot when doing this. Keep your knees bent, and don't twist just your leg, but try to keep your leg rigid, and twist your entire body. The reason that you start out at low settings is twofold: 1) So that you can get the feel of how the binding releases. 2) To tire out your muscles because if you are tired, you will set the binding at a safer setting. Repeat for the other ski. While doing these settings, make sure that if you release your twisting effort before the binding releases your boot, the binding returns the boot to the center with an authoritative SNAP! If not, one of the adjustments in step 3 is not done properly. D) Set the heelpiece at its lowest setting and put your boot in the binding. Using a stepping motion, drive your knee forward towards the tip of the ski. The purpose here is to simulate a forward fall, so don't necessarily lift your heel, but do drive forward. The boot should pop right out of the heel. Gradually increase the setting until there is a SLIGHT twinge in the back muscle of your knee when the release occurs, then back off the setting a little. Repeat for the other binding. E) If you set your bindings like this, at least you know that they are not too tight, because they released before you hurt yourself. Now check where you set your bindings, and where the shop setting was. If the shop had them set much lower you might want to back off the settings somewhat. In no case should you go higher until you try them on the hill. 5) On-the-hill adjustments. A) Go skiing. If you are apt to fall a lot, you will have plenty of opportunity to adjust your bindings. If not, go ahead and try twisting out, or stepping out of the bindings instead of releasing them with your poles. This accomplishes a couple of things: 1) Verifies the settings when you are tired. At the end of the day, and just before lunch are the times when your skis come off. If you try out the release settings at these times you reassure yourself that they are set right. 2) Lubricates the moving parts. The bindings' moving parts need to be exercised periodically to redistribute the grease. 3) Breaks away ice and snow that may inhibit the binding. B) Make adjustments slowly. Just because the bindings released once when you thought they shouldn't have, doesn't mean that its time to crank 'em down. You may have to come to the conclusion that your skiing style and ability justify your bindings releasing very often. As you get better and better, there will become more margin between what is needed to hold you in for skiing, and what is needed to protect your legs. For this reason, very good, smooth skiers can have their bindings set well below the settings that the charts give, and in fact may be set lower than a beginner's bindings.
rosen@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Rob Rosen) (11/06/85)
In article <509@nsc-pdc.UUCP> patch@nsc-pdc.UUCP (Pat Chewning) writes: > >Rob Rosen (rosen@ucbvax) writes: > >> Using bindings that are less than four years old is a very dangerous >> practice... Back in 1977 I broke my arm in three places because my >> Salomon 444's didn't release properly... > > >Surely Rob meant that he broke his LEG, not his arm. It would be >unreasonable to expect bindings to offer any protection to any part of the >body except the legs. Unless of course Rob skis on his hands, which I would >like to see. First: anyone who is still confused about my quote "less than four years..." should know that I meant to say "more than four years...". Second: while I certainly can be accused of temporary loss of cognitive functioning in the above example, I can most assuredly say that I did indeed break my ARM, not my leg...what happened was that as I was falling, my right 444 didn't release; I was trying to break my fall as any normal person would on a sidewalk, e.g. by sticking my hand out in front of me. Unfortunately, I was not traveling at 2mph (typical walking speed) but rather at about 30mph (typical fast reckless skiing speed) and so when my hand hit the ground, it was followed by about 140 pounds of weight that was traveling pretty damned fast. THAT's how I broke my arm. In retrospect and in fairness to Salomon, I can't say that my 444's CAUSED my accident...but I CAN say that they did contribute to it. In any event, the purpose was to clear up any confusion...I recommend Salomons as being pretty good bindings -- my order of preference would be Looks (I've had the 99RS for awhile and they're great) followed by Tyrolias (many good recommendations from friends) and then Salomons. I have a personal bias against Markers because I think they are ugly (:-)). --Rob -- --Rob Rosen ...ucbvax!rosen rosen@ucbvax.berkeley.edu