Skiing equipment - Ski bindings and gear

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Ski bindings

General

In terms of safety, bindings are the most important piece of your equipment.

They need to hold the foot firmly to the ski and yet be sensitive enough to release should a fall put excessive strain on your leg.

They need to retain enough elasticity to pull your boot back to the centre of the ski in the event of a near-release.

The Parts of a Binding

Most makes of binding consist of three components: a heel-piece, a toe-piece and a brake. Sometimes the heel and toe are mounted separately; sometimes they are attached on one plate.

Heel-piece: This releases upwards, opening in a forward fall. Some models offer a diagonal or sideways heel release

Toe-piece: This allows sideways release in the event of a twisting fall. A Teflon anti-friction pad under the toe allows the boot to slide easily even when your weight is pushing down on it during a fall.

Brakes: When you step in, the brake lifts out of the snow. If your binding releases, the brake springs back down, preventing the ski from escaping down the mountain and causing injury to other skiers.

Still not sure? Consult our ski doctor