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Question about boot / binding fitment

northwskier

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My wife and I bought a first set of skis after renting last season. They are well rated (as far as I can tell) beginner/intermediate skis that both come with integrated bindings. I snowboarded for many years but decided to switch to skiing and try it out with my wife as she learns.

The Look Xpress 10 bindings on my Rossignol Experience 76 Ci do not cover the entire heel of the boot. The boot is tight into the heel cup and if the binding is adjusted shorter, the coverage is the same but the spring begins to compress more. So it is fully seated up against the heel of the binding, I can see this from looking underneath as well. It just doesn't come all the way over the heel portion up to the back of the boot, the overhang of the cup is smaller. Boot is a Rossignol All Track Pro 100, both are ISO 5355.

In contrast, the Marker ERP 10 Quickclik bindings on my wife's K2 Anthem 75 cover the entire heel.

Is this normal / OK? Just differences between binding design / manufacturer?
I wore my boots and clicked in and moved around and they are tight in the binding.

They also had a K2 Iconic 76 ski with Marker bindings that were the same size/shape as these Rossi's, but they were slightly more expensive. If the bindings are better I am ok paying extra for them.

Thank you.

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Philpug

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They look like the boot will stay in from here but there are exact indicators to make sure the forward pressure is correct. The binding's release settings will need to checked and set by a professional with the proper tools and calibrating devices. When they do that they will also check the forward pressure to make sure it is correct. This will run you about $25-30 at your local ski shop. Bring the skis and boots to them along with each of the skiers stats including height, weight, age and Skier Type, which is a I (conservative), II (moderate) or III (aggressive), basically will help determine how much force it takes for the ski/binding will take to release from the boot. This cna be changed as the season goes on and you get better and ski with more conficence.

Before you ask, can you do all of this yourself? Of course you can and there are Youtube videos to show you how to set the bindings but you will not be able to make sure that the binding is reacting as it should. Shops have thousands of dollars in equipment to make sure they are and the cost to assure they are functioning properly is minimal and cheap insurance.
 
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northwskier

northwskier

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Thanks for the feedback. I can take it back to the shop I bought the skis from to ask. However, I thought a member here would have seen this before or know if it is normal/OK.

With any amount of increased forward pressure, the engagement over the top of the heel will be the same because they are hard stopped against the back of the boot.

Yes, the DIN for release was set up per skier height/weight and skier type (I). Neither of these bindings have a forward pressure indicator or toe height adjustment. The toe height is OK.
 
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Philpug

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Thanks for the feedback. I can take it back to the shop I bought the skis from to ask. However, I thought a member here would have seen this before or know if it is normal/OK.

With any amount of increased forward pressure, the engagement over the top of the heel will be the same because they are hard stopped against the back of the boot.

Yes, the DIN for release was set up per skier height/weight and skier type (I).
Sorry, I was thinking that you bought them on on line and were setting them up yourself. There should be some sore of indicator window or visual marker on the heel to make sure they are correct. I will say that the release function would not work accurately if the binding's froward pressure was indeed incorrect.
 

crgildart

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@Philpug knows as much about bindings as any human on the planet. I can assure you that those bindings and pretty much all bindings made after 1970 definitely have a forward pressure indicator of some sort, It might be just look like a scratch in the plastic on the bottom side or metal tab of the heel piece though, not obvious to most laymen. You want your heel to push back a little... but not too much when you step in to the binding. It keeps the toe of the boot pushed up firmly against the toe piece at a torque that best facilitates the other functions of the bindings. If it's not right, you're going to have a bad time. The gap you are looking at may or may not be a symptom of that potential problem. Odds are, if they were installed professionally, and came with the paperwork that they passed the testing you should be good..
 

François Pugh

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When you clamp your ski boot heel down into the binding, the boot pushes the binding in a rearward direction against a spring. When forward pressure is set correctly the binding moves back the appropriate amount to apply the correct force on the spring. Some length adjustable bindings have numbers that you line up for your boot sole length before you lock them in place; it is possible that a new binding has come out that only has this, but every binding I've had occasion to examine also had a forward pressure indicator.

Look closely as you clamp the boot heel in the binding; not everything moves back. The forward pressure indicator can usually be spotted as a range (showing what too much is and what not enough is) through which an indicator moves. One part moves (either the indicator or the range markings), and the other part doesn't. Some bindings are tricky and involve a screw that needs to be flush with the housing, others have a line on the moving binding line up with a non-moving range on a metal tab, some have a window you can look through. They are many varieties, but I've yet to closely examine a binding that didn't have a marker (I once couldn't find a marker on a set of adjustable bindings, but I didn't have more than two minutes to look for it).
 
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northwskier

northwskier

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Ok, after looking closer I was able to find the FP indicator. Thanks for insisting it is indeed present! The hole was covered with grease on both sides so I did not see it... It was adjusted with the yellow indicator moving to the center once the boot is installed so that seems correct. Yes I see how there is a set amount of compression against the heel that slides the rear binding back compress the spring in the base of the binding. The boot is definitely not loose so I know the heel is engaging as much as it can.

I had to move the K2 Marker binding one notch forward and then I saw the line come right to the center of the window. I did not realize that was an indicator since it was all black previously... this indication is much more clear than the Look.

So, the difference in heel coverage from the heel cup between the Look and Marker is just by design of the binding and is OK? This might be totally fine but I just wanted to confirm as I have not seen a lot of equipment being new.
If the Look binding is lower quality I can exchange the Rossi skis for a K2 with adjustable Marker. But if they are all fairly similar at this price point I will keep them. The Rossi skis are Made in Spain (vs China for the K2) and overall looked a little higher quality to my untrained eye.

Thank you for the advice!

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Wilhelmson

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Everyone makes mistakes.. If just for piece of mind go to the shop. Even the pros have to use a machine to be sure.

My gripwalk interface doesn't inspire confidence but they test fine and do not fail. A lot more will go wrong before that 1/32 inch causes problems.
 

Eric@ict

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Ok I went back to the ski shop today. They said this is normal for Look bindings... tested and gave me a printout and everything is in spec for heel and toe release.
I dont mess with bindings at all. I take them to the shop for them to inspect and adjust. I feel their charges are cheaper than my deductible for insurance.
 

gwasson

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Ok I went back to the ski shop today. They said this is normal for Look bindings... tested and gave me a printout and everything is in spec for heel and toe release.

Interesting that they didn't give you the printout when you picked them up the first time. I know at our shop we make the customer sign the back of the release paperwork that we keep, and give them a copy for their records. And we explain that everything was tested and is in spec before we release the skis to the customer.
 

raytseng

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Interesting that they didn't give you the printout when you picked them up the first time. I know at our shop we make the customer sign the back of the release paperwork that we keep, and give them a copy for their records. And we explain that everything was tested and is in spec before we release the skis to the customer.
The shop excuse I've gotten is often is the printer is busted, or out of paper/toner.
But I agree, if you've paid for the test, you should be getting a printout, or given the above excuse, they should visually show you the screen with all the green Passes on it.
 

gwasson

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The shop excuse I've gotten is often is the printer is busted, or out of paper/toner.
But I agree, if you've paid for the test, you should be getting a printout, or given the above excuse, they should visually show you the screen with all the green Passes on it.

Our binding release machine uses a special form that it prints on. Maybe the newer machines use a different method for printing. If we couldn't print them out we most likely wouldn't be able to do the binding test.

I am pretty sure the shop needs to keep a copy for insurance purposes, and I would doubt an electronic version would be sufficient, but I am not a lawyer :)
 

Philpug

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The work ticket is a legal contract, if the numbers are on yoru copy, that is sufficient. The computer printout is kept by the shop for insurance purposes. I believe they need to be kept for 7 years.
 

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