Ski binding facts for kids
A ski binding is a special device that connects your ski boot to your ski. Think of it as the link that holds you to your skis! For a long time, skiers used the same equipment for going uphill, downhill, and across flat land. But as ski lifts became popular, skis and their bindings became more specialized. This meant different bindings for downhill skiing and Nordic styles like cross-country or Telemark.
In the past, bindings held only the front of a flexible leather boot. This allowed the heel to lift, which was good for walking and gliding. However, this design wasn't very safe for downhill skiing. Over time, bindings changed to release your boot sideways during a fall. Later models could also release your boot forward and backward. Modern downhill ski bindings fit plastic boots and include a brake. This brake stops the ski from sliding away if it comes off your boot.
Cross-country ski bindings also changed a lot. They went from simple metal plates with pins to advanced systems. These newer systems hold a plastic boot using a bar in the boot's toe. Bindings for back-country, ski jumping, and alpine touring combine features from both alpine and Nordic bindings.
The History of Ski Bindings
For many years, before the 1840s, ski bindings were just leather straps. These straps went over the toe of the boot, much like those used for snowshoes.
Early Innovations: Norheim's Design (around 1850)
Sondre Norheim, a famous Norwegian skier, showed off new skiing styles in the 1860s. These moves, like the Telemark turn, were possible because of a new binding he helped create. This design added a loop of twisted birch roots that went around the boot heels. This extra loop held the boots much better to the skis. It still allowed the heel to lift for walking. But it gave skiers much more control. This new control meant skiers could steer with their feet and legs. It replaced the old way of dragging a long pole in the snow to turn.
Huitfeldt's Secure Toe (1894)
In 1894, Fritz R. Huitfeldt invented a binding with a strong metal toe piece. This design allowed the heel to move freely. His ideas became the standard for many years. He added metal brackets on the sides of the ski to hold the boot. Later, he made these brackets go through the ski itself. He also added straps over the toe and heel to keep the boot firmly in place.
The "Rat Trap" Binding (1927)
The Rottefella binding was created in 1927 by Bror With. "Rottefella" means "rat trap" in Norwegian. This binding used a bent metal plate with three or four pins. These pins fit into the toe of a square-toed boot. A metal clamp then held the boot down. After being used in the 1928 Winter Olympics, this binding became the standard for cross-country skiing. It is still used today in a system called the Nordic Norm.
The Kandahar Cable Binding (1929)
The cable binding was a big step forward. It helped skiers perform the Christie turn more easily on downhill slopes. In 1929, Guido Reuge invented the "Kandahar" cable binding. This binding had steel clips under the boot heel. These clips could clamp the heel down for downhill skiing. While popular in races, the Kandahar binding often caused serious leg injuries. By 1939, people started looking for bindings that would release the boot during a fall.
Hvam's Saf-Ski: A Step Towards Safety (1937)
Hjalmar Hvam invented the Saf-Ski toe binding in 1937 after breaking his leg. This binding had a metal clip that fit into a slot in the ski boot's sole. If the boot twisted forward, the toe would release from the ski. At first, some skiers were unsure about it. But when a racer named Olaf Rodegaard released from his skis during a fall, he said it saved him from a broken leg. Hvam sold many Saf-Skis, but later, rising insurance costs forced him to stop selling them.
Modern Release Bindings Emerge (1950s-1970s)
The Look Nevada binding, introduced in 1950, was a major improvement. It held the boot's toe with two metal fingers. These fingers could pivot and release the boot sideways during a fall. Other companies quickly copied this design.
Around 1960, the Cubco binding became popular. It was one of the first bindings to release both the heel and the toe. It used small metal clips screwed into the boot's sole. By the mid-1960s, release bindings for both the heel and toe were common. The old cable bindings soon disappeared from alpine skiing.
In the 1970s, Lange introduced hard plastic ski boots. These plastic boots were much stronger and kept their shape better than leather boots. This led to standardized boot soles. Now, toe-and-heel bindings could easily clip onto any plastic ski boot. This standardization, along with new safety features like the Teflon anti-friction pad, helped reduce skiing injuries.
Alpine Ski Bindings
Alpine ski bindings have two main jobs:
- Holding your boot: They keep your ski boot firmly attached to the ski. You usually step in toe-first, then press down with your heel until it clicks into place.
- Releasing your boot: They let go of your boot if you fall. This helps prevent injuries to your legs. Bindings can release your boot by letting it move forward, backward, or twist sideways.
Each binding has a safety setting called a DIN value. This value decides how easily the binding will release. It's set based on your height, weight, age, and how good you are at skiing. A higher DIN setting means the binding holds on tighter. Alpine bindings also have a snow brake. This brake pops out when your boot releases, stopping the ski from sliding down the mountain without you.
Some major companies that make alpine ski bindings include:
- Atomic (also known as "Ess")
- Geze
- Look
- Marker
- Salomon
- Tyrolia
Alpine Touring Bindings
Alpine touring bindings are special because they can do two things. When you're climbing uphill, they let your heel lift freely, like in cross-country skiing. But when you're ready to ski downhill, they lock your heel down, just like regular alpine bindings.
There are two main types of touring bindings:
- "Tech" bindings use small pins that connect directly to special inserts in your ski boot.
- "Frame" bindings work more like regular alpine bindings. They grip the edge of your boot's heel.
Some companies that make alpine touring bindings are Atomic/Salomon, Black Diamond, Dynafit, Fritschi, Genuine Guide Gear, and Marker.
Nordic Ski Bindings
Nordic skiing includes cross-country and Telemark styles. Over the years, three main standards for Nordic ski bindings became popular: the 75-mm Nordic Norm (NN), the Salomon Nordic System (SNS), and the New Nordic Norm (NNN). Ski jumping uses its own special bindings.
Companies like Alpina, Fischer, Madshus, Rossignol, and Rottefella make Nordic bindings.
The Classic Nordic Norm (NN)
The Rottefella binding became the standard 75-mm, three-pin Nordic Norm binding. It was very common by the 1970s. This system worked well with new ski boot soles made of flexible plastic. These boots were strong for twisting but still allowed the heel to bend and lift.
Salomon Nordic System (SNS)
The Salomon Nordic System (SNS) was one of the first complete boot-binding systems for cross-country skis. Early SNS bindings used a U-shaped metal bar sticking out from the front of the boot. Later versions, like SNS Profil, used a metal bar hidden inside the boot's toe. The SNS Pilot added a second bar for even better control. There's also a stronger version, SNS X-Adventure, for back-country skiing.
Amer Sports sold SNS bindings under their Salomon and Atomic brands. However, in 2007, Fischer stopped using SNS and switched to the NNN system.
New Nordic Norm (NNN)
Rottefella's NNN (New Nordic Norm) is another very popular cross-country ski binding. It uses a bar in the toe of the boot that hooks into a latch on the binding. NNN bindings come in different types for classic skiing, skate skiing, touring, and racing. There's also a tougher, wider version called NNN-BC for back-country skiing.
Nordic Integrated System (NIS)
The Nordic Integrated System (NIS) was introduced in 2005. It uses an NNN-compatible binding that attaches to a special plate on top of the ski. This plate lets you easily adjust the binding's position on the ski using a special tool or a knob. This helps skiers fine-tune their balance.
Turnamic (IFP)
In 2016, Fischer and Rossignol introduced the "integrated fixation plate" (IFP) with their Turnamic bindings. These NNN-compatible bindings allow you to adjust their position without any tools. You simply turn a lever to lock or unlock your boot.
Prolink
Salomon introduced its NNN-compatible Prolink system in 2016. This gave skiers another option for NNN-style bindings.
New Telemark Norm (NTN)
In 2007, Rottefella launched the New Telemark Norm (NTN) binding. This modern Telemark binding offers features like lateral release (releasing sideways in a fall), adjustability, and a toe that pivots freely.
Ski Jumping Bindings
Ski jumping bindings are very specialized. They attach to the toe of special plastic boots that go above the ankles. These bindings allow the heel to lift high off the skis. They are also designed to release the boot if a jumper falls.
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