release setting advice

[johnnash]

I am (I think) an intermediate skier, looking to move up -- can do most of the local (Pa. area) blacks and double-blacks without hesitation, and I ski faster than the average skier on blue groomers, but am not yet competent on moguls or serious bumps. I just took my 2-year old skis in for their first tuneup and release check. Since I only had 3 choices as to level of skier, I checked "intermediate" on the form when I gave them my skis and boots. That, and the fact that I'm over 50, caused the shop to set the release tension quite low -- in the toe, it's as low as it will go (DIN 4). I'm having second thoughts about this, however. The last time I was out (this was before the tuneup), I had a rather nasty fall while I was doing some hard maneuvering to avoid another skier (thank goodness I've just started wearing a helmet!), and in retrospect I wonder if it might have been due to premature release. I'm considering cranking up the DIN a notch.

I understand the nature of the trade-off, but if one isn't sure, does any one have any thoughts or advice on how to decide whether it's better to err on the side of too loose or too tight in release setting?

 

[lookn4powder]

... I checked "intermediate" on the form when I gave them my skis and boots. That, and the fact that I'm over 50, caused the shop to set the release tension quite low... I had a rather nasty fall ... in retrospect I wonder if it might have been due to premature release. I'm considering cranking up the DIN a notch.

When you check the "intermediate" or more accurately "II" on the shop form, it describes your relative aggression level (speed/steeps) and not your skiing skills.

Mandatory lowering of the DIN setting is a nasty trick that the ski industry pulls on the 50+ crowd, but shops do it because the binding vendors require it. Suddenly, they believe that we have lost 100 lbs and ski timidly. I was told that the theory around this is that older people develop thin bones and lose strength. The binding vendors are covering their a__'s against lawsuits by requiring lower settings at 50.

In fact, bone density is highly variable across the older population. Only a bone density measurement can assess this. For most of us (but not my 82 year old Mom), it may decline, but it doesn't drop precipitously with age. Strength also declines, but this depends on genes and exercise frequency. For example, at 56 I still regularly lift the same weights I did 10 years ago. Because I continue to lift, my family is blessed with good genes, and do not have any diseases that may reduce bone density (history of cancer treatments, celiac disease, etc), my density is likely to be relatively unchanged for a while longer.

When filling out shop orders, I have claimed to be 49 for the past 7 years. I once bought new skis and forgot to misstate my age and I regretted it as I did prerelease. I asked the shop manager about ski binding settings and he said that he had one rail-thin, grey-haired customer who each year states that he is a "III" skier, weighs 280 lbs, and is 48 years old. The shop sets his skis to DIN 12 or 13--every year.

My short take on this is that if you are pre-releasing, tighten up a notch and see if the pre-releasing stops, but don't exceed the tension that you were set when young. And next year, magically return to age 49.

Cheers,
Jeff

 

[jkamien]

I understand the nature of the trade-off, but if one isn't sure, does any one have any thoughts or advice on how to decide whether it's better to err on the side of too loose or too tight in release setting?

Here's my advice, but I assume no responsibility and if you get hurt, it's not my fault (does that cover me against liability?)


You want the minimum binding setting that will prevent pre-releasing. A pre-release is when your binding let go, but a fall didn't cause it.

I'd bring a screw driver with you next time you ski. Start out with the way the shop set them. Each time you pre-release, increase the setting on the binding that released (heel or toe, left or right) by a quarter turn. When you stop pre-releasing, and therefore stop adjusting, you've got them set correctly.

A properly set binding will never release when it shouldn't, and always release when it should. When I rent skis, I ask them to set the binding to the setting my current bindings are at. If i go by the charts for my age (46), weight (165 lbs) and height (5'10"), I twist out of both toes on the first or second turn.

 

[Jonny D]

I'd bring a screw driver with you next time you ski

Just becareful you don't fall on the screwdriver, nothing wrecks a good day on the slopes like a screwdriver to the guts

I've always had a similar problem with my ski shop: because i (was) so skinny, they'd always set the DIN way too low. DIN 4 when I was 21? Forget it. I'd just put them to 7. Never had a pre-release problem since.

 

[Tony Crocker]

You definitely need to lie about the age 50. It's obvious that if the setting should decline with age the decline would be gradual, not an abrupt drop of one full point at age 50.

The year I turned 50 was 2002-03. On March 17 I was at Mad River Glen, where I was was offered complimentary rentals as a NASJA courtesy. When I told the shop tech I was level III and age 50, he said, "I'm sure you want me to put 49 on the form so we can keep your DIN at the same setting as your own skis (7 in my case)." So I was spared having to learn the hard way. And one more example why MRG has the respect of us fanatics.

 

[Patrick]

"I'm sure you want me to put 49 on the form so we can keep your DIN at the same setting as your own skis (7 in my case)." So I was spared having to learn the hard way. And one more example why MRG has the respect of us fanatics.

I didn't know that the setting changed with age? :shock: Mind you, the last shop to set my setting was when I was 20 and I had to sign a release because my light weight and minimum DIN on my new skis/biddings was too high. That was 20 years ago.

 

[Admin]

Dale bought new skis this weekend. He's 50, 175 lbs, and they set him at 6. He was told the same thing about the age 49/50 thing when he commented about the low DIN.