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Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
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I have seen a shop hand a screwdriver to a guy that was over 50 and wanted his bindings higher than the chart. Seems like a good compromise to me. The chart says I'm an 8.5 so that is what I set them at. Apparently if over 50 that would put me at 7.
We will do that, knowing that a) most people don't have a P-3 driver and b) they know their needs better than we do. When we do race skis, knowing that they'll be turned up higher, we will test skis to a Skier Type III+ with all other information being accurate (height, weight, age, BSL). Sometimes that means we can't pass a binding because the initial DIN would be below what the binding can be set for. In that case we don't pass the binding based on what it should be, but we do test the binding presuming an initial DIN setting that would be legit for a larger person. That way we all know the binding is functioning properly but we also know that the racer will adjust the DIN to a setting they consider appropriate.

Incorrect forward pressure will totally make a binding behave like the DIN is set too low. Definitely double check that before touching anything else!

Yes, absolutely. That is why I said 'Generally properly adjusted bindings'. Thanks for mentioning it as it is quite often not properly set by DIYs.

Case in point: I saw a group of people frittering away with a screwdriver and a pair of skis a year or two ago. I had seen the skier with only one ski on going up the lift so stopped to see if they could use the help of a binding tech. They explained what was going on; the ski just fell off riding the lift and wouldn't stay on skiing. They were adjusting the DIN settings to ridiculous numbers, but still it fell off. I helped them set the forward pressure properly and left them to deal with the DIN as I didn't have a chart on me at the time. :cool:
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Much more frequently bad technique is the issue. Again a screwdriver won't fix that.
Obviously, those people are using the wrong screwdriver. This one fixes all that bad technique, at least in your mind. Everyone else skis better too!
Titos-Vodka-Screwdriver-W.jpg

**This is not a hint that anyone should drink and ski. It's a joke. Just cma here!
 

no edge

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Setting your DIN above what Skier Type III+ setting would require is quite risky. Generally properly adjusted bindings release properly and don't pre-release as much as people would like to think. Often ice or snow on the boot will create a problem and should not be compensated for with a screwdriver. Much more frequently bad technique is the issue. Again a screwdriver won't fix that.

That's one way of looking at it. The concern that's encouraged me to go to a higher DIN is out of fear for injury during a premature release. I constantly worry about hitting my head. It's a legitimate concern but will a higher DIN setting make me safer.

I just got back from the hill and the whole time I was thinking about my DIN.
 

Pequenita

Making fresh tracks
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Generally properly adjusted bindings release properly and don't pre-release as much as people would like to think. Often ice or snow on the boot will create a problem and should not be compensated for with a screwdriver. Much more frequently bad technique is the issue. Again a screwdriver won't fix that.

I’d add a messed up alignment could cause what looks like prerelease. For the last few years (yes) I have been losing my left ski while initiating right turns. Not always, but always at inconvenient and surprising times. My friends - all frustrated I was randomly coming out of my ski - all proclaimed I was prereleasing, needed my DIN increased, forward pressure checked, etc. Then @Philpug looked at my alignment and tinkered around, canted my left boot, and I haven’t “prereleased” since.
 

CalG

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I've gone through the dial down twice now. First it was being bumped off 10, and now 8 is too much. The years keep going up, The binding setting keeps going down.
This year, the tech doing my binding check that allows me on the mountain CALLED ME on the phone, and asked if I was OK with being a III. That the setting would be something near 5, and that I might consider going III+ . I thought for a minute as I waited for a sandwich at the local deli, "well, I've never skied out of my bindings in the past 10 years, though I had before, and that I CAN NOT HAVE AN UNWARRANTED release while hauling a sled. "

I went to the III+ setting with the markers, and the skier type III with the LOOKS.

So far, so good!

And come to think of it, I haven't had an "non user initiated" binding release in a VERY LONG WHILE! ;-)
 

François Pugh

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40+ lbs of weight loss is significant, especially if you were not overweight to begin with and you have mentioned some health issues in another thread. So while I can't answer your bone density question, I will suggest that at your lighter weight, you may not now be skiing as fast or as aggressively as in the past.

Imo, you should at the very least revisit the DIN Chart, plugging in your new weight to see what number comes up.
Good advise. Since I've lost 25% of my body mass, it should take less force to keep me in the bindings.
Marker internet chart for old folks at 3+puts me at 5.5, if I have guessed/remembered my boot sole length correctly. I think I'll try 7.5. No point in risking injury when extra force is not needed. 5.5 would work if I skied like an old man, instead of landing jumps in a 1.5 g turn so I can hit the jump meant for the merging trail.
 

crgildart

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Good advise. Since I've lost 25% of my body mass, it should take less force to keep me in the bindings.
Marker internet chart for old folks at 3+puts me at 5.5, if I have guessed/remembered my boot sole length correctly. I think I'll try 7.5. No point in risking injury when extra force is not needed. 5.5 would work if I skied like an old man, instead of landing jumps in a 1.5 g turn so I can hit the jump meant for the merging trail.
Make sure you can twist out of the toes and pop up the heels without too much aingst when running a little above the recommended setting. Pretty sure you're strong enough to do that but best to be sure.
 

Philpug

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This is why I am hesitant to get down to below 175..I don't want my settings to drop any further. :)
 

Rod9301

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Good advise. Since I've lost 25% of my body mass, it should take less force to keep me in the bindings.
Marker internet chart for old folks at 3+puts me at 5.5, if I have guessed/remembered my boot sole length correctly. I think I'll try 7.5. No point in risking injury when extra force is not needed. 5.5 would work if I skied like an old man, instead of landing jumps in a 1.5 g turn so I can hit the jump meant for the merging trail.
If you land jumps in 1.5g turns 7.5 will not keep you in your bindings
 

Rod9301

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Make sure you can twist out of the toes and pop up the heels without too much aingst when running a little above the recommended setting. Pretty sure you're strong enough to do that but best to be sure.
This would be way too low.
 

SSSdave

life is short precious ...don't waste it
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With a modest 10 days in so far this winter skiing on 2 of my 4 quiver skis including a good amount of moguls, haven't fallen even once so far, much less popped out of bindings. Over decades at 135# weight zone have kept my bindings in the modest 5.0 to 6.5 level. And from experience know when I do fall, I seem to pop out when needed without injury. Suspect the less density in bones in middle age thing has more to do with one's DNA and lifestyle than science. In other words the majority of people into middle age are increasingly not as physically active as when they were younger adults and that alone will decrease one's neuromusculoskelectal tissue growth. As an exceptionally active senior, that has been so year after year without any long periods of degenerative inactivity, my bones continue to carry my body well. Note have never had a broken bone and my joints except for arthritis is some of my fingers are fine. It is Use It or Lose It.

TheRapids-14.jpg


Also don't seem to pop out for the wrong reasons even though I endure some modestly strong forces. Though note I rarely ski fast and never do more than small airs. Above image from Monday at Northstar looking up The Rapids below Backside Express lift with tower 14 ahead at the 7.7k elevation. Top station is at 8.6k at tower 22 and bump run ends below at tower 10 at 7.3k, so 1.3k vertical of lower to moderate gradient moguls. Before 3 weeks ago, main run moguls throughout Tahoe had grown large and then due to rain and freeze thaw cycles and over last 2 cold weeks became icy firm forms that subsequently had a few inches of new snow atop ala dust on crust. So few even mogul skiers on such bony slopes. Given the sunny excellent visibility on looker's left side, I skied this twice with my new 2020 Santa Ana 88's, the first a 5 stopper or averaged 260 feet of fall line vertical at a whack. So am relating, no I have not reduced my binding release thresholds because at least for this person, it is more about using what works as long as I'm skiing the same terrain with the same style with familiar levels of strength and fitness.
 
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DanoT

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Make sure you can twist out of the toes and pop up the heels without too much aingst when running a little above the recommended setting. Pretty sure you're strong enough to do that but best to be sure.

Testing a binding by trying to twist out puts your knees at risk of injury. Been there, done that in my younger days (knee pain but not injured). Older, weaker, wiser, now.
 

crgildart

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Testing a binding by trying to twist out puts your knees at risk of injury. Been there, done that in my younger days (knee pain but not injured). Older, weaker, wiser, now.
Only recommending if you opt out of the recommended settings and decide to go higher. 100% agree that old folks running chart DIN don't need to worry about that. If higher, be sure your leg and knee are up to the challenge.
 

Clemson

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Over 50 and had to sign my name this fall when I had some LOOK pivots installed on new skis, because I requested the setting(5.5). Though I may have ended up there anyway according to the chart, since I was telling the tech what I wanted, my signature on a waver was required.
 

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