Bindings - 101

Bindings affect how you shredders feel under your feet. Choose them wisely and mount them properly for the best performance on the slopes.

1. Releasables?

The first step is to choose wether or not you want releasable bindings. Releasable bindings are a must if you are riding skiboards longer then 110 cm. You actually won’t be able to mount the standard 4×4 non-releasable bindings on skiboards longer than 110cm. If you are new to the sport and/or concerned about leg injury you might want to invest in some releasable bindings for peace of mind. Other than that, riding non-releasable is considered generally ‘’safe” if you are of over the recommended height. (This doesn’t mean injuries can’t happen.)

Spruce offers three models of their Riser bindings that mount on the industry standard 4×4 insert pattern, and on their own 4×10 pattern. If you are going to be riding park, riding aggressively, or are above average in weight, you should look into throwing in a few extra dollars for the Pro Lite, or Pro Prime models. For casual groomers, the original Risers will do fine.

Exclaim Skiboards in the UK also has a model releasable bindings that fit the industry standard 4×4.

Some companies like SnowJam and Head make skiboards with releasable bindings pre-mounted, they don’t have 4×4 inserts, but are a good choice for the lower budget people.

Note that releasable bindings have a bit more give than non-releasable bindings, resulting a slight loss of precise control over your boards. They also can’t prevent all injuries from falls.

2. Non-Releasbles

So if you’ve decided to ride the classic non-releasable bindings then there are a few options to choose from.

For the budget shredders, the Groove X-1 bindings offer a great deal and they come in black, grey, red or blue!

If your skiboards are going to constantly being passed from person to person SnowJam offers a tool-less Quick Adjust binding.

SnowJam also has a Extreme-II binding. This is the mid point bindings. A great feature on these is they have a plate that lets you set back or set forward your bindings without having to re-adjust the bails.

If you are going to be riding more aggressively and/or want top of the line stuff, Bomber Elite are the best skiboarding has to offer. These have no rubber pads where the inserts are, so you get full and total control without any give or play. You can also change the density of the rubber bushings under the front and rear of the bindings, to control how the board flexes and feels under your feet. Bomber also has a similar set-back feature like the SnowJam Extreme-II bindings. Bomber makes a limited run of these every year, and they have sold out every season for the past 8 years so if you want these, you’ll have to buy them early season or per-order them.

Some lower-end skiboards come with pre-mounted non-releasable bindings. Some of these don’t use the standard 4×4 pattern, and are sometimes made with lower quality materials. Basically, you will get what you pay for, and these ussually come cheap. Personally, throwing in the extra few bucks ($30 maybe) for some Groove or SnowJam bindings on your skiboard kit is definatly worth it.

If you’ve got big feet, you’ve got a problem. Most skiboard bindings don’t fit any bigger than men’s US 13s. Bomber makes an XL binding that fits up to size 15, but they are even more scarce than their Elite bindings.

All these bindings work with standard ski boots as well as hard shell snowboard boots.

3. What is 4×4?

4×4 is the skiboard industry standard for the position of inserts on both bindings and boards. (Most snowboards use the same standard) These are made to give the most natural flex possible to the boards, and to increase performance. They ussually however come at a slightly higher price than lower cost alternitives.

4. Mounting Skiboard Bindings

For most screws, a Phillips number three screw driver works best, and ensures you don’t strip the screw heads. When you are mounting your bindings, don’t crank one down all the way then move on to the next. Instead, half tighten them down, and work your way around in an X pattern, tightening each one little by little. This ensures a nice snug fit, and puts equal pressure on both your bindings and your skiboards. Always remember, snug is good, too tight is bad, you could actually damage your gear if you tighten as much as humanly possible. Stripped screws are no fun.

5. Check’em before you shred’em

It is not uncommon for screws to loosen from the vibrations, pushing and pulling that happens when you ride. Before you head out, make sure to check both mounting screws, and bail screws to avoid potential failure of them while your on the slopes. Nothing is worse then having a screw pop out on your bails when you just got off the chairlift. Most screws come with LockTite on them, but if yours are constantly loosening up, you may want to add more. Having a pocket tool at all times is also a big life-saver.

6. Adjusting

Some bindings come with markers to let you know where to adjust the bails for the size of your boots. For those that don’t you should adjust your bails so that the center marker on the sole of your boot lines up with the center marker on your bindings. Again, when strapping your boots in, snug is good, too tight is bad.

7. Set back

Most skiboards generally ride best when the center of your boot is aligned with the center of you bindings, which is aligned with the deepest part of the sidecut of your boards. However, if you want at bit more lift when riding soft snow and powder, you can set back the bails on your bindings or get yourself some SnowJam Extreme-II or Bombers. The new Revel8 KTP also have and extra set of inserts, so all you have to do is mount your bindings on the rear inserts. Some people have said that some boards ride better with a slight set-back, regardless of the center of the sidecut. The best way is to find out is to experiment a little yourself!