Anyone really understand tweaking just the back binding placement?

[Horton]

I am sort of embarrassed to admit this but I was surprised at how radical a change moving my back binding placement changed the ski I rode last night.

 

For years I have kept my back binding the same distance from my front and always moved both bindings together. It is not a better or worse thing but I sure do not understand it like I do fin and or moving both feet together.

 

Anyone really understand tweaking just the back binding placement?

 

[skibug]

My take and what I have heard and somewhat experienced is moving just the back binding backwards will help you with a stronger on-side turn; moving it forwards will do just the opposite. Just my opion based on feel and from what I have discussed with some others that are ski set up wizards.

[igkya]

@skibug, what do you mean by "opposite"? Will it make the onside turn weaker or improve your offside?

[jackski]

I agree with skibug 1oo%. I also find that canting the back binding affects the the on and off side turn. For instance on my current ski I had to cant it quite a bit to get it to initate the offside turn.

[jipster43]

I'm just about to drill into my G10 plate to mount my RS-1's and was wondering this very thing. I'm short - especially from my knee down and thought I might benefit from moving my back binding closer to my front heel than my Sequence Plate currently allows. But on the other hand I may stick with the spacing I'm familiar with.

[skibug]

@igkya, back binding backward gives you a stronger on-side turn; back binding forward will weaken the on-side turn. So, if you find that you are over turning or getting in to deep on your on-side; one adjustment may be to move the back binding forward leaving the front binidng alone. The front binding placement has the greatest impact for your off-side turn.

[Mateo_Vargas]

You guys and your suicide boots. RTPs rule!

[skibug]

I'm a RTP guy too.....

[SkiJay]

@Jipster43 +1 for Skibug's remarks. Your height also factors into it. The closer your feet, the easier it is to weight your front foot, the further apart they are, the more your weight gets restricted rearward on the ski. The shorter the skier is in height, the more pronounced these affects are. In theory, the shorter the skier, the closer the ankle to ankle measurement should be ... tempered by personal preferrence.

[ToddL]

I have also heard that front foot placement is critical for the off-side turn while back foot placement is more critical for on-side turn. Further, I have heard that when setting up a new ski, one should start with factory standard settings. Then, first move the bindings to dial in the ski. Only after the binding movements have been optimized should the fin settings be adjusted.

[ToddL]

FYI -

http://www.ballofspray.com/tech-articles/334-binding-adjustments-by-nick-parsons

 

http://www.schnitzskis.com/skituning2.html

 

http://www.waterskis.com/Adjusting-your-Slalom-Waterski-s/14.htm

 

http://waterski.about.com/od/slalomwaterskiingtips/a/tune_slalom_ski.htm

 

 

[jedgell]

Doesn't foot size figure into this? I have size 12 feet and my back RS1 is tight to the front boot. If I had size 9 feet, with the same ankle-to-ankle spacing the boots would probably be 1-2" apart. So, what is the important measurement, ankle-to-ankle, or distance from back of front to the toe of back boot?

[SkiJay]

@jedgell Ankle-to-ankle is the important measurement. However, foot size can effect front binding placement. Although the front heal would be over the same spot on the ski no matter how big your feet are, the length of your foot affects how far forward the ball of your front foot is on the ski, implying that really big feet might need to go back a hole if the tip of your ski is biting too hard (assuming you use the balls of your feet for balance).

[Drago]

Putting most of your weight on the balls of feet is not balanced

. So, generally, your back foot affects your on-side turn. Forward = more tip pressure. Your off side is more affected by your front foot. Logically, the closer your feet, the less each has it's individual result (they act together more). Think of having your feet really far apart: weight transfer would effect the ski more.