Reflex release settings

[Waternut]

Does anyone set their release setting below 4? I'm currently at setting 4 and I'm 175lbs and ski 34mph but the last couple months, releasing has really started to get to my ankle. In the past, if I released, my ankle felt a little sore while I was in the water but once I got back up, it was fine for the rest of the day. Most of my releases comes from blowing the tail out and not OTF's but I do have falls where the ski doesn't release in both cases. Either way, it feels like the binding is pulled up from the middle buckle and it's over stressing the front of my ankle.

 

Since my right ankle hurts too much to try right now, I put the binding on my left foot for trials and I was really yanking hard to get the boot to release even at setting 4. I know Reflex says you should be able to release with your own strength but at setting 4, should it require nearly all of my strength and a jerking motion?

[Waternut]

Well I skied two sets today with the release set at what I would consider to be about a "3". I can pull off the ski easier than it was at 4 and never had any pre-release. The release still feels and sounds pretty violent when I do pull out but I don't have to give it a hefty jerk.

[Chuck_Dickey]

@Waternut

I would suggest you watch Andy Mapple's video set up of a Reflex.

 

[Waternut]

Oh wow, that binding looks like it comes out easier at his 7 than mine does at my 3. Seems goofy that mine is so tight.

[Brewski]

It all depends on where your release mechanism is and what set of holes your mounts are on. The release should start building pressure at about 1/4"-5/16" away from clicking. If you are farther that 3/8" your are too far and probably on the wrong set of holes.

 

[skinut]

I had mine at four and it felt like it was pretty tough to manually release, see Andy's release test. I put it at whati would guess is a three to three and a half and it was much easier to release. I also noticed that after having the boot locked in the binding while not in use seemed to release easier the next time I skied. I wonder if it has to do with the spring being compessed for long periods of time as it sat in that garage.

[Brewski]

Do not leave tension on the release only when in use.

[Chef23]

I run mine pretty loose around 4 or 5 and I weigh 220. I haven't used it long for slalom but I haven't had a pre-release and I have been tricking at that for a while. I don't do flips or anything real tough in tricks though.

[ral]

Unless your binding is really badly mounted (Silvretta either too close or too far away from the boot), or that the spring is not compressed at all, it is very unlikely to pre-release. Then, release in slalom will not vary significantly when having it on 4 or 6.

 

Do not leave the spring under tension (i.e. boot mounted) when not skiing for two reasons:

 

1) The spring will remain compressed and change

 

2) You want to make sure the Silvretta is properly engaged and in good condition every time you ski, and this is difficult to assess when just putting the liner and feet inside a mounted boot.

 

Regarding the dock release, I have never ever tried to release like Andy in the video. I have a snow skiing background, and this is not something you would do to test a ski binding (maybe @jimbrake might support this or discredit, but I can guarantee that if you have a snow ski in and ask someone to grab it and twist your knee to see if it releases when needed, you will end in the E.R...)

[ral]

@Waternut, how often are you releasing (i.e. falling hard enough to want the binding to release)?

[skinut]

@brewski-good advise. I discontinued the practice after I noticed the change.

[Waternut]

@ral I have probably released 10-15 times over 60+ sets. I've probably released more recently while learning -28 and -32 off.

 

I have always flexed my boot to make sure the silveretta was secure before jumping in the water but I am guilty of leaving the boot attached for about the last 10 months. I never realized it should be disconnected when not in use.

[ral]

@Waternut, maybe the following is off topic, but I feel compelled to write it. Someone else might have a different opinion...

 

I do not know how old are you, but you are falling hard enough to release in near 25% of the sets. In my books, this is way too much. If, like me, you are over 40 something, you are inviting injuries.

 

Why are you falling hard so often? If you are mostly blowing the tail because getting hot and late to the buoy, you are inviting all kind of nasty things like head/arm thru the handle and Achilles tearing/rupture after clipping a buoy. This should not be the way of learning a new rope length.

 

Just my 0.02c. Not trying to lecture or anything like that.

 

[Waternut]

@ral No problem at all and thanks for your opinion. Of all of my falls, only 1-2 have actually been bad and the rest I feel were not bad because of the release. I just want the release to be a little easier on my ankle is all. Most of my sets the last couple months have been 10 passes or more. So in all fairness, I might release 2-3% of all the passes I've run through the course this year. That's probably still a little harsh but not quite as bad as you might initially think.

 

I'm into 32 off now at 34mph and I started the year barely being able to run 32mph so I've had a pretty steep learning curve. I learned my lesson last year that there is always another pass and I won't hook my ski around a buoy to make it and risk injury. However, I do think there's a fine line between a little late or a little bit of trouble and oh $*%#, especially at the shorter line lengths. I have no shame bailing but when learning a new line length or new speed, it's hard to know where the line is until you cross it because everything feels out of control the first time you try it.

[DefectiveDave]

@Waternut‌,

 

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but this is very similar to the problem I am having. What was your final conclusion on this matter?

 

When I first got my reflex (750 release system) I set it to around 5 as recommended for my weight in the manual. I then did a dock test as recommended in the manual and found that I could not release the binder even with a hard, jerking motion (similar to what you were seeing). So I then loosened it to something less than 3 where I felt it required a moderate amount of force to remove the binder on dry land. I then proceeded to have a few nasty falls where the binder immediately disengaged upon encountering some chop in turns. They should have been nothing, or even recoverable, but they turned into painful somersaults. Other times the ski disengages in such a way that it is still able to travel 100 ft down course, which doesn't seem like it should be able to happen. I've since been tightening the reflex to where I am now at a setting of 4. I can only barely remove the binder in a dock test, but I haven't had any pre-releases. Still at this setting I'm worried that it might be too tight and not disengage properly. I have not yet had a good fall to "test" the system since I've started using this setting.

 

I've also watched the Andy Mapple video, and he might just be a beast, but it seems like his is easier to release at 7 than mine is at 4 (much like yours). This is actually what originally inspired me to set mine so low. I tried to replicate what I perceived Andy's effort to be in the video.

[Waternut]

@defectivedave I'm currently around 3.5 as an eyeballed guess. I originally moved it back to what looked like 3 and skied for about 4-6 weeks. Then I got on the tail real hard coming out of 4 ball one day and I guess I just pulled my front foot clear from the binding. See this thread for the picture and jokes... http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/9567/some-wake-crossings-are-better-than-others

 

After that, I tightened the binding up to about 3.5 and have been there since October last year. I think it comes off a little faster than maybe it should but no unexpected releases as of now. On the plus side, I haven't been having anywhere near the ankle problems I did last year either so it's worth it. I did get on the front real hard going into 3 ball and did a nice crane pose where my back leg was out of the RTP and I was nearly kissing the ski but it didn't release on me and I skied to a slow stop so maybe it's just right.

[DefectiveDave]

@Waternut,

 

Haha, I do believe you have too much weight on the back foot during the pre-turn there.

 

I think I'll follow suit and try a setting of 3.5. I'm currently sitting at 165 lbs, so based on your experience it should be a good compromise between secure and safe for my ankles. At the very least it will be a nice starting point. If I find after testing it a few times that it's too loose or tight I can make incremental adjustments. My current setting is about 2.5 (based on the number of turns), so it will definitely be less likely to pre-release on me. Thanks!

[Waternut]

It does make me wonder if Silveretta just got a funky batch of springs at some point or got some mixed up because there is certainly no way I would be able to pull out of my binding at a 6 or 7. Even at 3.5, it does take me a little jerk.