Collegiate ploppers for big and small feet

[Cammit]

Trying to help figure out the best route for a collegiate team. They only have one set of ploppers. Both size 12 men and size 6 women’s feet are trying to  use them. The best option is to have two sets of ploppers, but they are expensive and hard to find used. Can you think of a better method than having two sets of bindings and swapping them out mid tourney? Usually there isn’t time to change the bindings, especially for B team. 

[lpskier]

1. Get two pair of skis and bindings; or

2. Get two pair of bindings and swap them out on one pair of skis; or

3. Recruit women with bigger feet; or

4. Contact Jodi Fisher at Jodi’s Ski School in Winter Garden, FL. He runs an organization that collects used gear for use by collegiate ski teams. He may have some jump skis; or

5. If your school has a mechanical engineering department, get someone to design a quick release system that would allow different bindings to attach to a plate on the ski without need for additional screws. They don’t need to be releasable since that is what the rubber binding does. All the binding has to do is quickly and solidly attach to the fixed plate on the ski. 

[jgills88]

If you have the choice, grab some Medium bindings. You can use soap for the big feet, I'm size 13 and pop into mediums no issue with soap.

Have people with small feet wear socks (you'd be surprised just how much extra space a pair of socks takes up). You could also look into using elastic ties over the bindings when using them. Typically, they're used for very good jumpers to help stay in their bindings, but I imagine they'd have the same effect for someone plopping.

 

Which team are you with?/What region do yall ski for? Depending on where you are, you might be able to borrow a pair of jumpers from another team at the tournament, that's what my team did a few times when we were in the same situation

[Cammit]

It’s Texas A&M. If I’m being honest, not the biggest fan of borrowing jumpers cause they get beat up a little. Would hate to break another teams jumpers. 

[MI3Eventer]

I'd reiterate @jgills88, my college team always did size L Wiley super jumps, big enough for the big ploppers, tight enough for those with small feet.  Also the socks statement is spot on.  I think we had a female jumper with a size 6 womens and she said they were plenty good for her (she was a showskier though so I guess she wouldn't complain if she was swimming in them).

When we were down at Bennetts and Jay was coaching new jumpers he actually had different bindings special for new jumpers that were loose because he didn't want ankles to be broken.  

[lpskier]

Believe it or not, when I learned to jump, we didn’t have wraps of any sort. And I think the binders werd adjustable. And of course the skis were wood.  And the guys in the canoe had to paddle really fast…. 😉

Your solution may well start here: https://sprayitforwards.org/

[jgills88]

On 8/18/2023 at 9:10 AM, Cammit said:

It’s Texas A&M. If I’m being honest, not the biggest fan of borrowing jumpers cause they get beat up a little. Would hate to break another teams jumpers. 

That's very fair, especially in a smaller region like the SCR. If you were a Midwest team, there would be enough old/established teams around that everyone has an old old pair of jumpers taking up room in the trailer that can be passed around with no issue. 

 

Back to the smaller bindings w/ soap, and socks suggestion then. Depending on your budget and saving plan, you could also consider eventually getting a brand new pair of Flyman skis for a little over $1300 with tax