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About bindings and mounting when purchasing online

CindiSue

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I just looked up from my not-able-to-ski funk, and noticed a lot of really great sales on skis. So I'm looking at picking up 2020 Rossignol Experience 84's which I demo'd and liked.

My understanding was that you provide the BSL of your boot and they mount the bindings, then you need to take them to a local shop for final adjustment based on your weight. Is that right? I have a friend telling me it is unsafe to have them mounted remotely, that you have to do it in person. Is it better somehow to do it in person?

Most are doing the Look Xpress W10 or W11 with these skis, also I could get the Marker Griffon 13 for $59 more. I really don't know anything about bindings and whether it would matter.

Last question, is there any adjustment once they get mounted if your boot size changes? Or do you just pay to re-mount them? My boots are locked away and I can't get to them right now, but I am 98% sure they are 275 BSL. If I am wrong then they are 266. Is there an adjustment range which would cover that?

Thanks!
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Congratulations on new skis! Don't get them mounted remotely. If you aren't absolutely certain of the size, then you would be asking for trouble. It will be so much better for the ski technician to have the boots in hand when mounting them. That's how it's always done in the shop where I work.

Do you remember what your DIN number was? Bindings have a different range of DIN numbers, and you want to choose a binding where your DIN is right in the middle. If your DIN is 5, you don't want bindings that start at 5 or 4.5 and go up to 12 or 13. If you don't know your DIN number, are you a beginner, intermediate, or expert skier? The better skier you are (along with age, height, and weight) determines your DIN. Unless you're quite expert, you probably don't want bindings that go up to 13.

There are others here who know more about this than me and if they contradict me, they are probably right! @Jilly ? Who else?

I will ask my partner, Mr. Blizzard (who does this for a living) if he would recommend one binding over the other. The Griffons had a reputation for being hard to get into and out of, but I'm not sure if that's still the case with newer ones. In the meantime, your DIN? Skier level? Height/weight/age? in case someone wants to help you choose those bindings.

You really don't want to have the bindings remounted on your brand new skis. That would be a shame.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
you want to choose a binding where your DIN is right in the middle.
This is not always possible... Take me for instance.... 5'1 103 ish, over 60, and claim myself type III Expert (I have to or I would fly out of my bindings if set any lower) and I'm still at 4.5...... so I always go for a binding with a range of 3-12 or 4-12....

I agree and would hold off on the mounting....and take to your own shop even if you have to pay (and you probably will).
 
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newboots

Angel Diva
You described that better than I did. I shouldn't have said, "Right in the middle," although that would be ideal, I suppose. But you shouldn't buy bindings that go up to 13 if you're generally at a low DIN. Thanks for the supplemental report, @santacruz skier !
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
You described that better than I did. I shouldn't have said, "Right in the middle," although that would be ideal, I suppose. But you shouldn't buy bindings that go up to 13 if you're generally at a low DIN. Thanks for the supplemental report, @santacruz skier !
Not that I know a lot about bindings, but at my size it does change things. Sorry did not mean to contradict you at all....
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
@CindiSue , I have never had bindings mounted online, but if it is a reputable dealer with a good reputation I would be fine with it as long as I could verify the BSL. With the make/model/size of your boot there are BSL charts to reference:
https://www.evo.com/guides/ski-boot-sole-length-size-chart

I would only do this if they have a binding I am happy with, they mount for free, and if the local place where I would otherwise buy a binding and get the DIN set will charge a significant sum for the mount. Some places will mount for a reduced fee if you buy just the binding from them, and some will not. You will pay around $20 to have the DIN adjusted and machine tested even if you mount online for free.

My DIN calcs to a 5.5 and I have bindings with ranges of 3-11, 4-12 and 4-13 bindings.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
First - are the skis flat? I've seen the 84 in both a system binding and no binding aka flat. Because I was looking at some too.

And as mentioned you would like your DIN setting closer to the middle of the range if possible. Also higher range (like the 5-14) DIN bindings tend to be heavier.
 

teppaz

Angel Diva
I had my bindings mounted when I bought skis from SkiEssentials, but they're a reputable shop. I wouldn't do it if I bought from REI or some other big place. Then I had a thorough bindings check before taking them out for the first time.
 

CindiSue

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I had my bindings mounted when I bought skis from SkiEssentials, but they're a reputable shop. I wouldn't do it if I bought from REI or some other big place. Then I had a thorough bindings check before taking them out for the first time.
Thanks for saying that because I just ordered them from SkiEssentials! They were very helpful so I felt pretty good about it. Once I explained my weight etc. he agreed the Xpress 10's were better for me, and said that binding had adjustment built in for various size boots. He also suggested my husband switch his skis (Nordica Enforcers) from the Marker Griffon 13 to the Tyrolia Attack2 13 GW because he is also light and the Tyrolia is easier for lightweight people to get in and out of. So I felt pretty good about their knowledge.

I will definitely take them into the shop and make sure the adjustment is correct. Will I need to do a wax & tuning relatively quickly with new skis?
 

SarahXC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have had several pairs for various family members mounted at ski essentials and when I have had them checked in person with their boots always heard good things about how well they were installed.
 

SarahXC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
New skis you want to load up with wax to get the best life out of your base. Warm temperature wax is softer and will penetrate deeper into the base for your first few waxes. Factory tunes can be great or not so great....
 

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