Overthinkering

Stressing over where to mount your ski bindings is a classic move for overthinkers. We see it all the time in the shop. When we ask where the skis should be mounted we often get, “I don’t know”. That’s perfectly fine; I almost always recommend the manufacturer’s boot center. I figure that the product designers know more than I do, and 99% of the time, it’s the optimal choice. The other response starts with something like, “Well, I wanted to ask you about that”. What follows is often a summary of too much research and the result of a lot of internal dialogue. Sometimes we mount them in an alternate location but often we end up right back at the recommended mounting location.

My Basic Ski Mounting Point Guide

Skis of the same length will have different recommended mounting locations. Most skis are designed so that the boot center aligns with the center of the sidecut. Since most skis are directional, the mounting point will be set back from the measured middle of the ski. True twin park skis, however, are recommended to be mounted at the measured center. Next time you put two different skis next to each other, note if the recommended mounting location is aligned with the middle of the sidecut.

The mounting location can sometimes be affected by the skier’s center of gravity. Another way to think about this is old school vs new school. Old school ski technique involved a lot of pressure on the front of the boot to get straight skis to bite and turn. The newish, sidecut skis require less shin pressure and more lateral tipping. This results in the skier’s center of gravity being further back. You’ll notice that many progressive brands like Black Crows, Armada, Rossignol, and Dynastar have been moving their recommended mounting points more forward to account for this rearward shift in center of gravity. Old school skiers have quite a bit of trouble with this and find that they aren’t able to drive the tips like they’re used to doing. If you’re an old school skier with a new school pair of skis, consider mounting them 1 or 2 cm back from the recommended line.

Anotherr common occurrence in the shop is remounting a pair of skis. Often, there are issues with hole conflicts, and the mounting position must be adjusted forward or backward from the requested position. This isn’t a big deal, but here’s something to keep in mind. Mounting back means you’ll have more ski in front of you, which will give the ski more stability at speed but also make it a bit harder to maneuver. The opposite goes for mounting it forward.

Ideally, we could try several different mounting locations like our snowboarder friends, but unfortunately that isn’t the case with skis. When in doubt, default to the manufacturer recommended location. This recommendation is based on extensive testing and is designed to provide the best balance and performance for most skiers.

Until the next run, Happy Skiing!