Bindings are a critical device that allows you to attached your boots to your skis, and enable you to ski. They play a crucial role in the control of your skis, but also in safety as they are designed to release when high pressure is applied in certain situations, preventing serious injury.
They are personalised to each skier by something called a DIN setting. It is one of the most important safety devices in skiing, and it is important that it is set properly to ensure your safety, and that of others on the mountain.
You will most often encounter DIN settings in the rental shop at the start of your holiday, when you are asked for your height, weight, age and skiing ability; this is to allow the ski tech to appropriately set up and adjust the DIN setting on your bindings.
This piece will explore what DIN settings are, how they are adjusted, and how you can ensure that your DIN settings are appropriate. With all safety devices, if you are in any way uncertain about setting up or adjusting your DIN settings, speak to a professional.
What are DIN settings?
DIN is an acronym that stands for Deutsches Institüt for Normung (German Standards Institute), the national body in Germany that creates standard measurements and parameters to be applied across industries. The actual DIN standard has been replaced by various ISO – the international version of the Deitsches Institüt - and is divided across a couple of different classifications depending on whether your boots have grip walk, pin compatibility, or similar differences.
Fundamentally, however, it is a release mechanism for your bindings. It is an indicator of how tight your bindings are done up, which is done by tightening a spring in both the toe and heel piece of your binding. By tightening the spring, you increase the maximum pressure the binding piece can take before it releases, as well as how hard you can ski on them before them risk coming loose and your skis falling off.
Why do your bindings need to release?
Bindings release when excess pressure or pressure from an untoward angle as a serious safety measure.
Skis are big things. They don’t bend or flex, and as a result if you have a bad fall they can twist or get in the way, and put a lot of pressure on your ankles, legs and knees. This can lead to broken legs, ruptured ligaments, and dislocations.
Having that emergency release mechanism has saved countless, countless ACLs and leg bones. Having it set right is also critical. The flip side is having your skis stay on – a binding too loose risks your ski popping off and you losing control of it down the hill, or taking a nasty fall as you try and come to a stop whilst only having one ski on!
How do I set my bindings properly?
You can adjust bindings simply by tightening or loosening the coil in the front and rear bindings. Some bindings, especially those made by Tyrolia, also feature a third binding which controls side-to-side release.
The level of tightening is indicated via a little screen or line dial somewhere on the binding – usually on top of the toe piece, but can be hidden inside the framework for heel pieces. As you tighten or loosen the coil, the dial will indicate the level on a scale of between 1 and 14, depending on the binding. The lower the number, the looser the DIN setting; conversely, the higher the DIN setting, the tighter the binding.
How do I know what DIN number I should set my bindings to?
This is where the questions about height, weight and skiing ability come in. Bindings need to release when excess pressure is applied, so they are adjusted to take into account things that might change what “excess” might be.
Ski techs and rental shops use a chart that matches these measurements with the appropriate DIN setting, and will adjust these for your. You can see this chart in action – or find out your own DIN setting – here.
Why is age relevant? Well, one of the regulations in the ISO and DIN parameters is that ski techs must drop your DIN by one when you hit 55, in order to stay compatible with their liability within these regulations.
Do bindings cover all DIN settings?
No, modern bindings – especially hybrid bindings such as the Salomon SHIFT – are often sold in two or even three variants. Each variant will cover a range of DIN settings, so it is vital you get the right variant for you.
As an example, the Salomon S/Lab SHIFT 2 has two variants, the 10 and 13. The 10 covers a range from four to 10, whereas the 13 covers five to 13.
You should always aim to buy a binding that fits your DIN number somewhere in the middle. You should never, ever buy a binding that does not feature your DIN number; that is a fast track to disaster!
Are binding DIN settings the same between brands?
The short answer is “yes”! This is the purpose between the whole “DIN” and “ISO” nonsense – they are regulated internationally to be the same.
Final Thoughts
Bindings are a really important safety feature than release when excess pressure is applied, saving you from serious injury. You can easily find out your DIN setting – the number that defines how tight they are done up – and adjust your bindings yourself with a screwdriver, but if in doubt, take them to your rental shop or a ski tech.
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