To ensure that “man and machine” – that is, athletes and equipment – are the perfect team on the slopes, in the park or backcountry, carefully maintained equipment is the best prerequisite for an accident-free and successful winter season.

© HEAD / Max Dräger

The maintenance requirements of the most important but most inconspicuous piece of equipment are often underestimated: the ski binding. The world's leading binding manufacturer TYROLIA provides tips for the optimal binding check.

HIGH-TECH TOOL WITH SERVICE NEEDS
Modern ski bindings are highly technical tools - not just in the racing and athletics sector - that serve highly complex, diverse requirements. A binding from the TYROLIA factory in Schwechat, which is one in three ski bindings sold internationally, consists of around 190 to almost 200 individual parts. All of them are perfectly coordinated to connect the skier and the sports equipment perfectly and safely. At the start of the season, correct maintenance and professional care of the high-tech product binding and the correct binding adjustment are therefore particularly important.

THE PERFECT CONNECTION
Even if the ski binding in the set is often given less interest: "The ski binding is the link between 'man and machine' and is crucial for safety and performance in the snow," says Horst Tschida, Director Global Sales & Marketing Alpine Ski Bindings HEAD/TYROLIA. However, the most innovative safety binding - such as the PROTECTOR series equipped with Full Heel Release technology, which can greatly reduce the risk of injury with the combination of horizontal and vertical heel release - can only make limited use of its high-tech functionality without professional maintenance. A timely, professional binding check at the sporting goods retailer is therefore a must at the start of the season.

The Protector binding protects against injuries thanks to the Full-Heel-Release technology I © HEAD

JUST NO FEAR OF COMMITMENT
For those who do not want to have any fear of commitment, careful service and regular care of the high-tech product ski binding and the
Correct binding adjustment is therefore essential. By taking the following tips into account, nothing will stand in the way of an untroubled winter on the slopes and you will be well prepared for a successful ski season with lots of fun in the snow.

CHECKLIST for a safe start to winter fun

  1. Store safely, ski better! The ski set should be stored with the bindings closed in a dry room. This way the release spring is relaxed and has not been stressed.
  2. Get rid of the dirt! Cleaning with a mild water and soap solution removes old dirt from the contact surfaces between the ski boot and the ski binding. Also look for worn areas on the top and bottom of the ski boot soles. You can change the release values of the binding.
  3. Are all parts present? Carefully check that all parts of the binding - screws, scale windows, etc. - are present and undamaged. Your sporting goods retailer will professionally replace any missing or damaged parts.
  4. A matter of adjustment! Bindings should not only be serviced before each season, but their adjustment should also be checked again and again. The perfect coordination of various factors such as skiing ability, age, weight, shoe and body size defines the individual adjustment and is essential for the optimal functioning of the ski binding and for it to release at the right time.
  5. Stop for a check! It is often not enough to have the binding settings professionally checked at the start of the season in a sports shop. It is better to go there several times during the season. Especially with children, for whom every safety risk counts twice, anatomy, weight and skiing ability can change significantly in a season. So it is better to have the dealer check more often whether the settings are still up to date. This is especially true if several children use the equipment.
  6. If you don't have a loose screw, you're avoiding risk. Before every day of skiing, check that all screws are tightened properly. And never set off with any screws missing.
  7. Booming rental business - more risk factors! When renting skis, you should pay close attention not only to the correct binding setting but also to the quality and condition of the rest of the equipment. Basically, all ski bindings available in stores and rental shops must meet strict safety requirements. However, there are differences in the additional safety features depending on the manufacturer.