Different DIN Settings for toe and heel?

**nicolaib211v** · 01-15-2011, 07:36 PM

So as I was getting my skis mounted, they asked what I'd like my DIN's set at. I told them, but I also noticed that on the sheet there was a separate spaces for the toe and heel settings.

To be honest, I'd never really thought about it before, but would there be a reason to have a different setting on your toe and heel? Does anyone do this?

**bushman** · 01-15-2011, 07:38 PM

If you throw a lot of front flips and few360's than yes.

**Caucasian Asian** · 01-15-2011, 07:54 PM

I ski with my toes at 11, and my heels at 12.

At 11, I find I fall forward out of my skis. With my bindings at 13, I blew my knee.

**toast2266** · 01-15-2011, 08:01 PM

This has been discussed (search), but to answer your question, I'm with CA - higher in the heels. Going over the handlebars doesn't scare me as much as weird twisting falls.

**whyturn** · 01-15-2011, 09:25 PM

Heels on fks need to be set higher
One din variation is normal based on materials fo other clamps

**XXX-er** · 01-16-2011, 09:46 AM

on my fr+ I go 1 din higher on the heel OR I pre-release a LOT

**gregL** · 01-16-2011, 02:01 PM

Yes, 1 DIN number higher for forward release than lateral (if I can). I used to go +2 when I was younger and before I blew my Achilles.

**skimaxpower** · 01-17-2011, 04:47 AM

Note to OP: It's ok to ask your shop this question too.

**Erljac** · 01-17-2011, 05:15 AM

My shop tech told me I was stupid to have i higher din at the back, but I prereleased a perfect landing at a 8 feet drop after he had set the bindings, so he cant know much.

**jerr** · 01-17-2011, 05:49 AM

I used to do this. But then it occurred to me - do I really think binding engineers haven't thought about the disparity between toe and heal release? After all, the toe and heal work together in a lot of release instances. I've decided to let them work together for now.

I'd be interested to know of any instances where there's a measured and proven advantage to displacing binding settings. I have an open mind to being wrong here.

**Shepherd Wong** · 01-17-2011, 08:46 AM

I used to always do this too, and ski FKS and pivot bindings. But for the last year or two I have been putting them the same(turned the heel down to match the toe) and haven't noticed any difference.

**XXX-er** · 01-17-2011, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by jerr

I used to do this. But then it occurred to me - do I really think binding engineers haven't thought about the disparity between toe and heal release? After all, the toe and heal work together in a lot of release instances. I've decided to let them work together for now.

I'd be interested to know of any instances where there's a measured and proven advantage to displacing binding settings. I have an open mind to being wrong here.

well IMO with a FR+ there is a rubber sole which can compress and then release energy on the rebound,also an AT boot heel is very thick for the binding to remain clamped on compared to DIN so for these reasons I will bump it up 1 din ... which seems to be enough for me

I don't do it with alpine setups

I have done my own teching for the last 20yrs ,worked OK except for the broken TIB/FIB on tele's ... which wasnt going to release anyway

**nickwm21** · 01-17-2011, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by gregL

I used to go +2 when I was younger and before I blew my Achilles.

I wonder......

**EC_tech** · 01-17-2011, 02:55 PM

it also can be different if they test differently in the release check. Rossi/look/dynastar bindings tend to test one higher in the heel

**bornincolorado** · 01-17-2011, 03:08 PM

i noticed that the heals on my dukes and jesters tend to release easier than my looks or salomons, so i set them higher. (8 toe, 11 heal, 200lb, 324bsl) I think I said this before in another similar thread.

**glademaster** · 01-17-2011, 04:08 PM

I used to run my toes at 8 and my heels at 10, but last year I decided to stop and set them at 9 all around. If anything I might bump the toes down to an 8 again but we'll see. For the record I'm about 5'8'' 170 pounds, have a 317mm BSL and ski with Dukes.

**old goat** · 01-17-2011, 07:33 PM

It's interesting that a shop in Canada will let you pick your own DIN settings--I sure haven't found that here in lawyer-land (CA)--I've been 49 years old for 11 years now--otherwise I couldn't make it off a chair lift without releasing.

**twat** · 01-21-2011, 07:15 AM

our young trainee sad, (awesome freeskier)

the springs in the heels are way bigger. than in the front. so the force that opens a heel is way higher than in the front.
you can try this with your boots in the binding. hit the front of the boot sideways and it moves or pops out. try the same with the heel. hit the spoiler of the boot or try to pull it out.
so we think the newton meter for front and rear is different on the same setting.

and by the way. the proper adjustment of a binding is with an automat.
rubber soles and scratched soles etc. will change the momentum.
on used bindings the spring strength can vary. also production failures/varies.

http://www.wintersteiger.com/us/Spor...85-Drivetronic

**telkwa** · 01-21-2011, 08:32 PM

Until I started throwing 720s on my old straight 200s (in the late 90s), I ran higher in the back binding, but I was getting occasional releases in the front binder when spinning 7s, so I had to turn them up to match the rear. I actually managed to stick one with only one ski

.

Now I don't do much of that anymore and I just run both the same.

**mammoth guy** · 01-21-2011, 09:59 PM

there is a ratio of the tension on the toe spring to that on the hell spring, i dont recall what exactly it is. but bindings are designed to have heels and toes set at the same din setting. one of the biggest things if you are coming out of the heel is to check your forward pressure. doesnt matter what you crank the heels up to if you dont have enough forward pressure you will pop out.

**Jethro** · 01-21-2011, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by nordekette

our young trainee sad, (awesome freeskier)

the springs in the heels are way bigger. than in the front. so the force that opens a heel is way higher than in the front.

You need to consider the length of the foot. The longer the person's foot, the greater the torque.

**twat** · 01-22-2011, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by Jethro

You need to consider the length of the foot. The longer the person's foot, the greater the torque.

if u see the old binding setting lists, the 2 main points was sole length and weight. skiing level 1/2/3 thats it.

i got caught with a covered dwarf pine and toe released. last week. stupid snowhole in a turn, full speed, ski stuck, heel released. double front loop.

in both cases i was happy that the binding released.

but in the park the bros crank the bindings up to the max.
i pulled a ski of my foot when doing a 'cross grab'.

**twat** · 01-22-2011, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by mammoth guy

there is a ratio of the tension on the toe spring to that on the hell spring, i dont recall what exactly it is. but bindings are designed to have heels and toes set at the same din setting. one of the biggest things if you are coming out of the heel is to check your forward pressure. doesnt matter what you crank the heels up to if you dont have enough forward pressure you will pop out.

agree here too, compacting pressure is as important as din setting.
sure if somebody is thinking of his ligament or achilles tendon, or friction of soles etc. this is not standard for 93% of skiers/freeskiers.

**Wolfmansbro** · 02-27-2012, 06:17 PM

bump for a question.
I'm coming off of a ACL repair and terrified of another backwards twisting fall. But I charge hard in the chunder and hate when my heels pre-release if my weight gets thrown forward for an instant.
Any advise on say, setting your toe very low on the New ACL leg (left leg). but keeping the din on your normal setting with the the left heel and your right ski? and yes I would have to be careful keeping a left ski and a right ski.

Basically I'm trying to avoid A) falling backwards and creating the "phantom foot" by having a high din setting and creating a twisting fall.
and B) I don't want my ski falling off my right leg (good knee) which would result in a potentially dangerous situation of having to stop or fall on the new knee (left leg) with only one ski on.

And yes I realize that most of this is in my head

**herr_stoiber** · 02-28-2012, 10:46 AM

if you ski off-piste especially if you ski extreme big mountain, have a racing background and work as a dentist as everyone here on this forum... yes it totally makes sense to have different settings in the back and the front.

for me the heel needs to be set higher than the recommendation so I don't lose my skis when the snow quality suddenly changes, on hitting bumps at higher speeds or when jumping down from something. but I'd never turn the toe much higher because I'd really like to keep my knees intact. as far as I have been able to notice, unwanted releases at the toe hardly happen, except e.g. maybe when skiing slow, tight & steep chutes with heavy wet snow and some bad form of rotation (fatigue, bad technique, whatever).

in terms of saving your knee from another injury, this sounds like a totally plausible plan.