Din Setting

[FrostedFlakes]

Whats good guys,

So I've been playing with din settings wondering what works best in powder conditions to avoid searching for my skis for 20 minutes...and It got me wondering what others do.

I don't want to just crank them down to 16 and risk the worst, so I want some help.

On hard pack I can usually get away with a setting of 10 and it doesn't premature eject 99% of the time. However, a 10 in deep powder and it will pop, comming off a cornice drop or jump 5-10% of the time. For now I have it set at an 11 and it seems to be working well, but I hope its not too high... I'm just trying to avoid the knee injury is all.

So my question is what do you guys typically do with ur dins ? Do you just crank em down or only do that in no fall zones ?

I'm 180 , 5'9" with a 305 sole. I'm recommended an 8 or 9 setting but that is just crazy to me. Typically I'm on marker bindings.

Thanks for any help.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Whats good guys,

So I've been playing with din settings wondering what works best in powder conditions to avoid searching for my skis for 20 minutes...and It got me wondering what others do.

I don't want to just crank them down to 16 and risk the worst, so I want some help.

On hard pack I can usually get away with a setting of 10 and it doesn't premature eject 99% of the time. However, a 10 in deep powder and it will pop, comming off a cornice drop or jump 5-10% of the time. For now I have it set at an 11 and it seems to be working well, but I hope its not too high... I'm just trying to avoid the knee injury is all.

So my question is what do you guys typically do with ur dins ? Do you just crank em down or only do that in no fall zones ?

I'm 180 , 5'9" with a 305 sole. I'm recommended an 8 or 9 setting but that is just crazy to me. Typically I'm on marker bindings.

Thanks for any help.

That might be a problem.

[Eluder]

First things first check the forward pressure and toe height, if you don't know how to do this its probably time to go the shop.

Is it your heal releasing or your toe? they don't need to be the same setting. If your double ejecting just bump the heals, if its your toes I would bump both.

[milestogo]

You may want to read this:
https://www.wildsnow.com/1428/ski-bi...-din-settings/

Interesting reading material, especially the common misconception that DIN has anything to do with ACL or other injuries. DIN setting is based on the mechanism for breaking bones, not tissue damage. If you are worried about losing your skis, you can always use powder cords which you can buy premade or just make your own.

[ex-powderbroker]

Or just use leashes, a bunch of manufacturers make them.

[skimaxpower]

Your bindings release for a reason - they are safety devices. Cranking them to 99 in order to prevent digging for lost skis will mean that you spend much more time looking for a good orthopedic surgeon.

Trial and error will help you get to a level where you say "I'm sure glad my skis popped off that time." Once you get there, stop tinkering.

If you are concerned about losing skis in deep powder, consider using a powder leash, or attaching a few yards of surveyors tape to your skis and stuffing it inside your pant leg. It's easier to find your ski if it has a giant orange ribbon attached to it.

[Lindahl]

I use B&D leashes. Super long when stretched (4') and coils to a foot or less. Worth a million times their weight in gold (since they weigh nothing). Even if you would find a ski without em, they'll still save you at least 5 minutes. I attach the cord to the back of the powerstrap attachment, and then clip the hook on and off my bindings (where depends on the binding). Reach back, grab the cord, find your ski. Takes 5 seconds and stomps all over traditional powder cords. I use a keyring for boot attachment. Makes it easy to remove for normal ski days but bomber when its on.

[XXX-er]

For AT frame bindings I run my heels 1 din higher in pow and on my tech binding 1 more DIN on the up/down retention

I took the brakes (next to fucking useless anyhow) off my verts and put the B & D leashes which save weight and work great

I'm gona put B & D leashes on my super wide pow ski so I don't have to crawl back up and find the ski

In a pinch you can buy a roll of survey flagging (good for flaggign trails) tie 10 ft of it to your binding and stuff the tape inside yer powder cuff, it will pay out when you fall

[FrostedFlakes]

thanks guys, much appriciate the input. I read the wildsnow link that ml242 posted and one of the posters there said this:

"On the first day of the season last year I was screwing around on a green run with some friends… fell… and my skis didn’t come off. I wasn’t hucking a cliff, I wasn’t throwing a rodeo 540, I was cruising a groomer. Major ACL/MCL Meniscus surgery followed. It may sound crazy, but after missing a powder year for the ages, I’m taking no chances. I plan on skiing with a screwdriver this year… and tailoring my DIN to the situation. There is NO reason to set your DIN above 9 (unless you’re a big guy) to ski groomers."

very interesting ...

[TAFKALVS]

On hard pack I can usually get away with a setting of 10 and it doesn't premature eject 99% of the time. However, a 10 in deep powder and it will pop, coming off a cornice drop or jump 5-10% of the time. For now I have it set at an 11 and it seems to be working well, but I hope its not too high... I'm just trying to avoid the knee injury is all.


Typically I'm on marker bindings.

Are you landing with a centered stance? I know that it's nice to blame equipment but it might be you?

This last weekend I had 2 releases. One was from hitting a buried log at high speed, and once from airing off the side of a run into a flat spot. 1 out of the 2 times I was really glad I released and other time, I landed too far forward and didn't want to release but did anyways. But I'm okay with it, because if I hadn't released from hitting the log, I might not be skiing anymore this season.

I am 5'10, 210lbs, 316bsl and run my din at 8.5. I might bump it up to 9 - 9.5 on a day with lots of hucks or gnarly terrain, but just think about that a little. We aren't pro skiers and unless you are skiing terrain that has exposure (where a release and the subsequent fall would be fatal) why not keep your legs intact?

[Cocximus]

Try to lie down and twist out of your binding. If I am tense I can get out of my bindings at din 9 with a reasonable amount of force. At 10 it starts getting painful. Now if I am not tense, it feels like my ligaments would tear even at din 5.

IMHO the marker shit talking is well founded. I popped out of them way more than any other brand. Their lower elastic travel needs a higher DIN to keep you in.

[rod9301]

I'm 188, 5'8, and run about 10 1/2 din.

I also think that icy moguls or not smooth ice is much worse than powder for bindings pre releasing.

And wide skis float more to the surface if you lose one.

Salomon and look have the highest elasticity. Imo.

[FrostedFlakes]

Are you landing with a centered stance? I know that it's nice to blame equipment but it might be you?

This last weekend I had 2 releases. One was from hitting a buried log at high speed, and once from airing off the side of a run into a flat spot. 1 out of the 2 times I was really glad I released and other time, I landed too far forward and didn't want to release but did anyways. But I'm okay with it, because if I hadn't released from hitting the log, I might not be skiing anymore this season.

Just think about that a little. We aren't pro skiers and unless you are skiing terrain that has exposure (where a release and the subsequent fall would be fatal) why not keep your legs intact?

So, I haven't skied yet this season because here in the east it's till summer time ..SMFH ..ughh ( going this weekend though to ski grass and patches of snow).

But, from two instances that I remember ( there's a couple more but i'm not writing a book) this is when they released. At this time I had the skis set to a 10 ( which I've had for years and has worked well).

1) Going from a groomer run to an ice/hard mogul run at a moderate speed, I cut over the first couple bumps without an issue a few hops and twists later the left binding released as I was bringing my legs back to the right.. this didn't seem like a-lot of pressure to me, maybe something hit weird since it was icy/hard east coast moguls. ( Rear Release)

2) At Telluride - Dropped into a bowl mid morning into fresh but heavy wet snow. The drop off the cornice was fine I did about 2 turns at a pretty high speed and as I dug in my third turn ( with probably with more pressure than I should have) my ski pops off and I cart-wheeled down 20 yards. ( Side Release).
This second Scenario had me searching for 15-20 minutes for one of my skis, it was exactly where I fell but I thought I had fallen lower (stupid I know)..

Anyway after scenario #2 I was pissed so since then I turned my powder skis (JJ's ) up to an 11. I haven't popped out since so I'm not sure if this setting is too high and I should go back down to a 10 which has worked for me over the years..

[Lindahl]

Not sure if this helps at all, but I usually need a DIN of around 12 in the heel to avoid coming out of the heel when landing big hucks into deep snow. The forward momentum of your body and sudden slowdown of your skis in deep snow generates a lot of force. Around 13 or so, I get strained calf muscles.

For the toes, I need about a 12 when really charging hard in firm conditions. I've had a pretty nasty prerelease at 10 where I hardpacked tomahawked about 500'. Could have been way worse. In powder, or when I'm just cruising around, I drop it down to 10.

5'10 175lbs in street clothes. Basically, I run 12/12 on hardpack charging skis and 10/12 for all other skis.

DIN and alpine bindings will never save an ACL or other twisting fall when your tail gets hung up. There's a blindspot behind the heelpiece of alpine bindings such that they won't release to spec if there's a lateral force applied there. Same goes for tech bindings that release from the heel - blindspot in front of the toe = tib/fib. Pick your poison. I'll pick lateral release at the toe all day long - lateral forces behind the heel can be easily avoided by getting the fuck outa the backseat. Supposedly the Knee Binding solves this by allowing lateral release in both toe and heel.

[TAFKALVS]

So, I haven't skied yet this season because here in the east it's till summer time ..SMFH ..ughh ( going this weekend though to ski grass and patches of snow).

But, from two instances that I remember ( there's a couple more but i'm not writing a book) this is when they released. At this time I had the skis set to a 10 ( which I've had for years and has worked well).

1) Going from a groomer run to an ice/hard mogul run at a moderate speed, I cut over the first couple bumps without an issue a few hops and twists later the left binding released as I was bringing my legs back to the right.. this didn't seem like a-lot of pressure to me, maybe something hit weird since it was icy/hard east coast moguls. ( Rear Release)

2) At Telluride - Dropped into a bowl mid morning into fresh but heavy wet snow. The drop off the cornice was fine I did about 2 turns at a pretty high speed and as I dug in my third turn ( with probably with more pressure than I should have) my ski pops off and I cart-wheeled down 20 yards. ( Side Release).
This second Scenario had me searching for 15-20 minutes for one of my skis, it was exactly where I fell but I thought I had fallen lower (stupid I know)..

Anyway after scenario #2 I was pissed so since then I turned my powder skis (JJ's ) up to an 11. I haven't popped out since so I'm not sure if this setting is too high and I should go back down to a 10 which has worked for me over the years..

I would say your problem is unrelated to your din setting.

It is a blend of being on a fairly soft ski, combined with a binding with extremely poor forward pressure and elasticity. In both situations your ski is rapidly flexing/cambering/decambering underfoot and causing your boot to fall out of alignment in the binding, (effectively lowering your din due to more leverage on the heel) then in turn causing you to release.

I would look at throwing those markers in the garbage and bumping up to the Look FKS or PX series of bindings or Salomon Driver/STH/STH2 series of bindings. Also, you might consider some skis that are stiffer underfoot. As a stop gap, make sure your bindings forward pressure settings are correct.

[FrostedFlakes]

I would say your problem is unrelated to your din setting.

It is a blend of being on a fairly soft ski, combined with a binding with extremely poor forward pressure and elasticity. In both situations your ski is rapidly flexing/cambering/decambering underfoot and causing your boot to fall out of alignment in the binding, (effectively lowering your din due to more leverage on the heel) then in turn causing you to release.

I would look at throwing those markers in the garbage and bumping up to the Look FKS or PX series of bindings or Salomon Driver/STH/STH2 series of bindings. Also, you might consider some skis that are stiffer underfoot. As a stop gap, make sure your bindings forward pressure settings are correct.

I have markers on both of skis. on my blizzard brahma's I have Jester Pro's and I haven't really had an issue here.
on my JJ's I have the basic Marker Jester since 2011 I think.. maybe I'll upgrade the JJ's

[TAFKALVS]

I have markers on both of skis. on my blizzard brahma's I have Jester Pro's and I haven't really had an issue here.
on my JJ's I have the basic Marker Jester since 2011 I think.. maybe I'll upgrade the JJ's

Jester pros have more elasticity if I remember correctly. Also your Bramhas are stiffer.

[FrostedFlakes]

Ill def look into upgrading these bindings then.. Maybe touring bondings and touring boots ? My son don't need diapers.. lol ..I love the JJ's so playful everywhere so I don't want a stiffer Ski.

[TAFKALVS]

Ill def look into upgrading these bindings then.. Maybe touring bondings and touring boots ? My son don't need diapers.. lol ..I love the JJ's so playful everywhere so I don't want a stiffer Ski.

touring gear is generally worse elastic travel, fyi.

[FrostedFlakes]

touring gear is generally worse elastic travel, fyi.

I Just can't win today.

Thanks for all the info man. Much appreciated

[Damian Sanders]

I get the following:

Level III: 9.5 DIN
Level III+: 11 DIN

Actual Setting: 13 Din

[FrostedFlakes]

I get the following:

Level III: 9.5 DIN
Level III+: 11 DIN

Actual Setting: 13 Din

What are your stats ?

[Damian Sanders]

What are your stats ?

It doesn't matter. I take my Level 3+ setting and add 20% (or two points). Have for years.

[Lindahl]

It doesn't matter. I take my Level 3+ setting and add 20% (or two points). Have for years.

Does that make you a Lvl IV skier then?

[Eluder]

Powder leashes? A bunch or geriatrics around here.

FrostedFlake- your din comes out to 8 at type III. SO III+ is 9.5 that being said your height docks you down one compared to your weight. If you were 5'11" 180lbs you would be 9.5 at type III and and 11 at III+. What I am getting is a din of 10 is not unreasonable don't let the nancy's scare you

Damien doesn't know how to use a din chart.