DIN Settings for trips out West?

[jaywbigred]

Do you guys crank up when heading out west for steeper and deeper terrain?

I'm 5' 11" and 170-175 lbs, just turned 30 y/o, and consider myself an aggressive skier. I've had pre-release issues as a teen and banged up my knee pretty good (not a tear or strain, a bruise...skiing bumps, ski pre-released and I fell such that my knee directly landed on the heal piece of the released ski).

I believe my Public Enemies (which are mounted w/ Salomon demo bindings :angry: which I stupidly didn't even NOTICE when I bought them used, in December...I was 3 beers deep and it was 11 p.m.) are set at 9 front and back. They only go up to 10!

1) Should I crank them up to 10 for Jackson Hole?
2) Should I do it myself or should I pay to have a shop do it? Is there anything to think about other than liability issues?
3) Should I rent skis out there?
4) Should I consider buying new bindings, having the old bindings removed and the holes epoxy'd, and mounting the new ones? This seems like overkill and paying for it would def. turn the good deal I got into a much more mediocre deal.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm 5'9, 195. I haven't felt the need to have mine cranked higher than 9 or 10 in a long time. Unless you're hucking large and landing hard, I wouldn't think you'd have an issue.

 

[snowmonster]

Do you pre-release now? If not, you're probably good. If you plan to huck and get some air, you may consider bumping it up by .5 but not more unless you pre-release in JH so bump it up another .5. I get very wary when a binding is at the limit of its settings and, besides, you still want them to release when you take a beater. A shop will only adjust your bindings to match the recommended din settings for your height, weight and ability (you can tell them that you're a type 3 plus skier). If you want a higher din than that, you are on your own. I'm 5'6', 165 and my bindings are set at 9.5. No pre-release issues (yet) but they've come off when I needed them most.

Consider renting out there. The PE's are a good ski but you may want to experiment with fatter, reverse camber skis.

 

[Beetlenut]

1) Should I crank them up to 10 for Jackson Hole?

You should crank them up to 11! ("It's one louder") :-D

 

[jaywbigred]

Do you pre-release now? If not, you're probably good. If you plan to huck and get some air, you may consider bumping it up by .5 but not more unless you pre-release in JH so bump it up another .5. I get very wary when a binding is at the limit of its settings and, besides, you still want them to release when you take a beater. A shop will only adjust your bindings to match the recommended din settings for your height, weight and ability (you can tell them that you're a type 3 plus skier). If you want a higher din than that, you are on your own. I'm 5'6', 165 and my bindings are set at 9.5. No pre-release issues (yet) but they've come off when I needed them most.

Consider renting out there. The PE's are a good ski but you may want to experiment with fatter, reverse camber skis.

I don't think we are going to do any serious hucking, but maybe some 5-10 foot stuff. Nothing I would call pre-release, but they have come off a couple times with what I would call "some" ease. But they were on falls where even if the DIN was higher, they may have come off anyway...

 

[Hawkshot99]

Knee injuries suck. Cranking the bindings only make them happen easier.

1) Should I crank them up to 10 for Jackson Hole?

Setting a binding at its max setting will make the ski release easier than if it was set slightly lower. There will be too much tension on the spring.

2) Should I do it myself or should I pay to have a shop do it? Is there anything to think about other than liability issues?

As a shop tech, I dont care what a person asks me to set the DIN for, I set it based on what the chart tells me is the correct DIN. If it changes once it walks out the door, so be it.

3) Should I rent skis out there?

This would be the best bet I believe. You can have the right style of ski for the day.

4) Should I consider buying new bindings, having the old bindings removed and the holes epoxy'd, and mounting the new ones? This seems like overkill and paying for it would def. turn the good deal I got into a much more mediocre deal.

Even if you get new bindings I wouldnt go and crank them up higher.

 

[Puck it]

Nine is fine.

 

[jaywbigred]

I pre-released once on the trip, came out sideways at the toe on my right foot as I was transitioning out of a left hand turn and into a right hand turn on Coombs at JHMR. Luckily for me it wasn't the scariest run we skied and it was slushy (which I think added to the pre-release), but I had to climb a-ways to get retrieve the ski (with the heal binding still click in the up position), and then do my best self-arrest/slide to the nearest little "flattish" area to put it back on. Glad this happened where it did, and not on Tower 3 Chute or Central Chute or somewhere like that.

 

[billski]

I'm getting close to twice your age so take my $0.02 for what it's worth

I like renting demos (that's my Vail plans this month) when I'm out there. I go to a good shop and find the guys who've been out skiing the day before and ask them for recommendations. It's always worked out. Just remember, if they recommend a fat ski and you've never been on fat before you could have some learning to do...

Second, I find traveling with my skis to be a major PITA. I always bring my boots though.

Don't lose focus on why we have DIN in the first place - to prevent injury. I know from experience about what setting above which will cause me harm (the pain and suffering factor.) As I've gotten older, I've dialed it down, but you have to be in tune with yourself. If you've released from a 9 and not experienced pain, I'd keep it there. Remember, you may have to re-dial after you leave the shop because they may be bound to set it by the book, so pack a screwdriver. At my old fart age, I'm much more mellow a skier and I set mine to 7 or 8.

It seems your focus is on pre-release issues. Scope out the snow conditions first - are you dealing with blower powder, Sierra Cement, groomers, bumps or what. Then look at how aggressive you ski - do you pound and bang (hey, I'm talking about skiing now!) you way or are you a powder glider?

Don't forget that a super steep on 18" of pow is going to ski much slower than a groomer. If you rent and don't like the skis you can change out and get something more comfortable.

Being the cheap guy that I am, don't forget if you are going to rent to reserve online first. Many shops will offer you a pretty good discount, which translates into more beer

Most of my pre releases had more to do with clicking in without clearing all the snow first.

 

[WoodCore]

DIN of 9 is fine. Just make sure you check the forward pressure. 9 times out of 10 a prerelease is caused by an incorrect FP setting rather than the DIN. Just my 2 cents.

 

[jrmagic]

^^ What DIN setting did you go with?
I keep mine anywhere between 9 and 10 and havent had pre release issues skiing hard and I am 6' and almost 240. If it only happened to you onece so be it but if it happens again I woudl bring it to a shop and have them lokoed at to make sure the springs are performing properly.

 

[riverc0il]

Why would you jack up DIN settings for steeper and deeper??? The only reason I can think of jacking up a DIN setting would be if the terrain is so crazy that you will not be able to recover a ski if it pops off and navigating down an extremely steep slope with only one ski would be very dangerous. I ski the same DIN on 40* as I do on 20* and I ski the same DIN on hard pack as I do in two feet of fresh.

If your current DIN is 9 and your bindings only go up to 10, you should get bindings with a higher DIN range. You never want your DIN topping out or coming close to topping out. Most expert bindings start at DIN 12 and go up from there. And if you are at DIN 9 and pre-releasing, your DIN is not to blame but rather the bindings. I am 220lbs 6'1" and I put III+ on the release forms and have my DINs at 8 and never pre-release.

 

[snowmonster]

I am 220lbs 6'1" and I put III+ on the release forms and have my DINs at 8 and never pre-release.

Gotta love how din charts work: I'm 5'6", 165 lbs, put III+ and the shop set my dins at 9.5. No pre-releases (yet) and they've popped off when needed.

 

[drjeff]

Why would you jack up DIN settings for steeper and deeper??? The only reason I can think of jacking up a DIN setting would be if the terrain is so crazy that you will not be able to recover a ski if it pops off and navigating down an extremely steep slope with only one ski would be very dangerous. I ski the same DIN on 40* as I do on 20* and I ski the same DIN on hard pack as I do in two feet of fresh.

If your current DIN is 9 and your bindings only go up to 10, you should get bindings with a higher DIN range. You never want your DIN topping out or coming close to topping out. Most expert bindings start at DIN 12 and go up from there. And if you are at DIN 9 and pre-releasing, your DIN is not to blame but rather the bindings. I am 220lbs 6'1" and I put III+ on the release forms and have my DINs at 8 and never pre-release.

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What Riv said! Aside from the caught on film pre-release in my Deer Valley TR from yesterday when I stuffed my right tip into the low front side of a powder bump, I haven't pre released with standard shop set DIN's on my bindings in about 5 years

 

[deadheadskier]

Gotta love how din charts work: I'm 5'6", 165 lbs, put III+ and the shop set my dins at 9.5. No pre-releases (yet) and they've popped off when needed.

Interesting. I'm 5'9", 195 III+ and they set mine at 8.

maybe I look like a gaper

 

[Hawkshot99]

You guys listing you height, weight and dins are all forgeting that your boot sole length plays a big role in setting them as well.

 

[snowmonster]

^ Good info, hawkshot. I didn't think the BSL mattered for din settings. FWIW, I have a 307 BSL.

 

[deadheadskier]

Interesting. I have a 306. Maybe my shop goes a bit more conservative than snowmonsters? Seems odd that I'm 30 pounds heavier, in the same III+ skier type, yet I'm set to an 8 instead of the 9.5.

 

[snowmonster]

^ I doubt that my shop is less conservative than yours. Last binding check I did was that hotbed of gnarly skiing -- the late, great SkiMarket. Perhaps it's because I have Marker bindings and they had a reputation for pre-releasing. Of course, I'm speculating here.

 

[deadheadskier]

who knows

have to sets of Rossi's, on set of Marker Dukes; all set at 8, but all done by the same shop.