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Overrated/Underrated – Ski Bindings
Ski bindings are not only one of the most important parts of your gear, since they literally connect you to your skis, but they’re also some of the most controversial pieces of equipment on the market. People seem to designate themselves to different “camps”. Maybe you’re a Look gal, maybe Marker bindings are your go-to, or maybe Salomon holds a place in your heart that you just can’t fill with anything else.
Nonetheless, we need ski bindings, and many of the reasons we choose to like or dislike them aren’t based on any fact, just feelings. Piggybacking off of that notion, I’ve decided to talk about the most underrated bindings and the most overrated bindings to give some guidance on what works well for me, and what might work well for you.
Underrated
The Salomon STH Series
Salomon seems to get pushed by the wayside far too much when it comes to the “best binding” conversation. I’m not sure if that’s solely based on the way they look, and feel, or what it is about them, but something’s up. The driver toepiece on the STH has been a constant pillar of safety and durability for a very long time now. It allows for easy step-in, has a small mounting footprint that seals the toe directly to the ski, and comes in multiple different din options.
I’ve run this binding on a slew of different sticks over the years, and it not only releases when I need it to but offers a level of confidence in my gear that I’ve had a hard time finding anywhere else. It’s also fairly inexpensive compared to other “high-end” bindings on the market, with the 16-din version clocking in at just $319.
Mounting & tech-wise, it’s easy to adjust thanks to the oversized posi-drive screws for the din in the toe and the forward pressure & a simple flathead does the trick for the toe height and din in the rear. It also offers a very small mounting area for the toe, and a simple heel mounting track that is strong, but makes it easy to slide onto the track, unlike our “overrated” nominee.
It Skis well, is a good price, and is reliable as can be. What else do you want?
Overrated
The Marker Griffon
Full disclosure, I’ve never liked this binding. I don’t know if it’s because Marker has sold a million of them and the sheer number of these rolling out of a ski shop has made me jaded.
This binding transformed the new era of ski bindings and has been the number-one selling binding at ski shops across America for a long time now. It features a wide toe, an affordable price point, and a burly spring-loaded heel. All of this is nice, so why do I think it’s so overrated? First, overrated doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s a solid and safe binding option for the avid skier. It is however a perfect candidate for this category since everyone seems to think it’s oh-so-special.
The ease of mounting isn’t great. The toe poorly aligns often with the first point of contact with the ski, a small plastic piece that the actual toe slides into. The Anti Friction Device (AFD) adjustment screw often can’t find the hole it needs to slide into. You know what that “wrong hole” feeling is like, right? Additionally, the heel is aggravating as heck to slide onto the track. It takes some super-sayian type strength to get that thing on the first go.
It’s also chinsey, it’s covered in plastic that easily comes off, including the huge din windows. The brakes snapping off is a common occurrence, and I generally lean toward this binding just not being durable enough for the skier that’s using it in most cases.
Lastly, what is that AFD adjustment? It’s not good, almost as bad as the one on the Salomon shift, almost.
What do you think is the most overrated binding in skiing? Just an FYI, if your answer is the Look Pivot, you’re wrong.
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