Getting in and out of Bindings

There are different instructions how to get in and out of bindings. The way hereafter described go for the most spread two strip bindings, suits for almost every situation and complies with the safety rules on slopes. Getting in and out of bindings is the source of the highest risk of board escape, especially if the safety leash is not used, therefore we start and finish this procedure having our board on the slope above our position – this is the most important safety requirement.

Getting into Bindings

  1. Standing firmly on the back leg face uphill, we put the board horizontally with its toe edge onto the surface and with its heel edge onto the tip of our back foot so that the front binding is partially over our back foot. This is the most stable position for getting into binding of the front foot. If the slope is not too steep, we can alternatively put the board horizontally flat onto the surface and step by the tip of our back foot over the heel edge of board next to the front binding. The choice between one of the above modes in different conditions is a matter of stability and convenience and becomes subconscious after gaining some experience.
  2. We place binding strips so that they are not in the way of inserted foot. The best position for back straps is behind the high-back. We grasp the high-back of the back binding by our back hand, stabilizing this way the board and ourselves while inserting our foot into the binding.
  3. We shift all our weight to our back leg and insert our front foot into the binding so, that the heel part of boot pushes somewhere into the middle of high-back while the tip of boot pushes onto the base of binding. Now we press the foot down into the binding. This way we easily get the heel close to the high-back. It can be difficult to get this, if we first place the boot by the whole sole on the base of the binding and then try to shift it back to the high-back.
  4. We buckle and tighten the back strap first and then the front strap. The front leg is now attached to the board.
  5. Now we turn our body and board by 180 degree, so that we finish face downhill. We do this turn having full weight on the back (free) leg, hopping on this free leg and simultaneously turning the board into the new position. We start turning the board with the longer part downhill using this way the help of the gravity. The turn is finished when the board is horizontally. This turn can be done by one fluent movement after some practice.
  6. We can fasten our back foot either sitting on the slope or standing over the board, placing the foot and buckling straps similar way as with front foot. If we want to do it standing, we first make the horizontal platform for the board repeatedly kicking the board by front leg into snow and simultaneously moving the board tip-way. This tip-way movement is important for creating the platform under the whole board, because only front part of board digs the platform. We check the platform quality placing back foot on the board close to the back binding and fully weighting down the board. We appreciate this standing position particularly in wet conditions.

Getting out of Bindings

  1. Standing face uphill having the board horizontally on the toe edge, we lean against the slope using front hand as a support. We unbuckle straps on the back binding and remove our back foot out of the binding.
  2. We place our back foot under the board and stand firmly.
  3. Keeping the board on the slope over our body, we unbuckle front binding and remove our front foot out of the binding.
  4. We pick up the board and place it base up horizontally onto the slope with high-backs pointing downhill and stuck a little into the snow if possible.