How to Identify Cross Country Ski Bindings
Just as the nature of the sport itself is different than alpine skiing, so cross country ski bindings are different than traditional downhill bindings.
Cross country ski bindings are designed to benefit the techniques used in propelling yourself across (and sometimes uphill) in snowy environments. You use your lower body in a much different way when you are cross country skiing than when you are alpine skiing.
It is therefore of the utmost importance that you are using the correct equipment.
So, how to identify cross country skis?
Let’s assume that you are a beginner cross country skier and clueless about what to look for and buy. Below we will go over what exactly cross country ski bindings are and how they differ from alpine ski bindings.
By the end of this article, you will hopefully have all the information you need to go looking for the right cross country ski bindings for yourself, and make an informed decision.
First and foremost:
What Are Cross Country Ski Bindings?
To understand what cross country ski bindings are, you should first understand what bindings are in general.
Bindings, when used in different types of snow skiing, are the devices that affix your boots to the skis. In alpine skiing, the bindings connect your boots in a semi-permanent way, making them immobile on the skis until you release them using a lever.
On the other hand, cross country ski bindings only attach the front of your boot to the skis so that you can glide and skate along trails in a walking style.
Depending on which of the various techniques you use, the boots designed for cross country skis are generally much later and far more flexible than the hard shells used for alpine skiing. This allows you to have much more control of the stepping motion and skating movement of your skis.
The toe clips (cross country ski bindings) are usually mounted by screws to your skis. This is a similarity amongst all cross country ski bindings.
But not all of them are exactly the same.
There are three different groups of cross country ski bindings. In the next section, we will take a closer look at them.
Cross Country Ski Bindings: The Primary Groups
In accordance with the different styles of cross country skiing, and the variety of different boots you may use, there are a number of types of cross country ski bindings.
The three primary groups are:
- NNN (New Nordic Norm)
- SNS (Salomon Nordic System) Profil
- SNS Pilot
The NNN style of cross country ski bindings are made to fit boots created by Alpina Sports, Fischer, Madshus, and Rossignol. These bindings are different in that they have two long ridges that protrude from the ski that fit into corresponding slots in your boots.
The SNS Profil bindings were crafted to mate with Salomon, Adidas, Atomic, Botas, and Hartjes boots. These cross country ski bindings are mainly used for classic and skating techniques.
The SNS Pilot cross country ski bindings fit with Salomon, Adidas, Atomic, and Hartjes boots and are generally used by professional, collegiate, or world class skiers. They are also used for classic and skating techniques, though these bindings tend to cost a lot more than SNS Profil cross country ski bindings.
Now you know what to look for. As always, make sure you have plenty of questions to ask, and a professional ski equipment sales representative working with you that can answer them.
Happy hunting!
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