The binding brakes are the prongs that line up with the sides of the ski when the bindings have been mounted. When you’re skiing, the brakes flip up and are out of the way. They are designed to flip down when the binding releases from your boot (such as in a fall), to drag into the snow so your skis don’t wind up sliding away from you (or get into another skiers way). You’ll also note that the brakes come in a variety of widths and you should select something that will be compatible with your ski’s waist width. This usually looks like about 15mm of play room with the brake width. For example, if your ski has a waist width of 90mm, a binding with a brake width of 90-105 mm should be suitable. If you select something too narrow, the brakes won’t clear the edges of the ski and therefore won’t deploy properly rendering them useless. If you pick something too wide, the brakes can get in the way, especially during quick turns on steep slopes.

As important as it is for your binding to release at the right moment, it’s equally important for it to hold you in when you need it to. This is precisely what the DIN setting will help the binding achieve based on a number of factors. DIN comes from Deutsche Industrie Norm, a set of German standards that has long been in place in the ski industry.

Your perfect DIN setting takes into consideration your height, age, weight, skier type/ability level and boot sole length. As you can imagine, the formula to get to that appropriate number can be quite complex. Your DIN should be calculated and set by a certified ski technician.

The lower the DIN, the less pressure it takes to release. Bindings come with a DIN range typically somewhere around 3-10 for intermediate skier and 6-14 for more advanced skier but ideally, you want your DIN to be closer to the middle of that range rather than at either end of its limits.

The toe and heel pieces make up the bulk of the binding. In the case of a fall, the toe piece releases sideways and sometimes upwards, while the heel piece releases multi-directionaly.

The Anti-Friction Device is a smooth piece that sits under your boot on the toe piece of the binding. The purpose of the AFD, which is sometimes a sliding piece, is to reduce friction in the event that your bindings release laterally.

❅Lifters
Designed primarily for racers and carvers, lifters are used to add a bit of height under the binding to help with edge hold.

❅Elastic Movement
Elastic Movement in a binding is used to reduce the likelihood of your binding releasing inadvertently. The elastic movement allows some vertical and lateral flexibility and also provides added shock absorption during landings. The range of elasticity varies from one model to the next.