How to put on and take off skis

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How to Ski

How to put on and take off skis

Publication Date：2017/11/01

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beginner

This article has been published more than a year ago and may differ from the actual information

Boots and bindings transfer your body movement to the skis. If the boots and bindings are not properly set, they can pose great danger by coming off while you're skiing. Remember how to put them on correctly to enjoy safe skiing.

Before putting on skis

If you have snow on the soles of your boots, they won't sit properly on the bindings. Make sure to scrape the snow off the soles beforehand by using your poles.

If the snow on the soles of your boots is too hard to scrape off with poles, remove it by banging the backs of your boots against the bindings. If there is any snow left on the soles, there will be gaps between the boots and bindings, preventing the boots from sitting properly in place. Take care to thoroughly remove the snow.

How to put on the skis

Before putting on the skis, check the metal component at the back of the binding. If the part that your heel goes into is facing upward (if the metal tab pointing to the tail of the ski angles downward), you can put the ski on. Use your pole to scrape away any snow on the binding.

Put the protrusion on the toe of your boots into the front part of the binding. You can use the poles for support.

Put your heel into the rear binding, step on it, and when it clicks, you are good to go. If the binding is properly in place, the fastening part of the heel will be down as photographed, and the rear metal tab will jump up.

You cannot put on the ski when the binding is like this

When you put on the ski, make sure to check the rear part of the binding. If the part that fastens your heel is down and the rear metal tab is up, you can't attach the boot to the ski. Push the metal tab down with a pole or hand to open the space for your heel and then place your boot onto the binding.

When you put your boot onto the ski, if you don't step down on your heel properly, the heel part won't click down and lock into place, and the boot will be lifted up, as the photo shows. When this happens, your ski will come off easily with a little movement because the boot isn't properly affixed to the ski. It's dangerous if this happens when you're on a lift or skiing, so when you put the ski on, be sure to check that your rear binding is properly fastened.

How to take off the skis

When you take off the skis, push the rear binding down with a pole. If that's difficult, crouch down to push it down with your hand.

When the heel part of the binding rotates up, lift your heel upward. As you lift your boot upward, the ski will come off.

Release value

Bindings have a "release value," which indicates how easily the boot will release from the binding. The lower the number the easier the release, meaning the ski will come off more easily. Skis for beginners are set for a low release value, which reduces the risk of injury when they fall.

Only people with professional knowledge can set the release value. If you're renting skis, the staff at the rental store will adjust the release value to fit your skill level. If you're buying your own skis, ask the staff to adjust the release value.