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Winter Frequently Asked Questions
My old bindings had three pins; are today’s bindings better? What is available?
In a word, yes. But you knew we were going to say that. First, an appropriate adage: "The good thing about standards is that we have so many of them." Let’s take a quick look at bindings both modern and past:
75mm Nordic Norm: The original cross-country bindings and the old Nordic Norm. A 75mm duckbilled sole interfaces with three pins on the binding plate and is clamped in place by a bail. This is the most common type of binding to find on skis that are older than 1990. The thickness of the sole is much less than that of the new 75mm backcountry standard, but Alpina Sports continues to make one compatible boot for those who don’t want to give up beloved skis. This system has been almost entirely replaced by the New Nordic Norm or Salomon Nordic System boot/binding configurations.
75mm NN Backcountry: The same interface and 3-pin system as above but with a thicker, sturdier sole. These bindings are used today not for casusal touring but for downhill performance and stability on backcountry nordic and telemark skis. High-cuffed synthetic, natural leather or plastic telemark boots are most commonly paired with the system. Telemark skis have been using this system for a long time, but have since switched to cable and plate bindings (see below). These 75mm bindings are commonly paired with the heavier-duty Rugged Touring skis for optimum downhill turning performance.
Cable Bindings: These have become the norm for today’s Telemark skiers. Spring-loaded cartridges attached to a cable pull the boot forward snugly into the toe-piece; though the boots still use the 75mm sole, the cable makes the three pin system unnecessary for boot retention. The cable system affords Tele skiers more control and power (read: easier turns) on increasingly wider skis.
New Nordic Norm: Developed in 1985 by a company called Rottefella, this system utilizes a single rod mounted horizontally in the boot sole behind the toes and two narrow ridges running parallel along the binding plate. There are actually (sigh) two verisons of the NNN system, but luckily NNN I is almost entirely obsolete. Boots from NNN I had the rod mounted out in front of the toes, but Rottefella updated the system in 1990 as the current New Nordic Norm II with a more natural pivot point and a more prominent ridge interface with the boot heel. Naturally there are compatibility problems between these two systems. All present-day boots using the NNN (or “triple N”) system are using version II.
Salomon Nordic System: Salomon’s proprietary design and incompatible with the NNN system. Very similar to the above except the rod is a little further out in front of the toe and the binding heel plates have one wide ridge instead of two narrow ones. Salomon and Fischer make SNS-compatible boots.
Salomon SNS-Pilot: A skating-specific binding design. Compatible boot soles have an additional pin (for a total of two!) under the toe that interfaces with a return spring on the binding. Since the ski remains closer to your foot, you have better power transmission during the kick phase and more control while gliding.
SNS-BC / NNN-BC: Both Salomon and Rotefella produce bindings that accept bigger and stiffer backcountry-oriented boots with thicker rods in the sole for better downhill control without compromising kick and glide. The bindings also feature thicker, more prominent ridges and wider binding plates. Traditional NNN or SNS boots will not fit into these bindings; only boots with the NNN-BC or SNS-BC sole are compatible. These are best matched with wider nordic skis designed for out-of-track skiing and exploring, where ease of touring is emphaized over downhill performance.
Modern NNN or SNS bindings, often called "system bindings", have three distinct advantages over traditional 3-pin systems when it comes to touring performance. System bindings pivot at the rod. This reduces the resistance to touring that is found in 75mm in which the user is required to flex the entire sole and makes for more enjoyable striding and gliding. They also have ridges that interface with the boot sole, offering excellent stability when both heels are resting on the bindings (as in a descent). Lastly, they are much easier to get in and out of. Point your toe and step in to the auto-entry versions until it clicks. Press the release button with a ski pole to disengage. Both systems are offered in manual entry models as well, which provides a more positive engagement and may be appropriate for usage where more stability is desired.
