Ski Bindings - Downhill / Alpine, Alpine Touring / Randonee, Tele, Cross Country 3-Pin - What makes them different?By John Schaefer Ski Bindings come in a variety of forms and are designed for a variety of tasks. Understanding their basic design can go a long way to clarify which binding is right for your next ski adventure.
Downhill or Alpine Ski Bindings Ideal Use: Alpine bindings are great for ripping around a ski area. They are designed to be both reliable and durable for the day in, day out skiing at the resort.
Alpine Touring or Randonee Ski Bindings Ideal Use: Alpine Touring or Randonee Ski Bindings are ideal for short tours out of ski area boundaries, techniqual steep descents or ski mountaineering.
Tele Ski Bindings Ideal Use: Tele Bindings are ideal for long tours and powder skiing.
Cross Country 3-Pin Ski Bindings Ideal Use: Cross Country 3-Pin Ski Bindings are ideal for the laid back tour on either low angle terrain or flat groomed cross country ski trails.
Read about Ski Boots - Downhill / Alpine, Alpine Touring / Randonee, Tele, Cross Country 3-Pin Read about Skis - Downhill / Alpine, Alpine Touring / Randonee, Tele, Cross Country 3-Pin |
Downhill Ski Bindings are sturdy plastic and metal mechanical devices designed to retain a ski boot at both the heel and toe until a calculated amount of pressure is placed on either the heel or toe when falling. This pressure is referred to as a DIN setting and is determined by a skier's height, weight, and ability. Most alpine or downhill ski bindings have a DIN range from 0-12. 
Alpine Touring or Randonee Ski Bindings are very similar to Downhill or Alpine Bindings in that they are designed to retain the ski boot at both the heal and toe when skiing downhill then release at a DIN setting in a fall. The difference is that an Alpine Touring binding has the ability to release the heel and retain the toe of the boot to enable a skier to ascend in a cross-country manner. Their only real drawback is they don't tend to be as durable as Alpine Ski bindings. 
Tele Ski Bindings are quite different than either the Alpine or Randonee Bindings. They retain the toe and heel of the boot, but the binding only attaches to the ski at the toe leaving the heel free to lift during both downhill skiing and uphill accent. They typically have a plate that holds the toes and a bail that secures the heel. 
Cross Country 3-Pin Ski Bindings share some characteristics with Tele Bindings. Like Tele Bindings they attach the ski boot to the binding at the toe only and have no DIN. They are essentially a plate with three pin's or posts that align and help to secure the boot to the binding. After a boot is placed over the pins a clamp or tongue is fastened on top of the boot tongue. 
