J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Herr Rommel

Many thanks for this input it is really useful to me. On the subject of Knee-Bindings do you have any knowledge on these? Form the links I have just seen …… I want them, to not have them given what I have been through would just be pure stupidity as I can't afford the same again as there are no spare parts from me left to use and I would need to resort to bits from cadavers which I would like to stay well away from!
I am going to email the ski hire shop to see if they do Knee Bindings but does anyone know if:
Knee bindings are readily available in Europe?
How universal are the Knee bindings? Ie are they ski manufacturer specific?

Thanks for the feedback Trencher. I think I will probably flick the switch to Soft on the presumption that I will get more flex overall and can work on things and move my technique forward. Thanks again.

Thanks for the input. Sorry for jumping on your thread Iceman. Although I am clocking up the years, Forums are pretty new to me. I wasn't sure how I would get my question noticed and also how I would recieve notification when soemone responds to a question that I have. Is it protocol to just add to an existing thread and keep an eye on it? Apologies once again.

Sorry posted in the wrong area ... not sure how to move it to 'Ski Technique', apologies

Hello picking up on the previous topic on this (Ice Man 15/12/2011) from the feedback I understand that basically if you want to go fast the best thing for stability is to make your skies edge.

Someone told me never run your skies flat at 'speed' this was a long time ago and I interpreted this in my own very likely misguided way. I don't go massively fast but what I have been and still do is widen my stance slightly, a bit wider than shoulder width and then edge both the left and right ski inside edges by kind of pulling both of my knees in very slightly. This probably sounds strange and I guess probably looks even stranger and I guess from reading the thread is NOT the thing to be doing at all.

Can someone confirm that what I am actually doing is not right and that what I should be doing is edging the skies slightly as would be done in a carved turn ie an inside and an outside edge very slightly? But I guess if I do this I will slowly drift across the fall line and there will come a point when I will need to swap the edges to track/drift back the other way into the fall line and so forth. Is this right? If so it's a mind thing for me as I have always been a bit of a point your skis downhill, widen your stance, squat down a bit and hang on kind of guy! Is what I am currently doing just stupid and dangerous?

I know that this is to do with the flex of the boot (I think) but I have never really understood what this is about, quite possibly an indicator of my skiing ability. I am currently a piste skier and when I have flicked between the two settings I have not really been able to feel any tremendous difference which I guess is because I am not yet at the skill level necessary to appreciate what to me seems to be a subtle hardly noticeable change.

My boots are 'Nordica 110 Speed Machine'. Mmm yes I am laughing at that as well. I picked the boots because they were the best fit for me, I was looking for a boot that would potentially help progress me and take me to the 'next level' and believe this is the one for me. .... or at least that's what I was told! Well they are certainly better than the sloppy 9 year old Salmons I previously had.

Is there a general rule for the type of skiing / terrain you are on which determines whether to flick to Hard or Soft? What would you suggest for powder? Thank you.

Further to the 'Ski Web Leashes' topic, is there any reason why you couldn't have the end of the ski ribbon actually tied to your boot? Or is this a Safety Issue of some sort?

I only say this as the web link posted in response to 'Ski Web Leashes' linking to 'edgeandwax' has boot leashes on sale, which look like coiled steel wire which you clip to both your boot and ski. If this is the case is it OK to tie a tracer to your boot assuming the ribbon/web is strong enough?

I am venturing into powder soon (for the first time) and fully expect to have to find my skies and do not want to unduly hold up the party I am with.

If you have an iphone try out 'GPS MotionX' I think it's about £1.49 or so. Obviously can track any sport you are doing where you are moving. I have not had experience of other apps but this one ticks all the boxes as far as I am concerned. It shows all the parameters you want and more. You can add way points and photos along your route. It tracks your route on a load of different map types including, road, terrain and satellite. You can set it up so that you can see where your 'buddies' are in relation to you. I have not used it but it has integration into Facebook, Twitter and email share. It has 'voice coaching' so that it will tell you info as you are skiing / jogging this is customisable but I just turned it off as it was getting on my nerves, but if you are a runner I guess it could be quite useful. Also you can have your music playing and the voice coach will interrupt as you go. Anyway I think it is the dogs, but it does seem to be quite a heavy battery user but that does not bother me. Loads of other feature. Worth having a look at.

In short I am really interested in knowing exactly what I should be looking for (apart from the number that you can see on the screw/dial) when a 'pro' in the ski shop adjusts the bindings on my rental skis. Can bindings seize / stick... become unknowingly inoperable and dangerous?

My accident (both Knees multiple ligaments) that I suffered almost certainly compounded by the fact the bindings did not release was probably just one of those things (it was a slow speed crash which I decided to fall relaxed... in fact like a rag doll... guess I should of really tensed up... but who knows).

Psychologically I will feel much better if I know what to look for and go through some sort of 'amateur' mental check list as I watch the bindings being adjusted. I am sure at some time in the past I remember seeing a ski fitter after adjusting things smacking the front of the boot and seeing the boot release. Maybe this was for a boot with a very low binding setting and it would be impossible to do this normally with a setting of say 6? Or maybe I have imagined it.

Can anyone advise on the things to mentally check for when the fitter sets bindings and in particular how can you tell that the bindings are properly functional? ... Besides falling!

Has anyone got a view on the ski binding setting I should go for given my details below? I am thinking of 5.5 or 6? As mentioned I intend to start the powder learning curve on my next trip. I will be skiing in custom hinged knee braces.

Info: Age 51, Weight, 90KG, Height 189cm, Boot length 335mm, Ability ?

Ability... Fine on pistes, can get down most things with pretty tight parallel form (know how to use my edges). Get too fast, get sloppy, but get down in one piece without much calamity. Need to really get to grips with Moguls as I am useless on thes... need a lesson. Also I have Zero powder skill which I will be getting to grips with on this year's skiing trip.

Really appreciate your feedback with the above. Thank you.