Do You Have to Get New Bindings When You Buy New Ski Boots?

Bindings are considered to be the single most crucial component of ski equipment because they directly affect the skier's safety. Appropriately selected and properly fitted, ski bindings can eliminate or reduce injuries to a skier during a fall or crash. According to Steve Cohen, CEO of MasterFit Enterprises, "When purchasing new ski boots, you don't need to get new bindings, but they do need to be adjusted by a professional ski tech."

  1. Function

    • When bindings release, the skier can bend his knees, avoiding a broken leg.

      Essential to both control and safety, ski bindings absorb shock, filter out vibration and reduce the skier's fatigue. Basically, bindings "detect" when to keep the boot in the skis and when to release. Strict safety standards must be followed during their manufacture and testing, to ensure the bindings will protect the skier as much as possible.

    Adjustment

    • Ski boots must connect perfectly to the bindings, transferring the skier's body movements and pressure shifts directly to the skis. Not every ski boot is suitable for each type of ski binding and vice versa. Only a qualified ski gear professional can confirm if the binding-boot combination is the correct one. This means that it is possible that the new boots will not be compatible with the old bindings. In most cases, adjustments may solve the compatibility problem.

    Profile

    • Different skiing abilities and styles require different types of bindings.

      Ski bindings should be appropriate to the skier's profile. Beginner and intermediate skiers require different types of bindings than advanced or junior skiers. Likewise, casual, recreational downhill skiers who typically ski non-challenging terrains and trails would have different needs from mogul skiers, since their skiing techniques, abilities and frequency are much different. For example, a ski racer needs race skis, boots and bindings to ensure safety. If the skier's profile has changed significantly since the original bindings were purchased, new bindings may be appropriate.

    Exceptions

    • If the skier has wide or "fat" skis, special wide brake bindings are recommended. Any downhill boot will be compatible with wide brake alpine ski bindings. In this case, it's the new skis that would require new bindings, not the new boots. Steve Cohen of MasterFit highly recommends the purchase of new bindings with any new skis.

      In addition, many new skis come with bindings attached. Known as integrated bindings or system skis, the bindings are built into and are a part of the skis themselves. Integrated bindings are highly recommended for most skiers, except for the most experienced racers and freestylers. New boots would not affect existing skis with integrated bindings.