THE BINDING.
No part of a beginner’s outfit is likely to cause him so much “sweet sorrow” as his binding. The chances are enormous that whatever he buys will afford him plenty to think about, and, alas! to talk about, for a considerable time to come. During his early efforts he is certain to attribute most of his misfortunes to its manifest imperfections, and if, as we hope, he is a person of an inventive turn of mind, he will spend the greater part of his evenings, and perhaps even some of the watches of the night, in designing something new and original which will at one and the same time overcome all his difficulties and make his fortune.
It is our sincere desire to assist him in this laudable endeavour, and accordingly we shall give below a few of the qualities which a perfect binding ought to possess. Before proceeding to do so it will, however, be necessary to notice some of those actual forms which other ski-runners use or have used—a task which is not nearly so agreeable or so easy. For legion is their name, and it is difficult to make a selection without hurting somebody’s feelings. During the early days of the sport in Central Europe (that is to say, till quite recently) the fiercest controversy raged about bindings ([p. 15]). But now, partly because of the impossibility of saying anything new on the subject, and partly because the discovery has been made that after all one’s fastening is not of paramount importance, the topic is no longer of absorbing interest. Not but what our Teutonic friends retain their love of controversy, and their earnest methods of conducting such, but the Scotchman in search of an argument would do better to start some theme other than bindings, as, for example, seal’s skin or wax. A reaction has, in fact, set in, and whereas two years ago the most complicated was the best, we were surprised last season to find a Continental friend using the old (and very excellent) Lapp binding, which was so much in vogue in Norway years ago when we first learnt to go on ski. He, of course, was under the impression that he had the very latest thing, and we did not enlighten him, but we should not be much astonished to find him next year twisting birch twigs after the manner of the early Telemarkings!
Now this plan of making a stiff and strong rope by twisting birch twigs was the earliest method of connecting the heel of the foot with the ski. Prior to that a strap across the toe was all that was used. Any other arrangement was considered dangerous. Then came the Telemarkings ([p. 9]) with their new methods. They bound the ski firmly to the toe, and lead ropes of twisted birch from the toe round the back of the heel. This arrangement was at once felt to be an advantage. Not only did it prevent the foot continually slipping out of the toe strap, but it relieved the toe itself from much of the strain involved when the ski has to be pulled forward in walking on the level or up hill; moreover, it enormously helped steering, and so it was adopted.
Some Common Fastenings.
People living in towns, however, either could not procure birch twigs or lacked skill in preparing and fixing ropes made from them. Something else had to be substituted, and that something was the thin cane, which so long held the field. The canes were steamed, and bent round the back of the heel and secured in front by a clamp. This form of binding was and still is widely used. But the canes, even when covered with leather and strengthened with steel wire, were found to be inconvenient. They broke and they were cumbersome, and the guiding power they allowed of was limited. So taboo was broken and metal was admitted into the construction of the fastening. Contrary, however, to expectation, people’s legs did not break oftener than before, and, as the iron also stood the strain, a binding like that given below ([Fig 6]) became very popular.
Fig. 6.—Lapp Binding, Huitfeldt’s pattern (left foot).
The heel is secured by means of a single thong about 7ft. long, with a loop at the end. The loop end is doubled close to the loop, and the bight passed through the hole in the ski below the ball of the foot. The long end is then passed round the back of the heel, through the bight, back round the heel, and through the hoop thus:—
The whole is then pulled tight, and the long end passed over the instep, under the thongs on the inside of the foot, back over the instep, and under and round the thongs on the outside, where it is secured by a couple of half-hitches. The loose end is then tucked away, as shown in [Fig. 6].
The Lapp Binding shown above is Huitfeldt’s pattern. The novelty about it was the iron toe piece; the thong arrangement had long been used by the Lapps. As previously mentioned, many people still employ this binding, and when skilfully adjusted it can be very firm, and it possesses the merits of extreme simplicity and ease of repair.
We have, however, several objections to it. In the first place, it takes some little practice and some little strength to fix the thong properly, an operation rendered doubly difficult when the leather is frozen and the fingers cold. Again, the thong, especially if changes of temperature occur, is continually expanding and contracting; the knots in it are apt to make sore places on the foot, and, like a boot-lace, it has an irritating way of breaking just when one is in a hurry. Again, the iron toe piece must be most carefully adjusted to fit the boot. In short, we dislike the whole fastening for the reason that, unless it is very carefully put on and attended to, it becomes altogether toe wobbly.
Fig. 7.—Huitfeldt Binding. Iron Toepiece and Straps.
The Huitfeldt Binding given above is considered by many people to be an improvement on the Lapp binding, and it has attained a vast popularity in Norway. In principle it differs from the latter but little; but very stout straps are substituted for the thong with its troublesome knots, and the iron toe-piece is made of a solid piece of metal, which is bent up on either side of the ski, and which can be hammered into the exact shape of the sole of the boot. This is an advantage, as an accurate fit is insured. The disadvantage is that it is liable to be bent out of shape by the heavy-soled boot which it is necessary to wear with this and with the Lapp-binding. The straps, with it too, expand and contract with the temperature, and a very slight degree of slackness is sufficient to make the whole very loose. Moreover, the side straps catch the snow to some extent and act as a brake, though usually this is not of much consequence. The Huitfeldt binding is also troublesome to put on firmly, especially when the straps are frozen. Höyer-Ellefsen’s shortening clamp ([Fig 8]) is designed to get over this difficulty, but it is new, and we have not had sufficient experience of it to offer any criticism.
Fig. 8.—Höyer-Ellefsen’s Patent Clamp for use with Huitfeldt’s binding.
We now come to a new class of fastening, where the heel is connected with the ski by means of some sort of sole, generally made of the “belting” used for driving machinery, fixed to the top of the ski in front of the toe. There are innumerable variations of this plan, a very simple one being to fix a piece of the belting in front of the foot and to attach it to the heel of the boot by means of a dummy heel and a strap leading round the instep. The toe is held in position either by side irons and a strap, as in the Huitfeldt binding, or by a simple broad strap passing through the ski and buckling across the toe. In the latter form it has attained to considerable popularity on the Continent, especially in the Black Forest. We do not, however, think it worth while to give a picture of this fastening, as it is not one which we can recommend for any purpose. The dummy heel fills up with snow, and becomes uncomfortable; and as to the belting, one is in this dilemma, that if one uses it thin it buckles and if one uses it very thick it becomes heavy and too stiff for comfortable walking unless it be fastened very far forward, in which case it rises off the ski at every step and presses the toe against the toe strap, thereby causing discomfort and cold feet.
Torgersen’s “Handry” Binding ([Fig. 9]) is, we think, vastly preferable, for it has no heel to collect snow, and the belting, only reaching half-way down the foot, is not so liable to buckle.
It cannot, however, claim to be a really firm binding, though if the strap leading from the belting round the instep be pulled tight (and a tight strap at this part of the foot does not seem to affect the circulation) it is not so loose as might be supposed at first sight. But the chief advantage of Torgersen’s binding is its extreme adjustability. It will fit almost anybody, and can be taken on and off in a moment. On this account it is a very good binding for clubs or shopmen in Switzerland who let out ski to a number of different people for short periods. Its only moderate firmness also recommends it to nervous beginners who want to run straight and fast, and who are afraid of the slight extra risk involved by using a rigid fastening.
Fig. 9.—Torgersen’s Handy Binding. Driving Belt and Straps. Half the sole is Driving Belt.
Ellefsen’s Patent Binding ([Fig. 10]) is of the same class. It appeared last season (1904-5), and has scarcely been in use long enough to allow of exhaustive criticism.
As with Torgersen’s, the belting only reaches about half-way down the foot, where it is terminated by an iron cross-piece with upright cheeks fitting on either side of the heel (see [Fig. 10]). From these cheeks a strap leads round the back of the heel, by means of which the belting is pulled tight. This stretching of the belting is the novelty of the arrangement, and is very ingenious, as, of course, it prevents all buckling. The iron toe-pieces are much the same as in Huitfeld, but they are fixed firmly to the ski by means of the little metal tongues which are part of them. The tongues at the same time secure the driving belt under the toe, giving it due stiffness in a vertical direction and preventing pressure of the toe strap. But obviously this is the weak spot of the front part of the arrangement, and unless the belting is of the very best quality it is liable to tear there. The makers, however, claim that the best belting will not tear, and time alone can decide whether this is so or not. The binding is not readily adjustable, and when ordering it is necessary to send a sketch of the boot which one intends to use with it.
Fig. 10.—Ellefsen’s Patent Binding.
The figure with the boot also shows a little strap sewn on to the heel of the boot to prevent the heel straps slipping off. This is very useful with all the above-named fastenings. See infra, pp. 47 and 48.
The Lilienfeld Binding has caused more discussion and provoked more criticism than any other. It, too, is on the “sole” principle, but differs from all others in this respect, that (except for the heel and toe straps) it is made entirely of metal.
The vertical axis of the sole is, moreover, placed in front of the toe, and not under it as in other fastenings, and vertical stiffness is secured by means of a very ingenious spring arrangement embedded in the ski. This shifting of the axis forward makes the binding feel curious at first, but one gets accustomed to it after a while, and then it becomes very comfortable and pleasant. An objection to the plan is, however, that one is deprived of much control over the heel of the ski, and is placed, so to speak, at the mercy of the spring. It is, however, often convenient to raise the heel of the ski when going up hill, and it is annoying to find when one tries to do so that it refuses to obey on account of the spring being insufficiently screwed up. On the other hand, if the spring be tight the heel keeps “clappering” up and down at every step. Another decidedly bad point about this fastening is its weight. It is unquestionably heavy. It is necessary, therefore, to use a considerably lighter ski with it than with any of the ordinary arrangements, and light ski are apt to be brittle. It is, however, a very powerful binding, very suitable for making “S” turns on steep and difficult ground. It seldom or never breaks, and it is adjustable to almost any boot. It is usually sold fitted to a special ski with a hole in it cut for the spring. The so-called “Alpine skee” is shortish, broadish, and flat-bottomed, with a sharply turned-up bluff entrance. These qualities render it less suitable for straight running, but useful for turning on the mountain-side, for which special purpose it is, indeed, designed. People somewhat advanced in years will find the “Alpine skee,” with its special fastening, of value for mountain tours, and it is, we think, easier to learn to turn on it than on any other; but your dashing youth and your jumper will certainly prefer the Norwegian article. Of course, the Lilienfeld fastening can be fixed to a Telemark ski.
Fig. 11.—The Lilienfeld Binding. “Alpine Skee.” Movable Steel Sole.
Method of Fixing.
The right way of attaching all the above-named bindings to the boot will have been evident from the descriptions appended to each. It is sufficient to observe here that the straps (and particularly the toe-straps) should never be pulled tighter than occasion demands. Tight straps are the surest road to frost-bite, besides being very uncomfortable. For all ordinary going—that is to say, during far the greater length of time that the ski are on the feet—the straps may be worn comparatively loose. It is quite easy to tighten them up for a difficult piece of ground or a jump, and there is no occasion to run unnecessary risks.
Another important matter is that with all ordinary bindings care should be taken not to thrust the foot too far into the toe-strap. The toe-strap should never cross the foot lower than the middle of the great toe. People are apt to neglect this simple precaution, but in doing so they run the risk of spraining the foot in the event of a fall forwards. In the case of the Lilienfeld binding, it is not necessary to be quite so careful, as with it the vertical axis is in front of the foot.
Conclusion.
The beginner who has read the above remarks probably realises by now that there is no such thing as a perfect ski binding which will satisfy everybody! Some people want extreme lateral rigidity, others a little play, and others, again, comparative looseness. It is much the same with the vertical movement; if very stiff there is great control, valuable for jumping and for lifting the heel in steep hill climbing, but the ski “clappers” on the level. If very loose, the toe has to carry too much weight,[6] and the advantages of stiffness vanish. There can really be no such thing as a happy mean in these matters, and everybody must choose that which on the whole is best suited to his requirements. Nor can any form of fastening last for ever, and the most that one can expect is that a binding should not be continually giving way. Do not, therefore, begin by worrying yourself too much about this part of your equipment. Buy one or other of the bindings depicted above which you think will suit you best, and learn all about its little peculiarities and something about ski-running before you decide that it is no good. Above all things, avoid boring your more experienced friends with binding talk, of which they have all had enough and to spare.