Ski Builders Forum

I have been reading a fair amount of reviews of skis and they always refer to the binding mounting position as -8 or whatever from the exact center of the ski. I can understand this if you have a twin tip ski but if you have a directional ski with a longer tip than the tail how does that relate as to where the binding should be placed? I would think it has to do more with the running surface of the ski since most sidecuts are designed using the effective edge or running surface. If you have a ski for example with a real long tip and another ski with a shorter tip, the mounting point would not be the same amount back from true center on each ski even if it was the same overall length. I am aware that there are other factors that influence where to mount the ski but using a number from true center doesn't make any sense to me. Any comments?

Afaik setback typically refers to the center of the effective edge length. With full camber skis this used to be identical to running length. Now that running length and effective edge are often not identical anymore, the definition may differ between manufacturers, but I'd guess that effective edge is the common one.

Think they refer to relative position to the recommended/marked binding center.

What Tim is saying could be right from shapers view, but a normal tester cannot determinate exactly where sidecut center is (visually).

I always considered the ideal mid-boot-sole location to be at the center of the side cut radius, precisely at the narrowest point of the ski. Of course you can always mount forward from this location by whatever distance you want. Running lengths, effective edge lengths, etc. don't matter. If you're not sure I suggest mounting adjustable "demo" bindings so you can experiment with different boot locations on the ski.

SHIF