Bindings for Growing Kid

Brklynskier

How much "play" do normal (non demo) bindings have for a kid's growing feet?

Our 15 y.o. is now skiing at a level that is above most seasonal ski rental packages. We thinking of buying him skis, but would like them to last for several seasons. We would try and rent boots from season to season.

Are "regular bindings able to accommodate longer boot sizes from season to season, or should I try and buy demo bindings? (My preference would be to buy a pair of used demo skis, but I haven't seen anything that would work for him. (160-165cm)

Thoughts?

NewEnglandSkier13

Have you looked here? This is where I buy all of my skis, and it looks like there's plenty in that range.
https://www.powder7.com/used-demo-skis-for-sale

I always buy skis with demo bindings because they're so easy to adjust between boot sizes if you get new boots, or if your friend wants to borrow them.

ski_it

Professionals pls cut me off if I'm wrong... . you can adjust your ski bindings the equivalent of one shoe size larger or smaller. Different binding & boot mfrs requirements vary. You can also have the bindings remounted. This assumes the DIN setting remains within range for the user, along with the size of the binding. By size I'm don't know the proper term, but a junior binding vs an adult is a different animal.

DrJeff

Chances are that a GROWING 15yr old will outgrow their skis before their bindings.

And Ski_it, most bindings have enough adjustment room in the heel piece only (unless you are talking a demo binding or rail mounted binding where both the toe and heel pieces are connected) for adjustments that can accommodate 2-4 boot sizes

rickbolger

depending on where you live, if you can get to a ski swap it would very likely be worth the effort.

Brklynskier

Thanks for the input. It looks like we'll be going with an adult premium seasonal rental for at least another year.

rickbolger;c-56775 wrotedepending on where you live, if you can get to a ski swap it would very likely be worth the effort.

I'm in Brooklyn, so basically a ski gear desert. I don't know of any local swaps.

There is a ski shop in Brooklyn, but their seasonal rentals leave a lot to be desired and they hire a couple of local kids to do the fittings. A friend just told me about a ski shop that opened in Manhattan just pre pandemic. It survived. It also looks like it has a decent supply of seasonals. If, not, it's an hour and a half each way to the next closest shops with decent gear; NJ and Long Island.

ski_it

DrJeff;c-56770 wroteChances are that a GROWING 15yr old will outgrow their skis before their bindings.

And Ski_it, most bindings have enough adjustment room in the heel piece only

Good point. So then you wouldn't be on the recommended position on the ski which may work for some, but not all.
How about switching him to the darkside? Does that equipment require fewer board & binding size changes?

skelley19

ski_it;c-56947 wroteHow about switching him to the darkside? Does that equipment require fewer board & binding size changes?

Assuming you mean snowboarding, yes there might be fewer adjustments needed. Bindings manufactured in the last 5-10 are pretty universal as far mounting to boards and vice versa. The one glaring exception is Burton EST board/bindings which uses a rail mount instead of traditional inserts(aka screw bosses). Most bindings will accommodate about 4 shoe/boot sizes. As an example a Large binding will generally fit size 9-12 boots. The bindings themselves have several adjustments to center different size boots on the heal/toe edges that anybody with basic knowledge can adjust with a #3 Phillips driver. Also with the same basic skills you can transfer bindings from one board to another one pretty easily. Board size has general guidelines but a lot of it is personal preference. My buddy and I ride the exact same model and size board but I have about 5 inches and 40 lbs on him. I should probably be on a longer board but I like to keep it short and nimble for tree riding. So yes you would probably get quite a few seasons out of bindings and just upgrade boots as foot size dictates but boot to binding fit is relatively universal. You can also make the stance wider and potentially get extra seasons out of the board but so much of that is rider preference that it is hard to count on that.

Brklynskier

ski_it;c-56947 wrote How about switching him to the darkside? Does that equipment require fewer board & binding size changes?

Part of the point of this exercise is to provide him with the gear to be able to ski with us on hard terrain. If he decided to take up snowboarding, he would be starting from scratch and on the beginner and intermediate slopes.

ski_it

I understand your point. I thought the same thing but then Ski_it Jr had different ideas around that point in time. Boy it does bite waiting at the top of a lift when it is -5 with the wind blowing at 40 mph waiting for a darksider to strap up. (Still does) IDK when it happened but he can go down mogul trails faster than most on the hill skiers and can still ski fairly well. A lot of darksiders get to the expert level quicker than us 2 plankers…or so I read.

NELSBEER

You might want to look at Westchester & Fairfield County, Ct. Reasonably close areas affluent enough to support skiing populations. Nice fall foliage in the near future as well.

Pedigree has shops in Mamaroneck NY & White Plains, NY, Hickory & Tweed Armonk NY, Ski Warehouse, Garden City. Darien Ski Shop, Darien Ct. (Bought NEW Northland Monarchs w/cable bindings, poles & Munari double lace boots there for $54.00 total several years back.)

General Resource for ski swaps: SWAPS

or do a search on 'SKIS USED', they are out there...

ski_itJR

I could almost cry hearing me old man talking kindly about my riding skills.

One thing about kids seasonal rentals is shops near the mountains have them and you just have to take a dedicated fall trip to get them fitted. (As Nelsbeer mentioned)