How Tight are Your Bindings?

[Nick911]

As I sit here with knees still sore from summer I wonder whether my bindings are too tight. Some say they should be as snug as possible, other say they should be loose enough to easily eject your feet. I've always taken the middle ground with snug bindings yet not too snug. The times I have hurt my knee sometimes only one binding will eject.

Thoughts?

[TxsRiverRat]

if you're cramping up in 6 passes, too tight

[FourFourty]

I am guessing that we are talking about a wakeboard here??

As far as I was ever told, you want them tight enough so that your feet will NEVER eject. I have been told, more than once, that most leg injuries from wakeboarding is due to one foot ejecting, and all the stress being applied to the other leg...... Snap.... I am willing to bet that this is why you are hurting your knee when only one ejects. Tighten those things down. Also, I am sure you have high-end bindings, but if you don't, get good ones. Cheap on the board if you want.

Same rule with a snowboard. Ski's are a different story.

I always keep my bindings very tight. Never had an eject, and never had an injury.... Knock on wood.

[mikeg205]

Where are they sore? front sides? hurt when you bend? if you're crampin' too tight... did you feel pain after wiping out? could be bindings and could needed strength around what keeps your knee working.

Could be stance on wakeboard. I know my complained for awhile when he was landing flat on his wakeboard... he adjusted his stance and tries to land on the back edge of board first...just a little bit to make it not feel like landing on a hard surface.

I bicycle to keep my knees and legs fit when not skiing, I notice if I drop off and lose strength in my legs - pain returns and the dumps hurt more... plus I'm 53 so gotta keep the stumps in shape..

[Nick911]

I keep them fairly loose, the question I'm asking is: should your feet eject during a fall, or, never eject?

And yes taking wakeboarding.

[mikeg205]

On ejecting...how hard are you falling... I am a beginner wakeboarder...intermediate slalom..I run my wake board and slalom bindings tight. Have you gotten any coaching...incorrect stance can cause over use pain.

[GoneBoatN]

Originally Posted by Nick911

As I sit here with knees still sore from summer I wonder whether my bindings are too tight. Some say they should be as snug as possible, other say they should be loose enough to easily eject your feet. I've always taken the middle ground with snug bindings yet not too snug. The times I have hurt my knee sometimes only one binding will eject.

Thoughts?

Perhaps that is the worst thing to do. You have one eject but the other does not because it is not quite loose enough. I would think that if you are going to wear them loose, you want them just snug enough that they come along for the ride during the maneuver, but if the board hangs up in the water, it’s gone. When the first one goes, it's most likely being pulled directly away (or nearly) from the foot. For the second one, my guess is that the board is rotating rather than being pulled directly from the foot. In the second case (the second foot), the boot would need to be much looser to give way freely.

Just my opinion - go really loose or go snug. Again this is just my thoughts as I'm not that good of a wakeboarder, unless you are counting the ability to wipe-out with style.

[Chief]

All I know is when I come out the bindings, my feet and ankles are the only thing not hurting.

[mikeg205]

@nick...I suggest getting someone with some expertise look at your setup while you are ready get underway next season. In the meantime can you get some x-rays of your knees to see what's up...socialized medicine and all.

This sounds dumb but it works...stand on your couch and jump off...repeat a few times.... look at how your feet look when you land...that should be your wake board binding setup.

regarding ejecting...if you are moving on to advanced tricks try them on a wake skate.. You will be free of the board if something goes wrong. Does not mean you will not sustain damage when you hot the water wrong. had friend training for air raleys(sp?) - no board but landed flat out on his rib cage on wake...bruised ribs..and trip to emergency room...

Your bindings IMO should be the same tightness so you can lose the board if you get in real trouble and need to tumble free of the board...face plants don't count

[park190]

Mine are always as tight as possible as I never want to pop out. A properly fitted binding is the most important and should alleviate any pain if fitted correctly. I will pay more for a good binding for this reason. Stance is also a critical component...