Bindings are the connection between you and your skis or board, and they're the one piece of gear where getting it wrong has real safety consequences. Here's what the specs mean — and why we don't publish a DIY DIN chart.
What is DIN, and why does it matter?
DIN (from the German standards body that created the rating system) is the release-force setting on alpine ski bindings — how much force it takes for your boot to pop free of the binding in a fall. Set too low, your bindings release too easily during normal skiing, which is its own hazard. Set too high, they won't release when they should during a real fall, which is a genuine injury risk — this is exactly how ski-related knee and leg injuries happen.
We deliberately don't publish a self-service DIN chart here. A correct DIN setting depends on your exact weight, height, age, boot sole length, and skier type (calculated per the ISO 11088 standard), and has to be set and verified on a calibrated binding-testing machine — not estimated from a general online chart. Every ski we sell or service gets DIN set and checked in-shop by a trained technician on our certified equipment. If you bought skis elsewhere or adjusted your own bindings, bring them in and we'll verify the setting is actually correct before you ski on them.
Ski binding sizing
Bindings themselves aren't sized to you directly — they're sized to your boot sole length (the length printed in millimeters on the bottom of your ski boot), which determines where the binding's toe and heel pieces get mounted on the ski. This is why bindings need to be mounted (or professionally re-mounted) any time you get a meaningfully different boot, not just adjusted.
Snowboard binding sizing
Snowboard bindings are simpler — sized in small/medium/large ranges that correspond to boot size (not boot sole length in mm), with straps that adjust to dial in the fit. Unlike ski bindings, there's no DIN-style release-force calculation; snowboard bindings hold your boot in place throughout the ride rather than being designed to release in a fall.
How binding mounting works
Mounting a binding means drilling and positioning it on the ski at the correct stance location for your boot and ski length, then torquing the mounting screws to spec. This should always be done by a shop with the right jig and torque tools — an incorrectly mounted binding can fail to hold properly or damage the ski's core.
Frequently asked questions
Can I set my own ski binding DIN at home?
We don't recommend it. The correct setting depends on several factors calculated together (weight, height, age, boot sole length, skier type) and needs to be verified on a calibrated machine — a wrong setting is a real injury risk in either direction. Bring your skis in and we'll set and check it properly.
Do snowboard bindings need a DIN setting?
No — DIN is specific to alpine ski bindings, which are designed to release in a fall. Snowboard bindings are sized by boot size and strap adjustment instead, since they're built to keep your boot locked in throughout the ride.
How do I know what size bindings I need?
Ski bindings are mounted to match your boot's sole length (in mm, printed on the boot) — not a size you pick yourself. Snowboard bindings come in small/medium/large ranges matched to boot size. Either way, bring your boots in and we'll mount or fit the right bindings to them.
Browse our binding selection, or stop by 10100 W. Overland Road in Boise for a proper DIN setting and mount — this is one piece of gear worth never guessing on.