Fischer Z11 Binding Adjustment
Astryd Boschee
A bond for life? Not quite when it comes to ski bindings! After all, you should adjust it regularly to always be on the safe side. Here you will learn how to adjust your ski bindings yourself, whether it makes sense to do this on your own and what the Z-value and its corresponding table are all about!
A correctly adjusted ski binding keeps your boot firmly on the ski and automatically triggers the release of the boot due to a certain force. The binding therefore is a safety factor that should not be underestimated. The Z-value tells you how to (let an expert) adjust it. This in turn depends on the ski boot, skiing ability, your body weight and other factors. But for now let's start from scratch!
The ski binding is a curious thing: Yes, you can adjust it yourself and, in addition to your Z-value, all you need is a fitting screwdriver. Caution: You should only dare to adjust the binding if you already got some skiing experience.
If you are an absolute beginner, it is better to have the ski binding adjusted by a dealer or specialist. For professional adjustment, a standardised testing device for ski bindings will be used for testing when the binding triggers. You will also receive a bfu ski vignette, which you can use as a proof to your insurance company after an accident happened.
Z indicates the force at which a ski binding automatically releases the boot. For example, if you fall and your ski detaches from the boot in time, the risk of injury by a twisted ski will decrease considerably. At the same time, of course, your boot must not be too loosely clamped, as this can cause you to lose your ski in a sharp turn - which poses the risk on the other end of the spectrum.
The bottom line is that a higher Z-value will need a higher force for the binding to release your boot. This value has to be exactly adjusted to your needs, based on the following factors:
In addition to the Z-value method, there is another technique: Particularly in used as an alternative in Germany, which is called the tibia method. This involves measuring how wide your tibial plateau is. This effort can be eliminated by simply using the Z-value.
It goes without saying, but for the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that with new ski boots the binding always has to be readjusted. This also applies if you have bought the same ski boot in a new design. A ski boot wears and tears over time, so that the old binding setting no longer works best. The binding is adjusted best if the boot does not slip and clipping the boot in does not turn into an act of ultimate force.
For new ski boots you need to adjust the ski binding, that much is clear. You have had your boots for a long time but you are sure that everything is still fine? Play it safe and let a professional check the binding once a year!
After all, it is possible that your weight has changed, your skiing abilities have improved considerably, etc. These factors can increase your Z-value - and thus making it time for a new adjustment. Speaking of the Z-value: How can you figure it out?
The good old Z-value table: It is the established tool for all who wish to adjust their bindings themselves. Maybe you've already found out that you can calculate this value - but don't worry, there are no long formulas to remember!
You can use various calculators on the Internet and perhaps end up with different values, causing you to trust none of those numbers. Or...you can simply use the Z-value table for orientation without having to calculate anything! The values here correspond to the DIN standard 11088 and were determined on the basis of empirical data from ski accidents.
Caution: Age also sometimes requires further corrections. For children under 10 years and adults above the age of 50, the value must be corrected upwards by one line. Therefore, if our driver from the example above is 52 years old and advanced, we would be back to the initial value of 3.50.
As you can see, adjusting a ski binding correctly is no rocket science, and the Z-value not a mysterious number that needs to be guessed. On the contrary - please DO NOT guess. After all, it's about your safety when skiing, and you only ensure that with a perfectly adjusted binding. Everything clear? Then have fun on the slopes!
Ski bindings are possibly the most crucial piece of equipment for skiing --- ski boots are important but properly adjusted bindings keep you safe. Although adjusting them is a relatively simple task, tinkering around with them when not properly educated can end up really bad. Today we are going over the Tyrolia series of bindings, which includes the Attack 12, Attack 13, Attack 16, Attack 18, and the Adrenalin.
The section will be regarding the Attack 12, Attack, 13, and the Attack 16. The first step we want to do is identify the current forward pressure. Look at the heel piece WITHOUT the boot engaged so we can establish what we will be looking for as we move forward.
On the backside of the heel piece just above the track your binding sits on will be a metal tab protruding from the housing of the heel piece. On this metal tab will be six dashes of both sides. These dashes are for you reference and is the the main indicator for setting proper forward pressure.
Now that we have an idea of what we will be looking for you can now engage your boot by hand so we can see where the forward pressure currently rests. The ultimate goal is to have that metal tab with six dashes fall directly in the middle of the bindings housing. So we are looking for three of the dashes to be within the housing of the binding and three exposed on the outside of the binding. This is perfect forward pressure, although many boots vary in millimeter lengths the goal is to land within the range of the dashes.
If your tabs lands completely inside or outside the housing and adjustment needs to be made. To make this adjustment a flat head screw driver is the best tool for this operation. First disengage your boot so your binding is free and becomes workable. Now you will insert the flat head screwdriver beneath the metal tab with the dashes and you will leverage/lift up. This will separate the tab from the track and will now become movable. You will notice that once you have lifted the tab there is two sets of holes in linear fashion that run down the track. Beneath the tab you unlocked are two teeth protruding, these teeth lock into the sets of holes you see on the track. Incrementally moving the heel piece forward or backwards will cause the forward pressure indicator to move that eventually results in proper forward pressure.
In this situation we will follow the instructions above and incrementally move the tab back a single set of holes. Once you have moved forward one set lock the tab back in by pressing down firmly on the tab and engaging it back on the track. Once this is done, insert your boot again and check the tab. Even if you see one dash exposed outside of the housing with five inside you have reached an acceptable point of forward pressure. Although its acceptable, I would still move the tab back one more set of holes to see if it sits any closer to the middle of the dashes.
If you engaged your boot and the tab was fully exposed you will follow the same steps for releasing the tab, but instead of moving the heel piece back a set of holes you will move it forward. So release the tab, incrementally creep forward a set of holes, lock the tab back down, and reengage the boot. The same rule applies, if one of the dashes entires the housing you have reached acceptable forward pressure, but I would again recommend moving the tab forward one more set of holes to see if you can land closer to the middle.
So when your adjustment is done we are hoping to see that three of the dashes are in the housing of the binding and three will be exposed. This is perfect forward pressure for the Tyrolia Attack 11, 12, 13, and 16 ski bindings.
Now if you have tried to make your boot fit and you are on your last set of holes either at the start of the track or the end without achieving proper forward pressure then a remount will be required. Once again this should be done by an expert at your local shop for proper installation.
On the heel piece of the Tyrolia Attack 18 there is no tab. You will see a screw protruding from the housing of the binding. On this screw there is a line etched around the screw that sits a few millimeters in from the end of the screw. The ultimate goal is to get that etched line to sit flush with the housing of the binding.
Engage your boot by hand again and see where the screw rests. If the line does not sit flush with the housing then an adjustment needs to be made. This process is much more simple than the other Attack Bindings. All you will need is a phillips head screw driver and simply make clockwise turns on the screw to increase pressure or counter clockwise to release the pressure.
These adjustments can be made with or without the boot engaged. If you make the change while the boot is engaged, release the boot once you have finished the adjustment then reengage the boot immediately to see if another adjustment needs to be made.
If the the line is out too far then your forward pressure is too low and this is when you will turn the screw clockwise until the line sits flush. If the screw is completely in the housing the forward pressure is too tight and counter clockwise adjustments need to be made to relieve the pressure. Simply take the phillips head screwdriver and make counter clockwise rotations until the line sits flush. Engage your boot and see how close you are and make any final adjustments.
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