Name this nordic ski binding system

March 2, 2009 1:08 PM

What type of boots do I need for my cross-country skis?

I just got some cross-country skis for cheap off Craigslist, and now I need to find some boots. Here's a picture of the binding. The guy I bought these from said they might be old Salomon bindings, but I haven't been able to find a match online and have a feeling they're obsolete... So does anyone here know what kind of binding this is? If so, what type of boots do I need? Knowing the name of the boot/binding type should help my future Ebay and Craigslist searches.

Thanks!

posted by Maarika to sports, hobbies, & recreation (9 comments total)

Based on your pic, I'm guessing you want the kind of boot where the metal look sticks out like this.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 1:14 PM on March 2

er, metal *loop*. The bindings remind me of ones I used in the early 90's with the sort of boot I linked to above.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 1:16 PM on March 2

That looks to me like a Solomon binding. It has one ridge right? If so, you want Salomon Nordic System (SNS) boots.

If you've got two ridges on the footplate, you want New Nordic Norm (NNN) Systems boots.
posted by bonehead at 1:32 PM on March 2

Sorry, mistype: the correct spelling is Salomon, with an 'a'.
posted by bonehead at 1:34 PM on March 2

That binding looks pre-NNN to me but I can't really tell. Does it say NNN on it? If so, you're in luck.

It might be helpful to post more pictures including one looking in to the binding with it open. Also, the boots you should buy are boots that fit, and eBay might not be the best place for that.
posted by alexwoods at 2:14 PM on March 2

The guy I bought these from said they might be old Salomon bindings, but I haven't been able to find a match online and have a feeling they're obsolete

You and the guy you bought these from are right. These are old-style Salomon SNS bindings that were replaced by a newer style at least 15 years ago (and go with boots like the ones mandymanwasregistered linked to). I had some of these as a kid. You won't have any luck buying anything but used boots for these. The search terms to use would be "SNS" or "Salomon", but make sure you get the kind with a rectangular loop of metal sticking out in front of the boot, rather than the newer kind where there is a metal bar underneath the toe. If you can't find any boots for these, I would recommend scrapping those skis and starting fresh with a new or used pair that come with NNN or SNS Profil bindings (which will afford you significantly more control as well).
posted by ssg at 7:24 PM on March 2

Thanks for your help, guys. I think I'm out of luck with these bindings. So I was thinking about keeping my eyes open for awesome, comfortable, (rarely) used boots on Craigslist and then trying to E-bay matching bindings to put on these skis... That could get me in around $100, if I'm lucky.

I called up a local ski shop, and they said their best season-end closeout deal on a new ski package is around $300. Is it worth it to pay that much if I'm new to the sport (and will probably need to wait until next winter to really try it out)?
posted by Maarika at 7:50 PM on March 2

Bindings can be replaced pretty easily, it shouldn't take a competent ski tech more than a half hour to remove what you've got and install new bindings. My shop charges $10 to install bindings, and the bindings themselves start out somewhere around $40-50.

If you're just starting out the only reason to buy new skis is to be able to get a set of waxless skis. They don't perform as well as waxed skis, but for the beginner I think the convenience is worth it.

As far as boots go, the advice I've always given is don't skimp. I'd rather cheap out and spend less on the skis, bindings, and poles than try and save money on the boot. The same rule applies for my cycling shoes, my hiking boots, and everything else I put on my feet. Your footwear plays the largest role in terms of comfort and having top of the line skis and poles won't matter when your boots are so uncomfortable you cant stand to wear them for more than a half hour.
posted by fore at 8:48 PM on March 2

So I was thinking about keeping my eyes open for awesome, comfortable, (rarely) used boots on Craigslist and then trying to E-bay matching bindings to put on these skis... That could get me in around $100, if I'm lucky.

Is there a used gear shop near you? You'll probably spend nearly as much on a used pair of boots and then a pair of bindings on Ebay as you would on a whole new set up at a used store. I can't see much of the skis that you have in the binding pictures, but from the looks of them, I'd say that pretty much any ski you pick up at a used gear store is going to be better than those. Old skis of the vintage you have are garage-sale grade equipment and have a resale value of under $20, so don't get hung up on those particular skis. I would budget $150+ for a decent boot/bindings/skis set up at a used gear store.

If you buy a whole set up at a used store, you can make sure that the boots fit in the bindings before you buy anything at all and hopefully get a bit of competent advice. I'd also caution against buying bindings separately, because you'll either have to mount them yourself (which involves drilling a bunch of new holes in your skis and is tough for someone with no experience to do so that the binding ends up in the centre of the ski, straight on the ski, and at the right spot so that your ski balances properly) or get a shop that has a special jig to do it for you.
posted by ssg at 8:50 PM on March 2