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Nordic bindings | getting them straight

Nordic bindings | getting them straight

Brief History of Nordic Cross Country Ski Bindings

old wood skis

Remember this binding system?  It was probably top-of-the-line in its day, but hardly anyone alive now has actually skied on it.

Many of us DO remember cross country skiing on old three-pin bindings, though.  This 75mm system was developed in 1927 by Rottefella, which in Norwegian translates to "rat trap".  

three pin binding

The three-pin system was great if you had stiff, beefy backcountry boots.  But with the flexible sole needed for flat-country skiing the boot was too flimsy for the binding, and control suffered.  And how annoying was that hunk of snow that built up under the ball of the foot?  Thank goodness things progressed in the binding world since then.

 1970's cross country skiers

Rottefella and Salomon

The above photo shows one of the first kinds of bindings that replaced the 75mm system.  On this Salomon Nordic System (SNS) there was a bar that extended out from the toe of the boot that hooked into the binding, and a ridge on the binding plate that fit into a groove on the boot.  A vast improvement, but things would get better yet. (And check out the knickers!  Yes, Eb's used to sell them.)

While Salomon was developing the SNS, Rottefella was improving the rat trap.  Their New Nordic Norm (NNN) system differed from Salomon's by having two ridges on the binding plate that fit into two grooves in the boot, whereas SNS had only one ridge.  The systems were not interchangeable; if you had Salomon boots, you needed Salomon bindings.

SNS and NNN binding system

Until 2016 there were only the two major nordic systems (SNS and NNN) but there were a few variations in binding types.

SNS:

  1. Profil - had a single metal bar under the toe of the boot
  2. Pilot - had two metal bars under the toe and forefoot of the boot
  3. X-Adventure - wider and stronger for backcountry skiing

If you had a Profil boot, it wouldn't fit in a Pilot binding.  However Pilot boots could sometimes fit a Profil binding, as long as there was a wide enough groove in the binding plate where the second bar sits.

NNN:

  1. NNN - made by Rottefella and branded by Fischer, Alpina, Rossignol and Madshus
  2. NNN BC - wider and stronger for backcountry skiing

Pilot boot on a Profil binding

Plate Systems

In 2005 the first plate system came out which pointed the industry in the direction it would go over the next decade. The Nordic Integrated System (NIS) consisted of a plastic plate attached to the ski and an NNN binding which slid onto the plate.  This allowed skiers to adjust their bindings in the field.  

 NIS plate on ski

Salomon opened up their opportunities in 2016 with the release of their Prolink binding. Prolink is compatible with NNN, which opened up brand crossover opportunities for them. Over the next 6 years Salomon continued to support its older SNS systems but slowly phased them out. 

In fall 2017 Fischer and Rossignol released the new Turnamic bindings which slid onto an Integrated Fixation Plate (IFP). Turnamic bindings are NNN compatible. They operated by twisting the Turn Lock mechanism at the front to get into and out of the binding; there were also step-in models. By this time NNN had become the universal system for all major ski and boot manufacturers.

someone holding a turnamic binding

Movable bindings

Movable binding systems had really taken off by now and every major brand had jumped on it.  They gave a skier an added measure of control over their grip and glide. The bindings developed for these plates had the adjustability to move forwards and backwards on the plate which changed where the skier's weight came down over the camber of the ski. For greater control and grip a binding could be slid forwards by various degrees; for greater glide and speed the binding could be slid backwards. This was relevant for both classic and skate style skis but were a revelation for skin skis where the grip zone is fixed, unlike a waxable ski.

people skate skiing

One universal system

Today there seem to be a confusing array of binding choices but things are actually simpler for the consumer than they used to be. One universal binding system (NNN) means you have a larger variety of boots to choose from as all brands will be compatible. The ski you choose will dictate the binding as there are different styles of plates; bindings are generally not compatible with plates of other brands. For example a Salomon Prolink Shift binding cannot be put onto a Fischer ski as this ski has an IFP plate and the Prolink Shift binding will only mount onto a Prolink Shift Plate (PSP). 

old cross country ski bindings 

Buying used equipment

If you are buying used equipment be extra careful to examine the binding system. It's not as straightforward as it used to be to simply unscrew one binding and re-drill and mount a new binding. There are still some bindings that will direct mount onto a ski without a plate, but not many. For more information check out our Guide to buying used cross country skis.

Good luck and happy skiing!

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Comments

James Martinez - February 22, 2021

Can one install a NNN NIS plate on skis which have the three holes? This assumes no advanced knowledge of ski binding repair…

Amanda - February 22, 2021

Hello, I have XC skis with the old SNS bindings on them. The boots I purchased are SNS Profil. Is it possible to unscrew those old SNS bindings and put a SNS Profil binding on these skis? Is it cost effective? Also is this something my husband and I could do ourselves? Thanks for your time!

Terry Knowles - February 22, 2021

Thanks for the quick and detailed answer. I tried the new boots on the skate skis this week and they worked wonderfully. So I’ll see if I can find the proper kind of boots for my wife’s old classic skis.
Isn’t winter great?!

ebsadventure - February 16, 2021

Hi Terry from Montreal, thanks for the questions!
Generally bindings should be mounted at the balance point of the ski regardless of boot size. Some skis come pre-drilled for this. The length of the binding plate or position of the heel plate is determined by boot size but with SNS bindings probably isn’t an issue moving from a size 40 boot into a 42. If the weight of your heel comes down off the back of the binding you might be able to get a binding plate extension piece from a ski shop. Unfortunately we don’t know the ski shops in Montreal, sorry.
The issue with slapping skis is most likely due to the boots being skate boots. Skate boots have much stiffer soles than classic boots. Since skate boots don’t flex (bend under the forefoot) the ski is probably lifting more than it should and coming down harder – therefore the slapping. You’re looking for a gentle ski landing next to the other foot.
Cheers,
-the Eb’s team

Terry Knowles - February 16, 2021

Sorry, a couple of extra details to add to my previous post: both my wife’s old boots (40) and my new ones (42) are “SNS Profil”, but my new ones are marked “Skate”. Is there really much difference between classic and skating boots? (All is not lost – she also has a pair of Fischer skating skis I can use these boots with. But the same question arises: do the bindings need to be adjusted for a marginally larger boot and if so, how?)
Thanks again!
Terry

Terry Knowles - February 16, 2021

Hi,
My wife has a pair of Rossignol skis with Salomon profil bindings, and she takes a size 40 SNS boot. I recently bought some size 42 SNS boots (also Salomon) so that I could use her skis. But I find that the skis “slap” as I’m moving, which my other (Bonna) skis don’t. Is it bad technique, or do the bindings have to be adjusted somehow for a larger boot? And is it possible to adjust them? I see a screw on the tail plate, but that’s all.
If they do need to be adjusted, can you recommend any ski shops in Montreal? (I’ve visited Saskatoon and really liked it, but it’s a bit far for this problem…)
Thanks!

ebsadventure - January 18, 2021

Hi Sarah,
Lots of questions :) First, there is almost no choice for new Profil boots these days, and no combi or skate boot choices. You are probably looking at upgrading the bindings on your Atomic skis so you have lots of choice for new boots. Second, the main difference between combi and skate boots is the flex of the sole.. combi boots will have a flexible sole for classic and a lot of ankle support for skate; skate boots will have a very stiff sole which keeps the ski from “dangling” during the skate stride recovery. As for skis, we would highly recommend a shorter skate ski rather than trying to freestyle on your classic Atomics. Skate skis have an entirely different camber than classic. You’ll feel the difference – trying to do freestyle on a classic ski often results in skis skidding sideways as they are cambered to fully compress under the foot; skate skis should not compress fully and will track better when edged. If you love freestyle, get a good set of skate skis and boots if you can.
Hope this helps,
-the Eb’s team

ebsadventure - January 18, 2021

Hi Christopher,
Our best guess is your boots don’t fit because the toe pin is recessed. The older NNN bindings were made for boots with the pin directly under the toe, and the rubber flexors in the binding were made to fit snug against the toe of the boot. When trying to fit your newer boots into the old bindings, the rubber flexor is probably preventing the toe from getting forward enough to fit the bar into the slot. You’ll need to trim the flexor (hopefully it hasn’t petrified into rock hard rubber yet).
Good luck,
-the Eb’s team

Sarah Åkerberg - January 18, 2021

Oh, what to do in 2021?! Many years ago perhaps 16 year ago I bought a pair of Atomic Vasa Classic 196 cm in length for a woman who is 166,7 cm long. On those skis I have Salomans SNS (Saloman Nordic System) Profil bindings. Well my classical ski boots wore out (split) at the heel. I am a strong and experienced skier who actually prefers the freestyle (skate) motion over the classical. I always was able to do freestyle on my Atomic Vasa Classic skis. That is probably the main reason the boots wore out. I am now considering after 16 years buying a combi boot. But the problem that comes up now is which combi boot would be suitable for my Salomans SNS (Saloman Nordic System) Profil bindings in 2021? What is the difference between buying a combi boot and a skate boot? Would the combi boot function well with my Atomic Vasa Classic? Or would I be better off buying a skate ski and skate ski boots if I prefer to do freestyle?

Christopher Fye - January 18, 2021

I have a number of skis with nnn bindings. I’m looking for a boot that fits them. I have a Rottefella boot (X2 boot) that I bought that says it fits those bindings but it wont fit. It does fit the Rottefella basic binding. Those old nnn binding are beefier that the basic so I’d like to keep them. Any thoughts?

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