What ski bindings should I get?

Can I get ski bindings if my left foot faces outwards?

  • When my knees point straight, my left foot faces about 15 degrees outwards because it grew together wrong when I broke the lower leg as a kid. I am about to go for my first (real) ski-snowboard trip, and I am really more interested in skiing (I'd prolly like crosscountry more than downhill anything given my other hobbies). However, I wonder if I'd be able to get ski binding to work with my crooked foot? I know from cycling that I cannot use standard stuff, if I use cycling clipless pedals, foot facing straight, my knee faces inwards and it's awkward and soon painful, I have to get those round rotating pedals (or loose clips).

  • Answer:

    Physically it could be done with a wide adapter plate to accommodate the angle of the binding but there would always be a problem of catching the heel and toe of that foot in the snow as you put the ski on edge.  Don't recommend it.  The snowboard answer is the best if you want to try snow sports.

Ronald Chappell at Quora Visit the source

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Other answers

I'd think skiing is going to be pretty hard. The skis are long and narrow, so have a 15degree angle would be difffcicult to fit. There isn't rally enough space to angle the bindings. Probably worse,  the way you'd be pressing on the ski would not be parallel, which will make turning hard (you need to edge & angle the ski) Maybe cros-country would be easier...? The skis are even narrower though, so it seems tough. What about snowboarding? You do not angle individual feet: it is all dome with weight. And the feet ate fixed to the board angled anyway. You'd need a custom angle* but once that is done it wouldn't make any difference: you'd be standing on the board fine.  (* I doubt a rental would do it - would be some unique drilled holes & fixings, but they might have an old board you could buy and customise)

Rupert Baines

Most skiers have some degree of abduction, typically about 5*.  Fifteen degrees of abduction is a lot.  If Skiing is something you really want to do, there are ways to accommodate it, but you will probably not find these solutions in rental equipment.  There are some out of the box ski boots that address this problem.  Fisher (Soma line) and Nordica (Aggressor line) and a few other manufacturers make boots that allow for an abducted stance.  The foot is abducted in the boot, but the sole is straight where it connects to the bindings.  An experienced boot tech can make modifications to a pair of boots to allow the left foot to move a few degrees further.  There is a good chance that a combination of an abducted boot and some minor modifications to the left boot, might be enough to solve your problem.  (remember most people have about 5 degrees, so you do not need to eliminate all the abduction to be able to ski well).  Once you have found the ideal boot, you can consider altering the binding mounting position.  This is something that should be done by an experienced stance balancing professional.  Canting is the tipping of the foot inward or outward.  Canting modification can additionally reduce the impact of the excessive abduction.  Skiing is a really great lifetime sport.  If it is something that interests you I would encourage you to talk to a reputable boot fitter.  They should be able to help get you out on the hill.

Michael Callas

I have skied for years with specially fabricated aluminum adapter plates mounted between the ski and binding to allow what is often called "duck stance ski binding mounting." Google that and start reading. You will find that most of the photo examples are with wide powder skis which have enough width to allow several degrees of binding skew or duck stance (toes pointed outward). My narrowest skis at present have a 76mm waist and my binding adapter plates which I engineered and machined allow about a 4.5 degree outward foot angle. You will probably also benefit from some canting (mine runs 1 degree on my right ski and 2 degrees on my left) to put more pressure on the inside edge of your skis. I just joined Quora and do not know if you can send me a private email. I would be willing to send you some photos of some of my skis, and even two of my daughters (now into their mid 30's) who inherited the same outward foot issue. To anyone who reads this, I have consulted with Carl Ettlinger of Vermont Ski Safety many years ago about this and other experts as well. I am very well researched on this topic and I am my own tester first and foremost. I love to ski and my knees can't take it with bindings mounted conventionally (parallel to the ski axis). This is a special issue which can be done and has significant positive results for some people.

Knoll Laserl

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