SEDL / STP / STP1345-EB / STP12363S

A Release Binding for Snowboards

Bally, A
Federal Institute of Technology, EPFL-DGM Ecublens, Lausanne, VD

Shneegans, F
Federal Institute of Technology, EPFL-DGM Ecublens, Lausanne, VD

Pages: 6    Published: Jan 1999

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Abstract

Release bindings could help prevent some of the lower extremity injuries in snowboarding. A few brands already exist on the market, however with very limited success. From the technical point of view, further improvements of such bindings require an evaluation of the minimal retention levels independently in each release direction. In order to allow such an evaluation, an experimental release binding with independent adjustments was developed and tested in the field. Tests were carried out in various snow and slope conditions, with participation by riders of very different levels. The minimal retention levels were measured for each rider at the end of the tests. The use of such a binding, with appropriate adjustment proved to be possible without necessarily increasing, in an unacceptable way, the risk due to inadvertent releases.