Hi guys, I'm a design student and my dissertation is on ski equipment design and safety so was hoping you guys could help me out and answer a very short anonymous questionnaire for me. It'll only take a few minutes and will help me out loads for my dissertation
The focus is on ski boots and bindings and how technology and materials have changed and improved safety for the sport.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hodBDo2MrYVkifsA_oKJ7ifA_rb9m1N1i56duRpborQ/viewform
Thank you very much in advance!
Dissertation research help!
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Other designs have been tried notably the rear entry boot, but none of these were as successful (either commercially or functionally) as the classic overlap design.
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Started by Stephencox21 in Ski Chatter 26-Mar-2013 - 15 Replies
Stephencox21 posted Mar-2013
Innsbrucker
reply to 'Dissertation research help!' posted Mar-2013
I did it.
Modern bindings are fine. Touring bindings have more issues, but I guess that is a small market.
Modern bindings are fine. Touring bindings have more issues, but I guess that is a small market.
Stephencox21
reply to 'Dissertation research help!' posted Mar-2013
Thank you! much appreciated
Daved
reply to 'Dissertation research help!' posted Mar-2013
done...in principle nothing much has changed since 1975
Iceman
reply to 'Dissertation research help!' posted Mar-2013
done :)
The Northern Monkey. Jan'23 Les Arcs
SwingBeep
reply to 'Dissertation research help!' posted Mar-2013
Stephen, apart from carrying out a visual check to see if anything has broken or come lose it's not possible for a skier to check the "integrity" and "safety" of the ski boot / binding system.
In the case of bindings this can only be done using a ski binding testing device, either a manual device such as the Vermont Ski Safety binding release calibrator or an automatic device like the Montana Jetbond
The information required to ascertain if a ski boot sole is in compliance with ISO 5355 (if a ski boot sole is out of specification the binding might not function properly) is not available to the general skiing public.
The manufactures recommend that these tests are carried out by qualified technicians before the start of each season.
The tests are seldom carried out. In 2009/10 the Austrian Ski Federation carried out a study in which they found that:
• 35% of the ski bindings tested did not meet the safety requirements. i.e. the settings were outside the tolerance range of + / - 15%.
• 5% of the bindings tested were no longer functional.
• Almost one fifth (18%) of the surveyed skiers reported that their bindings opened unexpectedly from time to time.
• Only 1/3 of the surveyed skiers had their equipment tested annually.
As Daved mentioned the basic design of ski bindings hasn't changed since the 1970s they were designed to prevent broken legs. Since then the design of skis has changed dramatically and now the most common skiing injuries are knee injuries, overall they make up 40% of all skiing injuries and women are twice as likely to suffer one.
None of the bindings produced by the major manufactures were designed to deal with the backwards twisting falls that cause most knee injuries.
The basic design of ski boots hasn't changed since the 1960s http://www.zipfit.com/blog/2010/02/15/plus-que-sa-change-plus-que-sa-reste-la-meme/
Other designs have been tried notably the rear entry boot, but none of these were as successful (either commercially or functionally) as the classic overlap design.
In the case of bindings this can only be done using a ski binding testing device, either a manual device such as the Vermont Ski Safety binding release calibrator or an automatic device like the Montana Jetbond
The information required to ascertain if a ski boot sole is in compliance with ISO 5355 (if a ski boot sole is out of specification the binding might not function properly) is not available to the general skiing public.
The manufactures recommend that these tests are carried out by qualified technicians before the start of each season.
The tests are seldom carried out. In 2009/10 the Austrian Ski Federation carried out a study in which they found that:
• 35% of the ski bindings tested did not meet the safety requirements. i.e. the settings were outside the tolerance range of + / - 15%.
• 5% of the bindings tested were no longer functional.
• Almost one fifth (18%) of the surveyed skiers reported that their bindings opened unexpectedly from time to time.
• Only 1/3 of the surveyed skiers had their equipment tested annually.
As Daved mentioned the basic design of ski bindings hasn't changed since the 1970s they were designed to prevent broken legs. Since then the design of skis has changed dramatically and now the most common skiing injuries are knee injuries, overall they make up 40% of all skiing injuries and women are twice as likely to suffer one.
None of the bindings produced by the major manufactures were designed to deal with the backwards twisting falls that cause most knee injuries.
The basic design of ski boots hasn't changed since the 1960s http://www.zipfit.com/blog/2010/02/15/plus-que-sa-change-plus-que-sa-reste-la-meme/
Other designs have been tried notably the rear entry boot, but none of these were as successful (either commercially or functionally) as the classic overlap design.
Edited 2 times. Last update at 26-Mar-2013
Dave Mac
reply to 'Dissertation research help!' posted Mar-2013
So, remind me agian what boots Bill Rodgers was wearing when he won his Olympic gold medal?
And which boot were all the leading freestylers of the world, (eg Nelson Carmichael), using at that time?
When I first saw the Raichle boot, as an engineer, I recognised this as the best boot I had seen. I have not seen another since which beats it's simple, but effective engineering principles. It was originally designed by Eric Giese, a NASA space design engineer. He specialised in the design of spacesuits, hence the similarity in the ankle joint.
The boot failed for a series of commercial reasons, including the untimely death of the Reichle president, Peter Werhan. His wife tried to run the company, but it ultimately failed.
Kneissl took it over, but made a mess of the branding. Full Tilt now manufacture the boot. I agree, that after all this history, it remains a minority boot.
My OH also skis a rear entry boot, a Nordica. I didn't influence her choice, she figured it out for herself. She now wants another pair, but the only place I could find that is a known stockist is in Saas Fee. Damn! We may have to go back there.
Just so long as you understand the only reason I am going back to Saas Fee, dear.....
Stephencox21
reply to 'Dissertation research help!' posted Mar-2013
Thanks guys, really appreciate all the tips and information!
Topic last updated on 02-April-2013 at 12:00