The most popular winter sport is skiing. But for outdoor activities to bring only positive emotions, you need to take care of sports equipment. The article will focus on ski bindings. NNN and SNS are the most modern fastener systems, and the debate about which ones are better has long been among professional athletes and amateurs.
Nnn
The Norwegian company Rottofella has developed a special system for attaching boots to skis - NNN. Originality consists in the presence of two rubber flexors connecting the boot to the mount, and two longitudinal guides that do not allow the boots to move sideways. The toe of the boot rests in these springy cuffs, and after the push they return the leg to a horizontal position.
The NIS design used in the NNN mounts allows you to install the hardware on a platform built into the ski. This is very convenient, since it is not necessary to screw the mount into the ski, and it can be shifted to adjust the position of the boot relative to the center of gravity. Many skiers use this feature to customize their skis for different snow characteristics. This system also allows the athlete to put his mount.
SNS
The French company Salomon introduced its fastening system - SNS. The difference between this design is the presence of a central rubber flexor with one swivel in which the boot rests. A special sole of the shoe allows the athlete to control the skis and ride in any style.
Installation of fasteners does not provide for a special ski platform, like the NNN mount, but original boots are required, suitable only for SNS construction. Conventional SNS fasteners have only one bracket in front of the sole of the boot, but there is also a modification of the SNS Pilot, where two metal axles are used, which are fixed in two different grooves that are 2.5 cm apart. This allows you to limit the lifting of the foot into the air and thereby increase control over the skis.
System differences
In general, the differences between the NNN and SNS mounts are minor and will be invisible to the average amateur, but there are nuances that a professional will pay attention to. For example, many SNS Pilot fasteners are praised for double-hooking boots to skis, this improves maneuverability, but at the same time, in not very cold weather, snow is packed under the second bracket and pressed into an ice lump, which prevents the shoe from being properly mounted. Also, the second staple is released during the push. But in cold weather, these mounts work fine.
Many professionals value the NNN attachment because, thanks to the ski platform and NIS design under the fixture, the boot is lifted and the leg becomes longer. This increases the push force by lengthening the lever. At the same time, this effect reduces the stability of the skier, which is excluded in the SNS mounts. What to choose: fastening NNN or SNS, it is up to the skier to decide which boots and fasteners are most comfortable for him to ride. This is an individual approach, and there is no definite answer.
Attachment Installation
After choosing and buying a mount, you need to install it on skis. You need to do this in the following order:
- The center of gravity of the skis is determined. This is done as follows: the ski is laid flat on the edge of the ruler and is shifted until it is balanced, like weights (parallel to the floor). If the attachment is heavy, then you need to find the center of gravity by attaching the fasteners to the skis and shift until the balance line coincides with the fixing groove of the boot.
- Marked hole drilling. For this purpose, there are paper templates attached to the mount. If the template was not at hand, you can mark it with an awl by attaching it to the skis, according to the center of gravity.
- Holes are drilled to a depth of 10 mm. Pre-selected drill: for NNN - diameter 3.4 mm; for SNS - 3.6 mm. Drilling is done carefully, slightly pressing on the drill so as not to pass through the ski. It is advisable to put a stop on the drill. Then sawdust is blown out, and the holes are filled with glue for a more reliable fixation.
- Going construction. For this, the fasteners are applied correspondingly to the holes and screwed in with screws. After this, it is required to dry the skis 10 hours before use.
Everything is ready, now you can go for a drive. Apparently, there is nothing complicated in choosing and installing fixtures.