A ski binding reduces a likelihood of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the tibia is accomplished by absorption in the binding to limit loads transmitted through the boot-binding interface. Release based on an injury threshold includes a binding response tower attached to the ski and adapted for selective engagement with the ski, such that the binding response tower permits biased vertical and lateral horizontal displacement, prior to a release threshold. The binding is in communication with the boot heel and is adapted for slideable engagement in response to vertical and lateral forces exerted from the boot heel. The binding response tower adapted to disengage, or release upon reaching at least one a predetermined lateral displacement or a predetermined vertical displacement, such as when the boot heel is forced sufficiently sideways or upwards due to skier movement that would tend to cause an ACL injury.

A ski boot for anchoring to a ski via a ski binding system includes a rigid foot enclosure including a bottom wall having a first mating surface. The ski boot also includes a sole block configured to selectively couple to the rigid foot enclosure. The sole block includes a second mating surface configured to mate with the first mating surface, the second mating surface defining a mating surface plane. The sole block also includes a traction surface configured to engage a ground surface, the traction surface defining a traction surface plane. The sole block is configured to support an insert fitting, the insert fitting defining at least one of a) a pair of opposed sockets or b) a pair of arcuate cut-away portions. A non-zero cant angle is defined between the mating surface plane and the traction surface plane.

A heel unit for a touring binding includes a base for mounting on a sliding board and coupling means to engage a heel portion of a sliding board boot in a downhill position of the touring binding to retain the sliding board boot on the touring binding. A release mechanism holds the coupling means so as to be moveable relative to the base and releasable from the sliding board boot, in the downhill position, in an event of action of a force exceeding a predetermined release force. An adjustment mechanism adjusts the touring binding between the downhill position and a walking position in which the coupling means are remote from and do not engage the sliding board boot. The adjustment mechanism comprises an actuation assembly manually actuatable to lock or unlock the adjustment mechanism substantially without an actuation force or with an actuation force less than the predetermined release force.

A boot-binding system includes a sole plate, integrated into an inner boot, that mates to a second sole plate that may be integrated into the floor of a pressurized vehicle or integrated into an outer boot configuration also referred to as a surface boot, a spring loaded pin/bushing arrangement couples the sole plates, while a latching mechanism located on the surface boot sole plate captures the heel of the inner boot sole plate against a spring loaded heel plate integrated into the surface boot sole plate that presses upwards against the inner boot heel.

A boot-binding system includes a sole plate, integrated into an inner boot, that mates to a second sole plate that may be integrated into the floor of a pressurized vehicle or integrated into an outer boot configuration also referred to as a surface boot, a spring loaded pin/bushing arrangement couples the sole plates, while a latching mechanism located on the surface boot sole plate captures the heel of the inner boot sole plate against a spring loaded heel plate integrated into the surface boot sole plate that presses upwards against the inner boot heel.

A heel unit for a downhill or a combined downhill and alpine touring ski binding has a vertical-release functional group with a tensioning device with a first spring assembly for holding a ski boot downhill, and a horizontal-release functional group with a base plate to be positioned on the ski and a slide that deflects laterally opposing the ski longitudinal direction against the force of a second spring assembly, on which the vertical-release functional group is arranged, as well as with a compression spring assembly acting on the horizontal-release functional group. The vertical-release functional group rotates on the horizontal-release functional group around an axis running vertically towards the top of the ski or towards the vertical, such that, after a limited lateral deflection of the slide, the vertical-release functional group rotates against the force of the second spring assembly to release of the ski boot into the respective lateral-release direction.

A telemark ski binding has a toe retainer pivotally coupled to a base. A lock assembly of the binding has an actuator assembly. The lock assembly is adjustable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. The binding further has a heel retainer rotatably coupled to the toe retainer. When the lock assembly is in the unlocked configuration, the toe retainer is unlocked, and the toe retainer and heel retainer are both rotatable together substantially inline, relative to the base, around a first center point. When the lock assembly is in the locked configuration, the toe retainer is locked, and the toe retainer is restrained from rotating relative to the base. The heal retainer is rotatable relative to the toe retainer around a second center point. The second center point is at a different location from said first center point.

A brake arrangement for a touring binding, adjustable between a braking position and a sliding position. The brake arrangement includes a base having a fastening arrangement for fastening to one or more of a ski or the touring binding, a pedal having a step surface for a shoe on a side of the pedal facing away from the ski, at least one brake arm mounted on the base and on the pedal, at least one first resilient element configured to preload the brake arrangement into the braking position, and a locking element that is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The locking element, in the engaged position, is designed to lock the brake arrangement in the sliding position. The locking element may be preloaded into the engaged position. The brake arrangement may include a blocking element that is adjustable between a blocking position and a release position.

A heel unit for a downhill or a combined downhill and alpine touring ski binding has a vertical-release functional group with a tensioning device with a first spring assembly for holding a ski boot downhill, and a horizontal-release functional group with a base plate to be positioned on the ski and a slide that deflects laterally opposing the ski longitudinal direction against the force of a second spring assembly, on which the vertical-release functional group is arranged, as well as with a compression spring assembly acting on the horizontal-release functional group. The vertical-release functional group rotates on the horizontal-release functional group around an axis running vertically towards the top of the ski or towards the vertical, such that, after a limited lateral deflection of the slide, the vertical-release functional group rotates against the force of the second spring assembly to release of the ski boot into the respective lateral-release direction.

Some aspects include a ski binding system using controllable electromagnets, alone or in combination with permanent magnets, as means of attaching or releasing a ski boot to a ski during use. Some aspects include a ski binding system using a controllable solenoid. In some aspects, microprocessor-based control releases binding electronically based on input from sensors located in binding, ski and/or boot, as well as in other equipment or clothing connected to them or to skier, or binding releases when a mechanical threshold is overcome. In some aspects, sensor data are recorded for analysis of system performance and for adjustment and improvement of system parameters based on data analytics.