A heel unit apparatus for a ski touring binding is disclosed which comprises a body mounted on a support, the body being rotatable relative to the support on a vertical axis. The body comprises a resilient element movable within the body which when pre-loaded under compression or tension, exerts forces in opposing directions. The body also comprises at least one forward connector moveable between resting and release positions for releasably connecting the body to the heel of a footwear and a My linkage between the resilient element and the at least one forward connector configured such that force exerted in one of the opposing directions resists movement of the at least one forward connector from the resting position to the release position. The resilient element, the at least one forward connector and the My linkage cooperate to resist forward release. The body further comprises a Mz linkage between the resilient element and a resting surface on the support configured such that the force in the other of the opposing directions presses against the resting surface to resist rotation of the body about the support. The resilient element, the Mz linkage and the body cooperate to resist lateral release. Shocks independently affecting the My and the Mz linkages do not significantly lessen resistance to Mz and My release, respectively.

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 apparatus for a ski touring binding is disclosed which comprises a body mounted on a support, the body being rotatable relative to the support on a vertical axis. The body comprises a resilient element movable within the body which when pre-loaded under compression or tension, exerts forces in opposing directions. The body also comprises at least one forward connector moveable between resting and release positions for releasably connecting the body to the heel of a footwear and a My linkage between the resilient element and the at least one forward connector configured such that force exerted in one of the opposing directions resists movement of the at least one forward connector from the resting position to the release position. The resilient element, the at least one forward connector and the My linkage cooperate to resist forward release. The body further comprises a Mz linkage between the resilient element and a resting surface on the support configured such that the force in the other of the opposing directions presses against the resting surface to resist rotation of the body about the support. The resilient element, the Mz linkage and the body cooperate to resist lateral release. Shocks independently affecting the My and the Mz linkages do not significantly lessen resistance to Mz and My release, respectively.

An apparatus for holding a footwear heel to a snow travel aid is provided. The apparatus comprises a mountable base connected to a generally vertical post and an upper portion having at least one forward connector for connecting the upper portion to the heel. The upper portion is rotatable on the post between a downhill position and at least one touring position and comprises at least one part which travels over a prominence at a fixed location relative to the upper portion during rotation from the downhill position to the touring position. The at least one part becomes engageable with a depression adjacent the prominence when the upper portion is in the touring position to resist rotation from the touring position back to the downhill position. The post comprises a feature that provides clearance for the at least one part to travel over the prominence or which functions as the prominence and depression. Also provided are posts for use as a part in such an apparatus.

The invention relates to a heel-piece for binding a boot on a gliding board that includes a frame including a vertical extension; a body rotatably mounted about the extension; at least two rods supported by the body, extending on respective sides of the vertical extension, the two rods each having a free end to cooperate with a housing in the heel of the boot; and a holding mechanism for maintaining a spacing between the free ends of the rods. The vertical extension supports at least one contact zone fixed in relation to the frame. Each rod cooperates with a respective portion of the contact zone, specific to each rod. The contact zone is arranged such that a rotation of the body about the extension, from a descent configuration, causes an increased spacing between the two rods. The invention also relates to a binding system and a gliding board equipped with such a binding.

Ski binding heel unit includes lateral release cams and a vector decoupler mechanism that provide lateral shear release of the heel of a ski boot from a ski. The ski binding heel unit includes an independent vertical heel release mechanism, independent lateral release mechanism and a forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams have laterally outwardly flaring contact points. The vector decoupler mechanism restricts heel unit lateral rotation and translation to a control path. The shape of the lateral release cams dictates the control path. The vector decoupler mechanism redirects the non-lateral forces without effecting the vertical heel release, lateral heel release or forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams and vector decoupler mechanism avert non-lateral, benign loads from the lateral heel release, and avert non-vertical, benign loads from the vertical heel release thereby reducing the incidence of inadvertent pre-release of a boot from a ski.

A heel unit including a base comprising a fastening arrangement for fastening to a gliding board, a binding body, and coupling means arranged on the binding body. The coupling means engage with a heel portion of a gliding board boot in a downhill position of the gliding board binding to securely hold the gliding board boot on the gliding board binding. The coupling means protrude in a longitudinal direction from the binding body in the downhill position. The heel unit includes an Mz release mechanism to preload the coupling means into the downhill position so that, in the downhill position, the coupling means are freed from engagement with the gliding board boot upon action of a force exceeding a predetermined release force, and so that the coupling means move from the downhill position into a release position via rotational movement of the binding body about the release axis of rotation.