Ski DIN Setting Chart by Weight and Height | How Skier Type, Age and Boot Sole Length Change Your Release Value

The short answer: at 60–70 kg and Type 2, your DIN is roughly 5.5–6.5

The release value is set by five things: weight, height, skier type, age and boot sole length (BSL). For typical combinations of build and boot, the values read from the ISO 11088 table are as follows (for a 35-year-old; the last column is for skiers aged 50 and over).

• Most adults fall between 4 and 8. Each step up in skier type adds about 1 to 1.5
• Skiers aged 50 and over get about 1 less for the same build and type, because the table moves up one row
• Heavier does not always mean higher. 65 kg at 170 cm is lower than 60 kg at 165 cm because a longer boot lowers the value
• 80 kg and 90 kg give the same value because one weight band (skier code L) covers 79–94 kg

How the value is set: find your skier code (A–O), then read the boot sole length column

ISO 11088 is the international standard for assembling and adjusting a ski, binding and boot as one system. The release value is a single cell in a table with skier codes A to O down the side and seven boot sole length columns across the top. There are four steps.

1. 1

   Find the code for your weight

   Each weight band has a code: 58–66 kg is J, 67–78 kg is K, 79–94 kg is L, and 95 kg or more is M.

2. 2

   Find the code for your height and use whichever is higher in the table

   158–166 cm is J, 167–178 cm is K and 179–194 cm is L. If your weight code and height code differ, use the one nearer the top of the table (closer to A, with a lower release value).

3. 3

   Shift the row for skier type and age

   Type 1 stays put, Type 2 moves one row down and Type 3 two rows down (lower rows mean higher values). Skiers aged 9 or under and 50 or over then move one row back up.

4. 4

   Read the cell where the row meets your boot sole length column

   The seven columns are 230 mm or less, 231–250, 251–270, 271–290, 291–310, 311–330 and 331 mm or more. The cell where your adjusted row meets your column is your release value.

For example, at 70 kg, 175 cm, age 35, Type 2 and a 305 mm boot sole, both weight and height give K, Type 2 moves you one row down to L, and 305 mm falls in the 291–310 mm column, so the release value is 6.5. That row also lists a twisting release torque (Mz) of 50 N·m and a forward-lean release torque (My) of 194 N·m. The DIN number is simply the scale setting that makes the binding release at those torques.

Choosing skier Type 1, 2 or 3 and filling in a rental form

Skier type is your own statement of how aggressively you ski. It is less about skill than about the speed and terrain you ski. For a skier at 60 kg, 165 cm with a 285 mm boot sole, the values by type are:

• If you are unsure, the usual advice is to pick the lower type. Leaning towards easier release protects your knees and bones better
• Being an expert does not automatically make you Type 3. A good skier who makes relaxed, long turns is often well served by Type 2
• Rental forms ask for height, weight and foot length (cm), plus a level or skier type box. Write your everyday weight without clothes or boots
• Understating your weight lowers the DIN and the ski may come off mid-run; overstating it makes the ski harder to release. Either way the safety value is wrong, so be accurate

Slope steepness is a useful guide when choosing a type. Beginner runs are up to about 15°, while expert runs can exceed 30°. You can convert between slope percentages and angles with the slope percent and angle guide.

Skiers aged 50 and over and children get lower values: settings by age

ISO 11088 moves skiers aged 9 or under and 50 or over one row up the table, lowering the release value for the same build. This protects children, whose bones are still growing, and people at the age when bone density starts to fall.

The value drops one step on your 50th birthday, so if you skied on the same setting up to 49, have it reviewed the next season. Shops will ask your age, so give it accurately.

• For children the weight code is usually the one used. Height codes stop at H for 148 cm and under, and a lighter child's weight code sits higher in the table
• Ages 9 and 10 differ by 0.5 for the same build. Have the setting reviewed when your child turns 10
• Children change weight and boot size within a single season. When they move up a size, have the binding position and release value reset
• A small child with a DIN around 1 needs a junior binding whose range starts at about 0.75. An adult binding such as 3–10 cannot go that low

Why boot sole length changes the value, and how to find yours

Boot sole length (BSL) is the length of a ski boot's sole from toe to heel, usually stamped on the side of the heel as, say, "305mm". It is a different number from your foot length (the Mondopoint size, such as 26.5).

The same skier gets a lower value with a longer boot because a longer boot is a longer lever. With the binding holding at the same force, a longer boot puts more twisting force (torque) on the leg. The torque your leg can take (Mz) is fixed by your build, so a longer boot needs a lower setting to release at the same torque.

• The rule of thumb is foot length plus about 4.5 cm. The same size varies by about 1 cm between brands and models, so read the stamp if you have the boot
• The table shows 5 mm between 26.0 and 26.5 cm, but real boots usually share one shell (the hard outer casing) across a half size, so the sole is often the same length
• When you buy new boots the sole length changes, so have the binding position and release value reset. Clicking new boots into bindings set for the old ones leaves forward pressure wrong and changes how they release
• If the stamp has worn off, a shop can measure the sole for you

What happens when the DIN setting is too high or too low

A higher DIN is not a badge of skill. Moving away from the value that fits your build is dangerous in both directions.

Some skiers turn the setting up themselves because their skis keep coming off, but the cause may be worn boot soles, packed snow, wrong forward pressure or dirt inside the binding. Have a shop find the cause before raising the value. Equally, experts who crank the setting well above the chart to avoid releases make injuries worse when they do fall.

Does a binding's range (3–10, 4–12, etc.) suit you?

Each binding can be set within a fixed range of release values, such as 3–10 or 4–12. When buying used skis or bindings, or handing adult bindings down to a child, check that your value sits towards the middle of the range. The ends of the range (within 1 of the minimum or maximum) leave little spring margin and are best avoided.

• A skier around 50 kg at Type 1 with a DIN of 3–4 does not suit an advanced binding with a top of 12 or more
• At a DIN around 8, a 3–10 binding is close to its top end. A 4–12 or higher range gives more margin
• Old bindings may have been dropped from the manufacturer's inspection and adjustment list, and shops may refuse to adjust them. Check the model year before buying used

Before the season: what to bring to the shop and what to tell them

If you ski on your own skis and boots, have a shop inspect and adjust your bindings once at the start of each season. Doing it in October or November, before the December rush, saves waiting.

1. 1

   Bring the skis together with the boots you use in those bindings

   The release value and forward pressure are set for the ski-and-boot pair, so they cannot be set correctly without the boots. If family members share skis, bring each person's boots.

2. 2

   Give your weight, height, age and skier type

   Use your everyday weight, and describe your type as the slopes and speeds you ski. Also mention any trouble last season, such as skis coming off unexpectedly or an injury where the ski did not release.

3. 3

   Ask for a release test

   A release test measures the torque with your boot clicked in on a test machine and checks the binding lets go at the force on the scale. Ask whether they test the actual release, not just set the scale.

4. 4

   Keep a record

   Note the release value, the boot sole length and the date. It helps at next season's check and when you change boots.

• Worn boot soles (toe and heel) leave a gap against the binding and change how it releases. Have them checked at the same time
• Before clicking in, knock snow and ice off the bindings and the soles of your boots
• With rentals, the DIN is set from the weight, height, foot length and type on your form. When you collect the skis, check that the scale shows the same number on both

Check your own value with the Ski DIN Setting Calculator

The tables here cover only typical combinations. To check your own weight, height and boot sole length, the Ski DIN Setting Calculator also shows which cell of the table set the value.

1. 1

   Enter weight, height and age, and choose a skier type

   It shows the code from your weight and from your height, and which one was used.

2. 2

   Enter your boot sole length

   Use the number stamped on your boot. If you do not have it to hand, you can estimate it from your foot length.

3. 3

   Check the release value and how it was reached

   It shows the skier code, how many rows type and age moved it, and highlights the cell in the ISO 11088 table.

4. 4

   See whether it suits a binding range

   Choose a range such as 3–10 or 4–12 to see whether your value sits comfortably in the middle or close to an end.

The same tool's ski and pole length tab gives suggested lengths for skis, poles and snowboards from your height, level and style. At 170 cm and average weight, that is 150–155 cm skis for a beginner, 155–160 cm for an intermediate, and 120 cm poles. All calculations run on your device and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

FAQ

What is a typical ski DIN setting?

It depends on your build and type, but most adults fall between 4 and 8. At 70 kg, 175 cm, Type 2 and a 305 mm boot sole the ISO 11088 table gives 6.5; at 50 kg, 158 cm, Type 1 and 275 mm it gives 4.

Is the DIN setting based on weight alone?

No. A skier code is found from both weight and height, and the one nearer the top of the table (lower value) is used. Skier type and age then shift the row, and the value is read from your boot sole length column. A skier at 80 kg, 160 cm, Type 2 with a 295 mm boot would get 8 from weight alone, but height is used and the value is 5.5.

Should I choose skier Type 1, 2 or 3?

Type 1 is for beginners skiing slowly on gentle slopes, Type 2 for skiing a variety of slopes at moderate speed, and Type 3 for skiing fast and aggressively on steep slopes and moguls. If unsure, the usual advice is to pick the lower type. Each step up raises the DIN by about 1 to 1.5.

Should I lower my DIN after turning 50?

ISO 11088 moves skiers aged 50 and over up one row, lowering the value. At 70 kg, 175 cm, Type 2 and 305 mm, the 6.5 used up to age 49 becomes 5.5 from 50. Have a shop review it in the season you turn 50.

What DIN setting do children use?

As a guide, 25 kg, 125 cm, age 8, a 230 mm boot sole and Type 1 gives 1.5; 40 kg, 150 cm, age 12, 260 mm and Type 1 gives 3. Ages 9 and under move one row up, so the same build gets about 0.5 more at age 10. Small children need a junior binding with a low minimum.

Does the DIN change when I buy new boots?

It can. If the boot sole length crosses a column boundary (290 mm, 310 mm, etc.) the value moves by 0.5, and forward pressure needs resetting too. After changing boots, take the skis and boots to a shop together to have the position and release value adjusted.

My skis keep coming off. Can I raise the DIN myself?

It is not recommended. The cause may be worn soles, packed snow or wrong forward pressure, and simply raising the scale can leave the ski on in a fall and lead to injury. Have a shop find the cause and adjust the binding after a release test.