# How much does it cost to have bindings mounted?



## New Daddy (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm thinking of buying last season's skis online, but I'm not sure I will save that way when the binding mounting cost is taken into account.
How much does it generally cost to have binding mounted at a shop where you didn't purchase your skis?


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## Philpug (Aug 8, 2010)

Costs can range from a 6-pack to a "C-note". If I can help you with the on line ski purchase...and even the bindings. If you supply me with your BSL, I will mount the skis, no charge. Starthaus Deal 1 StartHaus Deal 2. If there is somethiong that is NOT on my lists, let me know, and maybe I don't have it in inventory but not posted.


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## hammer (Aug 9, 2010)

Bought my son's skis and bindings online last year and had the bindings mounted at a local shop for less than $30.  Prices seem to be all over the place, though...and in some cases the cost savings in buying online isn't worth it.


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## wa-loaf (Aug 9, 2010)

Mtn Side at Wachusett is $25.


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## Angus (Aug 9, 2010)

I'm not positive but I think REI does it for $25-30 for members - they broke a pair of children's skis when mounting and replaced with a nicer pair a few years back.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 9, 2010)

Agree with the comment about "six pack to C-note." If you buy boots or are a regular customer and know the manager, expect something like $20. Otherwise, most places now post their prices and it depends on the amount of work involved. If it is a system binding that involves sliding in the bindings into the skis, then the cost will likely be cheaper. If it is a traditional "mount," then market rate is between $30-50 up here. What gets you is that the shop has to adjust the DIN settings on the bindings, and that is usually something they don't do for free.

Last season I took my Volks that I bought online to the Ski Rack in Burlington.  The bindings required some assembly, but the "mounting" was minimal because they had to simply insert the binding into the system on the skis.  They charged me the flat rate of $35 IIRC, but that included DIN setting, etc.  I took it to them because they sell lots of Volkls and had the skis in stock the previous season.  Shop around if you can.  Most expensive places are "generally" those shops near or on the mountains.


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## Warp Daddy (Aug 9, 2010)

i had mine mounted for $25


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## riverc0il (Aug 9, 2010)

$30-40. I wouldn't pay more than $40 and I think that is on the high side. Some places might charge more. Mounting a binding takes 10 minutes or less. If they charge more than $40, you're getting ripped off, IMO.


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## o3jeff (Aug 9, 2010)

Doesn't REI mount binding for around $25 for members?


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## rocojerry (Aug 10, 2010)

You could always get a snowboard and mount the bindings yourself  
Typically about 8 screws and you're done --


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## Black Phantom (Aug 11, 2010)

rocojerry said:


> You could always get a snowboard and mount the bindings yourself
> Typically about 8 screws and you're done --



No doubt. Snowboards are easy. Skis are the same thing.

You can mount them yourself without any problem and save the aggravation of going into a shop. 

All you need is a power drill.


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## twinplanx (Aug 11, 2010)

Black Phantom said:


> No doubt. Snowboards are easy. Skis are the same thing.
> 
> You can mount them yourself without any problem and save the aggravation of going into a shop.
> 
> All you need is a power drill.



You wish! Snowboards are pre-drilled/threaded and the bindings all have just about the same template regardless of brand.(I'm a skier & I could be wrong about this) It just seems snowboards are much more user friendly than skis. Good luck w/ that power drill, BP.


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## wa-loaf (Aug 11, 2010)

Black Phantom said:


> No doubt. Snowboards are easy. Skis are the same thing.
> 
> You can mount them yourself without any problem and save the aggravation of going into a shop.
> 
> All you need is a power drill.



Ha, that's funny! System bindings are pretty easy to do if you have an idea of what you are doing. Otherwise the hole patterns for bindings are all over the place and if you don't have the right jig for it you'll screw it up.


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## Black Phantom (Aug 11, 2010)

wa-loaf said:


> Ha, that's funny! System bindings are pretty easy to do if you have an idea of what you are doing. Otherwise the hole patterns for bindings are all over the place and if you don't have the right jig for it you'll screw it up.



Just put the ski on level ground, line the boot up on the ski, get out your _Magic Marker_ and mark away. 

Drill toe piece first. Re-align heel if necessary. You will be all set and save those ridiculous binding installation charges.


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## wa-loaf (Aug 11, 2010)

Black Phantom said:


> Just put the ski on level ground, line the boot up on the ski, get out your _Magic Marker_ and mark away.
> 
> Drill toe piece first. Re-align heel if necessary. You will be all set and save those ridiculous binding installation charges.



Remind me not to buy any used skis from you.


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## deadheadskier (Aug 11, 2010)

I'm a big penny pincher, but saving $35 to mount skis on my own isn't worth it to me.

A. I'd hate to accidentally screw up and drill too deep

B. I think the boot/binding test is worth having done.  I'd hate to blow out a knee as a result of my gear not being set up properly.

We're talking a tank of gas to get to and from the mountains for a weekend.  I can blow $35 at the bar for apres ski quite easily.


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## Black Phantom (Aug 11, 2010)

deadheadskier said:


> I'm a big penny pincher, but saving $35 to mount skis on my own isn't worth it to me.
> 
> A. I'd hate to accidentally screw up and drill too deep
> 
> ...



Think of all the extra Long Trails you could enjoy. :beer:


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## deadheadskier (Aug 11, 2010)

I could think of it that way.  $35 equals 6 pints at the bar

or I could think of it as

A. Destroyed $600 skis = 100 pints of beer at the bar

B. Blown out knee with $4000 doctor bill = 667 pints of beer at the bar

I view the $35 expense kind of like car insurance.  I may not have to pay it (nh resident), but I'll be damn glad I did if I ever need it.


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## dmc (Aug 11, 2010)

twinplanx said:


> You wish! Snowboards are pre-drilled/threaded and the bindings all have just about the same template regardless of brand.(I'm a skier & I could be wrong about this) It just seems snowboards are much more user friendly than skis. Good luck w/ that power drill, BP.



wrong... 

Snowboards have tons of options...  All the way forward or back... Heel to toe...  duck - alpine - freeride stances...

Old snowboards required drilling and t-bolts...  Pick your stance - live with it..


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## Black Phantom (Aug 11, 2010)

deadheadskier said:


> I could think of it that way.  $35 equals 6 pints at the bar
> 
> or I could think of it as
> 
> ...



You don't tip very well!


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## twinplanx (Aug 11, 2010)

dmc said:


> wrong...
> 
> Snowboards have tons of options...  All the way forward or back... Heel to toe...  duck - alpine - freeride stances...
> 
> Old snowboards required drilling and t-bolts...  Pick your stance - live with it..



yeah but don't most modern snowboards have those options built in? My point being boards are eaiser to self-mount than skis. And unless ski bindings are a "system" THEY are "pick your stance - live with it"


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## dmc (Aug 11, 2010)

twinplanx said:


> yeah but don't most modern snowboards have those options built in? My point being boards are eaiser to self-mount than skis. And unless ski bindings are a "system" THEY are "pick your stance - live with it"



I get your point..  

There's no comparison - you can field strip bindings in the BC and readjust everything with just a screwdriver..


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## gorgonzola (Aug 11, 2010)

the 3 shops near me - eastern pa - charge $50. i smell some collusion going on! one of them charges $20 even if you bought the skis and binfdings from them which i think is a total rip off. if you buy a system binding theyre real easy to do yourself


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## deadheadskier (Aug 11, 2010)

Black Phantom said:


> You don't tip very well!



buck a beer amigo.

I think that's fair and in 14 years of bartending it's all I expect on my end.  $1 for a minutes worth of work tops and a smile?  pretty good if you ask me.


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## deadheadskier (Aug 11, 2010)

gorgonzola said:


> one of them charges $20 even if you bought the skis and binfdings from them which i think is a total rip off.



that's bad business.  At the very least, 'hide' the cost of the mount in the price of the equipment.


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## Philpug (Aug 11, 2010)

Mounting bindings isn't just slapping the binding on and sending you on your way. It is torquing and calibrating the system. Doing it right does take a good amount of time. Plus you need to figure in the insurance and liability too. EVERY mount & adjust should be torqued and calibrated.


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## jack97 (Aug 11, 2010)

Philpug said:


> Mounting bindings isn't just slapping the binding on and sending you on your way. It is torquing and calibrating the system. Doing it right does take a good amount of time. Plus you need to figure in the insurance and liability too. EVERY mount & adjust should be torqued and calibrated.



True.....

That said, I have to give props to Aspen East. I went there prior to the last days of spring skiing to purchase the best moguls ski for half price. They mounted the bindings for free even tho I didn't buy them from their shop. Saw the boots getting torqued off by the machine from a couple of angle as well.


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## jarrodski (Aug 12, 2010)

Black Phantom said:


> Just put the ski on level ground, line the boot up on the ski, get out your _Magic Marker_ and mark away.
> 
> Drill toe piece first. Re-align heel if necessary. You will be all set and save those ridiculous binding installation charges.



i've done this.   dont recommend it... but there's usually a paper template that comes with the bindings.  you trace teh hole pattern on the ski with a marker and set your depths using masking tape on the drill bit.... 

basically, for the 20-50 dollars there's little to no risk of wrecking your new boards and you'll trust them more at 65 mph... go to a shop


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## Black Phantom (Aug 12, 2010)

ishovelsnow said:


> i've done this.   dont recommend it... but there's usually a paper template that comes with the bindings.  you trace teh hole pattern on the ski with a marker and set your depths using masking tape on the drill bit....
> 
> basically, for the 20-50 dollars there's little to no risk of wrecking your new boards and you'll trust them more at 65 mph... go to a shop



Who skis at 65 mph?


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## drjeff (Aug 12, 2010)

Philpug said:


> Mounting bindings isn't just slapping the binding on and sending you on your way. It is torquing and calibrating the system. Doing it right does take a good amount of time. Plus you need to figure in the insurance and liability too. EVERY mount & adjust should be torqued and calibrated.



So true.  I just look at it this way,  what's the cheaper alternative?? Saving a few bucks now by trying to do it yourself, or the costs associated with a knee reconstruction/knee rehab if you mess up trying to save a few bucks by mounting them yourself


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## Glenn (Aug 12, 2010)

My wife went through an ACL repair last summer. It wasn't related to bindings. But that being said, I would have ponied up $50 or so for her to not have to go through that.


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## SIKSKIER (Aug 12, 2010)

*I do*



Black Phantom said:


> Who skis at 65 mph?



First of all,I've been told by more than a few shop techs that you don't mount bindings,you mount woman and deer.You install bindings.Second,I installed my first and last pair of bindings using my own drill when I was 14.Yup,drilled right through the ski.That's really not a big deal to repair though.The bad part was my Marker Rotomat toe was turned a little to one side and always released that way unintended.They use templates for a reason.Have it done by a shop and bring beer with you.


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## Black Phantom (Aug 12, 2010)

SIKSKIER said:


> First of all,I've been told by more than a few shop techs that you don't mount bindings,you mount woman and deer.You install bindings.Second,I installed my first and last pair of bindings using my own drill when I was 14.Yup,drilled right through the ski.That's really not a big deal to repair though.The bad part was my Marker Rotomat toe was turned a little to one side and always released that way unintended.They use templates for a reason.Have it done by a shop and bring beer with you.



You don't ski at 65. Or at 55.


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## jarrodski (Aug 13, 2010)

ha ha.  very litteral eh?  

all i'm saying is random ejection is lame. you're trying to save 50 bucks on something that has the potential to put you out of work and out of the season.  dumb dumb dumb.


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## gorgonzola (Aug 13, 2010)

really, i'm all about saving a few bucks and have to ski cheap in order to keep a family of 5 on the snow BUT if you have to ask "how to"  or can't lay out up to $50 every few seasons for some peace of mind, you may want to consider another sport, no?


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## gorgonzola (Aug 13, 2010)

Black Phantom said:


> You don't ski at 65. Or at 55.



why not? we had a calibrated radar gun out at lil ole blue last year and speeds were up to mid 70's as i recall. i was in the middle of the pack in the upper 50's


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## luvinjaycloud (Aug 16, 2010)

If I were a shop operator, i would think you would love to have any traffic walk through your store and should offer "friendly" mounting services at a reasonable price.  I have heard pleny of "turn-off" stories about shops not willing to mount for a reasonable price because the skies and bindings were purchased elsewhere.  Those shops are missing all the accessory, clothing,and next pair of skis opportunities because the client will never come back.  And if a Dad with four kids needs a pair of skis mounted....do 'em for free.  (think six skiers over 10 seasons  $$$)


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## dbking (Aug 16, 2010)

Instead of buying online, start a relationship with a ski shop you like. Buy something. I get my stuff at one place because now I trust them to give me the best price they can and I never pay for anything like installing bindings. It's good to be a local somewhere.
As for doing it yourself, don't. I don't ski over 65mph very often, but once in a while. And I ski in plenty of places where I cannot think about whether or not I used the right stuff or " I hope they are the right screws." 
And I sure would hate to mess up my kids knees because I was trying to save money.


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## Black Phantom (Aug 16, 2010)

gorgonzola said:


> why not? we had a calibrated radar gun out at lil ole blue last year and speeds were up to mid 70's as i recall. i was in the middle of the pack in the upper 50's



were you in the bumps?


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## gorgonzola (Aug 17, 2010)

of course not - in the park launching 100'  booters (insert sarcasm/what are you a jackass smiley here..)


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## nycskier (Aug 17, 2010)

If you buy the skis online and the bindings in the store they will usually mount them for you for free.

So unless you get a really amazing deal on the bindings (or they come with the skis) you might want to get them at a store.


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## NJSkiBabe (Sep 5, 2010)

Sometimes equipment on Ebay looks like a really great deal.  You'll bring your Ebay purchased equipment to a shop to install the bindings for you and you might find what you bought is not compatible. 

If the bindings are no longer on the indemnified lists (they are too old - even though they look new) - a shop won't touch them.

It depends a lot if a shop is certified to work on those skis, snowboards, bindings.. If it isn't a ski or snowboard they carry regularly in their store - that can be a huge liability issue for them.

I REALLY don't want any of you to have an accident on the slopes this winter - for those who are installing your own bindings on your skis or snowboards - please don't complain at the ski areas or at the hospitals when you break your leg.

Leave it to the experts.


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## Black Phantom (Sep 6, 2010)

NJSkiBabe said:


> Sometimes equipment on Ebay looks like a really great deal.  You'll bring your Ebay purchased equipment to a shop to install the bindings for you and you might find what you bought is not compatible.
> 
> If the bindings are no longer on the indemnified lists (they are too old - even though they look new) - a shop won't touch them.
> 
> ...



By "experts", do you mean the pimply, stoned, spaced out young kid behind the counter in a typical ski shop? 

Yeah, that's safe...

Get a drill and have some fun.


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## NJSkiBabe (Sep 7, 2010)

Anyone who really cares about their equipment knows the best shops to go to.


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## Black Phantom (Sep 8, 2010)

NJSkiBabe said:


> Anyone who really cares about their equipment knows the best shops to go to.



Do you sleep with your beloved equipment? 

Get your own tools and really show the love.


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