How to Mount and Adjust Naxo Randonee Bindings -- Part 1

Disclaimer: By using these mounting instructions and templates, you agree to not hold Wildsnow.com, its owners or associates liable for anything.

Get some Naxo bindings for Christmas? Did your local ski shop start talking about "certified" bindings and lawyers when you tried to get them mounted? Did they want large amounts of cash, or worse, 16 gallons of micro brew? Fear not. If you can't find a shop to do the job, grab some tools and go at home -- it's not that tough.

1. Gather your tools and material: Wide blade flat screwdriver; posi-drive screwdriver; tri-square; fine point sharpie; clear tape; electrical tape; power drill with sharp *5/32" drill bit ; hammer; center punch; paper mounting template (comes in box with Naxos); 1-hour epoxy.

2. Next, fit your Naxos to your boots. First, rotate the rear adjustment barrel (see photo), to adjust the binding heel release DIN setting to a low number so it is easy to cock and de-cock the bindings while you're fitting them. To set lower release, rotate the rear release adjustment barrel counter-clockwise. (Do so with your hand or flat blade screw driver).

3. Use a wide blade screw driver to raise the binding toe "jaw" up so you're sure your boot toe will fit under it. Leave it up high, you'll fine tune this after the bindings are mounted.

4: Cock the binding heel so it's ready for boot entry by pressing down the cocking lever. But don't place your boot in the binding yet -- you've still got to adjust the length for your boot.

5. To adjust for length, flip up the length adjustment lever as shown in photo above, place your boot in the binding, and slide the heel unit along the rails until your boot heel fits down in the heel pocket with about 1/8 inch clearance, and you can latch the boot into the binding by pulling up on the cocking lever, or setting the binding on a hard flat surface and pressing the boot down (as you would enter the binding while using for skiing). If necessary, to be more precise find the sole midpoint "mounting mark" on your boot (see next page for photo), and measure in centimeters from this mark to your boot heel. This ends up being half your sole length. Notice the boot length scale on the Naxo binding rails, behind the heel unit (see photo above). Set the binding length on the scale so the first number you can see next to the binding housing corresponds to your sole half-length.

(Most modern boots have the sole length stamped on the side of the heel area. Try using that as a guideline as well.)

6. With your boot latched in binding, check the forward pressure indicator to make sure your length adjustment is good. The indicator (as shown in photo) is a small metal stub sticking out of the rear binding housing. It has a small ring-groove machined into the surface. If you can see this groove, and it's just a hair out from the housing, then your forward pressure is a bit low and may need to be adjusted -- but may work fine. If the groove on the indicator is hidden, then your forward pressure is higher and may be what the manufacturer recommends. I'm somewhat mystified by this, as when I set my bindings with the groove hidden, there appears to be somewhat heavy forward pressure, and the heel of my boot is almost too far back when I enter the binding. When I lengthen the binding one notch, I can see the groove in the indicator, it is much easer to enter the binding, and my forward pressure seems more reasonable. After more testing and research I'll add more info about this. Meanwhile, use the measurement method in step 5 to get your length setting close, then experiment with setting length one notch above and below and see how it works for you. Boot wear may be a factor in this.

7. After all above, you should have a Naxo binding with a boot inserted, so you can figure out where to mount the binding on the ski. Gather up a ruler, fine point sharpie, and your Naxo paper mounting templates, and see the next page for how to place the binding position on your skis.

[Shop for Naxo nx01 Alpine Touring Ski Binding]

*(Drill bits: Ski shops use special drill bits for drilling skis, usually 4.1 mm for skis with metal layers, and 3.5 mm for skis without metal. If you mount a lot of skis, it's a good idea to buy some special drill bits from an outfit such as Slidewright, but for most people it's okay to use the 5/32 inch drill bit as suggested above. If you use a 5/32 bit, especially with non-metal skis, just be careful as you twist the screws in so you don't over-tighten them and strip the holes, and always use epoxy in the holes. If in doubt about tightning a screw, insert it with light torque, let the epoxy set up, then take the screw out and re-insert with more epoxy and a bit more torque. More, if you are an agressive skier using high DIN settings (above 9 or 10), always use the EXACT drill bit size recommended by the ski manufacturer, tap the holes, and insert screws with epoxy.)