Binding question?

Question

How far forward of the center line shall i put my bindings and still be able to get away with it?

Answer 1

Have a professional install your bindings.

The bindings should be installed so that the center line of the boot lines up with the centerline of the ski.

Anything else just makes skiing less efficient, more difficult, and makes all of the time and effort you put into installing your bindings a complete waste of time.

Do it right the first time - the skis and bindings are expensive enough - and the sport is potentially dangerous enough - that you should not eff around with them

Do it right.

Answer 2

I am assuming you are dealing with twin-tips and know that you do not have the jigs nor the expertise to mount your own bindings, but are just asking about WHERE you should tell the shop to mount...

It's hard to say without knowing 1) which model of twins you are dealing with; 2) your intended use, i.e. park/fakie, all-mountain, powder; 3) your boot size.

The general rule is that for a pure park/fakie twin, the most forward you will want to go is to center-mount your boots.  That is, you determine the center of the running length (the part of the ski that actually touches the snow) and mount the boot exactly in the center.  This setup is good for jumps, spinning airs, and riding fakie.  It is not very good for normal skiing nor deep snow.

For all-mountain, the most forward you will want to go is to ball-of-foot mount your boots.  Determining the center of the running length is the same, but this time that center point is aligned with where the ball of your foot would be in the boot, which usually moves the boot several centimeters back from the center-mount mentioned above.  You can see that this particular mount will vary between individuals if their boot sizes are different.

But note that despite these "general rules-of-thumb", what works for a specific ski will vary with its features and construction.  It is best that you consult other owners of the particular ski.