Loud and Squeaky boots/bindings

[crazymama]

I finally got some backcountry skis this season, and had the opportunity to try them out for the first time yesterday.

I got Scarpa T4 boots, and Fischer Rebound Crowns with Riva Z bindings. I noticed that after I had been out on them for about 45 minutes that they started squeaking, honking, quacking (my husband said I sounded like a duck behind him) with every step I took.

Is this normal? Is there anything I can do about this? It kind of interfered with the peace and quiet of the woods.

 

[audrey]

MY newest Riva Z/Rebound/Garmont Excursion combination hasn't quacked or groaned yet, but several of my older skis did. I think it was caused by my old T3 boots, since the noise comes from the contact point between the boot and the binding. Try tightening the binding so there's less play. Spraying the boot tips (whatever that lip is called) with WD40 helps for a little while. Perhaps there's a longer lasting version of silicon spray or a coating that won't wear off so quickly.

 

[dave.m]

crazymama,

Take a course file or some really rough sand paper on a sanding block and round off the bottom edge of the sole around the duck bill. Your new boots have a sharp angle where the side of the boot sole stops and it makes the corner to the boot bottom.

You don't want to go over board with this. But you do want to get a nice rounded edge instead of your current square edge.

What's happening is the sharp rubber edge is sort of catching or rubbing along the binding sidewall when you lower your foot, causing it to sing or squeek. Its not entirely different from the way bike brakes can squeel and the solution is similar.

 

[spencer]

Because of what Dave said, you can also just be patient. I've found the noise to decrease with wear b/c the duckbill will grind and mold itself to match the binding contour.

be careful with the file... too much and you'll be out a pair of expensive boots...

spencer