Dhe principle of this editorial office, to try out every device described, knows few limits, but they exist. The backward twisting fall is part of it, at least the intentional one. The sun-drenched slopes in South Tyrol’s Obereggen had everything to offer last week that demands a skier’s leg. Crisp, icy pistes in the morning, an hour or two of transition with a grippy surface, followed by softening snow with a tendency towards water skiing and the après terrace that increases in proportion to its seductive power.
Since around 2010, i.e. parallel to the triumph of carvers, fewer broken bones and more ligament injuries have been scientifically documented, the manufacturer says, referring to sports medical examinations. Which is why he developed a binding designed to reduce the risk of such injuries. It’s called Protector and was handed to us mounted on a Super Shape Magnum from parent company Head.
We can allay fears that the slightly higher construction could be detrimental to the dynamics or negatively affect the power transmission to the ski. At least for the hobby runner equipped with useful skills, no changes to conventional bindings are noticeable. We have pushed the set up to 80 km/h without any problems, weaving is as successful as ever, snappy braking does not lead to an unwanted release. Luckily we were spared that backwards twisting fall, because knee injuries, especially cruciate ligament injuries, make up a third of all injuries while skiing, according to Tyrolia. In 70 percent of the cases, the backward rotating fall is the cause.
This is preceded by: center of gravity far back, load on the tail of the ski, ligaments in the knee pre-tensioned, inner edge grips and initiates an internal rotation of the shin bone in relation to the thigh. The Protector binding counteracts this with a multi-dimensional movement at the heel. If the load there is too high, it shifts sideways by up to 7 millimeters, while the sole holder pivots by up to 30 degrees and releases the shoe. This should reduce the force on the ligaments by up to 50 percent.
There are several years of development time and around 100 parts in the binding. We can only believe and hope that Protector ultimately saves the cruciate ligament, the University of Innsbruck has simulated it and found it to be good. There are five versions for piste or freeride, in silver gray or black, from 285 to 345 euros.