Broken ski binding (75 mm and cable binding) — on a tour

When the nose of the 75 mm 3-pin boot or the cable on a cable binding breaks in the middle of a ski tour, a length of cord is what saves you. You make an improvised heel binding from cord that maintains the function of the cable — enough to get yourself out.

The cord wears through slowly during use, so expect to have to renew the loop one or more times on the way home.

What you need

• A length of cord that fits through the holes on the side of the binding (4 mm paracord, or several thinner cords if that is all you have)
• A multi-tool or knife to cut the cord

How to do it — improvised heel binding

1. Find suitable cord. It should be possible to thread it through the holes on the sides of the binding. Use several cords in parallel if each one is thin — cord wears quickly against ice and snow.
2. Tie a knot in the end and thread the cord in from the outside of the binding, so it comes through on the inside.
3. Pass the cord around the heel of the ski boot and thread it “twice” through the hole on the opposite side of the binding.
4. Tighten up. Take hold of the loop and tighten it as much as you can. Then pull on the loose end of the cord — the cord wedges itself in place and holds tension while you tie.
5. Tie a slipped overhand knot as close to the binding as possible. Slipped means you thread a loop through instead of the whole cord — it makes it easy to release when you need to get out of the boot.
6. Thread the end of the cord through the slip loop once to secure the knot. Then the loop cannot pull itself out.
7. When you want to get out: pull the end of the cord out of the loop and pull on it. The whole knot comes undone.

Broken bail on a 3-pin binding

If the clamping bail that goes over the toe of the boot snaps (rare, but it happens), you need cord in both places:

1. Cord around the heel (as above) — the primary solution
2. Cord over the toe of the boot to press the boot down onto the 3-pin pins

A cord over the toe cannot on its own create enough pressure for the 3-pin system to work — you need both pairs of cord for the boot to stay in the binding.

Tips

• Tie as close to the binding as possible — a loose knot gives twist and wears the cord faster
• Check the knot at every break — it gets pressed harder over time and may end up jammed
• Keep a knife ready for emergencies — if the knot has tightened up completely, you may have to cut the cord off

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Text: Lars Peters and Snuitide (2022), revised 2026.

Knot resource: knots3d — overhåndsknop med slipp