Ski bindings are one of the most important — and least understood — parts of our equipment.

In this episode, I talk with Phil Pugliese from SkiTalk.com to better understand how ski bindings work, where they came from, and how they balance performance with safety. Phil has spent decades reviewing and testing ski equipment, and his depth of knowledge really shows.

We cover the evolution of bindings, the role of elasticity, DIN settings, race vs recreational designs, GripWalk compatibility, and why understanding your equipment matters more than most skiers realise.

This conversation helped me make more informed decisions about bindings for myself and my family, and it’s one I think any skier who enjoys learning about their craft will appreciate.

Want to see the bindings Phil is talking about check the YouTube version of the podcast https://youtu.be/JalwwxcNvts

Want to improve your skiing further?

Check out Big Picture Skiing, my online coaching platform with a huge library of in-depth ski technique and equipment videos designed to help you ski better — and enjoy it more.

Podcast listeners get a 25% off Discount Code. Use code PODCAST when you checkout

Learn more at bigpictureskiing.com

I have to admit that one of my core beliefs about moguls was challenged during this most recent conversation with Olympic Moguls silver medalist Matt Graham. For a long time, I believed that more ski snow contact was the ultimate sign of a good bump skierl. But in this open and honest conversation, Matt explains why the opposite is true when you want speed and rhythm in a mogul course.

I was working with Carv at Hintertux when I met up with him, and he talked me through the key ideas the best bump skiers in the world rely on plus a whole lot more 👇

The Mogul Paradox

One of the biggest concepts he shares is something called bridging. It is the ability to absorb the terrain so well that the skis do not press unnecessarily into the bumps. By bridging at the right moment, the skier reduces friction, avoids braking, and keeps the ideal turn tempo flowing. Once Matt explained it, the whole approach made a lot more sense.

The Boot Alignment Breakthrough

Matt also speaks openly about the long journey he had getting his equipment right. He explains the exact alignment change that finally let him ski with more comfort and less fight. Hearing that from someone at his level shows how important the right setup really is.

Carv

We also talk about Carv’s data in moguls. Matt tried CARV for the first time this November and currently he is the number 1 skier on the global Carv leaderboard. Yes higher than Ted Ligety and some of the best carvers in the world. It’s very cool because Carv now has separate Ski IQs for Moguls, Carving, Short Turns and Powder. We find out that elite mogul skiers have an insanely high tempo or rhythm of turns way above even expert skiers.

A quick note about Big Picture Skiing

If you want help improving your skiing this season, I would love to guide you. The Big Picture Skiing learning platform gives you a clear, structured way to progress instead of trying to piece things together from random YouTube tips. You will find step by step skill progressions, deep dive videos on topics like hip position and outside ski balance, and a learning pathway built from my 20 years of coaching skiers at every level.

Podcast listeners can use code PODCAST for 25 percent off any membership.

Thanks for listening skiers. See you out on the slopes.

This is a remastered release (2018) of one of the most eye-opening conversations I’ve ever had about skiing.

Before I had proper mics or a real podcast setup, I sat down with Jurij Franko - the physicist, former racer, and engineer behind the original shaped-ski revolution at Elan. The audio is now cleaned up, and I’m thrilled to bring this episode back because it genuinely changed how I understand skis.

Jurij’s story starts in the late 80s, when he became the first person to apply mathematics to ski design. His work validated the idea of sidecut and helped spark the carving era we now take for granted. In this episode, he explains the thinking and experiments that shifted skiing from tradition to science — and the breakthroughs that came from asking the questions no one else was asking.

We dive into ski behaviour in a way few people can articulate:

• why a ski carves vs. skids

• how torsional stiffness and center of mass influence grip

• the real physics behind vibration and “feel”

• and why so many long-standing beliefs in skiing were never grounded in science.

What I appreciate most is how Jurij connects design to human movement. He explains how great skiers adapt their body position, predict what the ski will do, and make thousands of small decisions based on feel and repetition. His way of cutting through jargon and simplifying the essentials is refreshing - especially for instructors.

We also challenge a lot of myths: flex, vibration, “performance characteristics,” and the tendency to overteach. Jurij’s view is that skiing improves when people are given the space to explore, develop awareness, and feel how the ski interacts with the snow.

This conversation blends physics, history, technique, and genuine passion. It’s a rare look inside the mind of someone who shaped the modern ski - and for me, it’s still one of the episodes that permanently shifted how I think about skiing. Enjoy.

Improve your skiing with me as your coach. I own an online learning platform that will teach you to become a better skier It’s Called Big Picture Skiing and is my way of being able to share everything I have learnt about ski technique, equipment and becoming a better skier. There are over 250 videos sorted into categories for simple learning. If you’ve enjoyed my YouTube and podcast then I think you would get even more out of the BPS learning platform

Podcast listeners can take 25% off any membership with code: PODCAST

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