Patent ID: 6877759

Claim:
A step-in binding for receiving a ski boot, comprising: a base constructed and arranged to be secured to the ski; a pair of boot support members pivotally supported from a front side of said base, and disposed laterally on either side of said base; said pair of boot support members being biased to a boot receiving position and further having a locked position that is assumed once the boot is received, engages the pair of boot support members, and is cantilevered downwardly into the locked position; a cross bar disposed transversely between the pair of boot support members for engaging the front top of the boot sole; and a release lever arranged at the front of said base readily accessible to the skier and a member that releases the pair of boot support members from the locked position to the boot receiving position upon activation of said release lever; said cross bar disposed over the front top of the boot sole so that the center of said cross bar receives the most forward portion of the toe box of the boot with the ends of the cross bar extending rearwardly therefrom to engage outer portions of the boot sole.