Good ski mounting shop?

Finally got my rando act together, now I need to mount the stuff. Any recommendations? Marmot (Bellevue) is near work, Pro Ski (N. Bend) is near home. I'll need to have the brakes on my medium Freerides bent slightly to accommodate my 88mm-waist Havocs, want the bindings mounted slightly forward and may ask for heel shims, so I want someone who can discuss this stuff knowledgeably and help inform me. Thanks for any advice.

Why not mount them yourself? The Freeride is pretty straightforward to mount, and the plastic template works fine. Take your time, measure two (or three) times before you drill, and make sure you use the right set of holes for the heel. I've bent the brakes on my Freerides to give a little extra clearance on 84mm R:EX's, you should have no problem hand-bending them an extra 2mm on each side.

Thanks greg, but that won't be happening because I have no vice, no drill, no tap (whatever that is) no experience and not enough risk tolerance. As this is my first rando rig, I definitely want to take it to a shop. Thank you, though.

Marmot has the most experience with AT bindings on the eastside.  If you are interested in the DIY route -- I have a shop, tools and experience and live near the I-90 / I-405 interchange and would be willing to help some evening this week.

There's an offer! Thanks, Randy.<br><br>As far as shops go, there are people who can do a good mount at any number of shops - Marmot, Pro Ski Service, Second Ascent, REI. The question is whether those people are the ones who will actually be mounting YOUR skis.<br><br>Edited to add: You don't really need that much equipment to mount bindings - a tape measure, a drill, a bit (3.7mm or 4.1mm, I usually end up using a 5/32 when I can't find the 3.7), a countersink, a PoziDrive screwdriver, some epoxy or other glue, and an accurate template. Some digital calipers are nice to double check bit size and get a super-accurate mark for toe of boot. A tap to pre-cut the threads before you screw the binding on is not really necessary unless there are one or more layers of metal in the topsheet - even then you can get by with running the mounting screws in and out before you glue them in).

I've had Pro Ski mount a pair of Freerides and two pairs of Dynafits for me over the last couple years and have no complaints at all.

Dynafits are a little trickier and I wouldn't recommend them as a first binding mount project. Getting the toes on straight is essential for the heel to align properly with the pins; also oftentimes the boots are not exactly the same length or the toe guides are not set in perfectly. The factory template works fine for the toe but the heel is not accurate - if you are thinking about a Dynafit mount, great tips and an accurate downloadable template are available on Lou Dawson's site, www.wildsnow.com . . .

Andy -<br><br>I would also recommend Martin Volken's Pro Ski in North Bend. I have never had a bad experience (2 pairs Freerides mounted) and anytime I have questions or need help fine-tuning anything they always make sure it is handled, adjusted or special ordered before I leave the store. <br><br>J.P.

Thanks all for the great input.<br>Randy, that's a very generous offer, but I work nights (note the time on this post) and want to wait until I'm in a position to buy the proper equipment and then be shown how to use it before I do it myself, even with skilled help. <br>Greg, no Dynafits ... yet.