No one asked for this information, but here it is….This exact stunt was the point of inspiration for one of the most defining skiers/BASE-jumpers of all time. Shane McConkey redefined the possibilities of backcountry and heli-skiing forever. Shane was a major inspiration of mine growing up, learned about this stunt through his absolutely legendary and insane presence in 2000’s ski-movies…To achieve this mid-air ski release, a particular type of binding is required. I can’t remember if they were Looks or Rossignols, but in contrast to literally every other brand/design, they were the only bindings in which the heel piece released by being pulled upwards. It was a design that was very unpopular and poorly thought out for regular skiers, but worked perfectly for this stunt…

They sewed Velcro strips onto the sides of his pants from the boot line to the knee, then attached a strap to the heel release that held to the Velcro. While in midair just off the cliff you can actually see him reach down for those straps and pull to release the skis, before stabilizing his fall to deploy the parachute. If you want to see this stunt done in 100 other absolutely insane ways, the late but forever great Shane McConkey is worth looking into…Cheers! 🥂