S-curvy

Oh yeah, one more thing: make sure when you spin the springs for tightening that they are actually going INTO the rear hoop, not backing out, which will give you WAY too much slack.

BTW, I have been able to fine tune the tension on mine so that the bindings will actually release if I take a nasty fall, yet hold fast for some serious ripping.

One last thing: We all assume that you're skiing with standard 75mm tele boots, and not the new NTN or AT boots. Right?

Keep it in mind that there is a left binding and a right binding, which is notable by the small ring hole for the leash to attach to the corresponding leash ring on each boot. That means make sure that hole is on the right side of the ski for the right foot and the left side for the left foot.

If you've got that 1st part straight, then confirm that when you flip the heel bale lever up to engage your heel, it goes under firm tension. If it doesn't take some effort, then you'll need to spin the springs to tighten things up. If the springs are spun as tight as you can get them, then you'll need to shorten the cable travel, and if my memory is correct, that adjustment is made under the forefoot plate.

If all that still offers no joy, then take in to your dealer for proper service.

While it is true that Scarpa has been making footwear for decades, it is my understanding that BD actually designed and developed Scarpa's tele boots. In recent years, there has been a "falling out" between the 2 companies and now BD has gotten the manufacturing details of ski boots sorted out and are producing their own product.

That said, like any boots or shoes, the number one concern for a given style/type of tele boot should be fit, followed by the various gimmicks that are available. As others have noted, the thermo-fitting process does wonders for fit, but the fact remains that the 4 different manufacturers use 4 different "lasts" for their shells, so there are going to be fit differences that cannot be mitigated by thermo-forming the liners. Try some on and walk around the store for an hour before dropping that hard-earned money.

Another important concern (after fit, my second greatest consideration) is the boot weight. I ski the backcountry 90% of the time, so I'm lugging my boots up every run; this is part of my swing weight. I want infinitely strong and stiff boots that weigh an infinitesimal amount (helium filled would be great). I've found the Scarpas to be the most favorable, the Garmonts to be quite heavy, and here's the shocker: the BD's are like lead bricks! What do I ski? Blue Scarpa T2's that are 1lb lighter than a comparable Garmont Synergy or Energy for EACH boot! If you're going to be earning your turns, then shaving swing weight will reward you with faster and easier climbs, which means more runs on a given day.