This has been adapted from a post I made over on the Backcountry forum on ski.com.au. Read the original thread in all its anarchic glory.
You may wish to continue to compare bindings on backcountry.com, backcountry skiing canada, or search for more reviews and opinions on the grandaddy of backcountry skiing blogs, Wildsnow.
Choosing an Alpine Touring Binding
Put 8 backcountry enthusiasts in a room and ask them about gear, and you will get 10 opinions. However, here I'll try to give an idea of what is available for someone who wants to ski alpine style, but away from the lifts.
What do you want to do?
Most people will agree that there is a weight vs performance trade-off for alpine touring gear, to some extent. These days many will argue you can get very light gear that still performs excellently...for a price.
If you want to extend your off-piste options on a powder day, and access back bowls and back sides more easily, while still carrying a lift ticket, you might be ok with a weight penalty, if you want to use your downhill boots and no compromise in performance.
If you want to get far away from the resorts and are thinking about getting in to snow camping (i.e., the true backcountry) you'll want something light, and really, you'll want a proper pair of light and walkable touring ski boots with a rubber sole.
We love to say how great it is to earn your turns, but make no mistake, those turns will be really earned, especially at first. The majority of your day will usually be slogging uphill. So it makes sense to really think about how pleasant you can make that.
Frame Bindings
This system involves putting a familiar alpine binding on a plate or frame, which has a hinge at the front, and a latch to lock the plate down. You unlock the latch to allow the frame to swing freely at the hinge, and clamp it down to firmly fix the binding to the ski.
Advantages: completely compatible with normal ski boots and skiing style. Strong in downhill mode - I've skied in the park with Marker Barons. Ski shops tend to have a bit more expertise with these bindings.
Disadvantages: Heavy - with every step, you lift the entire binding up and drag it forward. Also, as the hinge is in front of the boot, it's an unnatural walking motion, which can be tiring. These issues are compounded by using a stiff and heavy downhill ski boot. Also, while strong in downhill mode, frame bindings can be surprisingly fragile in tour mode - the frame is vulnerable to twisting and breaking when swinging freely.
Models:
- The Marker Duke (a landmark heavy but high-performance binding) and the Marker Baron (a lighter version of the duke with a lower DIN release value). They both come in an "EPF" model which has a wider base for fat skis.
- The Marker Tour F10 and Tour F12, the lighter Marker offerings. Also with an "EPF" model these days. The 10 or 12 rating refers to the maximum release value. These are the standard Rhythm hire gear but I don't like them - I've seen them break several times in tour mode while in the backcountry.
- The Salomon Guardian/Atomic Tracker (same binding). Similar to the Markers, but have a lower stack height (i.e. they're thinner) and have a different latch system.
- Tyrolia/4FRNT Adrenaline. Similar to the Guardian and Duke.
- The Fritschi Diamir binding is the lightest option and is now owned by Black Diamond, with a distinctive single bar frame. A popular choice, light and reasonably durable in my experience. However they have a high stack height (the boot is quite a long way from the ski) and the heel can unlatch sometimes.
There are very lightweight frame bindings that use wire bales (e.g. Silvrettas) but these are usually made for mountaineering and often have very suspect release mechanisms, if any.
Tech Bindings
Tech bindings (often called Dynafits, even though many other companies make compatible bindings now) were designed ground up by German company Dynafit with lightweight touring in mind.
The system actually uses boots that have two pin holes on either side of the boot toe, and two slots at the back of the heel. The binding toepiece is a pincer that clamps the toe, so it can rotate freely. The heelpiece has two pins that click into the slots, and is rotated out of the way on a turrent when the heel is left free for walking.
Advantages: Weight. A pair of Dynafit Speed Radicals weights 680 grams. A pair of Atomic Tracker 16s weighs 2.96 kg. That's nearly a third of the weight. That's a third the amount of effort and sweat to get it up the hill. Tech bindings also have a more natural walking stride.
Disadvantages: If you go tech, you go all the way - you'll need new boots as well as new bindings (but after a season trying to walk kilometers in downhill ski boots, you'll probably want new boots anyway). You can get boots both alpine and tech compatible, or the lighter boots might be only tech compatible and not be rated to click in to normal ski bindings (like the legendary Dynafit TLT 5 boot).
While they do release both at the toe and heel (some might say too often) tech bindings are not DIN certified (they're working on it, the Beast is the first binding to get the certification). They are infamously fiddly to click in and out of. Ski brake systems are also flimsy and fiddly. A lot of dynafitters ditch brakes entirely, and either use leashes or don't fall.
There is no Australian distributor - shops that do import it have old, limited and overpriced stock - and dodgy local shops might try to overcharge you to mount them (*cough* Alpsport in Ryde, Sydney).
And - of course - as ultralight gear they have to be skied a little more gently. The zipper line down icy moguls will reduce their lifespan. Some say they feel different, as they notice the lack of elastic travel. Many claim to ski so fast and jump so large that tech bindings just aren't strong enough for them. But some big guys do have real issues (the same big guys also have issues with Marker Tours).
Models: The number of past Dynafit brand models is now large and a little confusing. I've only listed the current ones here, in order of weight and burliness.
- Speed Radical. The lightest, and quite cheap too as far as touring bindings go.
- Radical ST. A bit more robust. I see these the most. A classic binding.
- Radical FT. Has a flex plate between the heel and toe pieces of dubious value.
- The Beast. Should be self explanatory. Dynafit's attempt at cracking into the cliff-hucking market owned by the Marker Duke. Now DIN-certified!
And the non-Dynafit dynafits:
- G3 makes the Onyx and Ruby, which have some different step in features. However, they will soon be superceded by
- the G3 Ion, which looks to build on the Onyx with better release function, while still being quite light.
- The French company Plum (pronounced plume) make a chic aluminium tech binding out of Chamonoix. Very sexy, but not cheap, and not obviously superior.
- The climbing company La Sportiva makes the RT. Light and expensive.
There are also a bunch of hyperlight tech bindings made for racing. Don't consider these any more than you'd consider 210cm metal layered World Cup downhill skis.
Hybrid Systems
Marker has unveiled a new binding called the King Pin, that has a tech pin toe piece, and a DIN alpine click-in heel. It looks to be an excellent compromise binding - but they've managed to keep the weight right down, so maybe not such a compromise? Opinions are mixed but many are enthusiastic, and it could be a game changer.
There was a lot of fuss about the US startup CAST, which had a system where you could click a Dynafit toepiece only onto the ski to go uphill, and then unclick it and attach a downhill alpine binding for the downhill. It was starting to look like a frame binding killer - but there are rumours the company is in trouble.
Another US startup called MFD made a frame binding system called the Alltime that you could mount a downhill alpine binding on. I think they're bust as well.
Finally there is the venerable Alpine Trekker - a frame style adapter that clicks into any downhill alpine binding. While easy to try out, they're extremely awkward by all accounts.
But what about boots?
With AT skiing (and indeed telemarking) we often fall into the trap of talking about bindings. After all, the bindings are where the free-heel magic happens, and, well, bind your rig together.
But, any experienced downhill skier will always say to new skiers looking to buy their own gear, "the boots are the most important. Get the boots right. Spend the money on that. Who cares about the skis and bindings at first".
And yet it surprises me the number of experienced skiers getting in to touring, who want to take their super stiff downhill boots with a tight curled-toe fit, and go for a 10km hike in them. FFS, you have trouble walking up the stairs from the carpark to the chairlift.
Remember like 80% of your time is walking. Get light 2 or 3 buckle boots, with space in the toes, a real walk mode, tech pin compatible, and with a rubber grip boot sole. The bindings and skis will follow.
OK Sam, what do you really think?
Up until a couple weeks ago, my advice would be dynafit dynafit dynafit dynafit without a doubt. Light is right these days, the performance is absolutely fine, and it's a truly free feeling with all those kilos off your feet. And mostly my advice is still the same.
However, the Marker Kin Pin is a interesting development - the weakness of the tech system was always the heel pins. So consider that.