With backcountry skiing going mainstream in the last decade, the number of binding options has exploded. Gone are the days when Dynafit tech bindings had a stranglehold on the market. Nearly every ski brand has poured massive R&D dollars into developing amazing backcountry bindings, and binding technology has never been better. The only downside to this, for the consumer, is that there are so many options to choose from. If you want a deeper dive into ski touring and backcountry bindings check out our blog post: How to Choose and Alpine Touring Binding
For the 23/24 season, we've sorted through the mass of bindings and pulled our top picks in each category: freeride, all mountain, speed touring/mountaineering, and skimo race, respectively. For our selections, we consider weight, durability, and performance. While this list is not definitive, the bindings we've selected are what we ski year after year and those our customers consistently love. There are a lot of options, so don't hesitate to reach out or book an appointment if you have questions or need help deciding.
Freeride Touring Bindings
Dynafit ST Rotation
The Dynafit Rotation is Dynafit's most hard-charging, big ski-driving binding. It’s also consistently our best-selling binding in this category. It's designed specifically with downhill performance in mind and is the perfect binding for someone looking to ski a tech binding hard, or for the hesitant alpine skier who doesn't trust lighter tech binding options. The Dynafit ST Rotation is set apart by its toe piece, which features a swivel (hence the Rotation part of the name) that allows the whole toe piece to rotate. This function provides safer toe releases and adds elasticity to the toe, which helps eliminate pre-releases in the toe when laying down an edge. The ST rotation also has a gapless heel which means the heal tower touches your boot, and as the ski flexes, the tower moves with your boot to maintain contact. This further reduces pre-releasing and gives you the confidence to charge to your heart's content.
What we like
The gapless heel, swivel toe, beefy construction, and high release value combine to make a binding that can charge just about any line in any condition. It's durable and well-built and will hold up to seasons of abuse. It's also got the Dynafit Lifetime Guarantee which provides a 10-year warranty on the binding. If you buy a Dynafit binding, you're essentially guaranteeing yourself you'll have a working binding for the next ten years. At Cripple Creek, we deal with plenty of warranties and repairs, and the Dyanfit warranty and post-purchase support are some of the best in the industry. For us, this is a massive selling point for any Dyanfit binding.
What we don't like:
At 605 grams, the ST rotation is significantly heavier than other options like an ATK. We also find that it can be a bit tricky to use. For one, some people report having problems stepping into it because the swivel function on the toe piece also means you have to make sure your heel is lined up with the pins. We've also found that rotating the heel tower to unlock the brake and go into downhill mode takes a good amount of force. This isn't a huge issue, but it's noticeably harder than many other bindings.
Fritschi Tecton
Compared to other bindings in this class, like the Maker Kingpin or the Shift, the Tecton is a bit of a dark horse. You'll see far fewer of these bindings around compared to the Shift, and for the life of us, we don't know why. At 550 g, these bindings have other hybrid bindings beat and are light enough to tour very well. With three raisers and an easy step-in-toe, it checks all the boxes for uphilling. But what we love is how this skis. It's got a DIN-certified and adjustable release, which is unique for tech toes. The Alpine-style heal has great power transfer and enough elasticity to charge any line hard.
What we like
As hybrid bindings go, the Tecton is light enough that we would take it into the backcountry with pleasure. Would we go crush a 10k vert day with it? No. But for casual days in the backcountry, it's a great option. It's also robust enough to crush hard-charging resort lines, so this is truly a Swiss army knife of a binding.
What we don't like
While we haven't seen all that many warranties with this binding, the plastic construction feels a little brittle. There are many moving parts, which can take time to get used to, but despite this, we find the Tecton to be more durable than the Shift.
Salomon/Atomic Shift
The Shift was one of the most anticipated and hyped touring bindings when it was first released, partly because of its innovative design and partly because it represented the big boys of the skiing industry pouring significant R&D into the backcountry world. The Shift celebrates its sixth birthday this season. The Shift is perfect for people spending most of their time skiing in a resort, with the occasional foray into the backcountry or side country. It features a fully DIN-certified toe and heel release and 47mm of elasticity in the toe. This translates into a binding that skis essentially like a standard alpine binding with plenty of power transfer and confidence. However, with a flick of a lever, the toe transforms into a pin binding for uphilling.
What we like
The shift has excellent power transfer and the DIN-certified release boosts confidence when charging hard and hitting big lines. For big freeride lines, few bindings can compete with the shift
What we don’t like
At 855 grams, the Shift is HEAVY. It doesn’t matter as much if you use it primarily for resort days with some skinning sprinkled in, but if you plan on longer backcountry missions, your legs might be hurting. It’s also complicated to use, with many moving parts and several steps to transition. This results in us seeing a fair number of broken Shifts and warranties, so buyers be warned: take your time to operate this binding correctly.
Backcountry Freeride
ATK Freeriader Evo 15
The ATK Freeriader Evo 15 represents the latest iteration of ATK’s freeride bindings. At the core of the Evo is the redesigned toe piece, which has the same great construction as the old Freeraider but has an adjustable release value in the toe as well as the heel. This allows for fine-tuning the binding to your weight and skiing style as well as providing increased confidence to bomb massive lines. Other updates include a redesigned freeride spacer that sits more forward on the binding to give increased power transfer and stability and a new brake mechanism that’s easier and quicker to operate. Before, you needed to push the brake down while also operating a button to lock the brake upright; now, by rotating the heel tower, the brake automatically locks.
The ATK Freeriaders bindings have always sat in a class of their own because no other binding is as light while maintaining uncompromising downhill performance. For this reason, we call the Freeriader a true “backcountry freeride binding.” At 390 grams, this binding is extremely light, and for this reason, we wouldn’t recommend taking it to the resort and straight-lining icy bumps, but for the conditions you’ll find in the backcountry, the Freeriader Evo is more than capable.
What we like
The Freeriader Evo is a beautifully machined piece of equipment and epitomizes form meeting function. The aerospace grade aluminium is extremely durable and will stand up to years of abuse. An elastic heel, cam release pins, and adjustable release toe all give the Evo highly reliable and safe releasabilty and with a release value up to 15, you can really crank these bindings down and pin it. The Freeride spacer gives increased edge control and response as well as working to eliminate pre-releases. All this is packed into a light enough package to keep your legs fresh and ready for the descent.
What we don’t like
One of our biggest qualms with the old Freeraider 14 was that the brake mechanism was finicky to operate and could ice up. The new Raider Evo has addressed these issues, but the cost of this is that the brake will only lock when the heel is turned all the way around. With the old Raider, you could flip the raisers over the pins and operate it in “race mode” so you could uphill without turning the heel tower allowing for easy transitions. At $739.95 the Freeraider’s heafty price tag is also prohibitive for some.
All mountain
Dynafit Radical
The Radical has remained relatively unchanged for years, and this tried and true design makes it a wonderful all-around binding. It’s modular and easy to use, which means pieces can be easily replaced, and with the 10-year Dyanfit Lifetime Guarantee, this binding will keep kicking for years and years. With a fully adjustable lateral and horizontal release in the heal, three riser heights, and a nice range of adjustment this binding has a full set of features. We will be honest, the Radical isn’t flashy and is relatively simple. However, it makes this list because it's such a timeless design that we find ourselves coming back to every year.
What we like
The Radical is the tried and true daily driver of the touring world. It's seen it all and ready to keep going. We love that it’s backed by a superb warranty, that it's easy to fix and service, and that it’s simple design works well and is reliable. It’s also budget-friendly and packs enough performance for the vast majority of skiers.
What we don’t like
The Radical falls into the trap of a “jack of all trades master of none.” It sits so solidly in the middle of touring bindings that it doesn’t really excel at any one thing. It’s not the lightest and it doesn’t have the best downhill performance. For people looking for the latest and greatest, you may want to dish out the extra cash and get something a little more high tech.
Atomic/Salomon Summit
The Backland/MTN Summit represents the Salomon and Atomic collective, also known as AMER Sport's foray into lightweight tech bindings. Weighing around 410 grams, the Summit is light enough for just about anything. For those familiar with previous Backland/MTN bindings, the summit will feel familiar but with several important changes. The heel tower now features an adjustable release value, gone are the days of swapping out U-springs to change the release. Additionally, the heel also has elasticity now, which allows for better edge control and binding retention. Construction-wise, the biggest difference is infused polyamide replacing aluminum in many places.
What we like
The Summit still features a durable and simple design that minimizes moving parts reducing weight and the number of things that can break. It's easy to step into and easy to operate. One of our biggest complaints with the older versions was the lack of adjustable release, and we are excited about the increased safety the new Summit will provide. The addition of an elastic heel is also exciting and will provide a better downhill feel.
What we don't like
The brake design is overall easy to use but is prone to icing. We've also found that the brake will sometimes deploy as you climb. It's easy to put back into uphill mode, but it can be frustrating. The simple solution is to save significant weight and go with a leash instead of the brake. We also aren’t thrilled to see polyamide replacing aluminum. While there may be no decrease in durability, only time will tell.
Speed Touring/ Ski Mountaineering
ATK Kuluar
The ATK Kuluar weighs only 200 grams (with a brake) but packs an impressive amount of performance. It's got the signature ATK focus on design and construction, so it'll handle quite a bit of abuse. The Kuluar borrows heavily from ATK's race bindings but has added functionality, making it perfect for the gram-shaving athlete who isn't willing to compromise features. Among said features are four raiser heights, a 20 mm adjustment track, and 10 mm of elastic travel in the heel. The Kuluar 12 has a fixed vertical release and an adjustable lateral release from 6-12. For lighter individuals, there is also a Kuluar 9 available.
What we like
Regarding features, skiability, and weight, the Kuluar stands alone. We love the durable ATK construction and the fact that a 200-gram binding has a brake. Compared to other ultralight bindings the Kuluar is amazingly durable and has few moving parts, making it easy to fix. The adjustable lateral release value is also a huge plus in such minimalist binding.
What we don't like
One of our biggest qualms is that in order to access all of the raiser heights you have to rotate the heel tower. This results in the binding being a bit slower on the climb when you need to change your raiser heights. It’s also worth noting that while the Kuluar boasts an impressive release value up to 12, it’s still an ultralight binding. It’s got plenty of punch to handle any backcountry lines, but with the light construction, you wouldn’t find us hitting big drops or kickers with the Kuluar.
Dynafit Superlite 150
Among the gram-counting enthusiasts out there, the Superlite 150 is one of the most sought-after bindings. Indeed, in the large list of Dynafit’s binding offerings, the Superlite is probably our favorite. As the name suggests, this minimalist piece of engineering tips the scales at 150 grams without a brake or adjustment track, which puts it in contention with some race bindings. The Superlite 150 is constructed almost entirely of 7075 forged aluminum and has a wide mounting pattern allowing for a nice power transfer edge to edge. The 150 has an adjustable lateral release value and a fixed vertical value, but if you’re a lighter skier you can replace the stock U-spring with a softer spring (release value of 6).
What we like
The Superlite 150 weighs as much as some race bindings but has greater durability and versatility, and this added versatility is really what sets the Superlite 150 apart. Along these lines, the Superlite can be configured in several ways. For the gram shavers out there, you can hard mount it with no adjustment track, or if you want to accommodate several boots you can add an adjustment track. There is also an option to toss on a brake. The full aluminum construction is durable and confidence-inspiring. If you want a binding that’s as light as possible while still allowing for big backcountry missions, the Dynafit Superlite 150 is as good as it gets.
What we don’t like
At the end of the day, the Superlite 150 is still an ultralight piece of equipment which means, compared to heavier bindings, it’s more fragile. Specifically, we’ve seen the toe excenter (the plastic piece used for locking and exiting the toe) brake if it’s abused. Luckily, the Dynafit 10-year warranty and easy access to parts means getting any repairs done is painless and usually free. The heel tower is designed to not have a flat mode, rather you have two riser heights and a “race mode” where you can cover the pins and uphill without turning the heel tower. For many, this isn’t a problem, but some people find the lack of flat mode a bummer.
RACE
ATK World Cup Revolution
The World Cup Revolution is the lightest, most race-optimized binding in the ATK lineup. ATK stripped the World Cup down to the bones, and a 105-gram weight results from minimalist design and the best materials on the market. With 7078 aluminum and titanium, don't let the light weight fool you: the World Cup Revolution is a durable tool designed for the highest level of skimo performance. The toe piece features ATK's springless toe piece, which reduces ice buildup and allows for three levels of retention in the uphill locking mode. ATK has two other iterations of the World Cup: the Trofeo and the SL, both of which have slightly different toe-piece designs. There are also LT versions available for lighter skiers and versions with brakes to meet new ISMF regulations
What we like
As with all ATK bindings, the attention to detail and the use of premium materials and construction methods are huge bonuses. In this case, we love that a 105 gram binding features full metal construction and can handle the abuse of the most demanding race courses. That, combined with the unique toepiece, sets the World Cup Revolution apart. Athletes will appreciate the easy step-in when transitioning from boot packing.
What we don't like:
The biggest issue with this binding is that the metal heel raiser that covers the heel pins may eventually fail. It's purely an issue of metal fatigue and occurs after heavy use. Luckily, this is easily replaceable, and the part only costs $20. The key takeaway is that you need to inspect your lightweight gear to avoid failure when using it. In this case, you're looking for metal discoloration and obvious signs of wear. You shouldn't have any issues until you've put the World Cup through the wringer, but since the rest of the binding will last season after season, you may eventually find yourself needing to do the replacement.
Plum Race 150
Plum has been making the Race 150 year after year, and it's become one of the most reliable lightweight bindings on the market. The R 150 will outlast just about any other piece of gear you have. As the name suggests, the Race 150 tips the scale at 150 grams, so it's not the lightest binding on the market. However, compared to Plum's lighter race bindings, the 150 is set apart by its durability and consistency. Largely due to this, the R 150 has also become a favorite among gram-shaving ski mountaineers, speed tourers, and podium-chasing racers.
What we like
This binding is a workhorse. It's not a speedy show pony, but you'll find yourself using it year after year and never worrying or doubting that it'll continue to perform. It's reasonably priced, and the durable construction makes it a versatile binding that can do almost anything.
What we don't like
The R 150 is about 50 grams heavier than the premium ultralight race bindings on the market; for most people, that's a negligible difference, but if you are trying to push the limits of what's possible, you may want to look at a lighter option. The R 150 is also available with an adjustment track and is branded as the R 170. While we appreciate the added versatility of the R 170, the adjustment track is finicky and sometimes loosens, allowing the heel tower to move. The solution is to apply generous amounts of lock tight to the track screws, but this may cause the screws to seize up and not allow an adjustment. With some careful love, the R170 will work fine for anyone, but our pick is the R 150 mounted with no adjustment track.
