16-Release Hybrid Freeride Touring Binding
Atomic Shift2 16 MNC Alpine Touring Binding
The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC is a hybrid binding for skiers who ski the descent as hard as they climb and want alpine release behavior on a setup that still tours. A release range of 8 to 16 over a 3-Part Power Heel and a reinforced baseplate covers heavier and harder-charging skiers than the 13-value Shift2, and the Hike and Ride switch converts the toe without removing a part. At 1,210 g per binding the Shift2 16 MNC is a freeride binding first, built for lift-served days and shorter tours rather than long ascents.
Expert Review Setup and compatibility reviewed by CCBB technicians.
Is This the Right Binding for You?
Best For
Advanced to expert skiers who want release values up to 16 on a binding that still tours, mixing resort days with approaches on skis they charge.
Consider Another Binding If
You tour long distances and watch weight closely, since 1,210 g per binding is heavy on the uphill, or your boots have no pin toe fittings.
CCBB Binding Ratings
Uphill Efficiency
1,210 g per binding on a pin toe
Descent Security
8 to 16 release range, TUV certified
Transition Speed
Hike and Ride switch, no parts removed
Serviceability
Locking brakes, adjustable toe height
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
CCBB Binding Profile
Release Range8 to 16, TUV certified
CertificationTUV certified, Multi Norm Certified
Brake Width90, 100, 110, 120 mm
Riser HeightsClimbing aid, 2 settings
Crampon CompatibleYes, Crampon Shift 100/120 mm
Boot CompatibilityAlpine, touring, and GripWalk soles, plus a pin toe
Adjustability30 mm
Skier Weight66 to 125 kg (145 to 275 lbs)
Why We Like It
- The 8 to 16 release range covers skiers the 13-value Shift2 tops out under, and it is TUV certified rather than an uncertified extension.
- The Hike and Ride switch converts the toe between pin and alpine without removing a part, so nothing goes in a pocket at a transition.
- Multi Norm Certification means the Shift2 16 MNC takes alpine, touring, and GripWalk soles in ski mode, which covers most of the boots we sell.
- The 3-Part Power Heel and reinforced baseplate carry the load at high release values, and the 30 mm adjustment range absorbs a boot change.
Best Uses
- Resort days and shorter tours on one setup
- Freeride and big-mountain skiing where release values run high
- Skiers between 66 and 125 kg
- Skis mounted for both lift-served and backcountry use
- Boots with certified pin toe fittings
Mounting and Setup Advice
We mount the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC like an alpine binding, and the 30 mm adjustment range means one mount usually absorbs a boot sole length change without a remount. Brake width should match the ski waist or run to 5 mm wider, and the Shift2 16 MNC is offered in 90, 100, 110, and 120 mm. Bring the boots you will actually ski so the shop can set toe height and forward pressure against the sole in front of them.
Release values must be set and tested on a calibrated jig by a certified technician rather than dialed by eye, and that applies with more force at the top of an 8 to 16 range than at the middle of a 4 to 12 one. The toe pins engage the boot's tech fittings in uphill mode, so a boot without certified pin fittings will ski this binding but will not tour on it. Check the fittings, not only the sole norm.
Mounting and release settings must be set and tested by a certified technician against your boot sole length.
📏 Technical Specifications Manufacturer specs · Click to expand
Release and Fit
Weight1,210 g per binding
Release Range8 to 16, TUV certified
Skier Weight Range66 to 125 kg (145 to 275 lbs)
Adjustment Range30 mm
Brake Widths90, 100, 110, and 120 mm
ChassisLow profile, with an oversized platform and a reinforced baseplate
Features and Compatibility
Boot CompatibilityMulti Norm Certified (MN), TUV certified: accepts ISO 5355 (Alpine), ISO 9523 (Touring), and GripWalk (ISO 23223) soles in ski mode. Uphill mode requires a boot with certified pin/tech toe fittings.
CertificationTUV certified. Multi Norm Certified, written by Atomic as MN and elsewhere as MNC.
Heel3-Part Power Heel with locking brakes
ToeAluminum Hike and Ride switch, automatic toe adaptation, manual toe height adjustment
Climbing AidTwo settings
Ski CramponsCompatible, Crampon Shift 100/120 mm
MaterialCarbon-infused PA, a polyamide stiffened with carbon fiber
Micro AFDMicro-adjustable anti-friction device
Compare the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC
Shift2 16 MNC vs. Atomic Shift2 13 MN
The Atomic Shift2 13 MN weighs 920 g per binding and releases from 6 to 13. The Shift2 16 MNC adds the 3-Part Power Heel and a reinforced baseplate to reach 16, and pays 290 g per binding for it. Skiers who never set above 12 should take the 13.
Shop the Atomic Shift2 13 MN
Shift2 16 MNC vs. Marker Duke PT 16
Both reach a release value of 16 and both tour on a pin toe. The Marker Duke PT 16 removes part of the toe to tour, which saves weight uphill but leaves a component to carry. The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC keeps the whole binding on the ski and switches the toe in place.
Shop the Marker Duke PT 16
Shift2 16 MNC vs. Fritschi Tecton 13
The Fritschi Tecton 13 is a pin binding with a supportive heel, and it tours far better than the Shift2 16 MNC at a much lower weight. The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC answers a different question, with an alpine toe in ski mode and a release range to 16 for resort use.
Shop the Fritschi Tecton 13
Common Questions
Who should buy the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC?
Advanced to expert skiers between 66 and 125 kg who want an alpine release range up to 16 on a binding that still tours. The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC suits a setup that spends most of its days lift-served and some of them on a skin track, rather than a dedicated touring ski.
What boots work with the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC?
Most of them, in ski mode. Multi Norm Certified (MN), TUV certified: accepts ISO 5355 (Alpine), ISO 9523 (Touring), and GripWalk (ISO 23223) soles in ski mode. Uphill mode requires a boot with certified pin/tech toe fittings. A boot without certified pin fittings can be skied in this binding but cannot be toured in it.
Does the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC weigh the same as the Shift2 13 MN?
No. The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC weighs 1,210 g per binding against 920 g for the Shift2 13 MN, a difference of 290 g per binding. The 3-Part Power Heel and the reinforced baseplate account for most of it. Weights quoted for the Shift2 family often come from the 13, so check which model a figure refers to.
How well does the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC tour?
The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC tours on a pin toe with a two-setting climbing aid, which strides like a tech binding, but it carries 1,210 g per binding uphill. On long ascents that weight is the limiting factor, and a dedicated pin binding will be the better tool.
What brake width should I choose for the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC?
Choose a brake that matches your ski waist width or runs to 5 mm wider. The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC is offered in 90, 100, 110, and 120 mm. A brake narrower than the waist will not close around the ski, and one much wider can catch.
Can I use ski crampons with the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC?
Yes. The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC is crampon compatible and takes the Crampon Shift in 100 and 120 mm. Match the crampon to the ski waist rather than to the brake.
Does the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC need to be set up by a technician?
Yes. Release values on the Atomic Shift2 16 MNC must be set and tested on a calibrated jig by a certified technician against your boot sole length, and toe height and forward pressure are adjusted to the specific boot. This is not a setting to dial by eye at any release value, and less so at 16.
Our Verdict
The Atomic Shift2 16 MNC is the Shift for skiers who were running out of release range. It holds an 8 to 16 range with TUV certification, takes alpine, touring, and GripWalk soles in ski mode, and converts to a pin toe without a part leaving the ski. The cost is 1,210 g per binding, 290 g more than the Shift2 13 MN, which puts it firmly on the resort side of a hybrid setup. Skiers who set below 12, or who tour more than they ride lifts, are better served by the 13 or by a dedicated pin binding.
Skip to content
