Alpine touring is an unmatched style of skiing. You can access terrain that other skiers only dream of and get unlimited fresh tracks in deep powder along the way. But to enjoy this experience, you need to get the right gear, and bindings are an essential part of that.
I’m Christine, the founder of TheSkiGirl.com, and I’ve been skiing for decades. I’ve been on many ski touring adventures over the years, and I know what to look for in quality equipment built for the backcountry.
The Salomon S/Lab Shift MNC 13 is my pick for the best alpine touring bindings of the year. These are built to give you excellent downhill performance while having a lightweight and flexible construction that caters to the backcountry.
I’ll show you all of my top picks for AT bindings in this post. The popularity of this skiing style has really increased over the years, and there are some excellent bindings to take advantage of.
Let’s get rolling.
Contents
Who Should Get This
If you want to venture into the backcountry without the assistance of a snowmobile, snowcat, or helicopter, you’re going to need to get an alpine touring ski setup. This includes boots, skis, and bindings that are built to handle this style of skiing.
A few of the options on this list also give you hybrid performance – meaning you can use them at the resort and in the backcountry. These bindings can work well if you want the flexibility to adapt to your conditions or just need a lightweight option.
Can you downhill ski with touring bindings?
Yes, you can. If you are only skiing within the resort boundaries, you don’t need to use touring bindings. But if you want hybrid performance or don’t have your full alpine setup, you can easily downhill ski with AT bindings.
Do you need brakes on touring bindings?
I highly recommend that you use ski brakes on any type of binding, alpine touring styles included. While some hardcore touring skiers get rid of brakes to save weight, this can mean a lost ski if you eject out of the bindings in the backcountry.
How do touring bindings release?
Touring bindings release similarly to downhill bindings, which is decided by the DIN setting and how much force is put into the binding. The difference is they have a tour mode that locks the toe in place with that setting engaged.
How do you use touring bindings?
Touring bindings work by allowing you to switch between touring and downhill modes. When going uphill, the heel will be free, so you can use skins to ascend. The bindings then lock in the heel for downhill performance.
Can you ski park with touring bindings?
No, you should never really ski in the park with touring bindings. There’s no reason to do this, and touring bindings are not built to withstand the high impacts that can occur in the park.
Best Alpine Touring Bindings: Top Picks
Here are my picks for the best alpine touring bindings of the year. Every option below has a lightweight but strong design that is built for the backcountry.
1. Salomon S/Lab Shift MNC 13
- Best for: Overall
- Key features: Lightweight, excellent performance uphill and down, solid construction, 2-year warranty
- Weight: 885 grams
- DIN range: 6-13
- Cost: $$$
The Salomon S/Lab Shift MNC 13 (review) is the best overall alpine touring binding of the year. These provide the best of both worlds in terms of uphill and downhill performance.
They have a lightweight of 885 grams for each binding to help you shed as much as possible to get uphill faster. An easy step-in feature makes getting into and out of them a breeze.
A dual-mode toe piece makes it easy to switch from touring to downhill mode, and you’ll get exceptional performance from each. Automatic wing adjustments adapt to many different types of boots without any special tweaks.
These aren’t the lightest option out there, but they are the best all-around.
2. Dynafit Radical
- Best for: Ultralight Option
- Key features: Very lightweight, strong construction, 2-year warranty, speed step climbing aid
- Weight: 520 grams
- DIN range: 4-10
- Cost: $$$
If you are looking for one of the most lightweight options around, check out the Dynafit Radical. These weigh in at only 520 grams, making them the lightest option on the list.
They are built using high-quality materials that retain their strength and durability without adding weight. It’s the best of both worlds.
A speed step climbing aid lets you adjust to the incline of the slope you are heading up, which is a great feature for serious tours.
These don’t have a high DIN setting, so they aren’t the best for downhill performance in very technical terrain.