Atomic

Shift MNC 13 Alpine Touring Binding

While tech bindings lack reliable release ratings for a safer descent, and frame bindings weigh more than resort bindings, Atomic's Shift Touring Binding brings the best of both worlds. It's the one of the first ski bindings that's Multi-Norm Certified for boots with both tech pins and DIN release ratings.

The Shift requires you skin in tech mode. Simply flick switches on both the toe and heel pieces to engage the toe's pins and activate the heel's walk mode. In walk mode, the Shift's pins provide the same walking stride and touring efficiency as any tech binding, with a heel riser to assist on the skin track's steeper sections. Without a frame, the Shift only weighs a mere three pounds, which isn't as light as ultralight tech bindings, but certainly lighter than alpine touring bindings and those hybrids with DIN heels and tech toes. After reaching the top of the skin track, you can flick those same switches on the toe and heel pieces to clip back into the binding like it was a regular alpine binding.