2014 Editors’ Choice Awards – AT and Telemark Ski Bindings

The future of AT and telemark ski bindings is here. This year, we tested the first-ever tech telemark binding, plus a tech AT binding with a release value of 16. But that’s not all because this year, brands have introduced more tech and frame bindings than ever before.

Here’s just a teaser of this year’s Editors’ Choice winning AT and telemark bindings. To see the full reviews, and those of 20 more bindings, check out the 2014 Gear Guide. To get your copy, subscribe today.

 

DYNAFIT BEAST

beast
$1,000 – DYNAFIT.COM
RV: 6-16 |WEIGHT/PAIR: 4 lbs.
BRAKES (mm): 105, 120, 135 | CRAMPONS (mm): 90-130 ($75)

+ The sturdiest, best skiing tech binding ever.
– No flat touring position; requires boot retrofit; still not DIN certified.
= One binding to rule the backcountry freeride world.

 

FISCHER ADRENALIN 16

fischer_adrenalin

$550 – FISCHER.COM
WEIGHT/PAIR: 5 lbs. 6 oz. (long) | DIN: 5-16
BRAKES (mm): 88, 97, 115, 130 | CRAMPONS (mm): 90, 105, 120 ($100)

+ Great lateral stiffness and power without a “dead” spot in the ski flex.
– Lighter than some…but still heavy.
= A solid argument for the obsolescence of alpine bindings.

 

SALOMON GUARDIAN WTR 13

guardian
$415 – SALOMON.COM
DIN: 5-13
WEIGHT/PAIR: 6 lbs. 3 oz. (small)
BRAKES (mm): 100, 115

+ Best snow feel and sensitivity in its class.
– Still the heaviest thing since Iron Maiden.
= For short tours, skiing fast and hucking big, it’s tough to beat.

 

MARKERTOUR F12 EPF

tour12
$429 – MARKERUSA.COM
WEIGHT/PAIR: 4 lbs. 12 oz. (small) | DIN: 6-12
BRAKES (mm): 90, 110 | CRAMPONS (mm): 92, 113, 128 ($79)

+ More powerful but still tourable all day—great compromise.
– Mode change system is still annoying and prone to icing.
= The all-in-one platform binding for skiers who don’t need DIN to 16.

 

DYNAFIT SPEED RADICAL

speedrad
$400 – DYNAFIT.COM
WEIGHT/PAIR: 1 lbs. 9 oz. | RV: 4-10
CRAMPONS (mm): 92 ($65), 110 ($70)

+ Light, affordable and reliable.
– Not an inbounds binding by any stretch.
= The best value in the backcountry—and it skis great, too.

 

OLYMPUS MOUNTAIN GEAR TTS

olympusmountaingear_tts

$399 – OLYMPUSMTNGEAR.COM
WEIGHT/PAIR: 2 lbs.
CRAMPONS (mm): 90 ($75), 102 ($80), 110 ($85), 120 ($95)
OPTIONS: TTS Conversion Kit ($149)

+ Tours better and weighs significantly less than any other telemark binding out there.
– Suits a very specific type of telemark turn.
= If weight savings is your main aim, the TTS is the future of backcountry telemark. And the future is now.

 

SPARK R&D TESLA BINDINGS

SPARKRANDD.COMspark_tesla

AFTERBURNER – $415
SIZES: small, medium, large
WEIGHT/PAIR: 3 lbs. 8 oz. (medium)

MAGNETO – $385
SIZES: small, medium, large
WEIGHT/PAIR: 3 lbs. 4 oz. (medium)

+ “Ten out of 10.”
– Accessing the short riser first requires engaging the longer riser.
= “The most innovative change in splitboarding since the first Spark binding.”

 

 

 

Comments

  1. I can’t believe you would even rate a binding that cost $1,000 what ajoke what happend to real skiers and reality .Were do u live beverly fucking hills,come back to planet earth

  2. $ 1000.00 Are you kidding I will never ever buy a thousand doLlar biNding

    • You may very well not, and neither will I. However , there are those who will. There are also those who can’t see the wisdom behind spending 500+ for a good Goretex shell from Patagonia or Arc’Teryx and there are those who recognize the quality and the utility of such items, indeed there are those who require it, and will pay for nothing else.

      At the end of the day, no one cares if you or Paul would buy these items or not. People do, including many readers of this publication, and that’s all that matters.

  3. skicrystal says:

    If you can’t understand the indignation at paying $1000 for the best safety/performance technology you’re more than retarded. The small bus is for you. Manufacturer’s are aligning more with the functionality of alpine saftey specs. THANK YOU!. Does anyone not notice the flaw in the release mechanisms? I get it, going up’s the shit. You’ll tear an ACL coming down. Please, for the sake of all that’s Holy, demand better lateral release. Look at BD. The market will change soon. DIN coming soon to an area near you.

    • lift tech says:

      $1000 for bindings? There is always someone who can pay for high end, Am I the only one who shakes their head when the least expensive on this list is $400? Sadly, after nearly 30 years, I’ve been priced out of getting any kind of new telemark gear and I work in the ski industry (lift mech). I guess I’ll just keep out skiing the young and the wealthy on the gear I bought before they were out of grade school. That can’t be possible, can it? A 50 year old guy on 10 year old skis, 14 year old boots and cable bindings showing the kids how it is supposed to be done?

      • Tyler Cohen says:

        It is shocking how much some gear costs, but that Dynafit Speed Radical is among the affordable AT binding on the market. That being said, we list MSRP, so surely you can find closeout/sale prices for cheaper, particularly on some older telemark bindings. —TC

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