Alpine touring bindings (also known as "AT bindings" or "Randonnée bindings" if you're feeling continental) allow you to lift your heels naturally while skinning uphill, then lock your boots down and use regular alpine skiing technique when you want to go downhill. These are the bindings you use to access backcountry terrain. Used in combination with climbing skins and alpine touring boots that have a hinging upper cuff, AT bindings make traveling over snowy ground remarkably fast and efficient. If you’re planning on earning your turns and backcountry skiing, you’ll need to get some AT bindings. In this guide, we’ll break down how to choose touring bindings, and explain the uses of the different styles available.
“Tech" ski touring bindings are sometimes referred to by the brand name Dynafit, although there are a number of brands that make them. They rely on a set of pins to hold the toe (and with a few exceptions, the heel) in place and require a special boot. Tech bindings are lightweight and allow for a natural walking motion on the skin track. There’s a deep selection of tech bindings, with options ranging from ultra light mountaineering styles to more elastic freeride models.
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Frame touring bindings have toe and heel pieces connected by a frame or rails and often work with both alpine and alpine touring ski boots. Frame AT bindings are typically heavier, but don't require boots with tech fittings and give skiers an experience that is more similar to traditional alpine ski bindings. The beauty of frame bindings is that you can simply swap them out for your alpine bindings, get some climbing skins, and head out - with proper backcountry safety gear and knowledge, of course. They’ll be a bit less than ideal, but they’re safe, reliable, and easy to use, and any day skiing is better than no day of skiing, which makes frame bindings the right choice for a lot of people.
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Unlike alpine bindings which release laterally at the toe, most tech bindings currently on the market have a fixed toe and are designed to release initially from the heel in both the lateral and vertical directions. When the boot has travelled far enough out of the normal ski position, it levers the toepiece open and the boot pops out. Hybrd bindings and some more freeride specific tech styles have provided a solution to this with laterally releasing toepieces, but if safety and consistent releases are at the top of your priority list, this is something to consider. Keep in mind that tech binding release values appear to use the same ISO/DIN scale as alpine bindings, but are not ISO/DIN certified like alpine bindings. The elasticity of tech bindings and the force required to cause a release won’t necessarily be the same as an alpine binding set at the same number.
In general, most modern touring bindings of all categories are set up to work with most standard touring boot sole types, but as there are many variations, it's best to check the specific binding you're considering against your boot sole type. If you're looking at tech bindings, tech fittings are mandatory, so make sure your boot includes them (it is possible to have an ISO 9523, Walk-to-Ride, or GripWalk-soled boot without them). To further complicate matters, there are tech boots with very short soles or no toe lugs (non ISO 9523-conforming) that will only work with true tech bindings and not frame or hybrid styles. If in doubt about a specific boot and binding combination, ask your binding tech.
We recommend that backcountry travelers take an AIARE Level One class or equivalent and practice the skills they learn there regularly with their partners. Here are some great resources for avalanche safety education:
— American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education
— American Avalanche Association
— Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
— Avalanche Canada
You should carry an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe when travelling in avalanche terrain and know how to use them. Backcountry travel requires an acceptance of the risks involved (avalanches are not the only danger) and implies a willingness to take responsibility for educating oneself about these dangers and ways to mitigate them.
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