Salomon S/Lab Shift MN 13

It’s not very common to see developments that turn everything you know about skiing upside down. But Salomon's new binding, the Shift, could be one of them. A classic dilemma when choosing bindings is whether you should choose for a light setup with a pin (also referred to as a ‘tech’ binding), or whether you should choose for a heavy binding without a pin (a classic alpine binding). The first option offers the advantage of reduced weight when you hike uphill, whereas the latter option offers the advantage of ultimate control when you ski downhill.

The Shift puts an end to this dilemma. You can use the binding with a pin while hiking uphill, and you can use the binding with regular toe- and heel parts when skiing downhill. On top of that, you can choose to either use your specialised hiking ski boots or to use your regular alpine ski boots. These differences in setups allow you to choose one that fits your needs. You could be making a hike one day, and you could be cruising down the slopes another day.

Hence, the Shift ski binding is very versatile and we wouldn’t be surprised if this could become the next standard for bindings in general. The weight of the Shift is significantly less than it’s predecessor, the Tracker. It weighs just 850 grams in contrast to 1460 grams.