Salomon Announces a new AT binding: The S/LAB SHIFT MNC
So is this the new King Pin Killer? Have a read about this new AT binding and let us know what you think in the comments below.Salomon and Atomic just announced a new low-tech binding that was seven years in the making. The design team included Cody Townsend and Greg Hill in close collaboration with some of the best freeskiers on the planet. For the 2018/2019 season, both Salomon and Atomic will unveil the S/LAB SHIFT MNC binding.
Here is some info from the new Shift Binding web site:
"The new S/LAB SHIFT binding ushers in the next generation of freeride capability, blending the touring efficiency of a pin (low-tech) binding, with the performance of an alpine freeride binding. For skiers who like to push the boundaries of the mountain and their skiing, SHIFT to the first ever truly compromise-free binding."
"Using a simple lever in the toe, you can confidently transition from touring in a pin binding to a true alpine binding (toe and heel) with a 13 DIN for charging downhill. Plus, with 47 mm of elastic travel (same as the legendary STH2), the SHIFT's long toe wings offer top of the line energy transfer and efficiency."
"The S/LAB SHIFT utilizes a pin toe design for touring,enablingfull range of motion when hiking and kick turning. With an easy step-in, convenient switch between ski and tour modes and fast and intuitive access to the climbing aids, the SHIFT makes it quicker and easier than ever to get to untracked lines. Not to mention it weighs in at only 1.7kg/pair!"
"OfferingMulti Norm Certification (MNC) and an adjustable toe pedal, the S/LAB SHIFT is the only hybrid binding that is compatible with all norm boots on the market."
Specs:
Price: $649CAN
DIN - 6-13
Weight - 1700g/pair
Safety - TUV certified
Brake widths - 90, 100, 110, 120mm
The Shift MNC binding is a shared project between Atomic and Salomon, as both brands are owned by parent company Amer Sports. Both the Atomic Shift MNC 13 and the Salomon S/LAB Shift bindings will be priced at $649CAN and will be released in Canada for September 2018.
What makes the Shift MNC Binding so special:
- Shift is the first compromise-free binding
- It’s the first-ever binding that’s a genuine tech binding for touring – but then can shift to ski mode turning into a genuine freeride binding for the way down.
- With MultiNorm Certification (MNC), Shift is the only hybrid binding that is compatible with all norm boots on the market (from traditional alpine boots to touring boots).
- The Shift is also TUV-certified, delivering the safety a skier needs regardless of the type of ski boot he/she uses.
- One binding for all your touring and alpine days.
Stay tuned for a full review as soon as we can get our hands on a pair.
Here are the official press releases from both Salomon and Atomic for further reading:
SALOMON ANNOUNCES NEW S/LAB SHIFT HYBRID BINDING FOR 2018
ANNECY, FRANCE — After nearly a decade of in-depth research and development in close collaboration with some of the best freeskiers on the planet, Salomon will unveil the new S/LAB SHIFT MNC binding for backcountry ski touring, which will be available in September of 2018. The Shift ushers in a new generation of freeride capability by delivering downhill performance, touring capability and lightness so skiers can earn their turns by touring uphill, then confidently charge big lines and stomp big air on the descent. It is the first ever truly compromise-free solution for skiers looking to push the boundaries of the mountain and their skiing, blending the freedom and touring efficiency of a pin binding with the power and transmission of a Salomon Alpine binding. With MultiNorm Certification (MNC), Shift is the only hybrid binding that is compatible with all norm boots on the market (from traditional alpine boots to touring boots). The Shift is also TUV-certified, delivering the safety a skier needs regardless of the type of ski boot he/she uses.
The S/LAB Shift binding was created to meet the needs of a core group of freeriders who are evolving the sport in a new direction by placing an emphasis on earning their turns by touring uphill. Longtime Salomon freeski athletes Cody Townsend, Chris Rubens and countless others who spend the bulk of their time in the backcountry have worked closely with the company’s Alpine R&D team for a number of years to develop the Shift. In fact, the idea was first broached by the athletes at a team meeting in 2012, when they told engineers that there were no bindings on the market that truly met their needs. Since then, the company’s Alpine R&D team has developed countless prototypes based on athlete feedback to arrive at a finished product that meets their substantial demands and breaks new ground in the binding category.
“There was no blueprint that made you think something like this could be achieved,” says Townsend, who has been involved in the testing and development process of Shift since the beginning. “We said to the R&D guys, ‘If you could make a pin binding that tours like a pin binding but skis like a normal binding, that’s the holy grail, that’s the dream.’ I’ve been really impressed with the design, test, feedback and approval process. It was an engineering feat to get it done. The very first prototypes were so different than the final product, and in the last three years we have seen rapid improvement in the technology and the performance. All of a sudden, the power transfer was there.” HOW IT WORKS
An adjustable pedal toe is what allows the Shift’s compatibility with all norm boots on the market. Based on the boot you’re using (alpine or touring model), you can adapt the binding to suit your boot via an easy-to-use screw. Then the real innovation begins. By creating an alpine toe piece that integrates pins, the company created the first hybrid binding that delivers ultimate versatility. On the uphill, the pin enables the skier to move efficiently and conveniently by placing the rotation point close to the metatarsal area of the foot and offering a 90-degree range of motion. In addition, a variety of simple manipulations can be used to adapt to terrain changes as the skier climbs.
For the downhill, the binding can be switched in seconds from touring mode to ski mode. A lever in the toe is the key to allowing the toe piece to transform from a touring setup to alpine. By lifting the lever up into ski mode, the wings close into a traditional alpine binding shape. Then the skier steps into the binding the same way he/she would to a traditional alpine binding, and with the same confident feeling. The Shift delivers pure freeride performance with regard to power transmission and safety due to the elasticity in the wings that absorbs shock. In fact, the Shift has the same level of shock absorption as the highly regarded STH2 Binding. On the heel piece, a lever switches from touring mode to ski mode in one movement. Even at just 1.7 kg per pair (3.7 lbs), the Shift’s strong combination of carbon-infused PA, steel and aluminum delivers a reliable construction. This is the first time carbon-infused PA has been used in alpine bindings, which helped achieve the strength-to-weight ratio needed in the Shift for both touring and descending. The DIN setting on the S/LAB Shift ranges from 6-13.
“You don’t realize how much technology goes into a ski binding because you just click into it, but they release in ways that protect your knees, your bones and your other ligaments,” Townsend says. “They release when you need them to, and stay on when you need them to. That was the ultimate goal with the Shift; to have a binding that tours easily but lets you ski how you want to ski—with no compromises.”
According to Solene Chappaz, Product Line Manager for Alpine Bindings, the fact that the binding was athlete-driven has led to a product that has been tested to the limits. “For our freeride athletes, the binding is very important because it delivers the safety they need,” Chappaz says. “Our global athlete team is very demanding, and there has been a lot of feedback from them during the development years trying to challenge the product. It’s a good thing that they are demanding because we know that when they are happy with a product, it means the product delivers what we set out to do. And, of course, having their endorsement is likely to have a huge impact on the success in the marketplace.”
Uphill freedom plus downhill power: MEET the new ATOMIC SHIFT Binding
Atomic is global no.1 in skis and no.2 in boots – and with our complete Backland range for the backcountry we’re now the fastest growing touring brand. So what’s new for 2018/19? First the big one – we’re launching our Shift binding, a genuine game-changer with complete touring and alpine capability. And second we’ve taken HRZN tech from the Bent Chetler and added it across the Backland ski range, for even better performance in powder.
One complete RANGE for the backcountry
Bringing more than 60 years of skiing experience to the backcountry, Atomic has added all its alpine knowledge and a whole load of smart technology to its backcountry range. The result is a comprehensive collection of skis, boots and gear for ski running, ski touring and freeride. And for 2018/19 we’re proud to back that up with the next step in Backcountry binding technology: Atomic Shift.
Atomic Shift: the first compromise-free binding
Our Shift binding shepherds in the next generation of freeride capability – and is the binding that freeriders and all-mountain skiers have been telling us they’ve been waiting for. It’s the first ever binding that’s a genuine tech binding for touring – but then shift to ski mode and it turns into a genuine freeride binding for the way down, with a TÜV certified Alpine heel and toe that’s compatible with all ISO boot norms on the market. For the first time you don’t need to compromise! No hiking with frames. No skiing with pins. One binding for all your touring and alpine days.