Yeah, I know there is another thread on it...but that guy doesn't even know the name of this new binding. So since this binding was spurred by a conversation Chris Rubens and I had with a Salomon binding engineer 7 years ago, I figured I'd start the offishal thread and get the maggots some answers direct from the source. Also of note, yeah, I know I haven't posted for years...but still lurking about here and there.
So anyways, the binding. Let's start. The name is: S/LAB SHIFT MNC. Well what does that mean? S/LAB means it's coming out of the Annecy Design Center and goes through a special process of development and testing with the athletes. SHIFT, well that's because it shifts from a tech binding on the up to a normal downhill binding for the down. MNC = Multi Norm Certified = it works with a ton of boots, actually the most boots of any binder in its class.
Moving on. The idea was spurred by two main facts. Tech bindings are amazing for the way up. But are generally unsafe for the way down. Despite quite a lot of progress in tech bindings releasability and hold, ultimately they're still quite dangerous whether you're locking the toe and gambling with a spiral tib/fib fracture or gambling with unlocking the toe and having them release in inconsistent ways. So 7 years ago, we started talking about this problem. Now 20 prototypes and 7 years later, we got the binding we wanted. It's been a long process. We've seen some crazy ideas, found an idea that seemed to solve our problems and have now spent the past three years testing, tweaking and finalizing the model that we see today. Long and short though, it's a pin binding for the way up, an alpine binding for the way down...the best of both worlds.
So that being said, here's some pretty pictures and I'll do my best to answer any questions below.
Stats:
1700 grams per pair with screws.
47mm of Elastic Travel (compare w/ STH2 with 52mm of Elastic Travel)
DIN: 6-13
TUV Certified for Alpine Norms
Climbing Lifts: 2° and 10°
MNC Certified.
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