ATK Kuluar 12 Ski Touring Binding 2021 – 2022 | Review - Mpora

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ATK Kuluar 12 Ski Touring Binding 2021 – 2022 | Review

The all-new ATK Kuluar ski touring binding brings everything you need, and nothing you don’t

Why we chose the ATK Kuluar 12: Innovative, lightweight, well-crafted 

Weight per binding: 200g
Release Value: 6 – 12 (fixed vertical release)
Riser Heights: Flat, +34mm, +50mm
Brake Sizes: 90, 105 & 115 mm with the option to go for a ‘Kuluar 12 LT‘ brakeless version
Heel Adjustment: 20 mm
Price: £399 / €399 / $499

BUY HERE

With more and more people heading out into the backcountry with race-specific ski touring bindings, it’s no real surprise to see the leading binding manufacturers captivate on this market and produce a safer version of these typically minimal race bindings. And this is the case with this, the ATK Kuluar. It’s an incredibly lightweight ski touring binding at 200 grams, with race-binding inspiration found throughout.

ATK Kuluar 12 Build

This inspiration starts with the heel which, quite frankly, is nothing short of a work of art. The carefully milled aluminium has been designed in a futuristic shape that not only looks the part, but saves on weight with a hollowed out section.

Attachment to the heel is made through a traditional race-style U spring heel. This means that the vertical release is locked for medium – heavy skiers (a Kuluar 9 is available for lighter skiers). What sets this binding apart from traditional skimo race bindings is the addition of a lateral release ranging from 6 to 12.

ATK has also built in it’s Elastic Response System, which brings 10 mm of heel elasticity. This ERS is essentially a traditional forward pressure spring that’s more frequently found in alpine bindings, let alone 200 gram pin bindings. The additional 10 mm of elasticity in the heel will work wonders in smoothing out the chatter you typically feel with the locked-in feeling of race bindings lacking any heel travel.

Elasticity in the heel will also help to prevent any unwanted, and potentially dangerous, prerelease as your ski flexes around a turn. If you’re unaware, heel prerelease typically happens in tech bindings when you flex the ski which, in turn, forces the heel pins to slam into the back of your ski boot, ejecting you from the binding.

Final handy features found on the heel are a single heel riser which, thanks to the fully rotational heel, is able to offer three different riser positions of flat, +34mm and +50mm. Finally, the heel has 20 mm of boot adjustment built into it. Again, we’ll remind you that this all comes in at 200 grams. Mighty impressive.

ATK looks to have continued down the traditional route with the toe unit of the Kuluar 12. They feature the standard dual springs at either side, while there’s a handy bumper on the toe leaver to help guide your boot toe inserts towards the toe pins.

Who Is The ATK Kuluar 12 For?

The ATK Kuluar 12 is a seriously impressive ski touring binding that packs in an impressive feature set that we’re more used to seeing on bindings coming in at double the weight. The bindings are available brakeless (200 grams), or with 75 mm, 86 mm, 91 mm, 97 mm, 102 mm, 108 mm or 120 mm brakes. 

If you’re typically someone who travels out in the backcountry with a pair of 150 – 170 gram race bindings, but would like the additional safety and security that the Kuluar 12 has on offer, then these are, quite simply, going to be a hard to beat binding.

What is The ATK Kuluar 12 Good At?

Weight (lack of): 9/10
Innovation: 9/10
Simplicity: 8/10

Topics:

ATK Ski 100 2021/22 Ski Bindings
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