Best Ski Bindings For 2022 | Safe And Reliable Downhill Ski Bindings For All Abilities - Mpora

Share

Skiing

Best Ski Bindings For 2022 | Safe And Reliable Downhill Ski Bindings For All Abilities

We've tested and reviewed the best ski bindings for this season

Ski bindings are the essential link between yourself and your skis. Safety, retention and durability are their key attributes; with ski bindings needing to balance the fine line between a safe release and a ligament-tearing tumble. Because of the functional if slightly unexciting nature of their job, ski bindings are perhaps the least sexy bit of ski kit that you’re going to be buying to dial in that dream ski setup. This is something that can lead to them being bought quickly, without much thought. And this, in turn, can result in a bad binding pairing.

“Finding the correct ski binding … is essential to saving your knees during a twisting fall”

Finding the best ski binding, based on your weight, height and ski style, is essential to saving your knees during a twisting fall. A correctly set up ski binding will be able to release when required, yet still keep your ski boots attached to your skis while you’re cranking fast and powerful turns on the piste.

Ski bindings also need to remain durable and reliable so they can be trusted whether you’re deep in the backcountry, or thrashing your skis on and off chairlifts.

Whether you’re looking to grab yourself your first pair of ski bindings to be drilled onto your fresh freestyle skis, or you’re after a complex all-metal tank that’ll see you right through big airs and powerful carves, then you’ve clicked into the right article. We’ve spent hours upon hours out in the mountains testing and reviewing our top pick of the best ski bindings for 2022. Here goes.

Best Ski Bindings 2022


Salomon STH2 MNC 16

Weight per binding: 1,240g
Release Value: 7 – 16
Brake Sizes: 90, 100, 115 & 130 mm
Price: £275 / €280 / $320

MORE INFO

The STH2 is built around Salomon’s successful 3D Drive Toe system. This system allows the toe to subtly pivot around multiple axis to help smooth out any potential shocks and vibrations when skiing hard at speed. The pivoting 3D Drive Toe gives a smooth release between your boot and the binding in the event of a twisting, and potentially damaging, fall.

There’s no real surprise as to why this binding system has such a strong following around the world. Salomon has long been tuning and perfecting the pinnacle of their alpine binding range. The effort they’ve put in over the years has resulted in a binding you can rely on to provide power and energy when you need it, and safety and reliability when your knees are on the line. That, as far as we’re concerned, makes a pretty unbeatable binding.

Selected for the 21/22 Mpora Ski 100. Check out our full Salomon STH2 MNC 16 Binding Review here


Marker Squire 11

Weight per binding: 820g
Release Value: 3 – 11
Brake Sizes: 90, 100 & 110 mm
Price: £135

More Info

The Marker Squire 11 is an essential ski binding for light weight skiers, or perhaps beginners and intermediates who are looking to dabble in a bit of freestyle without having to put their knees on the line with the higher DIN offerings. The Squire comes in at a low weight of 820 grams, thanks to a largely plastic construction.

The Marker Squire 11 is going to be the binding for you if you’re a rookie freestyle or freeride skier who fits within the 30 – 110 kg weight limit of this binding. It’s a fantastic entry-level binding, one that’s affordable and safe. It will be a great tool for skiers who want to have a crack at the fun side of skiing.

Selected for the 21/22 Mpora Ski 100. Check out our full Marker Squire 11 Review here


Salomon Stage GW 11

Weight per binding: 860g
Release Value: 3 – 11
Brake Sizes: 80 & 90 mm
Price: £150 / €150 / $160

More Info

Brand new for 2021, the Salomon Stage 11 GW (GripWalk) is the lightest DIN 11 ski binding on the market. Yes, it’s always impressive to see binding manufacturers churn out 16, 18, and even 20 DIN bindings, but it’s also great to see them develop the other end of the spectrum. In doing so, brands give lightweight skiers the tools they need to safely shred the mountain.

The Salomon Stage GW 11 would be an ideal binding for skiers who are just getting into, and quickly progressing through, the sport. The versatile DIN range makes it an ideal choice for beginners as much as it does lighter weight intermediate – advanced skiers.

Selected for the 21/22 Mpora Ski 100. Check out our full Salomon Stage GW 11 Review here


Look Pivot 14

Weight per binding: 1,115g
Release Value: 5 – 14
Brake Sizes: 95  & 115 mm
Price: £247

More Info

Look were the first, and still remain one of the only, ski binding manufacturers to incorporate a turntable heel design in an effort to promote a smooth release in their Pivot binding platform. The Look Pivot soon became a cult classic amongst those in the know. This, the Look Pivot 14, sits at the centre of the Pivot series while offering a versatile release value that covers a DIN range of 5 – 14.

The Pivot 14 has one of the largest ranges of elastic travel that we’ve seen on a ski binding – 45 mm in the heel and 28 in the toe, to be exact. Why is elasticity such a good thing exactly? Well, imagine hitting a dreaded shark underfoot. Rather than instantly kicking your boot out of the binding, the Pivot will attempt to re-centre your heel back into the binding (as far as the spring tension allows).

If you end up levering too much force on the binding then the multi-directional elasticity will give a smooth release which, most importantly, will work wonders in protecting those very precious knees of yours.

Selected for the 20/21 Mpora Ski 100. Check out our full Look Pivot 14 Review here


Marker Jester 16 ID

Weight per binding: 1,070 g
Release Value: 6 – 16
Brake Sizes: 90, 100, 110 & 120 mm
Price: £255

More Info

From its inception ten years ago, the Jester family of ski bindings has become a firm favourite for many in the ski industry, from athletes, instructors and everyone in between. This is because of its reliable build, versatile DIN range, and a fair few features in some hit ski movies. The Jester 16 ID remains relatively unchanged from that super reliable Jester of 2010.

Featuring an impressively large DIN rating, ranging from 6 to 16, the Jester is going to be suitable for a huge range of skiers on the mountain (from 60 kg upwards). Having done the rounds on thousands of skis in its ten year history, the Jester family has proven its worth with freeride and freestyle skiers around the planet. It really is hard to beat the energy transmission, retention, and general bombproof construction of the Jester 16.

Selected for the 20/21 Mpora Ski 100. Check out our full Marker Jester 16 ID Review here


Atomic Shift 13 MNC

Weight (per binding): 850g
Release Value: 6 – 13 (DIN)
Brake Sizes: 90, 100, 110 & 120 mm
Price: £400

MORE INFO

Stick professional Salomon athletes Cody Townsend and Chris Rubens in a room together with a Salomon binding engineer, and I’m sure they’ll come up with all sorts of bonkers ideas. One of them, the Salomon Shift, was taken seriously and now, after 20 prototypes were designed and perfected over seven years of testing, we’ve got the Atomic/Salomon Shift.

Pin binding for the way up, Alpine binding for the way down. The idea is simple, and yet so many other binding manufacturers have previously failed to achieve this “Holy Grail” for skiers. The Atomic Shift works as a ski binding that covers both ski touring and downhill skiing, giving skiers a great option for skiers looking to explore outside of the piste and resort boundaries without having to go down the full on pin binding route.

Selected for the Mpora Backcountry Ski Guide. Check out our full Atomic Shift 13 MNC Review here


Tyrolia Adrenalin 16

Weight per binding: 1,210g
Release Value: 5 – 16 (DIN)
Brake Sizes: 85, 95, 110 or 130 mm
Price: £345

Those looking for a hybrid ski touring and downhill binding setup can’t go wrong with a frame binding. Yes, they might not look as fancy as the complex, and sometimes over-engineered, tech bindings but they offer an extremely safe system at impressively low value.

The Tyrolia Adrenalin is one of the best examples of a frame binding as they offer burly downhill performance in a package that doesn’t force you to sell your left kidney. This performance is thanks to a large spring that sits both in the toes and heels, offering a DIN range of 5 – 16. The whole binding is built around the Tyrolia Attack platform, so you can confidently attack the backcountry knowing you’ve got a pair of highly reliable clamps keeping your ski boots exactly where they should be.

Selected for the Mpora Backcountry Ski Guide. Check out our full Tyrolia Adrenaline 16 Review here

You May Also Like

Best Freeride Skis

Best All-Mountain Skis

Gifts For Skiers | The Best Things To Buy Someone Who Loves Skiing

Share

Topics:

Atomic Gear Marker Salomon Ski Bindings Skiing
Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.

Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions.

production