New Take On Tech Bindings — With an alpine-touring pin setup on the toe but a beefy, downhill-like heel, the Kingpin from Marker could be dream bindings for anyone looking to tour in big terrain. They come with a DIN setting scale for safety (certified from Germany’s TÜV testing organization), including a model up to DIN 13.
The Kingpins have brakes and look like alpine bindings from the back. But the lithe toe mates with alpine-touring boots for free-heel motion on the ascent. (starts at $600; fall 2015)
—See part II from the awards here. Editors and reporters Stephen Regenold, Sean McCoy, Jason Magness, Chelsey Magness, Sam Salwei, Jake Ferguson, Raquel Hernandez-Cruz, Tom Grundy, and Mallory Paige contributed to this report.
