Marker Duke PT 13 25/26

The Marker Duke PT 13 is a freeride binding that tours. It has a DIN range of 4 to 13 and a convertible toe: ski it with the full alpine toe on the descent, then remove the ride toe, saving about 300 g per binding, and climb on pin tech.

The trade-off is weight. At about 1,000 g uphill and 1,300 g downhill per binding, it is heavier than a pure tech binding. In exchange you get full alpine-style release and a heel and toe that feel like a resort binding when you point it downhill.

It is for skiers who split time between the resort and the skin track and want one setup that can do both. The Inter Pivot 3 heel, Auto Quad Lock toe, anti-ice rail and AFD gliding plate are all built for hard charging, and the lock-and-walk brake gives 0 and 10 degree climbing aids.

Boot compatibility covers alpine DIN, GripWalk, alpine touring, Tech and WTR soles; the hike function needs tech inserts. Choose a brake width equal to your ski's waist or up to 15 mm wider. Marker rates it for skiers up to 265 lb.

This is the binding we put on skis for people who want to tour Smugglers' Notch in the morning and lap the gondola in the afternoon.