Leather straps eventually transitioned to an early design of cable-bang out telemark binding.
It was probably past its time regardless.
Marker was among them and theirRotomatwas a game changer, releasing at both the toe and heel.
Alpine skiing was just on the cusp of becoming a major industry in the States at this time.
Breckenridge was still a mining town and Aspen had only been turning lifts for 4 years.
Skiing began to appeal to more people as safety increased and travel became more accessible.
Aside from Teflon AFD pads, binding innovation was minimal.
The designs and materials changed, but little was done to improve binding function itself.
Skiing was either a leisure activity or a sport, racing.
The bindings of the time reflected that.
As skiing began to evolve from leisure activity to extreme sport, ski brands took note.
They built more and more skis catering to the freestyle revolution.
Although skis got wider and more symmetrical, bindings remained the same.
There was a new king in the castle; the Marker Royal Family was born.
It’s hard to believe that 2007 was a decade ago.
Some say these were the glory days of freeskiing.
The niche was new, and being pushed further every day.
Some of skiing’s greatest legends were in their heyday.
Marker realized that freestyle skiing wasn’t just a phase.
In 2007, the family started out as just a couple, the Jester and Duke.
The Duke was like nothing on the market at the time.
The Jester was a more traditional alpine binding, but geared towards park and big mountain skiing.
As the sport’s boundaries were being pushed, skiers began to get ejected after stomping new tricks.
Marker put this at the forefront of their Royal Family line and recreated toe piece design in the process.
Most bindings of the day were longer and more triangle shaped.
Marker created a more compact, yet powerful front, resulting in a more centered swingweight.
The Baron for touring and the Griffon for park and all mountain.
Grete Eliassen - Silver Medal - Slopestyle - X Games
An early Royal Family ad, Circa 2008.
Courtesy of Marker Bindings.
Two seasons deep and the Marker Royal family had become household names in the freeskier realm.
Some of the industry’s best skiers now clicked into Markers to push the limits.
“It feels good to be with a binding I can trust for this long.
Innovation continued in 2009 with a new product.
The Tours were largely targeted towards uphill performance but maintained stability on the down.
One of Markers first ads feat.
Steezy Marie, Circa 2011.
Courtesy of Marker Bindings.
By 2011 The Royal Family has grown to nine different bindings.
This season Marker worked closely with their park-oriented skiers to create a pro version of their Jester binding.
My favorite memory was definitely winning my first X Games on a pair of Jester Pros.
Nick went on to have an incredible follow up season, winning slopestyle events across the globe.
The Lord was a hybrid between the Jester and the Duke.
Courtesy of Marker Bindings.
Its solid construction and light weight has made it a revered tech binding for backcountry skiers today.
Marker continues to make enhancements and adjustments to their world-class binding family.
This allows skiers to use both alpine and touring boots in the alpine bindings.
It is no doubt that Marker has changed freeskiing forever.
Firstly with the revolutionary Duke and Jester bindings and then continually with their upgrades and additions to the family.
Here’s to another 10 years.
