In this part 1 we’ll offer our impressions about the SHIFT.
Atomic’sSHIFT MNCand Salomon’sS/LAB SHIFT MNCare one and the same.
As canvassed in thisinitial article by Matt SklarSHIFT was 7 years in development.
Previously if you wanted alpine-style performance from your binding you needed a platform style binding.
Now all ski equipment is about compromises.
You simply can’t have it all.
I’ll have had less then 5 days on these bindings since publication.
That jumps out on one immediately.
The more the boot can travel the more elasticity a binding has.
Within reason a more elastic binding adds greater shock absorption and is a desirable trait for the downhills.
The SHIFT toepiece should remind you of an alpine toe-piece because it was designed to look that way.
That is no accident as the STH has been a mainstay of the line so why mess with success?
Being MNC the heel also accomodates different boot soles.
Vertical elasticity is also adjusted by way of a steel spring.
Lots of bling looking carbon infused plastic dresses up the rest of the ensemble.
As with the alpine toe, simply step in.
Shift heel carboner
Shift heel adjust adjustment
Use
The SHIFT’s concept is simple.
Tech pins hold the boot in on the way up.
It’s a tad more complicated than that of course and there are quite a few moving parts.
The toe mechanism moves forward 20mm so now your boot clears the heel.
The toe wings are now deployed in tour mode with pins exposed.
Once in the pins the toe lever must be pulled up otherwise you will walk out.
In tour mode, the second pull gives you a complete lock-out.
But you’re now in tour mode and can free heel.
Simply flip the bar marked SKI to WALK, step on that bar and your brakes will stow away.
There is only one heel lifter.
you might flip that lever by hand or with your pole.
Once deployed that climbing aid gives you 10 deg of rise.
There’s no magic to that with respect to the heel mechanism.
For the toe mechanism it’s recommended that you get into the habit of pressing the toe lever down.
SHIFT Ski - Walk mode bar
SHIFT heel riser deployed
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/895260/Atomic-Salomon-SHIFT-binding
Atomic Salomon SHIFT bindingfromLee LauonVimeo.
Compatibility
SHIFT is MNC.
This means Multi-Norm certified.
On the tour mode (obviously) only boots with tech-toe fittings will work.
There’s always the special flower.
That special boot that tries to be different.
Well this special flower are compact shell designs ie non-norm designed boots.
It’s also therefore certified for WTR, GripWalk and lugged soles.
If you really want to dive deeper into these certifications and what they mean read this epistle by Wildsnowhere.
Work with your friendly neighbourhood shop to setup the SHIFT and learn how to use it.
** A discussion of what tech touring setup to pick is out of scope for this article.
This gap allows a ski to compress and not bottom out against the heel without ejecting.
Tech 2.0 bindings have no heel gap.
Recall that there always compromises.
Tech 2.0 tends to be more complex & slightly heavier but has a more solid-feeling ski-binding connection.
They have platforms so they alter ski flex.
See if I care.
The platform binding is dead.
You just don’t know it yet.
I also don’t mention CAST.
It’s a good system.
It’s well thought-out.
CAST doesn’t need believers; they already have that.
So who’s going to get the Tecton?
It’s significantly lighter then SHIFT (180g per foot is a lot).
Tecton allows for tour to ski mode changes without having to remove the ski.
Tecton also allows one to change to walk mode on the fly.
There’s two elevators.
There’s less elasticity at toe (but still impressive amounts) and heel.
And who will get the Kingpin?
One can also go on-the-fly ski to tour on Kingpin with some contortions.
Skiers who travel to ski and will be skiing one setup will be drawn to these bindings.
Skiers who ski at resort and duck out for backcountry laps will want these bindings.
And this comes to the beauty of the SHIFT.
There’s a massive choice of fairly stiff AT boots on the market now.
Now with SHIFT, want to use your alpine boots while inbounds and riding lifts?
it’s possible for you to do that.
Want to use your touring boot when you’re touring?
you’re able to do that.
Yes - I have way too many skis and bindings.
