marker alpinist 8 long travel

The ski touring binding range for all challenges. Whether it’s a Pin or a frame binding, whether it’s meant for recreation or competition – Marker bindings are always designed to perform.

Reset password

Please enter your E-mail address and we will send you a link to reset your password by email immediately.

An email has been sent to the provided E-mail address. Make sure you check your Spam email folder just in case your email service provider has redirected it there.

The email address is not correct!

Create account

Forgotten your password?

Tradeinn Retail Services as the data controller will process your data in order to manage registered users on our website and process your order, as well as the sending of advertising related to the products and services. You can access, rectify and delete your data, as well as exercise other rights by consulting the additional and detailed information on data protection in our Privacy Policy .

Seller information

Sold and shipped by

Free shipping

Return of order

Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings

Sustainable

Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings

You save: %

0 Questions

Free assembly

No import duties to be paid.

See other sellers( )

To adjust your bindings, type in the following informations:

(Customized items cannot be returned or exchanged)

This size is out of stock

Don´t lose hope. Write your email address and you will get an email if this item comes back in stock.

Buy this product and earn

Add to wish list

Other colors available

Perfect pairings

Reportar error

View more related products to:

Marker - Ski bindings - Ski touring

Gender: unisex, brakes width: 86-90 mm, recommended use snowinn: ski touring, product description marker alpinist 8 long travel 90 mm touring ski bindings.

The ultra-light Alpinist pin binding (270 g not including brake) offers everything experienced touring skiers need. Its construction allows active length compensation without affecting the ski’s flex.A very stiff, carbon-reinforced front with an ISI toe piece makes the binding easier to step into, as a wide footprint with integrated stop automatically positions and aligns your boot. Kinematically optimised pin levers then allow the pins to snap shut with just a gentle push. The heel features 0°, 5° and 9° climbing aids and can be switched quickly and easily from ascent to descent mode. A 38 mm wide hole pattern transfers power brilliantly to the edges, which means control and great steering. Specifications: - Category: Touring - Highlights: Alpinist - Binding Weight: 270g - Din/Iso Range: Din 3.0 - 8.0 - Stand Height W/O Ski: 13 - Boot Sole Range: 243mm - 367mm - Heel Adjustment Range: 15 - Heel Technology: Alpinist Heel - Recommended Skier´s Weight: Max. 110 Kg Technology: Climbing Aids Alpinist: - Neutral Walking Mode And Two Climbing Aids Offering 5° And 9°. The Fast Shift Mode Enables Quick Shifting Between 0° And 9° Without The Need To Rotate The Heel. Active Length Compensation: - Active Length Compensation In The Heel Allowing The Heel To Move Back Up To 4 Mm When The Ski Is Flexed. Alpinist Heel: - Alpinist Heel With Adjustable Lateral Release With Different Din Options And 15mm Of Heel Adjustment Range (+-7,5mm). Offers Three Walking Modes Thanks To The Hot Forged Aluminium Climbing Aid. The “Fast Shift Mode” Enables Quick Shifting Between Neutral And Highest Walking Mode. The Active Length Compensation In The Heel Allows Consistent Power Transmission And Release Performance, Even When The Ski Is Flexed.

Welcome to our Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings special deal. At snowinn , not only can consumers find the best price for their ski equipment, but also expert information on ski products they are looking to buy. Product prices are up-to-date and all the necessary filters are available, enabling you to compare similar products from top categories like Ski touring head-to-head.

Specifications

Features Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings

Brakes Width

Recommended Use Snowinn

Ski touring

Technology Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings

Sustainable Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings

More information |

Experts review. Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings

This product is also sold by

Price + shipping

Delivery date

Best sellers

Complete your basket

Touring binding Marker Alpinist 8 Long travel 90mm Black

Recommended price

" data-original-title="marker alpinist 8 long travel">
" data-original-title="marker alpinist 8 long travel"> Winter 2024

Earliest delivery 2024-05-15T01:00:00+02:00

SECURE PAYMENT

Custom fees included

in the shipping fees

for changing your mind

Description

Touring binding Alpinist 8 Long travel 90mm Black

The Marker Alpinist 8 Lt 90mm Black touring ski binding is a lightweight model that swallows D+ with efficiency. It incorporates a Rotate Pivot heel retainer that features 0°, 5° or 9° ascent wedge adjustment, while the front stop is reinforced with carbon to increase its lightness as much as its robustness. On the downhill side, the DIN adjustment range extends from 3 to 8 to ensure correct power transmission, while the lateral release of the Alpinist Heel is reassuring. The Alpinist Heel also features integrated play correction for better support on descents.

No leash, but a 90 mm stop ski for added safety.

This description is an automatic translation. Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Touring expert

"From the first kick-turn to wrapping the legendary Chamonix-Zermatt tour in 6 days, we have the right gear for eveyone. I'll help you find what suits you best. Call me on 020 3129 3301 ."

Technical data Touring binding Alpinist 8 Long travel 90mm Black

Binding category

Maximum value

Minimum Value

Weight of the pair in grams

Reference nr

Tips and advice

How to find out what is your release value.

Setting the release value of your bindings is a major safety issue.

In order to fully function and ensure safety, your bindings need to be set according to the Afnor FD S 52-748 standard. We wrote down a guide to help you find out the release value matching your needs.

View guide now

When buying a pair of skis, you will have to complete a form asking for your measurements. Please complete it with the most accurate information: it will allow our technicians to adjust precisely your bindings and lower down the risk of injury.

SOFTGOODS SALE NOW LIVE

30% OFF 23/24 PRODUCTS

FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $100

Marker Alpinist 8 Bindings 2024

The ultra-light and durable touring pin binding for high alpine challenges with din settings up to 8, specifically optimized for light weight touring enthusiasts., binding weight, din/iso range.

DIN 3.0 - 8.0

Stand height w/o ski

Boot sole range.

243mm - 367mm

Walking modes

Heel adjustment range, heel technology.

Alpinist heel ,

Recommended Skier's Weight

max. 110 kg

Best For Condition

Match your ski (for bindings).

Vision , Pandora ,

CLIMBING AIDS ALPINIST:

Neutral walking mode and two climbing aids offering 5° and 9°. The fast shift mode enables quick shifting between 0° and 9° without the need to rotate the heel.

ACTIVE LENGTH COMPENSATION:

Active length compensation in the heel allowing the heel to move back up to 4 mm when the ski is flexed.

CRAMPON KINGPIN/ALPINIST:

Easy to install crampons for KINGPIN and Alpinist available in the sizes 80mm, 90mm, 105mm, 120mm

ALPINIST HEEL:

Alpinist heel with adjustable lateral release with different DIN options and 15mm of heel adjustment range (+-7,5mm). Offers three walking modes thanks to the hot forged aluminium climbing aid. The “Fast Shift Mode” enables quick shifting between neutral and highest walking mode. The active length compensation in the heel allows consistent power transmission and release performance, even when the ski is flexed.”

ALPINIST BRAKE / LONG TRAVEL BRAKE:

Optional brake for MARKER ALPINIST. Improved usability on both brakes

TRUST A TECHNICIAN:

Because bindings must be properly set for each individual rider based on their size, ability level, and equipment, all bindings must be mounted, adjusted, and tested by a Certified Marker Technician at an authorized Marker retailer prior to use.

Marker Alpine Touring Bindings

Marker has been a leading manufacturer of ski bindings since 1952. Founded in Germany, they continue to innovate and produce releasable bindings for alpine and backcountry skiing. To the benefit of ski tourers, Marker has been recently moving away from heavy frame bindings and focusing on lighterweight bindings such as the Alpinist.

Compare ( 0 )

View products

Follow us on social media

Information

News & Articles
Privacy / Terms

Customer Service

Shipping & Services
Returns & Warranty
Order History
Gift Certificates
[email protected]
(801) 942-9084
Salt Lake City, UT

Marker Alpinist 12 Binding – Review

Marker Alpinist 12 Tech Binding

Dynafit set the tech binding standard, and many have followed. One of the more recent alpine touring tech bindings to turn our heads is the Marker Alpinist 12. Marker is, of course, well established in the alpine binding world and first stepped into tech binding design with the Kingpin . Blending the security of an alpine binding heel design with a tech toe, the Kingpin earned its place in the AT binding hierarchy with skiers seeking a stout touring binding. But if it’s a lightweight, dedicated ski touring binding you are after, the Marker Alpinist is the binding that deserves your attention.

The Marker Alpinist follows a minimalist design approach. Weighing in at a featherweight 250 grams (8.9 oz) per binding (~500grams/pair) without a brake, the design relies on forged aluminum, carbon, and fiber-reinforced polyamide plus a simple u-spring style heel piece to keep it light. The result is a full-function binding that rivals the weight of the Dynafit Speedfit .

Like the Speedfit, the only adjustable release value on the Alpinist is found in the heel rotation or lateral release. It’s available in a 4-10 or 6-12 release value (Alpinist 10 and Alpinist 12 respectively). The forward or upward release is set by choosing one of three u-spring options – soft, medium or stiff. The Alpinist 12 comes with a stiff spring installed. Changing to the soft or medium is quickly done at home or by your ski shop when they mount the bindings.

Flat Walk Mode and More

High walk mode

Low walk mode

Flat walk mode

Besides looking and working great, the Marker Alpinist has a couple of distinct characteristics that set it apart from the competition. First is the lack of boot ramp. In other words, the boot sits nearly level in the binding (vs an elevated heel as with most tech bindings). The Alpinist also offers an entirely flat tour mode. What does all this mean? Well, it means your boot sits flatter and closer to the ski than on a Dynafit Radical or G3 ION binding. The result is a more relaxed stance that suits powder skiing and modern rockered skis nicely. Is it better? Hard to say. But I enjoy the flat walk mode for low-angle approaches and extended tours. The binding still offers two additional heel lift modes – low and high. The low setting rises about 46mm off the ski, and the high setting rises 60mm off the ski. Another nice quality of the binding is its lack of rattling parts. The heel lift pad sits snugly on the binding and thus does not rattle with each step. It’s also easy to flip into position with your ski pole.

Minimal boot ramp

Marker Alpinist u-spring heel unit

Simple u-spring design tech bindings like the Marker Alpinist are not for everyone. They are designed for dedicated touring, and I would offer the best for experienced skiers. The limited adjustability for release and minimalist design speak best to seasoned touring veterans and those looking to shave weight on their ski setup.

Marker Alpinist toe piece

The binding has performed flawlessly through a wide range of deep snow conditions. The heel unit sheds snow nicely, and I have never experienced icing or auto-rotation due to snow build-up. Similarly, the toe piece sheds snow and has never developed any icing problems. The step-in-toe alignment is not quite as positive as a Dynafit Radical, but after a few transitions, stepping in becomes second nature with a fluid, effortless feel.

The heel unit is designed to move with ski flex (what Marker calls active length compensation) to maintain proper heel pin positioning and consistent release values. The mount features a modestly wide hole pattern for solid power transfer.

Everything You Need, Nothing You Don’t

Marker set a high standard for simplicity, ease of use and all-around ski and walk performance with the Alpinist tech binding. It’s available in two models, the Alpinist 10 (release value 4-10) and the Alpinist 12 (release value 6-12). The models are identical aside from their corresponding release values. Brakes are available as an add-on, and ski crampon fittings are built-in.

The Alpinist is a dedicated touring binding for skiers who prefer minimalist design and simple functionality. Marker has done an excellent job of following existing tech binding standards, using innovative materials and designing a binding that has everything you need and nothing that you don’t.

Check prices on the Marker Alpinist Tech Binding and support offpistemag.com when you purchase through our links.

Marker Alpinist 10 $499

Marker Alpinist 12 $550

Using our product links and banners helps support offpistemag.com. While the website is partially funded through affiliate sales, we only review and promote products we test and believe merit highlighting.

alpinist , Marker , Marker Alpinist Binding , tech binding

2020-2021 Marker Alpinist 12

Marker Alpinist 12

Release Value Range: 6-12 (adjustable lateral release, fixed vertical release based on U-spring)

Available Brake Widths: 90, 105, 115 mm

Available Crampon Widths: 80, 90, 105, 120 mm

Climbing Aids: Flat, 31, 40 mm

Forward Elastic Travel: 4 mm

Mounting Pattern Width: 38 mm (toe), 36 mm (heel)

Heel Mounting Gap: 0 mm

BSL Adjustment: 15 mm (30 mm demo track available)

Stated Weight: 335 grams (with 105 mm brakes)

Blister’s Measured Weight:

Toe Pieces: 124 & 124 g
Heel Pieces: 143 & 144 g*
Brake Units (105 mm): 99 & 99 g
Screws (toe+heel): 17 & 17 g
Total Weight: 383 & 384 g

*Our pair of Alpinists came with the long demo heel track (30 mm of adjustment vs 15 mm for the standard), which likely weighs a few grams more than the standard heel track.

MSRP: $395 USD

Boots Used: Scarpa Maestrale RS ; Nordica Strider 120; Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro ; Salomon S/Lab MTN

Ski Used: Salomon MTN Explore 95

Test Locations: Rocky Mountain National Park, Black Mountain, & Arapahoe Basin, CO

Days Tested: 7

[ Note : Our review was conducted on the 18/19 Alpinist 12, which was not changed for 19/20 or 20/21, apart from graphics.]

The Alpinist 12 is Marker’s first foray into minimal touring bindings, and it’s also the first binding we are taking a look at in our Lightweight Touring Binding Shootout . We strongly encourage you to read the intro to our Shootout, since it spells out how exactly we chose, tested, and compared the bindings in the review.

But here’s the CliffsNotes version: we mounted four pairs of 300-400 gram touring bindings on the exact same ski to test them all head-to-head. The bindings we’re including are the Alpinist 12, the Dynafit TLT Speed, The Hagan Core / ATK Raider 12 2.0 , and the Atomic Backland Tour / Salomon MTN.

The Alpinist 12 is one of the most fully featured bindings in the test, yet it still comes in at a very similar weight to the other options. So how does it actually perform in the mountains? Blister reviewer Luke Koppa and I have both been using the Alpinist 12, so we’ll both be weighing in here.

Sam Shaheen: The Alpinist 12 doesn’t feature any really radical design departures from other tech bindings, but what makes the Alpinist unique is how it combines all of those features while coming in at a weight that’s closer to more minimal options.

Sam: The toe piece on the Alpinist is pretty standard. It has a very similar design to the Marker Kingpin toe, but with only two springs (instead of the six on the Kingpin) and a slightly different geometry.

The Alpinist’s toe seems to work quite well. It feels solid and the retention has been quite good during our testing. This could potentially be due to the Alpinist toe’s higher pivot point, which is roughly 3 mm higher than that on the toe pieces of the Dynafit TLT Speed and Rotation 10. The G3 Ion’s toe piece also has a higher pivot point, and we’ve found that binding to offer very good toe retention, too.

I’ve skied some pretty firm, rough, steep snow on the Alpinist and haven’t yet experienced any pre-releases, or felt the need to lock out the toe (even in situations where I would have locked out the toes on a binding like the Dynafit TLT Speed).

The Alpinist toe also feels more solid when stepping in compared to the Kingpin’s toe (however counter-intuitive that may be).

The only downside of the Alpinist toe is that it is fairly difficult to step into compared to the other bindings in our test. There are two pieces of white silicone rubber on the Alpinist toe that create a pseudo toe-stop to help with stepping in, but in practice, they are little more than visual aids. In most tech bindings, I can step in on my first try about 90% of the time, but with the Alpinist, that number is probably closer to 60%.

Luke Koppa: I agree. I found the Alpinist to be one of the most difficult bindings in this test when it came to stepping in (the Atomic Backland Tour was similarly difficult). I did start to get the hang of stepping into the Alpinist after a few days, but even then, I still found that it often took me a couple tries to successfully step into the Alpinist.

Sam: The heel of the Alpinist is where this binding really stands out. Like most tech bindings, the Alpinist’s heel tower rotates for lateral release and to transition between ski mode and walk mode.

The Alpinist heel has adjustable release values for lateral release, with the Alpinist 12 having lateral release values from 6-12, and the Alpinist 9 being adjustable from 4-9.

Vertical release on the Alpinist is controlled by its U-spring. Marker will sell three different U-spring options of varying levels of strength to adjust this (they call them “soft,” “medium,” and “hard”). The Alpinist 12 comes standard with the strongest “hard” spring, and the Alpinist 9 comes with the “medium” spring.

The most intriguing feature on the Alpinist is the active length compensation in the heel. Just like some of the best performing pin bindings on the market (e.g., Fritschi Vipec EVO and G3 ION), the Alpinist heel is designed to be mounted flush with the heel of the boot. As the ski flexes, the Alpinist heel piece moves on a track to compensate for the change in length due to ski flex. This feature is meant to increase the consistency of release and it also creates a better connection between the boot and ski. We’ll get more into the downhill feel of the binding further down, but the spoiler is: the Alpinist feels very smooth for how light it is.

There is one curious and disconcerting behavior we’ve noticed with the Alpinist heel tower. When stepping into the binding in ski mode, the whole heel tower tilts forward as you weight the pins. There is probably 1-2 mm of movement at the top of the tower when fully weighted. This is certainly a point of concern with the Alpinist, but to the binding’s credit, we haven’t been able to feel this play on the downhill, and haven’t yet had any durability issues. We’ll obviously keep this review up to date if that changes.

Sam: The Alpinist also comes with the option of leashes or brakes (our pair came mounted with brakes). Unlike some tech bindings, the Alpinist brake cannot be added or removed without taking the binding off the ski, since the brake fits in a slot underneath the heel tower.

The brake is one of the weakest design points on the Alpinist. First, the brake arms hardly extend beyond the bottom of the ski. This isn’t an issue when putting the skis on a flat surface, but because of how small they are and how little they extend below the ski, the brakes offer very little stopping power, and we doubt they would do much (if anything) in the case of a runaway ski on a steep slope. With that said, the Alpinist’s brakes are probably pretty similar to those on the Hagan Core, as neither of these brakes offer as much stopping power as the brakes on heavier tech bindings.

The Alpinist’s brake lock mechanism is also a bit finicky. The brake lock is controlled by a small wire bail on the back of the heel track. Pushing the bail towards the tip of the ski allows the brake to lock, and pulling the bail towards the tail unlocks the brake. The issue here is that while skiing (when the brake needs to be unlocked to stop the ski in the event of a release), it is relatively easy to accidentally knock the brake lock mechanism into the “locked” position with your other ski, negating the usefulness of the brake in downhill mode. So it’s important to keep an eye on the brake lock to make sure it’s in the “unlocked” position.

Uphill Performance / Transitions

Sam: Uphill performance consists of far more than just weight (though a low weight certainly helps). The Alpinist uses tried and true design elements to create a simple, functional binding on the up, though not every one of its features feels totally refined / dialed in.

The Alpinist’s heel piece rotates to switch to uphill mode. It is possible to rotate the heel with a pole tip like on other bindings, but on the Alpinist, this is quite a chore. On other bindings with rotating heels (e.g., the Dynafit Radical 2.0 or Speed Rotation), the heel piece rotates about 90-120° before reaching a point of no return and snapping into place (in either walk mode or ski mode).

On the Alpinist, this snapping action only takes care of the last few degrees of rotation. As a result, I have to rotate the heel piece almost the full 180° with my pole tip, which has led to some very odd trailside acrobatics. Of course, you can also just kneel down and rotate the heel by hand, but it would nice to be able to more easily transition using a pole.

Once in uphill mode, the Alpinist walks very well. It feels light on the feet (as it should, given its weight) and the toe lock-out feels solid and confidence-inspiring.

The Alpinist’s heel risers seem to be built well, but they are some of the most difficult to use in our test. The Alpinist has three climbing levels: flat (heel rotated back, riser back); medium (heel rotated forward, riser forward); and high (heel rotated back, riser forward). To access the medium climbing position, you have to rotate the heel piece (which, as just discussed, isn’t the easiest thing to do).

In practice, this isn’t that big of a deal, since the heel risers are so short overall. I find myself just switching between the “flat” and “high” modes so I don’t have to deal with rotating the heel. At 40 mm above the “flat” touring position, the highest riser on the Alpinist is about the same height as the medium risers on the Salomon MTN / Atomic Backland and ATK Raider 12 2.0 / Hagan Core 12.

I’ve definitely been left wishing for a higher riser position for some skin tracks. If you tend to find yourself on steep skin tracks (I’m looking at you, Lake Tahoe), then the heel risers on the Alpinist might be a deal breaker. But if you like to set (or, let’s be honest — follow) more mellow skin tracks and don’t rely as much on your binding’s high risers, this will be less of an issue.

Another slight annoyance with the Alpinist is the balance point. This isn’t unique to the Alpinist in our test, but rather, the lighter that any binding’s heel piece is, the farther forward the balance point ends up being. This means that on kick turns, the tip of the ski has a tendency to dip rather than pop up (like it does on most skis with heavier heel pieces). With lighter bindings like the Alpinist, a bit more “kick” in your kick turns tends to help keep the tip up. This is a small price to pay for the huge decrease in weight, just something to keep in mind.

Downhill Performance

Sam: We’ve been A/B/C/D-ing all of the bindings in this test against each other for several weeks now, and there are a few important overall takeaways from our testing.

First, the downhill performance of each binding is surprisingly similar. If we weren’t skiing them directly back-to-back, I doubt we would be able to discern many performance differences.

Second (and perhaps even more surprising) is how hard we were able to ski on these bindings without pre-releasing or breaking anything — including ourselves.

Much of our downhill-performance testing was done inbounds on firm or soft, chopped-up snow and at very high speeds. All of the bindings in the test performed surprisingly well (though the real standout in our Shootout was easily the ski — the Salomon MTN Explore 95 that we had all the bindings mounted on is just soooo good.

Though all the bindings performed pretty similarly in terms of downhill performance, the Alpinist did have the most distinct performance characteristics out of the group, in that it felt smoother than all the other bindings we tested. There is less feedback transferred to the boot in rough, icy snow. The Alpinist also provides a smoother feel when blasting through large piles of softer, chopped-up snow.

This smoothness is subtle, but noticeable.

The Alpinist also edges out the ATK Raider 2.0 / Hagan Core in terms of power transfer , putting the Alpinist at the top of the group. This is again, pretty subtle, but noticeable when skiing the skis back-to-back. It is worth noting though that we do not have the Freeride Spacer on our ATK Raider 2.0 / Hagan Core 12 binding, and we suspect it would improve that binding’s power transfer (though at a slight weight penalty).

One of the performance characteristics that I didn’t expect to notice between the bindings was how much they’d affect the amount of rebound and energy transmitted from the ski. I think the smooth feeling of the Alpinist that helps to dampen out some vibrations also takes a bit of the energy out of the ski when transitioning turns. Both the Raider 2.0 / Core and MTN / Backland felt like they transferred more energy and pop from the MTN Explore 95 compared to the Alpinist.

Luke: When it came to skiing hard and fast, the Alpinist was definitely my favorite binding in our test. I was very surprised by how smooth it felt, especially given its very low weight. We were straight-up mobbing down A-Basin’s slushy, chunky summer groomers, and I was pretty blown away by how little feedback I was getting from the Alpinist.

The Alpinist did feel harsher than an alpine binding (duh), but still, the Alpinist’s downhill performance was impressive. And as for Sam’s note about the energy he felt transferred by the bindings, I can’t say I noticed a big difference, and I’d personally take in a heartbeat the better damping of the Alpinist over the other, harsher bindings.

The really important caveat here is that I spent most of my time on the Alpinist in fairly soft, to very slushy snow, so it wasn’t the harshest snow in the first place. But even in this soft snow, the Alpinist was notably smoother than all the other bindings in the test.

I’m very curious to A/B the Alpinist against some burlier tech bindings like the Dynafit Rotation 10 and Fritschi Vipec Evo in order to see how much of a downhill-performance upgrade you get for a couple hundred grams more. But based on my time on the Alpinist, I’m inclined to think it’s not actually that much. We’ll see.

Safety / Release

Sam: The Alpinist is a U-spring binding with adjustable lateral release.

U-spring bindings have been shown to prematurely wear out the pin inserts in touring boots and change the release characteristics over time (in some cases, release characteristics can change dramatically). This is in contrast to heavier tech bindings that have separate heel pins which move much more easily around the boot heel insert when stepping into the binding. Every time you step into a U-spring binding, the spring itself needs to bend outward to get around the boot heel insert, which is more abrasive than bindings with independent heel pins (e.g., Dynafit Rotation 10, G3 Ion, Fritschi Vipec Evo).

For more on the potential safety issues with U-spring bindings, check out our podcast with some of G3’s engineers where they discuss this topic around the 41:00 mark.

U-spring bindings also have much less adjustability when it comes to vertical release, since you have to change the spring itself to change the release value.

Though these points count against the Alpinist, the binding does have active length compensation which should increase consistency of release compared to the other bindings in this test that require a gap between the heel piece and boot to compensate for ski flex.

If safety is your primary concern, I would recommend the ATK Raider 2.0 / Hagan Core binding. That binding is fully adjustable in both vertical and lateral release, and has rotating heel pins that won’t wear the heel inserts in your boot as fast as a U-spring design will.

For U-spring bindings like the Alpinist, it becomes extra important to keep a close eye on the heel inserts of your boots to make sure there isn’t excessive wear developing, as it can affect the release properties of the binding.

Though the play in the Alpinist heel tower is definitely a concern when it comes to long-term durability, we haven’t experienced any signs of abnormal wear on our pair of the Alpinist.

Much of the binding is made from carbon-reinforced plastic, and it feels surprisingly solid considering the amount of plastic in the binding.

We’ll be putting a lot more days on all the bindings in this test next season, and will be sure to keep this review updated if any noteworthy durability issues arise.

Who’s It For?

The Alpinist will work best for those who strongly dislike the harsh feedback of most lightweight pin bindings, and will work even better for those who tour in places where you’re able to set more mellow skin tracks.

Bottom Line

The Marker Alpinist 12 is a feature-rich, lightweight touring binding that offers a surprisingly smooth and confidence-inspiring ride on the downhill, but that has a few quirks when it comes to transitions, stepping in, and walking uphill. If you’re looking for a lightweight touring binding for long days and high peaks — especially if you prioritize downhill performance over ease of use — the Alpinist 12 is definitely worth a look.

36 comments on “2020-2021 Marker Alpinist 12”

Maybe the tilt mechanism of the heel piece explains the smoothness while skiing? Could also explain the loss of pop (it gets filtered out)?

Hey Konsta, I think the play in the heel could act like a low pass filter and contribute to the smoothness. It’s hard to figure out exactly why certain products feel the way they do without being able to tinker around a bit with different versions.

Thanks for the review. Looking forward to the other additions.

“I’ve skied some pretty firm, rough, steep snow on the Alpinist and haven’t yet experienced any pre-releases, or felt the need to lock out the toe ”

Don’t ever lock out your toe, just asking for knee injuries in a fall.

So what’s the word on the tilt?

Narpy – You’ve never heard of a “no fall zone”, where losing a ski is basically a death sentence?

Any updates on A/B-ing this against the Rotation 10, Vipec Evo, or other burlier options?

I bought it. Stepping in is pretty okayish (with Dynafit vulcan), In difficult condition im “locking” one pin and then the rest.. Im 100kg 1.93m high and using Alpinist 9. No prereleases, skied inbound and outbound. The back of the ski falls okay in kick turns, even with my binding moved 1cm back from center. The brake looks like a joke, soft spring, small travel under the ski, locking is pretty hard and if there will be icing between tower amd the locking wire, you will spend some time clearing it.

Any thoughts/insight as to how this binding stacks up to heavier/burlier bindings? Thinking Ion, Rotation, Radical, etc…?

Hey Alex, the Alpinist is way more minimalistic than those bindings. It won’t be as durable or as feature rich as the heavier offerings.

does this thing ski better downhill because of the brake pad under the boot sole? did you ski it without the brake, in which case I assume it rests solely on the pins with no support under the boot sole in harder turns etc? Seems pretty important/relevant to how this thing skis to me, but I’d rather it without brakes.

Is the difference between the Alpinist 9 and 12 just the available U-springs it comes with? Or does the 9 use also use lighter, perhaps less durable materials elsewhere?

Thanks for the review, this helped make my decision. I’m getting the Alpinist 12, but my release value will probably be about a 9 (my calculated DIN value is 8, I set my Ions at 9-10). Do you recommend swapping to the medium spring? Have you heard/experienced any differences in ease of entry in ski mode with the high/med/low springs?

Hey Christian,

You will likely notice a difference is ease of step in with the heavier U-spring. I typically set my touring bindings to an 8-9 and I haven’t had any release issues with the standard U-spring — but I also rarely release from my bindings in general.

Hey Sam, I’ve just purchased and mounted the Alp 12 to replace my Kingpins, in an attempt to lighten up my touring set up. I’ve skied them a few times now and find that I’m having to fight to stay off my tails /heels. As everything else is the same (boots, skis, mounting position), and the toe pieces are essentially the same, I have to assume it’s somehow due to the minimalist heel. I can’t wrap my head around how that could result in difficulty getting on to the shovels. Any insights?

One thing I would start with is measuring the mount point. When doing a second mount on a ski, you often can’t maintain the same mount point because the holes get too close. I suspect that your mount point has moved a bit.

Off the top of my head, I don’t know the ramp angle of the two bindings, but that could be something contributing as well.

I’ve never felt a tech heel making it difficult to drive a ski… but it could be possible. What skis are these on?

Hey Sam, Since the Alpinist and Kingpin have the same mounting pattern for 6 of the 8 holes, only 2 new holes were needed for the much shorter heel pieces and thus did not interfere. So mounted in the same spot. The skis are Volkl BMT 109’s. The delta for the Kingpins is 9.5mm. Alpinist is 2mm. So, yeah I wondered about that too. In fact just today, I fab’d and installed a 5mm shim on the heels. I’ll check in once I’ve had a chance to ski them again. Thanks.

Ahhhhh, sounds like it is definitely the ramp angle. 7.5 mm is a pretty large jump (depending on your BSL).

I hope the shims help out!

I’m considering doing the exact same changeover (kingpin to alpinist)

Curious to know how you fabbed a shim. Did you just construct a plate to go under the alpinist heel and use longer screws, or did you do something to your boots?

Hey man, I had an old pair of swap plates similar to this: https://skimo.co/bnd-shift-plates . I cut them shorter and re-drilled to match the mounting pattern for the Alpinist heel. Installed with longer screws. Works great.

Took a pic for you. Not the prettiest, but does the trick FYI, I’ve also seen this done (on Wildsnow) using a poly cutting board.

Hey Sam, Just closing the loop on this. Shim works like a charm. Stoked on these now. Ski great and dropped 500g per foot.

Hi BK, what boots are you using? I have switched to alpinists, too. Quite a change, the reduced delta. I think I like it, but maybe splittung the difference is even better?

Hey BK, was the length adjustment ok when re mounting the Alpinists? i.e. if my kingpins are mounted approximately middle of their fore/aft travel for my current boots, will the Alpinist heel mount in a position that still works (when using two existing holes). I kind of assume from you only re drilling two holes that this was the case (unless you also changed boots?) – or maybe it required a little fore or aft adjustment?

Bought these mounted on a new pair of DPS Lotus Tour1. On the second day of use, a beautiful sunny day with presh pow, I make three turns and the binding breaks. Whole heel piece just slid back so the pins dont reach the boot. And the new lanyard gets sliced off. Had to walk down the mountain to get my ski, then walk down to the lift that could bring me off the mountain. Got in touch with Marker and they just referred me to a link to find nearby dealers. Very disappointed.

Hey guys! Thanks for great review! I have the Alpinist 12 and have been really psyched on them so far, however, I have always had one question about the bindings: where do you attach the leash?? I have figured out how to attach mine with an additional loop of small cord, but since you can buy actual Alpinist 12 leashes I presume that they are designed to be compatible with the binding. I haven’t found answers in the owner’s manual and have emailed Marker customer service but never heard back. Thanks!

You’ll find answers in the Q+A section of skimo.co’s listing for the Alpinist leash – https://skimo.co/marker-alpinist-leashes . If the bindings are already mounted, you may need to use a length of thin wire to pull the leash’s string loop through the leash mounting hole. It’s such a PITA that manufacturers design and sell elegant & sophisticated products (often laden with great features) but then don’t offer any info or guidance about how to use the things. Very lazy.

Longish-term durablity report from Finland.

Been touring on Alpinist 12 for around 50 days. A few of the bolts/rivets that connect the pin-wings to the frame of the toe piece are moving slightly outwards, evident by small washers coming loose between the end of the bolt and the binding frame. However there is no slop between the wings and the frame. Would not want the bolts to give up on any big mountain though. Seems like I’ll need to send them back to the retailer for a warranty inspection. Anyone else seeing this kind of wear?

Hi. Thanks for the excellent review and also appreciated the good questions/responses that followed.

I’m considering the Alpinist 12 or the Plum Oazo 8. Wondering if Blister has any thoughts on comparison? I’m leaning slightly toward the Oazo given its all alu construction, seemingly easier/taller heel risers, and lower weight. But, I’m tempted by the reports of Alpinist 12’s solid downhill performance (I have G3 Zed 12s, also gapless bindings, and have come to appreciate the heel elasticity).

Thanks for any insights.

Be careful with the pin that holds the heel riser! I lost my heel riser during a trip and this left my bindings useless. I’ve been in contact with Marker to get a replacement but it seems that this is not available! This is very bad customer service!!!

I’m having a major problem with one of my pairs of Alpinists… Pretty disappointed with Marker’s non-existent customer service compared to other BC ski companies like G3 or Dynafit, so I don’t think I’ll be buying any of their products again! Not to mention this obviously common failure point in their internal design (see Reddit thread here where multiple people report this problem: https://www.reddit.com/r/skimo/comments/s8ppst/can_i_repair_this_marker_alpinist_12_heel_is/ ) ….

But I do have two pairs of alpinists that I’d like to keep using, so if anyone on here could be more helpful than Marker (fairly easy to do) that would be great.

I thought my issue was frustrating, but it is absolutely bonkers that they won’t send the guy above me a heel riser! Plenty of other good gear manufacturers out there in this day and age, so stay away from Marker.

Hey Guys! great review. I’m thinking about getting this binding – just cant decide between the Alpinist 10 and 12. From the DIN charts I; getting the 7. Alpinist 10 is from 4 to 10, where I would fall in the middle. In the Alpinist 12 I’d be at the lower end of the spectrum 6-12.

I’m 5’11 and 202lbs 41yo and type 2 skier. If i have a choice I’d ski slower than faster, no speed deamon

FYI – these numbers are important and should be included in all binding reviews. Delta +2 mm Toe pin height 34 mm

I’ve had Alpinist 8 for 4 seasons now and super happy with them. I have been skiing them without the brakes but now thinking of putting them on. Would you know whether most recent version of the brakes are compatible with my 2020 Aplinists?

Image Unavailable

magFlags XL Flag Elektrostal Moscow oblast | landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft - 100% Made in Germany - long lasting outdoor flag

To view this video download Flash Player

magFlags XL Flag Elektrostal Moscow oblast | landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft - 100% Made in Germany - long lasting outdoor flag

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

100% Made in Germany » ... because the first impression last, quality flag for representative purposes *****
State-of-the-art High-Tech Outdoor Fabric » One air-permeable 110 GSM Polyester to keep wind forces low and lifetime high
Mirrored Back » Image printed on the front, mirrored image 100% visible on the rear side
Landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft
Show your pride for your hometown with the Elektrostal flag! Made with quality materials and vibrant colors, this flag is the perfect way to display your patriotism and love for your city. Fly it proudly at home, at events, or even in your car. Get yours today and show your Elektrostal pride!
The flag of Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, is a striking combination of Old Glory red, representing strength and courage at 81%, complemented by a subtle touch of light grey at 5% for balance and harmony. The bold black stripe at 3% adds a touch of sophistication, while the shimmering gold stripes at 3% each symbolize prosperity and success. The flag is completed with a touch of very dark grey at 1%, representing the city s resilience and
Elektrostal Moscow oblast

Product information

Warranty & support, looking for specific info, product description.

Flag: Elektrostal Moscow oblast landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft Elektrostal Moscow oblast Elektrostal obwód moskiewski , flaga ???????????? ?????????? ??????? Since we know how important your external presentation is, we print our Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag for your representative appearance using the most modern machines in Germany. To ensure your maximum flexibility, we have equipped the flags with quality metal eyelets, to let you simply attach these flags to any flagpole. To let you use the flags for a long time, we have strengthened the flag using double safety seams and a tear proof strap at the side of the pole. Due to the quality of this business flag, you show a particular degree of the closeness to Elektrostal Moscow oblast. Details about this flag This landscape Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag is a quality product Made in Germany made of 110g/m² gloss polyester. This Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag is wind- and weather-resistant and highly durable. The flag colors are intensive and UV-resistant. This flag is specially made for outer space. This Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag will be delivered with a double safety-seam as well as with 2 metal eyelets to hoist at the flag pole. The metal eyelets give you great flexibility for placing this flag on any flagstaff. The mast side is reinforced with a white hem. The quality flag material and the metal eyelets will take care of a long endurance of this Elektrostal Moscow oblast flag. If required, the flag can be washed at 60 degrees Celsius. Recommended height of flag pole Elektrostal Moscow oblast flags of 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft look best with flagpoles of around 6m | 18ft height. Need a bigger size or an other configuration? We can provide bigger sizes, other configurations, exclusive indoor ...

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

No customer reviews

Amazon Newsletter
About Amazon
Accessibility
Sustainability
Press Center
Investor Relations
Amazon Devices
Amazon Science
Sell on Amazon
Sell apps on Amazon
Supply to Amazon
Protect & Build Your Brand
Become an Affiliate
Become a Delivery Driver
Start a Package Delivery Business
Advertise Your Products
Self-Publish with Us
Become an Amazon Hub Partner
› See More Ways to Make Money
Amazon Visa
Amazon Store Card
Amazon Secured Card
Amazon Business Card
Shop with Points
Credit Card Marketplace
Reload Your Balance
Amazon Currency Converter
Your Account
Your Orders
Shipping Rates & Policies
Amazon Prime
Returns & Replacements
Manage Your Content and Devices
Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
Your Ads Privacy Choices

IMAGES

Marker, Alpinist 8 Long Travel
Marker Alpinist 8 Touring Ski Bindings
ALPINIST 8 BINDINGS 2023 Marker
Marker Alpinist 8 Touring Binding
Marker MARKER ALPINIST 12 LONG TRAVEL PIN TOURING BINDING
Marker

VIDEO

T3 Watch Rant: Watch Straps On A Budget
Seiko Alpinist Green Dial SPB121 Seiko Watch Review
Nortiv8 Boots: Tactical, Hiking, and Work Boots
So bedienst du die Marker Alpinist 12 Bindung richtig!
Nunatak Alpinist Ultralight Mummy Bag Review
Colorado 14ers: Longs Peak Loft Route with Mt Meeker

COMMENTS

Marker Alpinist 8 Bindings 2024 MARKER
English. Marker Alpinist 8 Bindings 2024. The ultra-light and durable touring pin binding for high alpine challenges with DIN settings up to 8, specifically optimized for light weight touring enthusiasts. $359.99.
Marker Alpinist Long Travel With Brake
This Alpinist Long Travel uses a removable brake system, but the moniker "Long Travel" refers to the long adjustment plate that the heel sits on, allowing for maximum boot compatibility. Marker's Alpinist is an impressive all-around offering that'll do just about everything (except weigh you down). Dynamic Length Compensation keeps the ...
Marker Alpinist Review
Marker calls the Alpinist their "ultralight" binding "for high alpine challenges"; we call it our favorite binding for all-around human-powered skiing. It's tied as our favorite, with the other high scorer, the Atomic Backland Tour.The weight to performance ratio of the Alpinist (and the Atomic) hits what is currently the AT ski binding sweet spot, and these bindings stand up to the most ...
Marker Alpinist Long Travel Binding
Add to a package and save $$! Solving one of the shortcomings of the Alpinist, the Alpinist Long Travel is the same binding with a longer heel track. Doubling the track length to 30mm, you can get three full boot sizes of adjustment out of the binding. The rest of the features are the same great Marker Alpinist, albeit without the latest "ISI ...
Alpinist 8
Touring enjoyment for the youngsters with the Alpinist JR Long Travel and the F5 R Tour. Helmets; Goggles; Accessories. Accessories Accessories. Category Category. Apparel; Travel Gear; Brakes; Crampons & Touring; Parts; All Accessories; Explore Marker Travel Gear. Get your equipment to the slopes in style with MARKER'S high quality luggage and ...
MARKER ALPINIST 8
The ultra-light Alpinist 8 pin binding (245 g w/o brake) is optimized for lighter and specifically female ski tourers. A unique and softer heel spring supports easy entry and lowers the DIN range to 3-8. Besides that the Alpinist 8 is identical to the 10 and 12 models. It also offers active length compensation during ski flex and an impressive power transfer downhill due to a 38 mm drill pattern.
Marker Alpinist 8 Long Travel 90 mm Touring Ski Bindings
The ultra-light Alpinist pin binding (270 g not including brake) offers everything experienced touring skiers need. Its construction allows active length compensation without affecting the ski's flex.A very stiff, carbon-reinforced front with an ISI toe piece makes the binding easier to step into, as a wide footprint with integrated stop automatically positions and aligns your boot.
Touring binding Marker Alpinist 8 Long travel 90mm Black
Marker Touring binding Alpinist 8 Long travel 90mm Black : Discover Glisshop large selection of Touring ski bindings. ... Shop your Marker Alpinist 8 Long travel 90mm Black Touring ski bindings from Winter 2024 at the best price on Glisshop! CUSTOM FEES INCLUDED; 100 days for changing your mind. EXPERT ADVICE phone, chat or email. VERIFIED ...
Marker Alpinist 8 Bindings 2024
English. Marker Alpinist 8 Bindings 2024. The ultra-light and durable touring pin binding for high alpine challenges with DIN settings up to 8, specifically optimized for light weight touring enthusiasts. $449.99.
Marker Alpine Touring Bindings
Solving one of the shortcomings of the Alpinist, the Alpinist Long Travel is the same binding with a longer heel track. Doubling the track length to 30mm, you can get three full boot sizes of adjustment out of the binding. ... Marker Alpinist 8 - The stock heel piece that .. From $119.95 . Compare. Marker Toe Pieces. Whoops! It seems like the ...
Marker Alpinist 9 Long Travel Alpine Touring Ski Bindings 2021
Your whole setup is as light as you can make it without sacrificing reliability, and a 500 gram tech binding feels like an anchor on your feet. You need the Marker Marker Alpinist 9 Alpine Touring Ski Bindings ASAP. Super light at 245 grams per side without brakes, but with features like three climbing levels, fore-aft adjustability and elastic ...
Alpinist Touring Bindings I MARKER Bindings
Touring enjoyment for the youngsters with the Alpinist JR Long Travel and the F5 R Tour. Helmets; Goggles; Accessories. Accessories Accessories. Category Category. Apparel; Travel Gear; Brakes; Crampons & Touring; Parts; ... Marker Alpinist 8 Bindings 2024. $449.99. $359.99. Marker Alpinist Jr Lt Bindings 2024. $449.99. $359.99. 4 of 4 Items.
Marker Alpinist Binding
Everything You Need, Nothing You Don't. Marker set a high standard for simplicity, ease of use and all-around ski and walk performance with the Alpinist tech binding. It's available in two models, the Alpinist 10 (release value 4-10) and the Alpinist 12 (release value 6-12). The models are identical aside from their corresponding release ...
2020-2021 Marker Alpinist 12
Forward Elastic Travel: 4 mm. Mounting Pattern Width: 38 mm (toe), 36 mm (heel) ... *Our pair of Alpinists came with the long demo heel track (30 mm of adjustment vs 15 mm for the standard), which likely weighs a few grams more than the standard heel track. ... The Marker Alpinist 12 is a feature-rich, lightweight touring binding that offers a ...
Elektrostal
Elektrostal is linked by Elektrichka suburban electric trains to Moscow's Kursky Rail Terminal with a travel time of 1 hour and 20 minutes. Long distance buses link Elektrostal to Noginsk, Moscow and other nearby towns. Local public transport includes buses. Sports Indoor practice ice rink named after A. Ionov.
Elektrostal
Elektrostal , lit: Electric and Сталь , lit: Steel) is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located 58 kilometers east of Moscow. Population: 155,196 ; 146,294 ...
Marker Alpinist 12 Long Travel Alpine Touring Ski Bindings 2021
The Marker Alpinist 12 Alpine Touring Ski Bindings are simple, elegant, and seriously lightweight. With the same bomber toepiece as the hard charging Kingpin series, plus a DIN 12 pin heel, the Alpinist 12 is no slouch when it comes to downhill performance. But the real kicker is that you get all of that in a binding that weighs just 270 grams.
magFlags XL Flag Elektrostal Moscow oblast
Amazon.com : magFlags XL Flag Elektrostal Moscow oblast | landscape flag | 2.16m² | 23sqft | 120x180cm | 4x6ft - 100% Made in Germany - long lasting outdoor flag : Outdoor Flags : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Elektrostal Map
Elektrostal is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located 58 kilometers east of Moscow. Elektrostal has about 158,000 residents. Mapcarta, the open map.