Binding for resort ski trip with the option to skin

Looking for a new ski setup. Have a lightweight pair of dynafit skiis with dynafit radical bindings for backcountry.  Most of my friends lately have wanted to resort ski so I’m looking for a more resort oriented binding but would like the option to skin a bit on a resort trip.

Looking at either the Solomon shift binding or FRITSCHI TECTON 13

Open to other suggestions though. 

For my "mostly resort with a little touring" ski, I use the Marker Kingpin.  IMO the elastic travel of the solid heel makes this feel like skiing a regular alpine binding.  I had to get two pairs warrantied about 5 years ago when the toe pins broke, but haven't had any issues since then.  I am a big fan of these bindings.

No one I know uses the shift, but I sure have seen alot of complaints about them on social media.  " worst of both worlds" has been thrown around quite a bit.  I believe they have trouble switching between ski and walk modes, and staying locked into that setting.   

Dont know anything about the Fritchsi

Are you shredding at the resort? Big air? I ask because I have a lot of fun at the resorts with my speed radicals. Have not found any issue with them not being  beefy enough. But I'm only hucking off small cliffs/ jumps. Nothing too extreme. Works on mammoth black and double black. 

If you really want to charge hard and prioritize the quality of the alpine binding over the weight of the touring binding then CAST is a good option.  My daily driver resort bindings are Shifts because there is a lot of lift accessed backcountry that is available to me.  I like them because they are light on the feet and ski well enough for me (although I don't have any experience with Pivots which are the gold standard for alpine bindings) and I really don't tour much in them.  I treat the Shifts like a truly 90/10 resort to touring binding.  The other binding that I've seen more often lately is the Marker Duke PT, it's slightly more refined than the CAST system.  

I have had to field repair a set of Shift brakes that ejected themselves from the binding, I've also had people in my group that couldn't get the touring toe lock lever to stay up (stay locked) but they were able to tour ok enough for the day.  I also have a set of skis mounted with ATKs that occasionally end up on a groomer and I'm not much of a fan of pins on groomers.  If it's only for soft snow then it would be ok but I wouldn't take pin bindings as my only set for a ski vacation that's mostly about chairlifts.  

The last option you might consider is using inserts like Quiver Killers or Binding Freedom so you can mount one pair of skis for both pins and alpine bindings.  It's a whole lot easier to pack a set of ATKs than a second set of skis.

Don’t really do big jumps or big air.  I’ll do any run at any resort and spend most of the time hiking to the steeps mostly double black and higher. Love jump turning streep couloirs and do a fair bit of moguls  

From what I understand dynafit isn’t as durable or quite as safe for daily resort use. Or are they good enough for everything?  Had done mostly backcountry in the past but just curious given that the last couple of years I’ve done mostly resorts if there are benefits to a second pair of skiis?

Yeah, one of the biggest downsides to skiing pin boots/bindings at the resort is putting a lot of wear on tiny little contact points and lightweight gear. 

For a touring set up, stay lightweight with pin bindings. For mostly resort skiing with the ability to occasionally tour go with CAST, Duke PTs, or binding inserts. All of those will let you ski a pure alpine resort binding but also skin with a pin toe piece. Dukes and CAST add uphill weight. Inserts add only a tiny bit of weight but are annoying to set up. Duke PTs are probably the cheapest option. 

The in-between bindings like fritschis, shifts, etc. will be sub-optimal at everything. 

Regarding wear on pin touring gear is it usually the boots or the bindings that wear first?

The biggest difference between the Fritschi Tectons and other pin bindings is that they actually have a release function at the toe as well, which (theoretically) makes them safer for resort use. I personally would not feel comfortable using traditional pin bindings at the resort for this reason. I would feel fine using the fritschi bindings in a resort.

However, it does sound like you are doing mostly resort with only very occasional backcountry tours. In this case I for sure would recommend a more alpine oriented binding, the disadvantages compared to proper touring bindings are less important on shorter less frequent tours. This would be Shift, Duke PT, CAST. I would probably choose the Shift out of these, mainly due to the relative simplicity (no fiddling around with switching and carrying around separate toe pieces) and the fact that there are plenty of used ones on the market.

As for inserts, I have several skis with inserts. Changing out bindings is enough of a pain that I’d 100% rather have a separate touring set up. 

Most people on here are going to piss all over this comment, but, for a "slackcountry" setup like you're talking about, platform bindings are the way to go.  The Marker F12 Tour EPF and Marker F10 Tour are great bindings for the "every now and then" alpine touring adventure.  Yes, they're heavy.  But they're beefy as hell inbounds and, if you have a friend visiting, they can use this without needing tech boots.

There is unfortunately no perfect "quiver of one" AT setup out there.  I have the brakeless Atomic Backland Pure when I want to go long and light, but platform bindings have their place and are much cheaper--especially when you factor in that you can use normal alpine boots with them.  I have introduced several people to alpine touring by letting them go with me on a short tour using platform bindings.  Just don't take them when you want to ski Kings Peak!!!!

The shifts have been solid for me as my only setup for 3 seasons for about 80/20 resort/touring with several volcanoes too. The DIN is reliable and I eject when I should but not before. Make sure your binding mounter has experience with shifts specifically as the AFD is a little easy to set wrong. Transitions are a bit slower than on a pin binding but you get quick at it with some reps. 

Seems like durability on the original design was a bit random as my friend had to warranty one when a small plastic piece broke off but I've put more hard skiing on mine than she did and I've had no breakage. They have added some small changes like bumps on the top cover to keep the toe locked into touring mode, and the new version (this year) addresses some more durability concerns. Other than occasionally releasing the brakes while skinning, I have no major complaints as a quiver of one that doesn't sacrifice downhill performance much (I ski steep but I'm not hucking cliffs). If you go that route, just read up on the common issues so you can be aware/ mitigate them in the field. Like I carry a couple brake retainer from my waxing kit to lock my brakes up if they keep dropping down and I'm too lazy to clear out the snow buildup. You kinda have to improvise ski leash attachment points tho, no rings on the bindings but I make it work. 

As for a benefit to a 2nd pair of skis... Only you can decide if your current setup is sub optimal for what you ski. I have my eyes on some fatter powder skis and I actually might consider getting shifts again for another 80/20 capable setup, but when I get a skinnier volcano ski I'll definitely be getting a lighter touring binding. 

CAST system is (close to) being the best of both worlds for this use. 

Def. top score for skiing performance and all the safety of normal alpine skiing binding. 

Still get the touring efficiency of a pin toe for going up.

An old frame binding (Marker Duke, Baron, Tour) is also fine for occasional skinning where weight or stride efficiency isn't that important (i.e. slack country lap with flat exit that requires skins). These is prob the cheapest option and they still ski great compared to any tech binding. 

For many reasons skiing pin bindings inbounds is not optimal. It can be done and you will see people doing it, but they ski like crap inbounds, don't have elastic travel and have a fraction of the durability. One end of day icy skied off groomer on pin bindings and touring boots can be scary. That's not a knock against Dynafit style pin bindings, its just a reflection that ski touring and lift serviced alpine skiing are really two different sports with equipment that looks similar but really isn't. 

I've done plenty of resort skiing with tech pin bindings, and plenty of touring with frame bindings.

IMO. Get a crossover ski boot that is both tech pin and DIN binding compatible. The boot is where the effort should go.

Then get a nice pair of touring skis with tech bindings. New or good condition second hand.

Then get a pair of really cheap, beater resort skis. Like ski-over-rocks-and-dirt for fun level.

Like if it's a really good day and soft and deep inbounds, you can take your touring skis anyway. But if it's white ribbon of death or rubbish conditions, you take the trash resort skis.

Sam M wrote:

I've done plenty of resort skiing with tech pin bindings, and plenty of touring with frame bindings.

IMO. Get a crossover ski boot that is both tech pin and DIN binding compatible. The boot is where the effort should go.

Then get a nice pair of touring skis with tech bindings. New or good condition second hand.

Then get a pair of really cheap, beater resort skis. Like ski-over-rocks-and-dirt for fun level.

Like if it's a really good day and soft and deep inbounds, you can take your touring skis anyway. But if it's white ribbon of death or rubbish conditions, you take the trash resort skis.

I do something like this.  My powder skis are my touring skis, with pin bindings.  My resort skis are still all-mountain skis, but they're narrower and better for carving on groomers -- these have MNC bindings, so I can use the same boot (Maestrales).  If the resort has soft snow, I just use the my touring/pin binding skis.  Probably have a few dozen resort days at this point, never had a problem, but I'm not charging too hard out there.

Edit to clarify: my resort bindings are downhill-only bindings that fit with a touring boot.  I believe they're Marker Griffons.  I only use them inbounds.

JaredG wrote:

I do something like this.  My powder skis are my touring skis, with pin bindings.  My resort skis are still all-mountain skis, but they're narrower and better for carving on groomers -- these have MNC bindings, so I can use the same boot (Maestrales).  If the resort has soft snow, I just use the my touring/pin binding skis.  Probably have a few dozen resort days at this point, never had a problem, but I'm not charging too hard out there.

I agree that this is how to use an MNC binding like the Shift - for RESORT skiing with a touring boot.  I'd never tour beyond side country with the Shift, as its too heavy, imo. Get a lighter tech binding for touring.