Just before COVID-19 shut down skiing in March 2020, Marker launched the Duke PT (from $600), a binding built for skiers who want all the downhill performance of a traditional top-shelf alpine binding with enough tech binding functionality for efficient ski touring. Ski brands have been trying to develop a burly crossover like this for decades. They’ve come up with all sorts of solutions over the years, but none were really perfect. Why the obsession? In certain terrain, at certain times, for certain skiers,
charging hard matters more than touring ease. Think about all those days when you’re ripping laps inbounds with friends, and then based on a strong working knowledge of the snowpack and current avalanche advisories you decide to head out the gates. The Duke PT may bear a weight penalty, but it’s the first widely available binding system that truly lets you climb uphill and still perform downhill at the peak of your athletic abilities.