Marker Alpinist 10 Binding

I've been skiing the 2021 version of the Alpinist 10 for a few seasons now and have around 100+ days on them. They have all the features you want, and nothing you don't, making this a great binding at a low weight and an excellent price. Some may worry about the "plastic" frame but it's proven to be just as reliable as aluminum bindings while providing a damp feel that's more than just marketing hype. A true flat mode is great for road approaches and low angle terrain.

Now for the cons:
1. I've never had much trouble stepping into a binding before but these are consistently difficult. There is no alignment aid for your boot so you have to visually align your toe every time. The binding also doesn't open wide enough for my boot so I have to hook one pin in before stepping down. Also, the step in force is quite high compared to other brands causing the ski to sink deeper into the powder when stepping down instead of the binding locking to the boot correctly. It sounds like the newest version of this binding has remedied the step in issues but at a weight penalty.

2. The heel tower is difficult to turn. With a heel piece as svelte as this, there isn't much to grab onto when trying to twist the heel turret. Also, the turret requires a lot of torque (more than you would think for DIN 10) and the U-spring digs into your palm and the wrist gets sore. Minor inconvenience but it does much more effort to turn the heels than other brands.

3. The brake is poorly designed. Just skip it and use leashes if you need retention.

It may sound like I'm bashing the alpinist but they are a low weight, durable and low cost binding and they really are the best skiing tech binding I've used. The "plastic" frame and gapless heel combined truly make this binding ski noticeably more damp than competitors. (about a 15% improvement I'd say).

do you think the brakes for a 90 be stretched to accommodate a 95mm waist?

I just tested my pair of the 10, and vertical release was right at 8.

I have several sets of the Alpinist 9 on various skis. They are great but the riser would get loose. this would result in the riser flipping up in deep snow. I also have the new 10. They seem to have fixed this or tried to on the update. The pin under the riser is modified to create more tension on the riser. I am hoping this is a long term fix!

I have found the Marker Alpinist bindings to be an excellent choice for my skiing needs. Notably, they are incredibly lightweight and very easy to get into - although I did need to get used to them a bit at first. I typically use the largest riser, but switch to the middle riser when doing shorter laps. I paired them with the Dynastar M-Tour 99. I also put DPS leashes on them but I would recommend getting the Market leashes as the hole below is small. All in all, I would highly recommend these bindings to anyone in the market for a lightweight binding that skis well.

Love these bindings.
Lightweight, simple and skis well.

I don't mess with the mid-riser since it's pretty low and a hassle to turn the heel piece. Swapping between flat and high (sorta like most bindings medium) is more than sufficient for most Wasatch tours.

I have used both the original and 22/23 versions. The new version is definitely easier to step into, but I got used to the old one and didn't have any issues after a few days.

How do these compare, performance-wise, to the Titan Vario.2?
From the discussion on the page of the latter two things sort of worry me -- the lack of the true flat touring option and the fact that the release values are not adjustable. These issues are not present with these bindings (at least, not to the full extent, as the lateral release can be adjusted in the Alpinist).

Also, it appears that the vertical release value is more or less corresponds to the model number (i.e. 10 in Alpinist 10), is it true or it is more of marketing designation? Beside the U-spring, is there any difference in the build (materials, amount of plastic, anything that would affect the durability) between Alpinist 10 and Alpinist 8? Thanks.

I've ordered several parts from Skimo.co for these bindings (crampons, low release pins) but I was wondering if I could get some spare screws. Or at least learn their size (mine were installed before I could record the size)

A bit off subject; What about putting your Atomic Backland binding on my old pair of Kistler MX 88s? I’ve got the skis and they are in good shape. My thought is they would be a great spring ski.

Thanks,
Paul

Great well rounded binding in terms of weight and ski performance. Quality, finishes and durability seem to be little below industry standard. Not sure the extra 50g of weight for the 2023 model is worth it though they are noticeable easier to click into compared to the previous year.

Hello, I'd appreciate your opinion re: these vs Dynafit ST rotation 10. I'm intermediate/advanced but new to touring. 6'1'' 180lbs. I have Blizzard Zero G 95s. Looking for a touring only set up - no resort days. I'm not planning any aggressive downhill and am focusing on the uphill. I don't plan on multi-day treks but maybe all day hikes in the PNW. I realize these are lighter and well liked but there's some suggestion that the Dynafit has superior safety on the downhill, which I would also appreciate. Thank you!

The 8/10/12 model numbers roughly correspond to DIN settings, right? I go with ~8 on my alpine skis, so the Alpinist 8 or 10 would be reasonable?