Used just once so far, but I thought folks looking for bindings in this category might find this useful. I also considered the new Dynafit Ridge, which is really well thought-out, but decided there were too many untried fiddly things that might break. Worth waiting a year on that. (The Cruise bindings are new this year (2023-2024) as well, but the toe piece isn't -- it's the same as the latest generation Alpinist from last year (2022-2023)).
Things I like:
*Very positive brake action.
*Easy turning in either direction of the heel piece, which makes the brakes lock automatically when you step in (in tour mode). I have no concerns about the brakes releasing when they shouldn't, nor not releasing when they should (though I've not tested them in icing-up conditions yet).
*Toe step in is excellent -- on par with ATK, which is the best I've seen to date. Both are superior to Salomon/Atomic MTN which I find to be among the worst.
*Great heel lifters -- much better than fiddly flippy ATK and as good as anything else I've tried (which is a lot of different bindings).
*Posidrive for length adjustment, and Torx 20 for release adjustment. And the cute little L-shaped G3 tool has everything you need (#3 Posidrive + Torx20). That's really nice. In contrast, for ATK, you need three different drivers and for most Dynafit bindings (dunno about Ridge), two different Torx (20 and 25). These little things matter.
Things I don't love:
*The crampon fitting is Dynafit style -- no "drop in from above" like Plum.
*There is no easy way to attach a safety strap to the toe piece. Under some conditions I prefer that optoin. I may just drill a small hole in the toe piece (which I sure is not recommended and would void warranty).
*Quite light, but not as light as some other full-featured bindings.
Things I am curious about:
*It remains to be seen how they handle icing-up. (The ATK toe pieces are by far the best in this respect, but then, I've never really found it a real issue -- I just pay attention and clean them).
*Whether Dyanfit crampons fit, and how fiddly it is to insert them.
Marker Cruise 10 Binding
After a truly historic winter, it appears the Marker Kingpin M-Werks and Alpinist spent a lot of time together, tucked cozily away indoors between bouts of incredible powder skiing. The evidence for this is the Cruise 10 binding, which clearly has 23 chromosomes from each of them. Compared to the Alpinist, the Cruise has two heel risers easily accessible, helping tame even the steepest of skin tracks. Similar to both parents, the Cruise 10 utilizes a gapless design, keeping the release characteristics consistent while simultaneously smoothing over variable snow. Forgoing the alpine-style heel of the Kingpin M-Werks, the Cruise 10 is able to offer this generous feature set at a more approachable weight. Sitting confidently between the Kingpin M-Werks and Alpinist bindings, the Marker Cruise 10 offers great performance at a competitive weight.
- 25mm heel adjustment track means you can share the love with all the boots in your quiver.
- Gapless design creates a smooth and consistent ride.
- Vertical and lateral releases are independently adjustable.
- ISI (Intuitive Step In) toe and heel makes stepping into the Cruise a breeze.
- Heel step-in force is about 30% less than the Alpinist.
- Made from strong, bio-based plastics.
| Specifications | |
|
Weight |
455g [90mm] |
| Weight (pair) | 910g [90mm] |
|
Boot |
Tech |
|
Brakes |
90, 105 |
|
BSL |
25mm |
|
Riser |
2 + flat |
|
Vertical |
4-10 |
|
Lateral |
4-10 |
|
Crampon |
Yes |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
|
|
Recycled plastic, biobased plastic + carbon fiber |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | All-day ski touring |
| Notes | Intuitive, easy-to-step-in toe piece |
| Bottom Line | Splits the difference between the Alpinist and Kingpin M-Werks |
| Compare to other Full-featured Bindings | |
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Questions & Reviews
1/20/2024
Small correctiom to my previous review. There *is* a slot for a leash on each front corner of the toepiece. Nicely designed actually.
2/26/2024
Hey Eric,
Looking to upgrade myself from atomic Shift's to a set of pin bindings, and have been eyeing the marker cruise since I have seen them this year. would you recommend them for first time pin binding users?
Thanks in advance :)
Looking to upgrade myself from atomic Shift's to a set of pin bindings, and have been eyeing the marker cruise since I have seen them this year. would you recommend them for first time pin binding users?
Thanks in advance :)
2/26/2024
I think you'll love them. Hands down the best design I've seen in terms of user friendliness.
The only caveat is that they are not yet a well tested binding and of course none of these bindings are DIN or TUV certified except a couple of the much heavier ones (Dynafit Rotation 10 for example). So I can't comment on safetey or longevity. (That's true about many bindings though.)
I'm still very happy with mine. You can go lighter, but there are always compromises. One cool thing is that the brakes are easily removed, saving weight and bringing them down to the realm of lighter-weight bindings like ATK Evo. Do note that if you want to go this route, attaching safety straps is a bit of hassle -- the tiny holes at the front where a loop of cord goes is looks finicky for getting straps in. It looks do-able, just not "on the fly" and I have not tried it yet.
The only caveat is that they are not yet a well tested binding and of course none of these bindings are DIN or TUV certified except a couple of the much heavier ones (Dynafit Rotation 10 for example). So I can't comment on safetey or longevity. (That's true about many bindings though.)
I'm still very happy with mine. You can go lighter, but there are always compromises. One cool thing is that the brakes are easily removed, saving weight and bringing them down to the realm of lighter-weight bindings like ATK Evo. Do note that if you want to go this route, attaching safety straps is a bit of hassle -- the tiny holes at the front where a loop of cord goes is looks finicky for getting straps in. It looks do-able, just not "on the fly" and I have not tried it yet.
Comment on this review:
10/20/2023
Heyo, are the brakes removable/interchangeable on these?
10/22/2023
Hi,
The brakes can be removed by sliding the heel all the way back off the track. We don't have any replacement brakes at the moment, but when we do they'll be here
The brakes can be removed by sliding the heel all the way back off the track. We don't have any replacement brakes at the moment, but when we do they'll be here
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