Ski Trab TR1 Binding
The Ski Trab TR1 is the epitome of innovation coming from Ski Trab, and that is saying quite a lot for the company with a one-of-a-kind 14-layer ski construction and an utterly unique titanium-based elastic toepiece. Yet here we are, describing another paradigm-shifting product from our ingenious friends in Bormio, Italy. The prodigal son of the TR2, the TR1 (not the TR3, that would be a preposterous name) is designed to offer the same feature set while being compatible with a much wider selection of boots. No longer do you need a specific La Sportiva boot with specific heel inserts to enjoy Ski Trab's most technologically advanced binding to date.
Unlike many bindings in the touring world, the TR1 features a lateral toe release similar to an alpine binding, helping mitigate injuries to the tibia. The toepiece is built with lateral elasticity - whereby the toe wings move synchronously for better retention – as well as an incremental clamping force that allows you to tour with the toe lever unlocked, which provides greater safety when traveling through avalanche terrain. If you find yourself skiing in a "no fall zone," the toe can still be locked out for sections where losing a ski would be catastrophic.
While the toepiece is indisputably brilliant, the heel shines just as much. Whereas the TR2 used a pair of teeth that gripped special inserts on the boot, the TR1 has opted for a full steel shelf that presses the heel lug of the boot down against the binding, exactly like an alpine binding heel. Fore/aft elastic travel on the heel track keeps the release consistent and provides force feedback to your boot as the ski flexes through a turn. Because the boot is fully clamped down against the low-profile brake, the TR1 efficiently and instantaneously transfers energy from the boot to your edges, helping you power the ski through rough terrain. Finally, the two riser levels are easy to engage and the heel can be disengaged from the boot allowing you to switch back to touring mode without exiting the toepiece. If you want a binding that is built as hard as you ski, then you’ve met your match in the Ski Trab TR1.
- Vertical release at the heel and lateral release at the toe are adjustable between 6-13, and release the same way as an alpine binding.
- Primary materials are aerospace-grade Ergal aluminum and steel with minimal plastic for extreme durability.
- Incremental clamping force in the toe wings allows secure touring with the toe unlocked for avalanche safety.
- Lateral elasticity in the toe and fore/aft in the heel makes the release characteristics more predictable and provides more feedback from the ski.
- Low-profile design keeps your boot closer to the ski for better control and responsiveness.
- 21mm of BSL adjustment lets you share this Italian marvel with your friends, or not!
| Specifications | |
|
Weight |
692g [102mm] |
| Weight (pair) | 1384g [102mm] |
|
Boot |
Tech |
|
Brakes |
88, 102, 112, 120 |
|
BSL |
21mm |
|
Riser |
2 |
|
Vertical |
6-13 |
|
Lateral |
6-13 |
|
Crampon |
Included Option |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
|
|
Ergal, hardened steel |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | Touring, free touring, resort crossover |
| Notes | Lateral release at the toe |
| Bottom Line | High-performance binding with a focus on safety |
| Compare to other Full-featured Bindings | |
Related Products
Questions & Reviews
3/12/2024
Do you happen to know the elastic travel value in the toe?
3/16/2024
Hi Jerry. Ski Trab doesn't publish a specific number for the elastic travel, but this is a screengrab of the elasticity in the heel right before it released. Applying some trigonometry and rough measurements, I'm calculating roughly 54° degrees of lateral elasticity in the toe in either direction, which is pretty impressive!
3/25/2024
Amazing. Why aren't more people talking about this as an alternative to the Shift and Tecton?
3/25/2024
Hi Jerry, the Euros are way ahead of us as usual. As a matter of fact, that was impetus for our store!
Answer this question:
3/10/2024
I have a pair of 94 waist G3. What break do you recommend? The 102 or the 88
3/11/2024
Jerry, The 88 fits pretty much over a 94mm width ski. May need a slight tweak for the plastic parts to move smoothly over the ski.
Answer this question:
Long time TR2 user. Only weakness of that binding in my eyes was boot compatibility. TR1 solves that problem and adds goodies like an automatic stowing brake, and “cocking” heel mechanism. A fantastic product, and by far the burliest (read: most elastic) pin binding on the market. No one else is remotely close to the Italians (Trab and ATK) when it comes to tech bindings.
Comment on this review:
2/8/2024
I am considering replacing my current frame bindings (marker duke) with either this or shifts in order to make touring more efficient without giving up on safety and performance. I have a couple questions to see if this binding might be the right fit.
First off, how is the the vertical elasticity / retention at the heel? I tend to pre-release at the heel when I ski hard, especially in heavy snow, so I am wondering if this heel-piece would suffice. I weigh 155 lbs and have found toe dins of ~8 and heel dins of 9-10 work well for me in alpine and frame bindings. I wouldn't want to crank the dins much higher than that for fear of injury, but I do tend to ski in terrain where prereleases are not ideal.
Second, are these durable enough for frequent resort use; and if so, would the steel heel clamps wear out my boots quickly?
Thanks in advance.
First off, how is the the vertical elasticity / retention at the heel? I tend to pre-release at the heel when I ski hard, especially in heavy snow, so I am wondering if this heel-piece would suffice. I weigh 155 lbs and have found toe dins of ~8 and heel dins of 9-10 work well for me in alpine and frame bindings. I wouldn't want to crank the dins much higher than that for fear of injury, but I do tend to ski in terrain where prereleases are not ideal.
Second, are these durable enough for frequent resort use; and if so, would the steel heel clamps wear out my boots quickly?
Thanks in advance.
2/8/2024
Hi Birch,
Either this or the Shift would be better for touring than frames. Safety-wise, if you want to replicate the release characteristics of an alpine binding, go with the Shift. It is DIN certified and releases like an alpine binding on the downhill. The TR1 also releases laterally at the toe, but it is a different mechanism that is unique to this binding.
Vertical elasticity and retention at the heel should be good in this binding. I don't have exact elasticity numbers, but it should have very strong vertical retention based on our testing. I do not think you will be pre-releasing in this binding, even skiing quite hard.
Durability-wise, I would say yes, they are durable enough for regular resort use, although in general of course touring gear is not as durable as a beefy resort binding. But these are among the most stout, well-built touring bindings out there. I would put their durability at least on par with the Shift, if not better.
Whether the steel clamp will wear out your boot is something that we can't say since they are so new. There is nothing to indicate that it would. But there is no long-term data on this.
Either this or the Shift would be better for touring than frames. Safety-wise, if you want to replicate the release characteristics of an alpine binding, go with the Shift. It is DIN certified and releases like an alpine binding on the downhill. The TR1 also releases laterally at the toe, but it is a different mechanism that is unique to this binding.
Vertical elasticity and retention at the heel should be good in this binding. I don't have exact elasticity numbers, but it should have very strong vertical retention based on our testing. I do not think you will be pre-releasing in this binding, even skiing quite hard.
Durability-wise, I would say yes, they are durable enough for regular resort use, although in general of course touring gear is not as durable as a beefy resort binding. But these are among the most stout, well-built touring bindings out there. I would put their durability at least on par with the Shift, if not better.
Whether the steel clamp will wear out your boot is something that we can't say since they are so new. There is nothing to indicate that it would. But there is no long-term data on this.
Answer this question:
1/26/2024
Do you need to depress the front lever to get the toes in? I’m guessing it’s not a step in and functions more like the vario.
1/27/2024
Hi Mike,
Yes, like the other Trab bindings you do need to depress the lever to open the toepiece to step in. So from a user standpoint, it is similar in that way!
Yes, like the other Trab bindings you do need to depress the lever to open the toepiece to step in. So from a user standpoint, it is similar in that way!
Answer this question:
1/16/2024
Hello Skimo Team. Please help me choose. Can't decide between Tecton and Trab TR1. I use Tecnica Zero G Tour pro shoes. Are the TR1 compatible with the Zero G Tour..Do you have info from the manufacturer Trab on compatibility? Which of the bindings will be better? They are mount to ski Voile Manti, I mainly want safety and strength. Thanks for the tip, I need to solve this puzzle.
1/16/2024
Hi Jiri! The Zero G will work with the TR1 with no troubles. It's difficult to definitively say which of the two bindings is better, but if safety and strength are the priorities, it's hard to go wrong with the TR1. Thanks!
Answer this question:
1/15/2024
Hi, does it have a true flat mode while skinning ? It seems that the heel piece works in a way that there is already some angle in uphill mode.
Thanks in advance :)
Thanks in advance :)
1/15/2024
Hi Tom,
It does elevate the heel slightly in the flat mode. However, it is not as extreme as some other bindings that lack a true flat mode. With a boot that has a decent range of motion, it should not be a problem. But you are correct that it is not completely flat.
It does elevate the heel slightly in the flat mode. However, it is not as extreme as some other bindings that lack a true flat mode. With a boot that has a decent range of motion, it should not be a problem. But you are correct that it is not completely flat.
1/18/2024
Thank you for your answer ! It does seem like this first angle is not so much to worry about.
Answer this question:
1/10/2024
I would like to mount these on a pair of Heritage Lab C132’s
Could 120 mm brakes on trab TR1’s flex to
Accommodate a 132 mm waist ski?
Could 120 mm brakes on trab TR1’s flex to
Accommodate a 132 mm waist ski?
1/11/2024
George,
You could possibly, but 6mm a side is a lot. You could completely un-bend the brake, then put in a new bend at the edge of the ski; the Trab brakes are pretty burly, but I'm not sure how they'd hold up to that. Sort of an at-your-own-risk deal.
You could possibly, but 6mm a side is a lot. You could completely un-bend the brake, then put in a new bend at the edge of the ski; the Trab brakes are pretty burly, but I'm not sure how they'd hold up to that. Sort of an at-your-own-risk deal.
1/11/2024
Thank you! I see what you mean. The photos show the the brake binding interface. Would you happen to have a photo of an actual
Heel piece with the 120 mm Brahe installed?
I imagine the brake must project out a little ways past the binding baseplate with the 120 mm brake.
Heel piece with the 120 mm Brahe installed?
I imagine the brake must project out a little ways past the binding baseplate with the 120 mm brake.
1/14/2024
As a lover of both of these products (though I haven't bought these trab binders) I question why you want a binding with brakes on a 132mm ski? I own the 132, love it. when you ski a 132 you are skiing blower. In true blower, brakes pretty much do absolutely nothing. They create slight drag but that's not really helpful in real blower. The ski is more likely to flip and stop than actually be stopped by brakes. I don't use brakes or leashes, but if you had to mentally have a retention device then I would go for a leash on a ski whose purpose it is to surf pow. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on your quest
1/17/2024
George,
The brakes measure about 125mm from inside of the arm to inside of the other arm. Attached is a photo of the 120mm brake on a 123ish portion of a ski.
Anthony, fair point. Only setup I have with brakes is my 65mm race setup, thanks ISMF :)
The brakes measure about 125mm from inside of the arm to inside of the other arm. Attached is a photo of the 120mm brake on a 123ish portion of a ski.
Anthony, fair point. Only setup I have with brakes is my 65mm race setup, thanks ISMF :)
Answer this question:
12/31/2023
Hi!
As a light weight individual, my recommended DIN is right on the line of 6/6.5. That's all the way bottomed out for this binding - would you recommend that it's still acceptable for me to use it, or should I probably skip over in favor of something that has my DIN more "in the pocket"?
As a light weight individual, my recommended DIN is right on the line of 6/6.5. That's all the way bottomed out for this binding - would you recommend that it's still acceptable for me to use it, or should I probably skip over in favor of something that has my DIN more "in the pocket"?
1/1/2024
Hi Zack, Can you fill out the binding finder, and we can discuss it directly.
Answer this question:
12/22/2023
Would these be the most resort/alpine oriented hard charging pin binding you carry? Outside of the shift?
12/22/2023
Pablo- Yes absolutely! With high elasticity and lateral toe release this is as close to alpine with pins you can get.
Answer this question:
12/21/2023
Dear Skimo Co.
With all that Ski Trab has previously figured out, this binding is tempting as a replacement or even improvement on the Alpine binding. You name "resort crossover". What do your tests show?
On your page https://skimo.co/tech-binding-release-testing, you highlight the likelihood of an ACL tear with an Alpine bind or the likelihood of a tibia fracture with an alpine tech binding. Pick your poison. How does this binding fit into that context?
Considering the "Two dimensional binding release envelope graph", will the graph show a more or less flat line with this binding?
Does this binding do everything very well? Would it be crazy to rid myself of the need to have a pair of resort boots, binders, and skis, install quiver killers and cycle these bindings as needed?
With all that Ski Trab has previously figured out, this binding is tempting as a replacement or even improvement on the Alpine binding. You name "resort crossover". What do your tests show?
On your page https://skimo.co/tech-binding-release-testing, you highlight the likelihood of an ACL tear with an Alpine bind or the likelihood of a tibia fracture with an alpine tech binding. Pick your poison. How does this binding fit into that context?
Considering the "Two dimensional binding release envelope graph", will the graph show a more or less flat line with this binding?
Does this binding do everything very well? Would it be crazy to rid myself of the need to have a pair of resort boots, binders, and skis, install quiver killers and cycle these bindings as needed?
12/22/2023
Hi Brian, the TR1 (like the TR2) has a lateral release envelope that looks similar to alpine bindings versus the envelope seen with heel-release pin bindings. No binding will have a flat line in that experiment, but this one errs on the side of tibia protection versus ACL. It has tested consistently on our Montana machine for pure lateral release with no ski flex or bending moments. While the TR1 is a good option for a one-binding quiver, we still recommend using traditional alpine bindings for pure alpine skiing if possible.
Answer this question:
12/18/2023
Hello, are the heel pieces of this binding compatible with the older TR2 toes? My memory is that the need for a specific boot fitting was only for the heel. Thanks.
12/18/2023
Hi Kak, it is likely that combo would work fine. We have not tested it and the release values may change somewhat.
2/15/2024
I am using that setup (TR2 toe, TR1 heel) and so far it is seamless
Answer this question:
12/5/2023
You mentioned in an earlier comment that you would weigh the actual binding when you had it in stock. Looks like you finally do - any chance we could get the weight of a 102 :)
12/6/2023
Hi Jono,
692 grams in the 102 brake, without the mounting screws, which is how we weigh all of our bindings :)
692 grams in the 102 brake, without the mounting screws, which is how we weigh all of our bindings :)
Answer this question:
11/7/2023
Hi, how would you compare the TR1 vs the Kingpin and Shift?
11/7/2023
Pie,, Light years ahead.
They are most comparable to the Fritsch bindings.
Against the Shift, Lighter and easier to operate, bomber. PS, weight is less then 800g, we will post correct weight when they arrive.
The Kingpin doesn't have any more powerful of a heel hold and just a regular Tech toe. This is where the TR 1 is like the Fritschi. They have a toe with lateral elasticity and release. Unlike it, the toe wings move together laterally as the boot moves laterally. The Fritschi tip over and do not have the constant contact. And the TR 1 is done in polished aluminum, not plastic.
I have skied them and they are powerful. Its unique step in process I nailed on my first try. Those used to Trab bindings will find them easy.
They are the same as the previous TR2 , but don't require a special boot which doomed those. Skimo had tested those and the release worked extremely well.
They are most comparable to the Fritsch bindings.
Against the Shift, Lighter and easier to operate, bomber. PS, weight is less then 800g, we will post correct weight when they arrive.
The Kingpin doesn't have any more powerful of a heel hold and just a regular Tech toe. This is where the TR 1 is like the Fritschi. They have a toe with lateral elasticity and release. Unlike it, the toe wings move together laterally as the boot moves laterally. The Fritschi tip over and do not have the constant contact. And the TR 1 is done in polished aluminum, not plastic.
I have skied them and they are powerful. Its unique step in process I nailed on my first try. Those used to Trab bindings will find them easy.
They are the same as the previous TR2 , but don't require a special boot which doomed those. Skimo had tested those and the release worked extremely well.
12/5/2023
The weight posted on trab's site is 685g, fwiw.
Answer this question:
7/7/2023
Hey guys. Wondering if you have the hole pattern for these yet?
7/7/2023
Hi Eric. I just checked, and it is a bit different than the TR 2. The toe dimensions are 36mm x 28mm (width x length), and the heel is 45.5mm x 49mm, with the fifth hole centered and 74mm forward of the front heel holes.
Answer this question:
Earn store credit by writing reviews. Learn more.
