Salomon has been working on this binding for a couple years now. It’s Salomon & Atomic’s (Amer Sports) answer to the Marker Duke. The new Salomon Guardian 16 appears to have some improvements over the Duke.
Salomon Guardian 16/Atomic Guardian 16:
– Available Fall 2012
– DIN up to 16
– Switch from hike to ski without taking off your skis. Use your ski pole to flip the ‘climbing bar’ to the ski position, step down with your heel, and the binding locks into ski mode. Not sure how switching in the opposite direction works yet.
– It’s a lower profile binding. The bottom of your boot won’t be so high off the ski which will give the binding the feel of a normal powder ski/binding set up. This should lead to a more natural and stable feel while skiing.
– It has a wider platform. This should also lead to more stability and a more secure hold.
The important questions that remain are:
– How much does it weigh?
– How exactly does the new switch system work and will it get jammed with snow and ice easily?
– How strong does it ski?
– Will it hold like a true 16 DIN Binding?
This is a very good sign coming from our ski industry. We need companies competing for markets like this to give us optimal products. In the case of the sturdy touring binding, capitalism rules.
What do you guys think? Does this thing look good? Better than the Duke?
Salomon Press Release:
WITH MORE AND MORE SKIERS LOOKING FOR ESCAPE IN THE MOUNTAINS, SEEKING UNTRACKED SNOW AND AN INTENSE WAY TO EXPERIENCE NATURE, SALOMON AND ATOMIC ARE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE A NEW BACKCOUNTRY BINDING IN THE FALL/WINTER OF 2012, POISED TO BECOME THE BENCHMARK FOR ALL SNOW ADVENTURERS.
What happens when the world’s two leading winter sports brands bring together their most creative experts and athletes to develop a backcountry binding? The result is the next generation of freeride performance – the new SALOMON Guardian 16 and ATOMIC Tracker 16 feature unique advantages for every outing into the backcountry.
UNMATCHED SKIING PERFORMANCE
THIS NEW PREMIUM BINDING, TO BE SOLD AS THE SALOMON GUARDIAN 16 AND THE ATOMIC TRACKER 16, WILL CHANGE THE WAY SKIERS APPROACH AND ENJOY THE BACKCOUNTRY. IT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, EFFICIENCY, AND FEEL IN DOWNHILL PERFORMANCE FOR A HEIGHTENED SKIING EXPERIENCE. THE BINDING’S LOW PROFILE CHASSIS FEATURES A LOWER STAND HEIGHT FOR GREATER STABILITY AND ENHANCED TERRAIN FEEDBACK, AND THE OVERSIZED PLATFORM ENABLES MAXIMUM POWER TRANSMISSION AND RESPONSIVENESS FOR QUICK AND MORE PRECISE TURNS.
HIKE & RIDE TECHNOLOGY FOR PRACTICAL AND INTUITIVE HANDLING
BY OFFERING THE MOST CONVENIENT AND TIME-SAVING TRANSITION FROM HIKING TO RIDING, THE BINDING HELPS ENABLE A BETTER EXPERIENCE IN THE MOUNTAINS. BEYOND ITS GREATER TRANSITION EFFICIENCY, THIS DESIGN ALSO HELPS REDUCE THE HAZARDS AND INCONVENIENCE INVOLVED IN TAKING OFF YOUR SKIS ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. FEATURING THE HIKE & RIDE SWITCH, WHICH IS EASILY ENGAGED WITH YOUR SKI POLE, IT IS NO LONGER NECESSARY TO REMOVE YOUR SKIS WHEN SWITCHING BETWEEN HIKING AND RIDING MODES. AFTER CLIMBING, SIMPLY USE YOUR SKI POLE TO FLIP THE CLIMBING BAR TO SKIING POSITION, STEP DOWN WITH YOUR HEEL UNTIL THE BINDING LOCKS SECURELY INTO PLACE, AND YOU ARE READY FOR THE TURNS YOU’VE JUST EARNED.
ABOVE ALL, THE NEW SALOMON GUARDIAN 16 AND ATOMIC TRACKER 16 BINDINGS PROVIDE THE POWER, PRECISION AND ON-SNOW FEEL OF A HIGH-PERFORMANCE FREERIDE BINDING, WITH THE BENEFITS OF A VERY CONVENIENT HIKING SYSTEM.
THE SALOMON GUARDIAN 16 AND ATOMIC TRACKER 16 WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE FALL OF 2012 AND WILL SET THE STANDARD FOR THE ULTIMATE BACKCOUNTRY SKIING EXPERIENCE. ABOVE ALL, THE NEW BINDING MAXIMIZES SKIING PERFORMANCE, IS EXTREMELY PRACTICAL AND ADDS NEW MEANING TO ENJOYING THE BACKCOUNTRY SKIING EXPERIENCE. THE SALOMON GUARDIAN 16 AND ATOMIC TRACKER 16 WILL BE OFFERED FOR THE SAME RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE AND WILL BE IDENTICAL BOTH TECHNICALLY AND FUNCTIONALLY.
SALOMON WAS FOUNDED IN 1947 IN THE HEART OF THE FRENCH ALPS. SINCE THEN, WE’VE BEEN CREATING INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF ATHLETES. PERFORMANCE LED DESIGN IS OUR PAST. PERFORMANCE LED DESIGN IS OUR FUTURE.