Heavy and Burly. The Duke is built like an Alpine binding, skis like an Alpine binding, and weighs in like an Alpine binding, but it tours too! If you're looking for that stash just beyond the chairlift, or stacking laps in the backcountry, take a good look at the Duke. If you're out for a long tour or a day of powder-hunting in the backcountry with your bros, you won't likely want to haul this extra weight with you.
The Duke is perfect for the new-age hard-charging freeride crew. This burly binding with a big din will keep you happy on the resort or seeking that fresh line just a short hike from your ride up. |
Designed from the ground-up for the modern freerider, The Duke has all of the know-how and ski performance experience garnered by Marker over more than 50 years with the additional hiking mode desired by the back country skier. Unlike the competition, we did not take a touring binding and design a "freeride" marketing plan. Marker developed a 16 DIN freeride binding and added a touring feature.
Features:
easily adjustable locking lever
two-position walking aid (6° or 12°)
DIN 6-16
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Couloir magazine: "The Duke is unabashedly the heaviest, beefiest randonnee binding in the world. Sporting a completely redesigned toe, and a maximum DIN setting of 16, the Duke is aimed at young free riders who will accept zero compromise in downhill performance and release safety, yet want the option to use a free pivot to access untracked terrain our of bounds, or log laps for a day in the backcountry. From a mountaineering perspective, the weight of the Duke is a clear compromise..."
Skiing magazine: "The first true alpine binding with AT capability. Tour to the top, then drop in and feel how the Duke's 76mm-wide footprint transfers gobs of ski-bending power. At DIN 16, you'll toss your lunch before your boards ...marries alpine toughness with backcountry abilities. When engaged, the climbing mechanism hinges back three centimeters for efficient skinning. In ski mode, it acts like an alpine binding, allowing the ski to flex freely underfoot. Yes, it's heavy, but with a DIN range that tops out at 16, and a burly clunk when you step in, it skis better than most alpine bindings on the market. "
Powder Magazine: "For years - often in a haze of drunkenness - expert skiers postulated on the radness of a high-DIN, lightweight binding with touring capabilities. Enter the Duke. Early testing reports the Duke ride like any stout 16 DIN alpine binding, but flip a switch underfoot and you're in tour mode. By no means a feather-lite peak bagger, the Duke is meant for sidecountry missions and shorter backcountry tours. Featuring impressive elasticity and a 76mm wide platform throughout, the Duke is designed to improve performance on fat skis."
Backcountry magazine: "The Dukes are the most solid downhill performer, period. I felt comfortable hammering bumps, hucking cliffs, and cranking fast turns on rock-hard snow. I never pre-released and the tough construction felt rigid and precise. The sliding track/rail system for switching modes is a fantastic idea for not accidentally being thrown into walk mode, but the inconvenience of taking skis off and fiddling with the recessed levers was a pain. The heaviest weight combined with possibly the most inefficient pivot means you'll have to eat your Wheaties. Ski the biggest skis at the highest speeds over the biggest cliffs; the Duke won't be the limiting factor. They could easily replace your Alpine bindings." |
