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Short test | Marker Kingpin

The new kid on the market for touring bindings

by Lorenzo Rieg • 12/01/2014
Marker Kingpin
Marker Kingpin
Next week sees the launch of the Marker Kingpin, not only one of the most interesting products of the season in the ski touring sector, but also the first major manufacturer of ski bindings to enter the rapidly growing and increasingly competitive market for Pintech bindings. We have already briefly tested the Kingpin for you.

First impression

You can immediately see that the Marker Kingpin is noticeably different from all other touring bindings. The front jaw is similar in principle to almost all other available Pintech bindings, but the rear jaw is similar to that of an alpine binding, so it does not rely on pins. To ascend, the rear jaw is simply moved back a good distance by moving a lever, so that the boot remains fixed to the ski only at the front via pins and inserts. With this obvious system, the only question is why it has only been developed now...

Test conditions

First things first: The binding is very new and therefore could not be tested in all conditions, I only used it for a few shorter ascents and descents. A full and comprehensive test report will be published in the course of the season, when I will be able to go into more detail about how the binding performs in tough continuous use. The Kingpin was tested on a Vökl V-Werks BMT 94, I myself am 184cm tall and weigh 75 kg. The snow conditions were quite demanding on my test days: with rather hard snow, partly broken snow but also some piste and moguls.

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Marker Kingpin
Marker Kingpin

Short test

Getting into the boot is easy, not least thanks to the individually adjustable guides on the toe piece. The rear jaw closes with an audible "click". Getting out and switching from uphill to downhill mode (and vice versa) is also easy, although you have to bend down for the latter as the lever is positioned under the boot and is therefore difficult to reach with a ski pole. Otherwise, Marker has put a lot of thought into the details, which can be seen in the super-functioning stoppers or the climbing aids, which can really be operated blindly.

On the ascent, the binding can hardly be distinguished from other typical Pintech bindings except for its slightly higher weight. Switchbacks are even easier, as the ski folds away easily due to the relatively heavy rear jaw. On the descent, the Kingpin's power transmission is very direct and quickly inspires confidence. Interestingly, the binding can also be skied quite well with the toe piece unlocked. In any case, I have not yet had a false release, despite high-speed turns on hard slopes, descents through nasty broken snow and use on moguls. Small bumps, which reliably lead to false releases with many bindings, are obviously swallowed by the Kingpin. Of course, you're not in an alpine binding, but the Kingpin definitely scores points on the descent.

Conclusion

At just over 700 grams, you get an innovative and well thought-out Pintech binding that is even TÜV certified. In the short test, the binding made a very positive impression both on the ascent and during the descent!

Manufacturer information

KINGPIN 10
Stopper width 75-100 mm / 100-125 mm
DIN RANGE 5.0 - 10.0
Recommended rider weight 30 -105
Stand height o. Ski 21 mm
Toe Kingpin PinTech toe
Step-in heel Kingpin heel
Color combination black - gold
Weight without / with brake 650 g / 73 0g
*per piece with screws

KINGPIN 13
Stopper width 75-100 mm / 100-125 mm
DIN RANGE 6.0 - 13.0
Rec. Rider weight < 120
Stand height without ski 21 mm
Toe Kingpin PinTech toe
Step-in heel Kingpin heel
Color combination black - gold
Weight without / with brake 650 g / 730 g
*per piece with screws

Update: You can find a complete test report here

Here is the manufacturer's website with more information

Marker Kingpin
Marker Kingpin
Marker Kingpin
Marker Kingpin

This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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