Overweight and impractical. These are two of the attributes you often hear in connection with the Marker Duke. And yet it is our product of the week. Why is that? Because it rides like a fully-fledged alpine binding on the descent and can be used to ascend appropriately. If you've got a lot of power in your legs, can torture yourself or if a proper descent is worth every effort, then the Duke is for you.
With the walking mechanism, the three-stage ascent aid and the option of using both alpine ski boots and touring ski boots with Vibram soles, the Duke has all the necessary prerequisites for touring. Good power transmission values and a high Z-value also make it a fully-fledged alpine binding. Downhill, the Duke is a force to be reckoned with, uphill, too, which is why the Duke is the first choice for many downhill-oriented freeriders. Since the first model years, the Penzberg engineers have once again achieved significant improvements in terms of durability and susceptibility to faults. The number one freeride binding is still the Marker Duke. The current model for the 2011/2012 season bears the model suffix "Duke 16".
