Short-term gear review | Atomic Shift² 16 MN

What's inside the name Shift² 16 MN?

Before we go into detail, I'll briefly explain the name, as it already describes what's inside this binding.

First of all, there's the name Shift, which also says it all: the binding "shifts" between two worlds. Uphill, it acts as an efficient pin-tech binding. The pivot point is very close to the toes. This ensures natural rolling behavior and saves energy. What's more, unlike with frame bindings, you don't have to lift the weight of the entire binding construction with every step. At the summit, the Shift transforms into a fully-fledged freeride binding. Here it scores with the release behavior of a real alpine binding.

The 2 stands for the second generation of the Shift. With it came upgrades and improvements to the first generation. Previously, a maximum Z-value of "only" 13 was possible, the most important innovation is that this now goes up to 16.

The MN stands for Multi-Norm. This means that the binding is actually certified for all common boot standards such as Alpine (ISO 5355) or GripWalk (ISO 23223).

First impression

What immediately catches my eye is how "shiny" this new binding is. There is a simple reason for this. According to the motto "Metal is for everyone" (Freedom Call 2016), not only the Hike & Ride Switch but also internal components are now made of solid aluminum. The Hike & Ride Switch is also slightly larger, which makes it much more stable overall and easier to operate with gloves. When playing around, I noticed that if you push the jaws inwards in hike mode, the switch lifts slightly and is therefore easier to grip.

But that's not all. The heel area has been completely redesigned. Atomic uses the three-lever heel here. This construction enables a significantly greater elastic spring travel, which ensures better damping on hard hits and more reliable release behavior. It also actively holds the boot in the central position and pushes it back there immediately after impact. A revised base plate made of metal and rubber provides stability and dampens vibrations.

The glide plate has also been upgraded to solve the problems of the first generation. The focus is on the new micro AFD front section with integrated aluminum power block. This makes "wandering down" of the glide plate a thing of the past and the power is reliably transferred directly from the boot to the binding and the ski without any play

At the beginning, the snow conditions left a lot to be desired. It had been some time since the last snowfall and it had become very warm in the meantime. The result was icy slopes, some with a light cover. The snow was only still soft on the north-facing slopes. Fortunately, after a few days the hoped-for fresh snow of 30 cm in places arrived.

In short, all snow conditions were represented, even some firm snow.

Short-term gear review

Once the binding was mounted, the first step was to adjust the binding. To do this, you need a Phillips screwdriver for the toe piece and to adjust the height of the glide plate (AFD) including the power block under the ball of the foot. Thanks to the angled alignment of the adjusting screw, it's very easy to do this - I only found it a little more difficult with the heel part as I didn't have a slotted screwdriver big enough to hand.

With the set-up complete, I went straight out for my first ride. And this is where the Shift scored points with me even before the first meter. Unlike other hybrid bindings such as the CAST system or the new Tyrolia Attack Hybrid, you don't have to completely remove or change the toe piece. This simply makes the binding much more relaxed and faster to handle.

The stoppers can also be easily locked with the built-in mechanism. On a total of 3200m of elevation, they only opened once on one side because I got stuck. Otherwise, the mechanism held reliably.

By locking the stoppers, you are already a little higher in the basic position. The additional climbing aid can be folded up and down with the pole without any problems.

However, it should be mentioned that there is only one additional step. As I personally like to run a little higher than normal and use the climbing aid even on slight inclines, I missed the extra step at the beginning, but you soon get used to it. Reverting to downhill mode can be done quickly and easily in a few simple steps. You just have to make sure that there is not too much snow in the areas that close during the conversion so that everything clicks into place properly.

I am fully convinced of the downhill performance. I was a little more cautious at first to feel my way around. But confidence came very quickly and I can say with conviction that the Shift² 16 MN fully meets the definition of a hybrid binding.

Thanks to the revised Micro-AFD Power Block, my setting remains exactly as it should be, even after hard moguls and proper airs. The new heel piece has also allowed zero play so that the binding delivers a direct ride.

I didn't have any false releases despite riding through crushed snow, deep snow, icy moguls and sticky slush, the binding did exactly what you'd expect of it at all times.

Conclusion

While the Shift² 10/13 was already a major upgrade, the Shift² 16 is the long-awaited solution for riders who place even higher demands on their bindings due to their riding style or weight. The three-lever heel and the solid metal insert put an end to any compromises compared to a pure race or freeride binding.

What remains to be mentioned is that the Shift² 16 MN is available in the same design from Salomon. Apart from the branding and color details, they are technically identical.

Advantages & disadvantages

+ Pin-Tech on the ascent, alpine binding on the descent
+ Super downhill performance, thanks to the new heel section and the micro AFD front section
+ Easy handling even with gloves
+ Lower price segment for comparable bindings

- Not ultra-lightweight

More information

• RRP: 649.99 €

• DIN range: 8.0 - 16.0

• Weight: 1,090 g per piece (without stopper) / approx. 1,210 g (incl. stopper)

• Adjustment range: 30 mm (length adjustment of the heel)

• Standing height above the ski surface: approx. 30 mm

• Stopper widths: 90 / 100 / 110 / 120 mm

• Multi-Norm (MN) certification: Compatible with alpine (ISO 5355), GripWalk (ISO 23223) and touring boots (ISO 9523)

• Climbing aids: One basic position (2°) and one additional climbing aid (10°)

• Crampons: Due to the construction of the toe section, special shift crampons are required