Marker Ltd.: Griffon 90 Ski Binding

Designed with almost all of the same components as Marker's backcountry-tested Jester ski binding, the Griffon Binding with 90-mm. ski brake gives lighter and younger expert skiers the same advantages as the big adults. The Marker Griffon offers most of the same performance release potential found on Marker's top-end Duke and Baron bindings, but the Griffon doesn't have the Back Country Technology ski lever for hiking on inclines and traverses. If you're a compact, backcountry enthusiast who tends to stick to helicopter ascents or the downhill traverses that radiate out from remote ski lifts, the Griffon 90 is everything you need--especially if your ideal performance level requires an expensive race ski binding. In the not-so-distant past most expert backcountry skiers slapped a pair of racing bindings on their powder planks or all-terrain performance skis. The convoluted logic to this approach was that they could somehow pair high-end hardware with big mountain skis. The problem with this concept is that racing bindings are made for skis with a narrower waist than most backcountry performance skis, and because the racing bindings are narrow and big mountain skis are wide, expert skiers don't enjoy the same sort of grip and responsiveness that they would typically find with a racing ski/racing binding pairing. That's why Marker created their "Royal Family" collection with wider and potentially lighter backcountry ski bindings specifically made for advanced and expert skiers. The Griffon binding has an interface that connects better to all-terrain performance boots than downhill racing boots. The Griffon binding also features a Triple Pivot Elite Toe that offers unprecedented energy absorption and minimizes pre-release. The fear of pre-release (especially on double-diamond boilerplate) is usually why elite and expert backcountry skiers opt for a racing binding on their backcountry and all terrain skis. Marker took the Griffon a step further (no pun intended…) with a binding interface that features increased boot lug contact for better energy transmission between your ski boot and your binding, resulting in better response through must-make chute turns and potentially less effort--which means you might be able to ski longer with more energy. The Marker Griffon also has a special heel piece that focuses power in the direction of your ski boot sole, but does it with improved elasticity direction, so you enjoy better heel hold with exceptional energy transfer. Unlike other ski bindings that feature things like torsion bars, the Griffon has this wide bracket construction (Marker calls it "Power-Width Design) that connects the binding directly to the points on the ski where the power from your feet needs to be transferred. While most standard bindings are sized to fit bindings that have a 63-mm. width, the Griffon stands apart from the one-size-fits-most approach and fits skis with a waist width of at least 76 mm. or more. Dream big this season--go with the backcountry binding that gives wide width skis better edging and incredible grip.

• Revolutionary Power-Width Design extends grip and control to skis with widths of 76 mm. and more (that's 10 mm. wider than most racing bindings)
• Triple Pivot Elite Toe with high energy absorption to minimize pre-release incidents
• Increased boot lug contact points in both toe and heel units
• Improved heel design focuses more power in the energy transfer between your boot and binding
• Central swing weight profile with level stand position and freeride brake
• Stainless steel gliding AFD plate
• DIN setting range: 4-12
• Binding stand height without ski: 23 mm.
• Recommended for skiers weighing between 80 and 250 lbs.
• Weight (pair): 1,900 g.