Review: Salomon Shift2 Binding

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This year, Salomon updated the original Shift touring binding, focusing on a few key points including durability, weight, and ease of use. Admittedly, the old version of the binding suffered from some common issues like pre-release and the brakes constantly clicking out of their locked touring position. While I generally found the binding to be reliable over multiple years of use, these issues led to more than a few frustrated skiers with malfunctioning bindings deep in the backcountry.

Those pain points were all directly addressed by the Salomon design team for the 2.0 version, mostly utilizing simple, but clever, fixes to ensure better performance for skiers. It’s a hair heavier than the original version, but still clocks in at under 1000 grams, features a better locking mechanism for the brakes, and has a completely redesigned Power Block adjustable AFD plate that won’t unthread itself, leading to the dreaded pre-release issue. It’s an excellent option for those looking for a single binding to split between resort and backcountry use, or for mechanized backcountry skiing that will require short tours.

The Salomon Shift2 is the same binding as the Atomic Shift2 and Armada Shift2.

In a Nutshell:

• Stated Weight: 920g per binding
• DIN Range: 6-13
• Compatibility: MNC (Multinorm Certified)
• Heel Riser: flat + 1 riser
• Brake Width Options: 90, 100, 110, 120mm
• BSL Adjustment: 30mm

What’s the history of the Shift Binding?

A little over five years ago, Salomon completely changed the touring binding game with the release of the original Shift alpine touring binding. With a toe piece that transformed from a pin binding to a full-on alpine binding, and a heel piece that followed suit, the original Shift ushered in the era of the hybrid touring binding. These allowed skiers to tour uphill with the efficiency of a pin binding, and ski back down aggressively with the security and power transfer of a traditional alpine binding.

That original binding was designed with strong input from athletes on the Salomon and Atomic pro teams , like Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Cody Townsend, Chris Rubens, Greg Hill and more, who had been searching for a no-compromise solution between pin bindings and heavy and unreliable old-school frame touring bindings. The team wanted a binding that skied as aggressively as an alpine binding–hucking cliffs, straightlining couloirs, hitting jumps, and carving turns on questionable snow–paired with the ability to earn your turns deep in the backcountry.

How does the Salomon Shift2 Binding perform uphill?

With a very similar overall design, the updated Salomon Shift2 performs about the same as the older version when ski touring. The toe piece still switches modes using the same lever system, the brakes still lock down similarly, and the general stride feels about the same. However, I found that the ergonomics of switching modes has been vastly improved–that lever clicks in more securely, the toe wings feel like they have far less play, and the brakes lock in much better.

The single heel riser is very effective–even on pin bindings, I’m generally a fan of simple single-height heel risers. If I’m using that much heel riser, the skintrack I’m on is probably too steep.

I used the binding with a variety of different boots, from the Tecnica Zero G Pro Tour (yes, I know that’s not technically compatible) to the Salomon Shift Alpha BOA 130 , all the way to the no-walk-mode Fischer RC4 PRO DYN 130 . Unsurprisingly, the binding toured better with boots that feature a larger range of motion, but I was blown away by how comfortable it was to tour short and medium distances on stiff, burly freeriding touring boots like the Salomon and Fischer boots.

With my test pair mounted to a set of the Salomon QST X skis, I never used ski crampons with the binding, but the slot looks to work the same as the old version, and will require Shift-specific crampons with the bulge that fits over the AFD.

How does the Salomon Shift2 Binding ski downhill?

Aggressive backcountry skiing is where the Salomon Shift2 really shines. After all, that’s what it’s designed to do. I say backcountry skiing, because a real alpine binding like the Salomon Strive, Warden, or STH would still be a better, more durable, choice for dedicated resort-only skiing. That said, the Shift doesn’t mind inbounds use, but you will likely trash them if you’re a heavy skier and are hard on your gear.

In the backcountry, it’s a pretty cool feeling to click into your bindings and feel the security of an alpine-style toe and heel locking you into your skis. It’s really different from skiing pin bindings, and it definitely inspires confidence. The upgraded PowerBlock AFD plate makes a noticeable difference in power transfer compared to the old version. Salomon claims a 30 percent increase in power transfer, which I’ll sum up simply as “you feel far less slop in the binding.”

In soft snow, and in most hard-snow conditions, the Shift2 is indistinguishable from the STH or Strive bindings. It offers similar levels of elasticity, shock absorption, and damping, and I never had issues with premature release or the binding not releasing in a fall.

Having seen the AFD issues of the previous version a few times, I did monitor the toe height on the new Shift2 religiously, and after four months of heavy use and multiple manual adjustments to different boots, the AFD plate never moved a millimeter on its own.

What skiers should buy the Salomon Shift2 Binding?

Like the old version, the updated Salomon Shift2 touring bindings are an excellent option for two types of skiers: those who want a single binding to split duty between skiing the resort and the backcountry, or dedicated backcountry skiers that want to add a heavy-duty binding to their quiver for really aggressive backcountry skiing. I wouldn’t mind occasional long tours on it, but I personally see it as the best option for sidecountry skiing that requires a short skin to access a big line just beyond the resort boundary. Mount these on a pair of big skis, and you’ll be psyched about the way you can ski outside the gates.

Overall, it’s a vastly improved version of the original hybrid touring binding that first changed the game five years ago, and will be a great option for those looking to update their old Shifts.