About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the bindings, which I tested for 15 days in December of 2022 and January of 2023.

My take

The DPS R10 AT Ski Bindings are a great touring binding that is easy to use and lightweight, making the uphills feel like a breeze, while still being burly enough to be able to handle more aggressive skiing on the downhill.

About the bindings I tested

• Model: DPS R10 AT Ski Bindings · 2023

About me

• Height: 5’4”
• Weight: 110lbs
• Preferred DIN range: 5–6
• Experience: 25+ years of skiing

Test conditions

• When I tested these: January 2023
• Days tested: 15
• Boots: Scarpa Gea
• Boot Size: 22.5
• Skis: DPS Pagoda Tour 112s
• Where I’ve used it: Utah
• Terrain: Backcountry

How they perform

What I was looking for

I used these as part of a demo setup when I was demoing the DPS Pagoda 112 skis. When demoing this setup, I was looking for a wider, lighter touring ski than what I had previously been using (DPS Zelda Alchemist 106s).

Why I chose to test this gear

I chose this setup because the skis were an ultralight and wider option from DPS. The DPS R10s were a perfect fit for me being a lighter skier (the 10 reflects the max DIN, and usually I ski around a six DIN, so I wouldn’t want a binding with a max DIN that's much higher). They are also an ultralight touring binding that still has brakes, so I was excited to use them. Normally, touring bindings with brakes are burlier and can be skied harder than touring bindings without brakes but are heavier, whereas ultralight touring bindings are nicer for the uphill due to their weight, but don’t feel very stable on the downhill. I also like that these have a lateral release on the toe, so if I am falling the toe will (hopefully) pop out. As someone who has had knee issues, this is a must in any touring bindings I am using.

What I love about them

• Release Reliability: The release reliability on these seemed great. There was only one time I fell with these on, and my toe popped out. I didn’t lose my ski since the heel stayed in, but I was happy to see that the lateral release seems to work effectively.
• Downhill Performance: As far as touring bindings go, these ski really well on the downhill, They don’t feel too lightweight that I lose a ton of power or control over my skis, which is usually the issue with lighter bindings (something like the Dynafit Superlite 150 bindings).
• Uphill Performance: These also perform really well on the uphill due to their low weight (300g). They have a lever on the toe for uphill mode that makes sure the toe stays in and secure when walking up. I have used this feature before on other touring bindings (such as the Dynafit Rotation 10). It typically works pretty well, but occasionally comes undone, leading my toe to slide around, and in a few instances, pop out on the uphill. Though this didn’t happen at all on the DPS R10s.
• Durability: Though I just demoed these for 15 days, they felt super durable, and didn’t have any wear and tear. Plus, I know these skis and bindings have been demoed a good amount before I used them. They seemed brand new and instilled confidence that these will likely last for a long time.
• Weight: At 300 grams, these are one of the lightest touring bindings on the market. The weight is awesome for being able to go uphill faster without feeling weighed down by a heavy binding. The bindings I use on my personal touring skis are the Dynafit ST Rotation 10s and weigh twice as much, but ski just about the same. I was impressed by the low weight while maintaining stability on the downhill.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Power Transfer: These have great power transfer for touring bindings, but the power transfer on three-pin bindings is still as efficient as that on hybrid resort/touring bindings or on regular resort bindings. These do the absolute best they can, and for the low weight, they have awesome power transfer. I’m only taking a star off since they still don’t ski as well as bindings designed for skiing in resorts.

Favorite moment with this gear

I got to use these bindings between December of 2022 and January of 2023, which saw record snowfalls for Utah. I was happy to get to use them on a lot of deeper days. My favorite moment with these was probably taking my pup out after a 12-inch storm. I have a border collie, and the snow was up to her belly. It was a really short, mellow ski tour, but fun to watch her swim through all the new snow to keep up with us on the way down. I was also really happy to have a wider ski and really light bindings that day just because the snow was so deep. I wanted all the help I could get on having a light setup for both trudging through new snow on the uphill, and for staying on top of the powder on the way down.

Value for the money vs. other options

The DPS R10 AT Ski Bindings are pretty on par though slightly more expensive than other, similar touring bindings. The Dynafit ST Rotation 10s, which I use on my personal touring skis, are less expensive, but twice as heavy. As are the Dynafit Superlite 150s, which are half the weight of the DPS R10s (150g), but don’t ski as well. And though there are some middle-of-the-road options between super light and super burly that are a bit cheaper than the price tag on the DPS R10s, I personally think these are a really good deal for backcountry skiers looking for a lightweight setup that skis well and feels stable on the downhills.

Final verdict

The DPS R10 AT bindings have some bells and whistles such as a lateral toe release, which is a great feature for those who are worried about knee injuries, and two riser options for the uphill, but are still only 300g each, making them one of the lightest touring bindings available. For all these bindings feature—ease of uphill and good control and stability on the downhill—they are a great option for anyone looking to get into the backcountry.