If you're just getting into backcountry with a bit of side country or some local hikes at your usual resort, this is the best of both worlds. These are lightweight for bindings that have a traditional downhill mode. True ATK bindings will always be the lightest option, of course - but these really are a fantastic compromise between performance and weight. YOU'LL NEED HYBRID TOURING BOOTS! But they've gotten so good lately that you can easily make a hybrid boot your only boot on the mountain.

I was skeptical of how they'd perform compared to my beefier Marker Jesters, and I truly didn't hold back on my downhill turns. Even though they max out at 10 din, I never had an accidental release (OK - I did once, but that was because a subpar shop worker forgot to set the rear din after mounting them - SHAME ON HIM!) Of course, if you're a high-level expert shredding cliffs in the Rockies, you may want to opt for the higher din model of these, but for most mortals, these are just great.

They can be a tad tricky transitioning from uphill to downhill mode - especially with gloves on - but the learning curve is quite small. One small gripe - I wish it were a bit easier to raise and lower the heel rise with my pole. But a small gripe for an otherwise excellent system. My wife and I both mounted them to our fatty Ripsticks and loved them.