The mass exodus of more skiers each season ducking boundary lines to head into the outback at ski areas — often called “sidecountry” terrain — has perpetuated an evolution in gear aimed at skiers who demand more mobility in the terrain that chairlifts do not serve. Bindings have received a sizeable bulk of this attention, including beefy alpine-touring products like the Marker Tour F12 or Fritschi’s DIAMIR model, both of which offer solid downhill performance along with an option to “flip a switch” and change to a free-heel mode for heading back up-mountain again.
Atomic Ski Binding
ATOMIC SHIFT: THE FIRST COMPROMISE-FREE BINDING. Our Shift binding shepherds in the next generation of freeride capability – and is the binding that freeriders and all-mountain skiers have been telling us they’ve been waiting for. Masking Tape Template. I use the paper jig to give dimensions that are critical, like the position of mount holes relative to ski boot center, then I remeasure and mark them on the surface of the ski. Discovered on pulling the bindings that these hand-me-down skis had Black Diamond 02 bindings that had been “mounted” with threaded.
Uphill in alpine gear, courtesy of Fritschi DIAMIR bindings
Next year, a new player emerges in this space. A partnership between Salomon and Atomic has resulted in a binding that’s being advertised as setting a new standard with “next generation freeride performance” and increased efficiency on the uphill side. Oddly, the bindings — called either the SALOMON Guardian 16 and/or the ATOMIC Tracker 16 — will be offered for the same recommended retail price and will be identical both technically and functionally. Two brand names, same binding.
Salomon’s free-heel-enabled binding, the Guardian 16
Those “next generation” promises? The companies are a bit low on the details being released as of now, but a press teaser issued this week cites a binding chassis with a “lower stand height for greater stability” plus the bindings will have an oversized platform to “enable maximum power transmission and responsiveness for quick and more precise turns,” the companies tout.
ATOMIC Tracker 16
DIN range will be 7 to 16, enabling mission-critical grip on the boot for big air and the sickest terrain. Another distinguishing feature may be the bindings’ hike/ride switch, which changes the mode from downhill to up with the press of a ski pole tip. On top, ready to shred with locked heels again, a user will simply step down to engage four steel teeth that are spring-actuated to lock the heel piece back into place.
The Salomon/Atomic bindings are not designed to compete with lightweight bindings from the likes of Dynafit that lean toward the ski-touring crowd. “There are companies that are known as uphill touring companies, and that is not” what these bindings will be, a Salomon media rep told us. Instead, the Salomon/Atomic bindings are touted to “optimize downhill performance” and to give skiers the opportunity to access more of the mountain and get to the powder “without compromising downhill ability,” the media rep cited.
Salomon/Atomic prototype bindings in use by skier Daron Rhalves
![Atomic shift binding Atomic shift binding](/uploads/1/1/9/4/119469595/697834585.jpg)
Overall, the bindings will be advertised as the “most durable and easiest to use binding that has hike and ride” modes. Unfortunately, other details we wanted like pricing and product weight have not been released. A company rep said more information will be offered when the bindings are unveiled at winter trade shows in a couple months, including Outdoor Retailer and SIA. Skiers looking to try the bindings out should seek demos this winter. They will likely ship to retailers for consumer sale next August in time for the 2012/2013 ski season.
—Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com. Connect with Regenold at Facebook.com/TheGearJunkie or on Twitter via @TheGearJunkie.
Subsidiary | |
Industry | Sports equipment |
---|---|
Founded | 1955; 65 years ago |
Headquarters | , |
Products | Skiing equipment, apparel |
Revenue | 371 of the 1.533 billion EUR (2009) Amer Sports Turnover[1] |
Number of employees | 750 |
Parent | Amer Sports (Subsidiary of Anta Sports) |
Website | atomic.com |
Atomic (officially Atomic Austria GmbH)[2] is an Austrian company that manufactures and sells skis and other skiing equipment, such as boots, bindings, helmets, ski poles, goggles, bags, apparel and protective equipment.
![Atomic ski bindings Atomic ski bindings](/uploads/1/1/9/4/119469595/621805930.jpg)
Atomic is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation, since 2019 itself a subsidiary of the Chinese group Anta Sports[3] with sister brands Wilson, Suunto, Sports Tracker, Salomon, Precor, Arc'teryx.
History[edit]
Alois Rohrmoser founded Atomic in 1955. In 1971, the company increased its production capacity by building a second factory in Altenmarkt im Pongau, where the majority of their ski production still takes place. In 1981, Atomic started production in the Bulgarian city of Chepelare, becoming the first west-block company to open a plant in the eastern-bloc countries. Atomic continued to expand its range, and in 1989, it became the first one-stop supplier for skis, bindings, boots and poles. Ski production peaked at 831,000 pairs in 1991 and 1992.
However, Atomic faced financial difficulties due to high products rejection when transitioning to the 'Schalenski' technology (cap ski), and to failures in the booming snowboard market. In 1994, the BAWAG requested Atomic to be put in insolvency.
In November 1994, the Amer Sports Group (which also includes Arc´teryx, Peak Performance, Armada, Enve, DeMarini, Wilson, Suunto, Precor, Volant and Salomon) acquired Atomic for 918.7 million schillings (66.8 million euros), and in March 2006 the insolvency procedures were lifted.
Today Atomic manufactures around 600,000 pairs of skis per year.
Technology[edit]
Atomic Alpine skis
In 2008 Atomic brought Doubledeck to market, the first technology to automatically adapt the radius and flex to the style of the skier and skiing conditions. Atomic developed the LiveFit (2009), a ski boot which automatically adapts to the shape of the foot. Since 2009, Atomic's skis have also been available with various Rocker technologies. Atomic has recently developed Memory Fit, a heat fitting technology that adapts the boot to the users foot, which can be found on two of the market's top selling boots.
Atomic Template Ski Binding Chart
Atomic is also committed to the development of more environmentally-friendly production methods: the factory in Altenmarkt uses a wood pellet heating system during the manufacturing process. The 'Renu' line comprises skis and boots largely made of recyclable and renewable materials.
Sponsorship[edit]
Atomic currently sponsors male and female athletes in alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, touring skiing, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing, and biathlon.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ abAmer 2009 report, p. 26, p. 51Archived 2013-06-01 at the Wayback Machine
- ^Atomic Company
- ^Atomic, Owner update, 2019 [China’s Anta Sports closes in on €5.6bn takeover of Finland’s Amer] | https://www.chicagobusiness.com/consumer-products/wilson-sporting-goods-parent-be-acquired-52-billion | [1] | https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/15393732
Ski Binding Adjustment
External links[edit]
Atomic Binding Manual
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atomic (company). |
Atomic Ski Bindings Manual
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