I got to test The Duke in late January on a pair of Volkl Mantra’s and I was impressed.  As others have stated, this is the perfect binding for those who want to ski outside the resort boundaries and do short treks to powder stashes.  I see this binding as the perfect replacement to using Alpine Trekkers . This binding is ideal for those who ski at Alta/Snowbird, Jackson or Big Sky where you can do a lot of under an hour hikes or skins.

Let’s see. Lot’s of marginal feedback from people who haven’t skied it. Great stuff guys. Kudos to the one guy who actually skied it. I’d like to hear more about it from you.

For those who are going to whine a bit about some extra heavy weight of the marker bindings......boo hoo hoo.

I have skied professionally 30 of the 40 years I have skied and my knees today are fit and never been injured due to my bindings.  Every pair of mine are Markers.

Marker is a german manufacture and they build their bindings like their cars.  The toe pieces have been the envy of every other binding manufacturer out there.

I skied ski rescue and have done search and rescue and the extra few grams that my markers weigh are a small price to pay instead of the Frischi, naxo or other garbage made by the Froggies....sure they have Chamonix...but who cares..?

The fact is that these Marker bindings are going to totally bankrupt the others due to that your boot is going to be closer to your ski than any other one out there.....this is vital to having a great ski day....the others are hiked up so far that it makes you feel like you are on top of the mountain before the hike.....and they are an injury waiting to happen…

I have seen the new Markers and they ROCK...they are and have a long track record of making just bindings....and use the best materials....look at the morons that have gone out of business due to law suits over their bindings not releasing...ever....

It is a sad day when people on here....want to whine about weight....they are the same morons that ride their mountain bikes and put them on a scale....and have ever carbon and Ti doo hicky on their bike to make it lighter…

Markers are an industry staple...from the rotomat bindings in the 60’s to today.

I am biased...but looking at the 30 000 grand it costs a poor ski bum who does not have adequate health insurance....these Markers are the BOMB...they rock and if you are skiing on skis that have old bindings or some other less superior binding on them....then ask yourself if the extra C note you saved by buying some total piece of crap binding is worth your health.....it is a sad day when people get so hung up on something.

If ever company that builds a product put as much R and D into their product as Marker has...then chevy, ford and Chrysler would have been out of biz 20 years ago…

Be a smart consumer and buy the new Marker Duke...it will be your best item for this winter to buy…

Markers set up at the correct DIN and more importantly the “ FORWARD PRESSURE” will prevent any pre release....as some moron on here whines about how markers are always heavy and pre release....in over 4500 logged ski days I have never had my markers ever prerelease..

Those worried about 200 extra grams need to perhaps focus more on not eating so much and focus on spending a few more sets on the leg press....

Markers forever, forever Markers.....LOL

Have a great winter and when you are stuck on the side of the hill with a blown knee and your Gucci Fritschi Free Rides due to smoking one too many bowls of good greenbud....then remember this email…

the bindings are definitley heavy enough to make a difference in the big vertical one accumalates in the alps. i love the idea of the markers, but would love to see them refined, lightened and improved on. it is a great idea and really cool to finally see a big company go for this. so for this i commend Marker.... but the Dukes still don’t convince me: a main concern to me is the possibiliy of icing when going from touring to ski mode. i am interested to hear feedback from those who get to use it this season in deep powder, or freeze-melt storms where icing mostly happens. it’s a bummer spending 10 minutes on a stormy peak trying to get your bindings into downhill mode! also, the heel risers looked flimsy and remind me of the old emery heel risers that always would fail after a few outings. this is not only annoying but tiring, especially on long tours.

It is definitely the best FREERIDE binding in 07/08 season, where I the MOST IMPORTANT is safety in higher speeds.
Maybe is heavy for touring like Colin criticised above, but no such stupid accidental switching into tour mode like Fritchi and Naxo due to material fatigue…