hy 13 free vs shift2 13

ATK HY Free saves ~245 g/binding with an all-metal build; the Shift2 brings DIN/TÜV certification and multi-norm boot compatibility.

The ATK HY Free 13 and Salomon Shift2 13 are the headline 2025/26 matchup in the convertible-hybrid category. Both put a tech toe under a swappable alpine toe; both target the freeride skier who tours. The ATK arrived as the lightweight challenger, the Shift2 is the incumbent — and the gap between them maps directly to weight, certification, and boot compatibility.

Touring: the ATK is ~245 g/binding lighter

The HY Free 13 weighs ~675 g/binding versus the Shift2 13's ~920 g — about 490 g/pair, or roughly a 27% weight reduction. Over a 1500 m climb that gap is substantial. The HY Free is also all-metal construction, which keeps stiffness up despite the weight reduction. Transitions are comparable: both flip an alpine toe out of the way and rely on the tech toe for skinning.

Downhill: the Shift2's alpine toe has more elastic travel and a DIN cert

The Shift2 13 runs ~47 mm of toe elastic travel and is TÜV/DIN-certified in alpine mode — the same release behavior as a fixed alpine binding. The ATK HY Free has a real alpine toe (rare in the lightweight space), but the elastic envelope is smaller and ATK is explicit that the HY Free is not TÜV-certified — they told Skimo Co there are "no current plans to have them certified." Both ski well; the Shift2 has more measured retention margin under heavy compression.

Safety: the Shift2's DIN/TÜV cert is the deciding factor

This is the cleanest split in the comparison. The Shift2 is fully DIN-certified ISO 5355 and ISO 13992. The ATK publishes reference release values but has no third-party certification on the HY Free. For most freeriders this difference is academic — ATK's release calibration is widely respected — but for skiers who need certification for insurance, race coverage, or peace of mind, the Shift2 is the only option of the pair.

Versatility: the Shift2 accepts alpine boots

The Shift2's alpine toe is multi-norm — ISO 5355, ISO 23223 GripWalk, and ISO 9523 touring all work in the same toe. You can run one ski across an alpine boot and a tech-insert boot. The ATK HY Free's alpine toe accepts GripWalk + alpine, but in practice it's used almost exclusively with tech-insert touring boots given its lightweight positioning. The Shift2 supports the two-boot-one-ski workflow more cleanly.

Durability: tied

The HY Free's all-metal build is exceptionally durable in the lightweight category — ATK's machined aluminum is among the best in the business. The Shift2's mixed plastic/metal composite has a long track record but is not Pivot-level long-lived. Call it a wash; neither is the binding that fails.

Pick by your priority weight

Pick the ATK HY Free 13 if your skiing is meaningfully tour-biased (~25+ tour days/year), you weigh under ~90 kg, and TÜV certification isn't a hard requirement. Pick the Shift2 13 if you ski heavier, push DIN 11+ regularly, want the alpine-boot compatibility, or want the certification. The HY Free is the better tool for the climb; the Shift2 is the safer, more proven tool for the descent.