Shift2 16 MN review

Overview

The Salomon S/Lab Shift² 16 MN is the new top model of Salomon's Shift² hybrid binding family for 26-27. It keeps the Shift concept, a switching toe that works as a tech pin toe on the climb and as an alpine toe on the descent, and raises the release range to DIN 7–16. Salomon describes it as true downhill performance in a touring binding, built for freeriders who charge every descent. The changes against the Shift² 13 MN are an aluminium shifter, enlarged toe wings, a metal-reinforced plate and a new 3-Part Power Heel with 16 mm of heel elastic travel instead of 9 mm.

Who is it for?

• Strong, heavy or aggressive freeriders whose release value sits at or above the top of a DIN 13 binding.
• Skiers who ride mostly lift-served freeride but want one binding that can also tour.
• Free-tourers on wide skis (roughly 90–120 mm underfoot) who put downhill retention ahead of uphill weight.
• Less suited to long, weight-sensitive tours. At 1210 g per binding it is far heavier than a pin binding.

Specs and what they mean

• DIN 7–16: reaches the expert release values the 6–13 Shift² 13 MN cannot, while the floor of 7 still covers lighter experts.
• Heel elastic travel 16 mm: Salomon's figure, up from 9 mm on the Shift² 13 MN and 10 MN. More elastic travel lets the heel absorb a hard compression or landing before it releases, which lowers the risk of pre-release in rough snow. Salomon does not publish a toe figure for this model and describes the hybrid toe wings only in words.
• Brakes 90 / 100 / 110 / 120 mm: Salomon's rule is a brake equal to the ski waist or at most 15 mm wider.
• Weight 1210 g per binding (2420 g/pair): about 290 g per binding more than the Shift² 13 MN at 920 g. That is the cost of the metal-reinforced heel, plate and shifter.
• Compatibility, Multi-Norm (MN): alpine ISO 5355, GripWalk ISO 23223, touring ISO 9523 and WTR soles in ski mode, provided the boot has full toe and heel lugs. Touring mode needs tech toe inserts.
• Materials: aluminium Power Block insert in the height-adjustable AFD (Salomon cites 30% more lateral stiffness than the previous generation), aluminium shifter, carbon-infused polyamide toe lever and wings, and a metal-reinforced plate. Stand height is 24.2 mm and heel adjustment 30 mm.

On-snow performance

The 16 MN is aimed at skiers for whom the Shift² 13 was the limit. The two changes that matter on the descent are the extra heel elasticity, which helps the binding hold through impacts, and the stiffer aluminium AFD insert, which Salomon says transfers more lateral power to the edge. The extra-wide toe pedal on springs centres the boot and lets it slide sideways freely during a twisting fall, so release stays predictable. On the climb the system matches the other Shift² models: a hike/ski switch converts the toe, and there are two climbing-aid heights, the tall one 4 mm higher than before, that you can flip with a pole tip. Because of the weight, it makes most sense for short to medium tours and sidecountry laps rather than long days.

Durability and service

Early Shift bindings drew criticism for plastic parts in the switching mechanism. On the 16 MN, Salomon made the shifter aluminium and reinforced the plate with metal, and retailers note a sturdier brake lever that locks more reliably in tour mode. Keep the toe interface free of ice before changing modes, and have release values checked by a certified technician every season.

Mounting and brake sizing

Choose the narrowest brake that is at least as wide as your ski waist. Salomon allows up to 15 mm wider. For a 104 mm ski, for example, take the 110 mm brake. In downhill mode the boot needs full alpine-style toe and heel lugs. Retailers point out that shortened-lug touring boots such as the Atomic Backland, Salomon X-Alp and Dynafit Hoji Pro Tour will not work in ski mode. Salomon's Shift crampon fits this binding in 100 mm and 120 mm widths.

Comparisons

• Salomon Shift2 13: same concept at DIN 6–13, 920 g per binding and 9 mm heel travel. Unless you need release values above 13 or the reinforced heel, the 13 is the lighter choice.
• Atomic Shift2 16 MN: Atomic's version of the 16 MN platform. Salomon's own catalogue lists DIN 7–16 for the Salomon model, while our Atomic entry uses Atomic's launch figure of 8–16.
• Marker Duke pt 16: Marker's high-DIN hybrid (DIN 6–16) uses a removable toe section for touring instead of a switching toe.
• Salomon Strive 16: Salomon's alpine binding with DIN 7–16, for skiers who never skin up.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What changed from the Shift² 13 MN? A: The DIN range goes to 7–16 instead of 6–13, and the new 3-Part Power Heel has 16 mm of elastic travel instead of 9 mm. The shifter is now aluminium, the toe wings are larger and the plate is metal-reinforced. Weight rises from 920 g to 1210 g per binding.

Q: Does it work with GripWalk boots? A: Yes, in ski mode. It is Multi-Norm certified for alpine, GripWalk, touring (ISO 9523) and WTR soles. To tour, the boot also needs tech toe inserts.

Q: Which brake width should I buy? A: The narrowest of 90, 100, 110 or 120 mm that is at least as wide as your ski waist, and no more than 15 mm wider.

Q: Can I use ski crampons? A: Yes. Salomon's Shift crampon is compatible and comes in 100 mm and 120 mm.

Q: Is it worth the extra weight over the Shift² 13? A: Only if your release setting is high or you put descent performance first. For most tourers within DIN 6–13, the Salomon Shift2 13 saves about 290 g per foot.