2027 Salomon S/LAB Shift² MN 16 Alpine Touring Bindings Review

Reviewer: Tom Beamish, Retail & Rental Supervisor, evo Village Sports
Location: Revelstoke, BC
Conditions: Sunny Groomers + Chalky Off-Piste Leftovers

"We listened to all the feedback from the world out there, from our athletes, and we finally answered the needs for those skiers." — Lauren, Salomon Category Manager

Salomon rebuilt the S/LAB Shift² MN 16 from the ground up, and the standout number is 16mm of heel elastic travel — nearly double the 9mm on the previous Shift. The toe wings, shifter lever, and heel piece are all reinforced in aluminum too, aimed squarely at the spots that took the most abuse on the original. It's the same hybrid pin-to-alpine concept that made Shift a touring binding people trust on the way down, just tougher everywhere it needed to be.

Shop 2027 Salomon S/LAB Shift² MN 16 Bindings
Salomon S/LAB Shift² MN 16 Alpine Touring Ski Bindings 2027 Pansy/Black/Raspberry::Pansy/Black/Raspberry
Salomon S/LAB Shift² MN 16 Alpine Touring Ski Bindings 2027 Pansy/Black/Raspberry::Pansy/Black/Raspberry
Salomon S/LAB Shift² MN 16 Alpine Touring Ski Bindings 2027 Pansy/Black/Raspberry::Pansy/Black/Raspberry

Pros

  • 16mm of heel elastic travel (up from 9mm) holds you in through hard impacts without inviting pre-release
  • Reinforced toe wings and a new aluminum shifter lever toughen up the two areas that took the most beating on the original Shift
  • Multi Norm Certified toe accepts alpine, touring, GripWalk, and tech-fitting boots
  • Same hybrid pin-toe-to-alpine switch, so it's still one binding for the climb and the descent

Cons

  • The redesigned aluminum heel adds a bit of weight over the original Shift
  • Requires boots with full heel and toe lugs — shortened-lug touring boots like the Dynafit Hoji Pro Tour, Atomic Backland, or Salomon X-Alp won't fit in downhill mode

Product Details

Toe:

Carbon-Infused Polyamide Toe Lever and Wings: Lightweight and robust for better durability and energy transfer.

Power Block AFD (Anti-Friction Device): Continuously adjustable without steps, and incorporating a new aluminum Power Block that delivers an impressive 30% increase in lateral power transfer.

Hybrid Toe: Easily converts from ski to tour mode and back.

Heel:

Locking Brakes: Sturdier, more reliable brake lever construction that improves locking and avoids disengagement.

Tour Mode:

Hike and Ride Switch: Lever at toe shifts between hike and ski mode.

Dual Height Climbing Aid: Tall option is now 4mm higher.

Accessing Toe for Touring: 1. Pull back on block between toe wings to open tech arms. 2. Depress front lever to widen arms to step in. 3. Pull up on lever to lock arms securely for skinning.

Preparing Heel for Touring: Pull back on the brake pad and fix the brake in the "up" position by stepping down on the pad.

Boot Compatibility:

Multi Norm Certified (MN): Compatible with all adult boot sole types, including ISO 5355 Alpine, ISO 9523 Touring, WTR (Walk to Ride) and GripWalk.

Requires Boot with Full Heel and Toe Lugs: Not compatible with boots like the Dynafit Hoji Pro Tour and TLT, Atomic Backland, Salomon X-Alp and Arc'teryx Procline, among others. These boots have shortened or non-existent lugs and will not fit into the Shift in downhill mode.

Tech Toe Fittings Required For Use In Uphill (Touring) Mode

Additional Features:

Low Profile Chassis: A low stand height improves your feel for the terrain and enhances power transmission to the ski.

Oversized Platform: A super-wide platform allows for maximum lateral power transmission, especially for wider skis.

+Elastic Travel: Ultimate elastic travel to hold in boots during impact in order to go bigger with no risk of pre-release.

Compatible with Salomon Shift Crampons: Available widths - 100mm and 120mm.

Adjustment Range: 30mm

Height: 24.2 mm

TÜV Certified to ISO 13992

Ski Compatibility:

We recommend a brake width equal to or at most 15 mm wider than the ski waist width.

Who Is It For?

The Shift² MN 16 is a one-binding quiver play for hard charging skiers doing everything from resort laps to slackcountry and sidecountry days, or a dedicated backcountry setup for steep lines and big hits. With a 7-16 DIN range and an Advanced-Expert rating, it's built for the aggressive end of the touring world, not someone just getting into the sport. Salomon built this directly off athlete feedback, so if you've wanted more elasticity and durability out of the Shift platform without giving up the hybrid touring functionality, this is that answer.

Shop 2027 Salomon S/LAB Shift² MN 16 Bindings

Specs

Boot Sole Compatibility: Alpine DIN (ISO 5355), GripWalk (ISO 23223), Alpine Touring (ISO 9523), Tech, Walk to Ride (WTR)

Ability Level: Advanced-Expert

DIN / Release Value Low: 7

DIN / Release Value High: 16

Series: Shift

Weight: 1210g (Individual Binding Weight)

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About the Reviewer

Name: Tom Beamish
Position: Retail & Rental Supervisor, evo Village Sports
Home Mountain: Whistler Blackcomb, BC

Originally hailing from Peterborough, Ontario, I moved to Whistler in 2020 to follow my dreams of skiing every single day. I spend the majority of my winters lapping Whistler Blackcomb, chasing pow and exploring everything this incredible mountain has to offer.

I've been working at evo ever since my move to Whistler, and am currently the retail and rental supervisor at evo Village Sports.