The Marker Alpinist 12 is specifically designed with the uphill athlete in mind. The 270-gram weight is a welcome addition to any ultra-light touring setup. The binding features two raiser hights and a super easy step in on the toe which is essential when clipping in on exposed summits and ridges. The heel units sit on a 15 mm adjustment track so you have flexibility with different boots. Additionally, the heel has 4 mm of elasticity to accommodate the natural flex of the ski and reduce prereleases. That combined with a lateral release value up to 12 and a robust toe with a wide hole pattern makes this binding ski remarkably well.