ATK Hy Free Binding Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- We were lucky enough to get our hands on the New ATK Hy Free, the new hybrid binding from ATK coming to North America in February 2025. Building on bindings like the Salomon Shift and Duke PT, the Hy Free is a true hybrid binding meant to handle the rigors of resort skiing. Unlike it's competitors' takes on a hybrid touring bindings however, the Hy Free keeps it comparatively light at 675 grams and is a much better touring platform.
After our Review of the ATK Hy Free, we were impressed with the downhill performance, which was comparable to high performance alpine bindings. We were also blown away by the quality of manufacturing, which for anyone familiar with ATK shouldn't be a surprise. Our first impression of the binding was overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to putting many more days on the Hy, both in backcountry and resort settings.
As always, feel free to drop a comment or email us at info@cripplecreekbc.com with your thoughts or questions.
Deepest dive since the embargo, thanks Cripple Creek crew 🤘
Awesome review, very informative. Having fractured my ankle in tech bindings last year I'm definitely eyeing these.
Great overview. Haven’t seen a demo in English so this was great to see. Excited to see more options and innovation for the hybrid binding space. I’ve been running the Feeeraider 15 EVO and they’ve been fantastic
A zoom in on the parts of the binding you’re talking about would be great.
Not a fan how you enter for touring mode with the toe; also the stance seems to be pretty high. I am a huge fan of Fritschi Tecton: less weight, alpine heel, front and back DIN adjustable, cheaper, works 100 % reliable. I'm currently using ATK Raider 13 for touring and Fritschi Tecton on two of my Freetouring skis. Thanks for the review.
Will keep my Cast 2.0 for now
Great video! Thanks!
Didn't understand why no DIN certification. Given what they are trying to achieve with this binding (and also price point), seems that being able to cite a DIN is a must.
They may also be awaiting approval on the cert.
Sounds amazing. Although I'll probably wait until price comes down a bit. ATK site says 799 Euro rn which is over 2x the Shifts.
Once it will get past the limited edition and will be released for full market sales you can get it with discounts. The suggested retail price will not drop as it is the case with any ATK binding but there are always discounts available. Especially here in Europe several times a year you can find something like an ATK Freeraider 15 EVO with a 10, 15 % discount.
What was it like doing step and firm traverses in tour mode? Could see the pin height being an issue or helpful
That touring height mode is a dealbreaker for me. I’ve been waiting years for these to build a ‘lightweight’ free tour set-up (Moment Deathwish Tour 104s) for firmer conditions and longer tours compared to my current set-up (Moment Deathwish Tour 112s), but getting a narrower ski and standing that much taller is not confidence inspiring to me.
As a point of philosophical discussion, I find it interesting how ATK produced a binding with better downhill features than uphill. Personally, my primary reason for wanting this style of binding is the alpine toe release mechanism. Maybe I’m wrong for this, but I would have anticipated (and been fine with) ATK using the traditional ‘pin’ style heel piece. This would position the binding as more of an uphill or mixed-performance binding and likely be even lighter. Perhaps we’ll see this in the future, but at the risk of sounding dramatic on the internet (lol), I’m honestly disappointed in the climbing height of that toe piece. While I’m no engineer, I am confident if ATK set it as a design goal, that toe height could come down. ….and the day that happens, I’ll be placing an order. Until then, it’s another pair of Shift gen 1s for this guy.
Lets talk about that Tecnica prototype boot!
I am curious to know at what boot prototype from Tecnica you are referring to as the 2025 Tecnica ski boot line just brought only the application of BOA on a version of the Mach model. An update of the Cochise with a full Vibram sole and a power plate similar to the SCARPA Quattro will be a good option.
Also on the freetouring/freeride spectrum making a low volume version of the Cochise ski boot will be also a very good option to compete with the Lange XT3 Free 140 Pro Lv.
I also hope Kästle will come up with a freetouring boot as their racing and alpine ski boot models are really good.
@@alltoone Rewatch this ATK Hy Free review....the black boot in the video with "Proto" written on the side!!!! Not the Scarpa boot in the shop portion of the video but the boot in the on-hill segments. (5:29, 6:14)
@@mjern0 thanks for the hint. That boot is actually the prototype of the newly updated Tecnica Zero G Pro touring boot.
On this channel he has an older video showing the black Proto boot and he mentions he beta tested the pre-release version of this boot. You can see the review here: th-cam.com/video/1fZNzUq-vI4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=wSHQfBCTGxVe4GhN
Does the mount pattern match the Raiders or is it a completely new pattern?
Thanks for the review!
I’m interested in this too, same bolt pattern or does it need a new mount and jig even?
I am not sure about the front unit but the heel unit has the same Raider power plate.
How flat ist the skiing delta in Reality? Would love to know what the pin delta for a ZGTP would be. Comment on the negative toring delta, clever from ATK to sell an abvious design compromse as a feature!.
daaaamn those are pretty
How does it compare to the Dynafit Rotation?
How do I get these asap? The launch edition seems to be sold out.
Hi Is there gap between the ski boot and ski in toe area ?
How does it compare to the ski trab tr1?
This is exactly the question!
But can you compare them to tr1? I would say probably not since they are different concept to begin with. ATK are not using pin toe piece in riding mode.
The Marker Kingpin m-works are 620g.
Yes, but m-works have toe piece with pins, can`t compare them by my opinion.
What are the differences with the Fritschi Tecton? Pros/Cons
Tecton doesn't have an alpine toe, instead it has an adjustable release toe. Tecton has a much more neutral walk mode, with two risers as well I'd imagine it has a higher riser setting than the Hy Free. You can also rip skins and transition to ski mode without talking your skis off with the Tectons. Roughly 80 grams lighter as well.
How much toe elasticity does it have?
8:45 - "The real advantage of [the shimmed AFD/ is that you're not going to have any strange pre-releases and failures from that plate slipping up and down". Whatever could he be referring to there? The behavior he's describing sounds pretty Shifty... (seriously, I use Shifts on my powder skis, and as long as you keep an eye on that screw every couple weeks and position it on the most solid part of the "step" it's OK).
Hey, we aren't trying to name names, but there was certainly one binding that came to mind when we said that...
What causes the prerelease with shifts? Is it because the afd drops after being set so there is now a gap? I've been trying to figure mine out for years. I shoot for being able to slide a biz card with some friction.
Aren't we comparing this to bindings with 12mm elastic travel, Kingpin and 47mm shift, weight aside, and purchase lever, this binding seems to be delivering low elasticity to weight ratio that seems more looks than function???? Your skis don't flex properly, or at least as designed, ATK are in my mind more capable than this.
I also don't get the "with 675 g it's significantly lighter than any other hybrid binding we've seen in the past" statement.
Is the Kingpin not a hybrid binding anymore? The M-Werks Kingpin weighs 655 g.
Makes this video sound more like ATK marketing talk than anything else. And I'm a fan of ATK, but this is not it.
@@robvolk In our minds that comment was more directed at bindings like the Shift, Duke PT, and Cast systems. The Kingpin and Tecton are both lighter than the Hy Free, but they still have a tec toe, while the HY Free has an alpine style toe in downhill mode.
@@cripplecreekbackcountry6800 Fair enough.
I have no idea where the 47mm of elastic travel number on the shift comes from, you’re either in or you’re out of that binding and it feels like there’s very little elastic travel in the heel before the out happens…
@@brookscurran you have only to understand how to adjust it correctly, it's easy done, but just as easy to mess up.
Not a review just an overview!
Can you switch from downhill to touring without stepping out of the toe?
No, you have to step out so you can flick the toe up to expose the pins.
no din cert, i smell shiiiiit!
SKi trab Tr1 is lighter! And significantly cheaper 🙂
But the Tr1 has just a front part with pins. It does not "transform" for the downhill in a fully alpine binding. The ATK Hy binding is the equivalent to the Salomon Shift, similar technology only lighter.
@@alltoone no - its not a shift by any means as its not DIN certified.
@hansi26 I never said it is DIN certified, but it will compete directly with the shift as both they offer a similar resort binding downhill mode.
I am looking forward to see what the renowned freeriders will say about this binding as for sure there will be many interested to test one.
Ski trab tr1 has lateral elasticity in the front. From my experience I can't tell the difference between this and most downhill bindings.
@@hansi26true, and actually works/mostly metal unlike the shift which is junk.