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Marker Kingpin 13 Review

A proven design, albeit heavy, from a perennial binding manufacturer, that allows for the most aggressive of downhill backcountry skiing; mind Marker’s recall notices for some versions of this binding.
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Price:  $650 List | $648.95 at Backcountry
Compare prices at 3 resellers
Pros:  Excellent downhill energy transition, fully ISO/DIN certified
Cons:  Heavier than most tech bindings, won't fit all tech compatible boots, recent recall to consider
Manufacturer:   Marker
By Jediah Porter & Ian Nicholson  ⋅  Oct 22, 2019
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55
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#9 of 10
  • Touring Performance - 30% 7
  • Downhill performance - 25% 8
  • Weight - 25% 3
  • Ease of Use - 15% 2
  • Durability - 5% 7

Our Verdict

The Marker Kingpin is half tech binding, half traditional alpine binding. This "50-50" compromise may be exactly what you want and need, or it may be overkill and the "worst of both worlds". Our full review explains all the pros, cons, ins, and outs of the Kingpin. Understand that this style of backcountry ski binding is quite specialized and you will only realize the benefits of these beefy backcountry bindings if you ski the out-of-bounds with park rat or big mountain movie star style. For most backcountry skiers, our deeply experienced test team recommends a lighter option like either Editors' Choice winners.

We can recommend this binding, highly, for truly hard-charging backcountry skiers. When we say "hard-charging", we mean it. Only those that weigh around and over 200 pounds and backcountry ski like they're on the far end of a RED camera lens for a Matchstick movie will fully realize the downhill benefits of the Kingpin. Those downhill benefits come with a weight and touring performance penalty. If you don't need the downhill benefits, the weight penalty isn't worth paying.

Updated Colors

The Marker Kingpin 13 is available in orange and black now, shown above. The binding's technical specs haven't changed.

October 2019


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This Product
Marker Kingpin 13
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Editors' Choice Award   
Price $648.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers		$499.99 at Amazon$448.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers		$439.00 at Amazon
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Pros Excellent downhill energy transition, fully ISO/DIN certifiedLight, solid, just the right set of featuresLight, innovative downhill performanceLight, simple, advanced features for the weight.Solid, reliable ski bindings, excellent toe piece entry and easy heel lifter transitions
Cons Heavier than most tech bindings, won't fit all tech compatible boots, recent recall to considerNot ideal for truly hard-charging downhill skiersunsophisticated heel lifters, untested aftermarket brakeCrampon mount and brakes not included, heavier than closest competitionNo ski brake option, heavier than bindings with the same or more features
Bottom Line A proven design, albeit heavy, from a perennial binding manufacturer, that allows for the most aggressive of downhill backcountry skiing; mind Marker’s recall notices for some versions of this binding.This minimalist binding has exactly what most of you should want, and nothing you don’t need.Excellent bindings for all-around human powered skiing.A solid, simple contender with significantly more features than bindings just a little lighter.These Canadian bindings use a now-proven overall design and include the latest of the greatest usability benefits; we only wish they were lighter.
Rating Categories Marker Kingpin 13 Atomic Backland Tour Marker Alpinist 12 G3 Zed 12 G3 Ion LT 12
Touring Performance (30%)
10
0
7
10
0
8
10
0
7
10
0
8
10
0
9
Downhill Performance (25%)
10
0
8
10
0
6
10
0
7
10
0
7
10
0
5
Weight (25%)
10
0
3
10
0
7
10
0
8
10
0
6
10
0
5
Ease Of Use (15%)
10
0
2
10
0
8
10
0
7
10
0
8
10
0
9
Durability (5%)
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
7
10
0
6
10
0
8
Specs Marker Kingpin 13 Atomic Backland Tour Marker Alpinist 12 G3 Zed 12 G3 Ion LT 12
Weight (pounds for pair) 3.25 lbs 1.26 lbs 1.18 lbs 1.6 lbs 2.13 lbs
Release value range 6 to 13 "Men", "Women", "Expert" 6 to 12 5 to 12 5 to 12
Stack height. (mm. average of toe and heel pin height) 39 37 36 41 46
Toe/Heel Delta. (mm difference in height between heel pins and toe pins) 11.5 10 3 4 12.5
Brake options 100, 125mm 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 90, 105,115 mm 85, 100, 115, 130 mm No brakes
ISO/DIN Certified? Yes No No No No
Ski Crampon compatible? Yes. "Standard" Dynafit/ B&D style. Yes. "Standard" Dynafit/ B&D style. Yes. "Standard" Dynafit/ B&D Style With aftermarket part. Only G3 brand. With aftermarket part. Only G3 brand.

Our Analysis and Test Results

This is a specialized product in a niche market. Overall, other products definitely perform better on our scoring rubric.

Performance Comparison


Lead test editor Jediah Porter transitioning the KingPin on Teton Pass Wyoming.
Lead test editor Jediah Porter transitioning the KingPin on Teton Pass, Wyoming.

Touring Performance


This model offers almost as much touring efficiency as the other tech bindings. It allows you to tour flat-footed, includes two levels of heel rise, and has toe-piece range of motion that should do all you need to do. Despite many moving parts and bulky construction, we did not have particularly notable snow or ice build-up on the KingPin.

Relative heel lifter heights of the Plum Guide and Kingpin in maximum lift mode. These two are pretty comparable.
Relative heel lifter heights of the Plum Guide and Kingpin, in maximum lift mode. These two are pretty comparable.

Downhill Performance


This binding offered some of the best downhill performance of any tech binding we tested. The Marker Kingpin was the first tech binding to receive the AT ISO/DIN certification from the German testing organization TUV. Other bindings have since earned this same certification, but Marker did it first and has made minor tweaks along the way. To earn this third party certification, AT bindings must prove safety and consistent retention, as well as its release values (AKA "DIN settings").

Our testers agreed that the more traditional, alpine-style heel offered our testers efficient energy transfer from boot to the ski. The downhill performance of the Kingpin was virtually indistinguishable from that of the Top Pick Fritschi Tecton, and both of these exceed the downhill performance of all the other tech style bindings we have tested. The difference between these top downhill performers and something like the other award winners is the heel piece. The alpine heel piece creates release "elasticity" and lends downward and forward pressure to your ski boot.

When we reference binding elasticity, we are referring to how far your boot can move in the binding, side to side, and still stay connected to the ski. Traditional tech style bindings have very little elasticity. As soon as the boot is deflected even a little bit, the binding completely disengages. In the Kingpin, there is much greater elasticity. While skiing hard, your boot can move laterally, at the toe, and the heel piece forward and downward pressure will push it back into position.

Tour mode on the KingPin. In order to do all this binding does the whole heel piece slides forward and aft between ski and tour modes.
Tour mode on the KingPin. In order to do all this binding does, the whole heel piece slides forward and aft between ski and tour modes.

Finally, the Kingpin's 38 mm hole pattern is in line with the widest mounting patterns among tech bindings, allowing the binding greater leverage on the ski, and better energy transmission from your boot to the ski.

Now, how much does this enhanced downhill performance mean to you? We'd argue that it shouldn't mean much unless you are skiing truly fast and hard. No matter who you are or how you are equipped, skiing fast and hard in the backcountry increases your hazard exposure. Most responsible backcountry skiers, especially those truly going into the wild without back-up support, are skiing well within their limits. For most skiers, skiing within their limits also means skiing within the limits of more traditional tech bindings. In our expert opinion, Kingpin bindings do indeed make super hard-charging skiing marginally safer. In that same expert opinion (and in decades now of experience with tech bindings), "normal" paced backcountry skiing isn't much safer in Kingpins than it is in traditional tech bindings.

Ease of Use


This model is pretty easy to use. When stepping into the toe piece, it uses two very functional toe guides to help line your boot up in the correct spot; the toe piece ease of entry was slightly above average overall (when compared to other tech bindings).

The small screw visible between the two larger screws holds the brakes up in tour mode. Earlier versions of the KingPin had problems here but this one (17/18 version) works very well.
The small screw visible between the two larger screws holds the brakes up in tour mode. Earlier versions of the KingPin had problems here, but this one (17/18 version) works very well.

The Kingpin's main usability disadvantage is that it is nearly impossible to transition with your boot still in the binding. From ski to tour, a transition that requires reconfiguring bindings and installing skins, everyone takes their skis off anyway. The Kingpin isn't alone in this requirement. However, to go from tour to ski, a transition that requires binding reconfiguration and skin removal, biomechanics allow one to keep skis on. Most touring bindings also can be reconfigured with the ski still on one's foot. The Kingpin binding transition is performed with a lever that sits squarely beneath one's foot. You must remove your skis to move the binding between modes. No other tech bindings we tested have this requirement. If you remove your skis to remove skins anyway, this attribute will not be a real disadvantage.

This lever lives beneath the center of your boot and changes the Marker KingPin between ski and tour modes.
This lever lives beneath the center of your boot and changes the Marker KingPin between ski and tour modes.

After extensive use and side-by-side testing, it required marginally less body coordination to enter than average Our testers really appreciated how the design of this product's toe made it easy to clean snow and ice out of it. The gap is big enough to fit the end of a pole in, which helps to easily facilitate cleaning ice. This larger opening also makes it easier for snow and ice to fall out on their own.

Weight


At 3 lbs 3 oz for the pair (1430g), this is one of the heavier tech bindings on the market and weighs in more than a pound heavier than either Editors Choice winner. It weighs two-tenths of a pound more than the otherwise close competitor Top Pick Fritschi Tecton. It is this weight difference that mainly edges the Tecton ahead in the Top Pick race.

Durability


In the long run, with years now of field application, this is one of the burlier tech bindings on the market. We could almost recommend this binding for day-in-day-out in-bounds skiing, which is perhaps the best durability endorsement we could offer.

The toe piece of the KingPin is a beefed up version of the classic design pioneered by another manufacturer in Austria 30 years ago.
The toe piece of the KingPin is a beefed up version of the classic design pioneered by another manufacturer in Austria 30 years ago.

The 2017/18 KingPin bindings were recalled by Marker. We have tested these bindings and had no problems, but Marker's recall notice points out that the toe pins could fail entirely.

Like regular resort bindings the KingPin addresses ski/boot friction with a sliding "anti friction device" in this case mounted to the top surface of the brake.
Like regular resort bindings, the KingPin addresses ski/boot friction with a sliding "anti friction device", in this case mounted to the top surface of the brake.

Value


If you need and want the performance of the Kingpin, you'll handily justify the expense. Kingpin bindings are more expensive than some of the competitors, but not by much.

Conclusion


Our testers love the Kingpin for its downhill performance and overall ease of use. It wouldn't be our top choice for a pure-touring binding, because it's heaver, and we don't have the option to rip skins with the skins with skis still on our feet. It should be considered by anyone looking to ski hard and is worth considering for those that want to ski the same setup both in-bounds and out of bounds.


— Jediah Porter & Ian Nicholson