Maruelli M2 CNC tech binding is so minimal you think it'll disappear before your eyes. A total of 50 grams. That's the weight of 9 American quarter coins, or 6.5 one Euro coins! Click image to enlarge.
They’re like shrinking feathers. Decades ago, when Dynafit bindings first came on the scene, who knew they’d become so light as to be an almost non existant part of the backcountry skiing system? Truly, it’s simply amazing what people do with the tech binding concept that Fritz Barthel came up with more than two decades ago. Check out the latest from Stefano Maurelli, that crazy Italian metals expert and all-around backcountry skier. He’s not content with the status quo, that’s for sure!
M2 binding 50gr : possibly the lightest race binding (27gr Front+ 23gr rear – 4 screws)
M1-FR: 115gr CNC Binding (67gr front + 48gr rear – 7 screws)
Maruelli is the guy who’s bringing us the Natural Walking Plate, that funny but effective adapter for tech bindings that allows you to walk uphill with a natural gait. News from Maruelli: Dennis Brunod (top Italian skimo racer) will compete in 2012 World Cup races on the Natural Walking Plate, specifically the M1-M2 and NWP-VR models. Since a racer can actually run on these things, we suspect they’ll at least be an advantage in sprints. Whether they’ll really help win races is the question. Maruelli has completed a bunch of scientific studies that say yes to that. But real life is not a scientific study, so we wait for the podium results.
Meanwhile, I think the downright coolest thing coming from Maruelli are his superlight tech bindings. I mean, twenty years ago, who knew?
Check out Maurelli’s videos here.
And, check out more than you ever wanted to know about the biomechanics of ski touring and how the Natural Walking Plate works. There you go, WildSnnow.com just used up your whole morning!
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
