CAST vs Atomic/Salomon Shift, someone had to ask...

ALaw

ALaw

Active member
Alright, I hate binding comparison threads as much as the last guy, but these two systems have really caught my eye and I'm trying to decide before they release in the fall. If anyone has firsthand knowledge that they want to contribute on either platform, it would be greatly appreciated!

The bindings:

Atomic/Salomon Shift
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/salomon-atomic-shift-mnc-binding

CAST Freetour System
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/cast-pivot-freetour-system

About me:

I've done a bit of research, and these two systems seem like the best of both worlds for binding retention on the downhill and weight saving on the uphill. I am using Atomic Hawx Utlra XTD 130 boots that have tech inserts and WTR soles, so both the Shift and new Pivot should be compatible. I typically run my DIN at around 11, and tend to ski more aggressive lines with switch landings and carves mixed in. Planning on mounting whatever I purchase onto a pair of Moment Bibby/Wildcat Tours in a 190.
 
Cast = better downhill

Shift = better uphill

prioritise. If you're hucking, I'd say go for the Cast.
 
I took a class with a guy that used the cast system and I was able to transition faster with my daymakers. Shift looks cool because you don't have to carry part of your bindings in your bag on the way down. Seems like a pretty cool idea and

Cody Townsend claims to be hucking on the shift for a little while now. Cody has to risk his life for salomon to get paid but deep down he also doesn't want to die so hard to really trust or disbelieve what he says.
 
I realized once I got out into the middle of nowhere hours from any cell service or other people that a broken binding would probably be the least of my worries.
 
I feel like it depends on the type of touring you want to do. Are you going to be doing trips that have several transitions with good downhill in between? If so the shift seems like a solid option. Are you going to bedoing to be doing trips with one up and one down, or up and then boot packing a jump? If so the cast system seems ideal.

Have you looked at the Fritschi Tecton 12? They don't have as beefy of a toe piece as either option you mention but I have a buddy who has a pair and likes them. I'm in the same dilemma right now, trying to decide what to mount on my new moment deathwish tours.
 
Honestly the CAST is sweet if you're using a setup in-bounds the grand majority of the time, but if you do a good amount of touring, you should get a more specialized setup like the Shift.

The one thing I dislike about the shift is the weight. It is nearly 900 grams per side... that isn't to say its heavy, but it certainly isn't in the lightweight territory.

Decide based on how much weight you really intend on worrying about and if you can specialize your setups or not.

If conditions call for longer ascents and getting more long laps over lapping some cliff I plan to huck.. having a binding like the Vipec on a pair of really light skis that work fine in powder works great for that sort of application.. but if I plan on hucking some big shit or sending it fast down some treacherous late season conditions, I may say I have more trust in my Kingpins (or if I had them, the Shift) in that kind of situation...
 
13938367:DingoSean said:
The one thing I dislike about the shift is the weight. It is nearly 900 grams per side... that isn't to say its heavy, but it certainly isn't in the lightweight territory.
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Which is still 100ish grams lighter than the CAST with the touring toe...
 
13941407:BrawnTrends said:
Which is still 100ish grams lighter than the CAST with the touring toe...
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Yes, but at least with CAST, you get a binding with more elasticity and performance going down...

I'm sure the shift is adequate and all, but if you're a big dude, or just stomp the shit out of shit, you are bound to find the limit on an all plastic binding going through its first season of public trial... no matter how much Cody Townshend raves about it...
 
I was under the impression that XTDs weren’t compatible (without mods) with the CAST system. Could easily be wrong
 
13943177:Gnor said:
I was under the impression that XTDs weren’t compatible (without mods) with the CAST system. Could easily be wrong
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i might be wrong too, but i think xtd's are what they use in the demonstration video

 
13943336:brogoldenhair said:
i might be wrong too, but i think xtd's are what they use in the demonstration video

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I saw that too. But I know that P18 toe piece isn’t WTR.

In the video watch the toe piece at the end when he shoves the boot in it. The whole thing tilts forward like it’s being forced

Surely they thought about this when designing the system but there are still alarm bells going off in my head
 
13943338:Gnor said:
I saw that too. But I know that P18 toe piece isn’t WTR.

In the video watch the toe piece at the end when he shoves the boot in it. The whole thing tilts forward like it’s being forced

Surely they thought about this when designing the system but there are still alarm bells going off in my head
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That's the huge flaw in CAST, only certain boots with a alpine tech sole like the FT ascendant, K2 pinnacle, etc. will work safely with it. The key word there is safely, sure you can jam a gripwalk/WTR sole in there but it sure as hell isn't supposed to be in there.
 
13947881:.nasty said:
That's the huge flaw in CAST, only certain boots with a alpine tech sole like the FT ascendant, K2 pinnacle, etc. will work safely with it. The key word there is safely, sure you can jam a gripwalk/WTR sole in there but it sure as hell isn't supposed to be in there.
Click to expand...

CAST includes AFD's for both Alpine and WTR soles, so you can use WTR boots like the Hawx Ultra XTD in them. But as of right now, they don't offer GripWalk-compatible AFD's so that's still worth noting.
 
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