Marker (alpine bindings)

Marker has been a manufacturer of alpine ski bindings since 1952. Founded by Hannes Marker, the company is known for pioneering releasable binding technology. Marker's first model, the Duplex was followed in 1953 by the Simplex toe binding which was a huge success in the 1950s. New models introduced in the 1980s were major competitors on the alpine racing circuit. Marker remained independent until the 1980s, since then the company ownership switched hands several times until becoming part of the K2 Sports group, which in turn was purchased by Jarden in 2007.

Until the 1950s the ski industry had not split into different disciplines and used the cable binding for all purposes. The "Kandahar" style binding added clips to hold down the foot for downhill runs, and then released for cross-country striding. These bindings had no release system, and could cause serious injuries during even the most minor falls. In the early 1960s, Dr. Richard Spademan had to deal with 150 fractures during a single three-day weekend at Squaw Valley Ski Resort.

During the early 1950s a number of skiers introduced systems to help release the foot in the event of a fall. The most worrying injuries were spiral fractures caused when the ski was forced sideways and twisted the lower leg. In 1950 Look introduced the Look Nevada binding, which allowed the boot to release from the ski when it rotated to the sides. This was used with a conventional cable binding on the heel.

Hannes Marker felt he could improve on the concept, and in 1953 he introduced the "Duplex" toe. The Duplex used two small wedge-shaped metal clips that fit over the toe of the boot's sole, holding it down, and used a spring in order to keep the boot centred. During a fall, the clips could be forced outward against their centring springs, allowing it to release the toe. Like the Nevada, the Duplex used a cable binding for the heel.

In 1953, he followed this with the "Simplex" system, which used a single metal piece that could be rotated to either side on a cam plate that allowed the boot to travel directly to the side. This was paired with a new design for the heel cable, which formerly looped around the entire boot to a lever at the front that provided tension. Marker's "LD" replaced this with just the portion of the binding at the rear of the boot, moving the lever to the cable itself.

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Wikipedia