For a tweener binding it works well. My biggest issue with the binding is the gouging that it has caused on the heel of my boot. Not exactly stoked to pay $400+ for a binding that ruins a $700 pair of boots.

As a resort skier who trends to the side-country and easily accessed backcountry, this binding is all that I need. I do admit there is a weakness in the AFD, though I have not personally broken one (knock on wood) and I know a few people who have. If adjusted properly, they are bomber and the best binding for side-country and easily accessed backcountry. For long and/or steep tours, they are not the greatest. They could really use a longer climbing bar, as the height on the current one is not sufficient past 30 degrees. They are super easy to mount with the included template!
Still, and awesome-kick ass binding that is solid all around!

The Duke is a great binding, provided that you know (or a competent MARKER tech) how to set them up properly. The toe height is tricky to get perfect, especially with rockered alpine touring soles. Asides from that, these bindings are excellent! For touring, a higher heel bar would have been cool, but, this binding is not designed for multi-day tours or long, steep approaches. It is what it is marketed to be, a side-country and short-backcountry binding that performs just as well, if not better, than 90% of the alpine bindings on the market. No slop or play on the down, and they can drive any sort of ski that it will fit. I have three pairs of Dukes and a pair of Barons and so far have no complaints!

These things are idiot proof. Haven't put them through a whole lot of skiing yet, but what I've done has been sick. The only thing I can really see being an issue is buildup of ice in the walk to ski transfer, but that can be easily chipped away with a pole. Also they are a bit high off the ground, but after a couple runs in soft snow and even groomers I really haven't noticed it.

i have just starting touring this year and was at a toss up between fritschi and the dukes. the simplest explanation i have heard so far is that if you are mainly a resort skier that will tour get the dukes. so far the binding as been super easy to use and tour with, haven't noticed the extra weight since i have never been on another touring binding, but as long as your not a minimalist you might not notice either way.

have a pair mounted on bluehouse districts and the new goat, bomber binding and dont expect any troubles with them. as a side note last years color of the duke and the new gotamas are sick.

Bomber binder. Great for resort, sidecountry, and day tours. Anyone complaining about weight or how these tour - the duke is exactly what they marketed it as, a burly resort binder with limited touring capabilities. If you want something lighter or that strides better get a real A/T setup. I love mine, have them mounted on pmgear lhasa's with dynafit titans. Not the lightest setup but for the skiing I do (80% resort/ 20% touring) it works great.

So hopefully they figured something out for the AFD. I broke both mine within a month of use. My freind also broke one of his. I spoke with the local shops in town and right now they are totally out of the AFD peices and have become jerks about warranting them without proof of purchase. For the Burliest AT binding on the market they sure do break easy.

The Dukes are (finally) an AT capable downhill binding. If you ski hard then these are for you. I've toured for years on numerous bindings, but I never realized what I was missing until I got a pair of Dukes.

The compromise is they don't tour as nicely. The climbing bar is pretty weak, I've bent one and no longer use the high position when on a sidehill. They are clunky on the flat, but not too bad when ascending. They are obviously heavy, but after being out a few times your legs get stronger and you're fine. I still use more touring oriented bindings for multi-day tours, but don't hesitate to grab my Dukes for day trips (under 5000-ft).

So far so good. If you're like me and cash is always tight you need your gear to pull double duty. This binding is perfect for those who want to venture off the resort, but need a set up to ski aggressively in bounds as well. These bindings drove my k2 Coomba's very nicely. There is NO performance compramise with the Duke's!

So firts off, I am mainly a hard charging resort skiier who's been doing a bit of back counrty... 2 weekends to be exact.

After just 2 weekends, broke the Riser, so now I can return and excahnge the binding. These do kick butt going downhill, but changing to touring mode is a real challenge, especially in deep snow or rough conditions.

And teh weight is heavy for going up hill. Risers are difficult to adjust as you move through varied terrain as well. I went with a group and saw a lot of different options from the Blackdiamonds to the Fritchi's etc. and will probably try something different. They all seem better for the touring, but certainly the dukes are the best for the downhill.

I have mine mounted on Volkl Mantras. Very solid attachment which is nice on a wide somewhat heavy ski. They feel solid with either my Alpine or AT boots. Excellent in-bounds performance, no worries about performance there. They climb ok. They are heavy though. For anything with a lot of climbing I'll take my lighter skis (Volkl T-rock with Fritchi or Volkl Mountain with dynafit)

I originally liked these bindings, using them about 25 times resort skiing and about 10 in the backcountry last year. Never had any problems with them at all. I've heard about problems with the AFD in the toe, but I put these things through hell jumping in the park and off off stuff (weighing about 215 lbs with gear on). Never released when I shouldn't have.The problem I have with them is in the backcountry. They do do the job- they get you up the hill- but thats about it. Ease of use is a major issue. Whenever the weather/sonw conditions are conducive to snow sticking to your skis, it makes it really hard to get the binding back into downhill mode (especially when ice forms in the slots the binding slides along). I can fumble around for 5 min plus (and often have to take my gloves off) to get them back into ride mode.The main problem I had with them is the metal piece, which is pretty thin gauge steel, that holds the pivoting part of the binding to the mounting plate that is fixed to the ski (not sure what to call it). Because of what the function of this piece is, there is naturally a lot of stress placed upon the part. I believe it broke on my skis because of the very wet and heavy snow that I was breaking trail through (the type of snow that is like concrete when compacted). The snow was wet enough to build up between the underneath of the pivoting part of the binding and the ski, then each time I stepped down I put pressure on this part (the part is raised up off the ski about 3/4" when in climbing mode), which caused it to flex and eventually break. Once broken, my foot, with the binding attached to my boot, completely slid off the mounting plate, thus leaving my ski behind. Could have been a very serious problem if I hadn't been only a short hike to the resort. I did find that I could keep my binding on the ski as long as I went up a decent slope. It could be used for downhill skiing, but the binding would slide back and forth on the rail about a half an inch.One additional thing to think about regarding these bindings for resort skiing (I think this applies to the Fritschi and other similar bindings) is the solid plate or support strut that connects the two ends of the bindings together does not flex very well when the ski is arcing. Because this plate is fixed to the ski, it creates a sort of dead area on the ski underneath the foot. It is not a huge deal, but should be thought of when looking at pros and cons.I bought this ski as I was getting into A/Ting, now that I have experience I can tell you that this binding does not do a good job of doing both A/T and resort skiing. Something else might, but I would say buy a touring binding for touring and an alpine binding for alpine.

Oh, and the heel riser got loose on one so it wouldn't stay in the up position.

Dukes are sick. the key to your assessment of them is to think of them as an alpine binding that lets you tour as well.

these are definitely not for the dynafit crowd. they're heavy, they're tricky to adjust and they don't have the ability to adjust the heel height like frischi has mastered. also, they suffer from ice buildup when you are skinning for a long time.

that said, they ski exactly like an alpine binding, with solid power transfer from boot to ski. i have these on my 09 gotamas and they are my everyday ski. ice to groomers to crud to blower pow.