AT is Alpine Touring
Alpine Skiing is downhill skiing
Cross-country skiing is nordic skiing = XC. Lends itself to touring and the somewhat unrelated BC (back-country) skiing the steep downhills.
AT is sometimes referred to as All Terrain. In France it is known as Randonee skiing(pron.; ran-don-nay).
When I bought cable XC bindings, I was later told I needed riser-plates ('shims'), and the bindings were non-releaseable, meaning I may tear a knee-ligament. Also the ski might run-away downslope and be lost. My Swiss-made Fritschi Freeride AT bindings are elevated by their very nature to pivot about the toe of the boot, and also to lock down in the heel for downhill skiing. They also have variable height climbing platforms for less stress on the foot and calf muscles, are releasable, just like a 'normal' downhill binding, in both the toe and the heel and came with ski-brakes, to potentially stop a runaway ski.
I only have a problem with skiiing downhill with a heavy pack on AT bindings, something I do not have a problem with on tele (XC cable) bindings. |