About MARKER
A PIONEER IN THE SKI BINDING INDUSTRY
Since MARKER was founded in 1952 by Hannes Marker, the traditional Bavarian company has developed into one of the most successful and influential binding manufacturers in the world. Today, skiing is a popular sport – a development in which our founder Hannes Marker played a key role...
In 1952, when the sporting goods trade fair in Wiesbaden, Germany, opened its doors to the world, nobody could have imagined that an ambitious ski instructor from faraway Garmisch, Germany, would become the center of attention and fundamentally change the world of skiing. Hannes Marker presented his MARKER Duplex, the world's first ski binding with a releasing toe, on three square meters of exhibition space and a chair. Today, we are one of the most influential and successful sports brands in the world.
How it all started – a success story takes shape
In 1952, a man from Garmisch invented something that was to start a new era in skiing: Hannes Marker launched the first safety binding on the market and thus laid the foundation for our brand. In the same year, he founded MARKER, based in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. When the German ski racer Ossi Reichert won the first Olympic gold medal for MARKER in 1956, this would not be the last Olympic success for us. More than five million Duplexes were sold in the following years. But these technical achievements were not enough for Hannes Marker: with constant product enhancements, he made skiing safer for amateur skiers.
In the 60s – when alpine skiing became a sport for the masses – MARKER also received its first TÜV certificate, which laid the foundation for the unique safety features of our bindings today. In the same decade, under the slogan "Stürze sind unvermeidbar, Verletzungen minimierbar" ("Falls are unavoidable, injuries can be minimized"), MARKER launched two new, sensational bindings on the market called Telemat and Rotamat, which made skiing even safer thanks to automatic heel mechanisms and the spring lock principle.
1965: The new Rotamat with Simplex system
MARKER revolutionizes the binding market
In the 1970s, the affordable M Series with automatic heel release revolutionized the binding market. MARKER was therefore able to win over the target group of amateur skiers in 1970. In addition to these, ski professionals such as Franz Klammer, Phil Mahre, and Ingemar Stenmark already relied on our bindings, so the binding manufacturer's visibility grew and grew. 1983 was a legendary year: in this Alpine World Cup year, eight out of a total of ten World Cup titles were won on MARKER bindings, and MARKER athletes racked up 35 wins.
Over the years, the company became increasingly well-known and in 1988 opened a new factory in Eschenlohe, Germany, with the world's largest and most state-of-the-art plant to increase annual production from 350,000 to 850,000 pairs of bindings.
1988: MARKER celebrates the opening of the new 20,000-square-meter factory in Eschenlohe, Germany.
MARKER conquers the freeride and touring worlds
In 2007, MARKER presented the first real freeride binding, the Duke. This binding marks a milestone in the freeride market and has won both the ISPO Outdoor Award and the SIA Skipress Award. With the introduction of further models (Baron, Jester, Griffon and Squire), MARKER presented its "Royal Family". We have therefore been conquering the freeskiing market since 2007 – from big mountain to halfpipe to park – and are continuously setting new standards in the freeride and freestyle segment. Three years later, in 2010, MARKER also presented the first tour bindings, the Tour F12 and Tour F10, which combine light weight with ascent comfort thanks to new technology.
The year 2014 marks another groundbreaking innovation by the Bavarian company. The new KINGPIN FROM MARKER redefines the standard in PinTech binding technology: this high performance, innovative alpine touring binding is the first PinTech binding in the world to gain DIN ISO 13992:2007 certification by Germany's prestigious TÜV testing organization. Developed for a wide range of skiing environments, the KINGPIN is a standout product in three key areas: added Protection and safety Performance via optimal power transmission and Comfort in the form of easy operation in both ski and walk mode.
MARKER, the German ski binding specialist, is expanding its touring range with a light, robust and highly functional PinTech binding for alpine and high alpine use. After the success of the Kingpin launch in 2015, the MARKER Alpinist marks a new milestone in the development of touring bindings in 2018. The light weight of the binding paired with countless innovative features makes the Alpinist a pioneering product in the industry and a reliable choice for alpine use.
In 2020, MARKER set another milestone in a new category with its development of the world's first hybrid binding, the Duke PT (Pin Technology): the model delivers full Royal Family downhill performance, combined with Pin Technology for easy ascent. No other type of binding has yet been able to unite touring and freeride so innovatively.
Since 2013, MARKER has not only offered impressive ski bindings, but also helmets, ski goggles, and protectors. Our Protective Snow Equipment is synonymous with innovative technologies such as MAP, protection in skiing, optimal fit, and cutting-edge design. The Penzberg-based company is consistently enhancing its portfolio and pursues the goal of offering every customer their perfect product.
Sustainable pioneer in the ski binding market
In 2023 MARKER sets a milestone in sustainability. The Cruise is the first binding on the market to be made from sustainable materials, making MARKER an industry pioneer when it comes to sustainability. The Cruise is the ideal option for multi-sport athletes with a wide range of interests. The pin binding stands out thanks to its high-quality, sustainably-produced features and also boasts incredibly easy handling.