You're standing at the top of a ridge. The wind is howling, your quads are already a little toasted from the last lap, and all you want is a connection to your skis that doesn't feel like you're standing on stilts. This is where the Salomon Strive 14 GW enters the conversation.
For years, the industry was obsessed with "beefy" bindings. We wanted metal. We wanted weight. We thought heavy meant safe. But the Strive 14 flipped the script by going low—literally.
It’s the successor to the legendary Warden 13, but don't call it a sequel. It's a total redesign. Basically, Salomon looked at their heavy-duty STH2 and their lighter back-country gear and birthed a hybrid that somehow handles 50-foot cliffs and icy groomers with the same level of chill.
Why the Salomon Strive 14 GW Actually Matters
The "LDN" in the toe piece stands for Low, Direct, Neutral. Sounds like marketing fluff, right? It’s not. Most bindings have a stack height that makes you feel like you’re wearing platform shoes. The Strive 14 drops you down to about 19.6mm.
That’s low.
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When you’re closer to the ski, you feel the snow. You aren't just pivoting on top of a plastic block; you’re actually driving the edge. Honestly, the first time I skied these, the responsiveness was almost twitchy because I was used to the lag of a taller binding.
The Weight Factor
At roughly 980 grams per binding, they are absurdly light for a 14-DIN clamp. You’ve probably felt that "swing weight" fatigue at 3:00 PM when your legs feel like lead. These help. They use a glass-fiber reinforced polyamide that keeps the weight down without making the binding feel like a toy.
But there’s a catch.
Some heavy-hitting chargers—we’re talking 200lb+ dudes skiing 100mph—have reported some "chatter" on rock-hard ice. Because the toe piece uses an automatic height adjustment for GripWalk soles, there is a tiny bit of vertical play designed into the system. For 95% of skiers, you’ll never notice. For the 5% who live for World Cup-level ice, it’s something to keep in mind.
Breaking Down the Tech (Without the Boring Stuff)
Let’s talk about the heel. The Strive 14 uses a three-piece heel that is way easier to step into than the old Wardens. Ever tried to click into your bindings in two feet of fresh powder on a 35-degree slope? It’s a nightmare. The Strive heel has a much "crisper" entry. You hear that thwack, and you know you’re locked in.
- DIN Range: 5 to 14. If you’re a beginner, stay away. If you’re an aggressive intermediate to a pro, this is your sweet spot.
- Elastic Travel: 47mm in the toe. This is the "hidden" safety feature. It allows the boot to move and return to center without ejecting you the second you hit a bump.
- AFD (Anti-Friction Device): It's extra wide (over 60mm). This creates a massive platform for lateral power transmission.
One thing people often overlook is the "neutral stance." Many bindings have a built-in "ramp angle" that forces your toes down and your heels up. The Strive keeps you flatter. This is huge for modern rockered skis because it lets you stay balanced over the center of the ski rather than being shoved into the front of your boots.
Compatibility: The GripWalk Headache
You've probably heard the term GripWalk (GW) a thousand times. The Salomon Strive 14 GW is designed specifically to bridge the gap. It works perfectly with:
- Standard Alpine soles (ISO 5355).
- GripWalk soles (ISO 23223).
It does not work with full touring soles (ISO 9523) without the "MN" (Multi-Norm) version. I’ve seen people try to jam tech-sole touring boots into these. Don't do it. The friction values won't be right, and the binding won't release when your tibia is screaming for help.
The Competition: Strive vs. The World
The most common question is: "Should I just get the Look Pivot 15?"
Look, the Pivot is iconic. It’s mostly metal and has that turntable heel that’s famous for saving knees. But it’s also heavier, more expensive, and a total pain in the butt to click into in deep snow.
The Strive 14 is the "everyman's" high-performance binding. It’s cheaper than the Pivot but feels more connected than a Marker Griffon. The Griffon has a single-spring toe that some people find "clunky" to step into. The Strive’s LDN toe feels much more refined.
Then there’s the Strive 16. If you are a literal pro or you just like the color of the 16 (which usually has more metal in the toe), go for it. But for the vast majority of us, the 14 is the "Goldilocks" model. It’s plenty strong without being overkill.
Common Misconceptions and Troubleshooting
I’ve seen some forum posts claiming the Strive 14 "pre-releases." 90% of the time, this is an installation error. Because the toe is "automatic," people forget to check the forward pressure on the heel properly. If your shop tech hasn't dialed in the forward pressure, no binding on earth will hold you in.
Also, the "auto-adjust" toe doesn't mean "zero maintenance." You still need to make sure your boot soles aren't caked in mud or ice.
Another weird detail? The brakes. They have a clever locking mechanism that keeps your skis together when you're carrying them. It’s a small thing until you’re hiking a ridge and your skis aren't clanging against each other like a bag of wrenches.
Final Verdict on the Salomon Strive 14 GW
This isn't just another piece of plastic on your skis. It’s the interface between your brain and the snow. If you want a binding that disappears under your feet—meaning it doesn't add weird height, doesn't add unnecessary weight, and just works—this is it.
It’s the binding for the person who skis the whole mountain. One lap in the park, one lap in the trees, and a high-speed burner on the groomers to finish the day.
Next Steps for Your Setup:
Check your current boot soles. If they have the "GripWalk" logo, you’re golden. If you’re mounting these yourself (which I don’t recommend unless you have a jig), remember that the brake width should be equal to or up to 15mm wider than your ski's waist. A 100mm brake on a 102mm ski is perfect; a 115mm brake on a 90mm ski is just going to catch on your pants. Get them tested by a certified tech once a year—it’s cheaper than a new ACL.