The invention relates to a combination of a downhill binding or downhill ski binding, in particular a front jaw of the downhill binding, and a ski boot. The ski boot (10) comprises a rigid ski boot shell (11) and a sole (1) of the ski boot comprising a front end (1b) of the sole, a rear end of the sole, an upper side (1a) of the sole and a lower side (1c) of the sole. The downhill binding comprises a front jaw (20) and a rear jaw, wherein the downhill binding comprises a bearing structure (2) for the sole (1) of the ski boot. The bearing structure (2) has an apex (5) which has a distance (X1), in the longitudinal direction (X), from the front end (1b) of the sole held in the downhill binding of at least 28 mm and at most 34 mm, and wherein the apex (5) exhibits a perpendicular distance (Y2) from the upper side (1a) of the sole of the ski boot held in the downhill binding of 19 mm2 mm in at least one point.

Ski binding heel unit includes lateral release cams and a vector decoupler mechanism that provide lateral shear release of the heel of a ski boot from a ski. The ski binding heel unit includes an independent vertical heel release mechanism, independent lateral release mechanism and a forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams have laterally outwardly flaring contact points. The vector decoupler mechanism restricts heel unit lateral rotation and translation to a control path. The shape of the lateral release cams dictates the control path. The vector decoupler mechanism redirects the non-lateral forces without effecting the vertical heel release, lateral heel release or forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams and vector decoupler mechanism avert non-lateral, benign loads from the lateral heel release, and avert non-vertical, benign loads from the vertical heel release thereby reducing the incidence of inadvertent pre-release of a boot from a ski.

A front unit for a touring binding, comprising: two lateral bearing portions arranged on a ski transverse axis, wherein, when the front unit is in a closed position, the two lateral bearing portions are configured to engage lateral counter bearing portions of a ski boot to hold the ski boot on the front unit so that the ski boot can pivot about the ski transverse axis; and a longitudinal positioning portion on which the ski boot can be supported, wherein the counter bearing portions are positioned for engagement relative to the bearing portions, the front unit being shiftable between an open position and the closed position, wherein the bearing portions and the counter bearing portions are disengaged in the open position and engaged in the closed position, wherein the longitudinal positioning portion, relative to the bearing portions, is secured in the open position and movable in the closed position.