An apparatus is provided for holding a footwear toe to a snow travel aid. The apparatus comprises jaws that grasp the toe while permitting pivotal movement of the footwear about the toe in forward and rearward directions and is for use with a heel holder that provides for lateral release. The apparatus comprises one or more resilient elements for biasing the jaws whereby the jaws are biased towards a closed position throughout the operational range of motion of the jaws. Also provided is an apparatus which comprises jaws that grasp the toe while permitting pivotal movement of footwear about the toe, wherein the apparatus is adapted for generally horizontal, forward and rearward translation relative to a longitudinal axis of the snow travel aid, selectively by a user. Also provided is an apparatus comprising jaws that grasp the toe while permitting pivotal movement of footwear about the toe, and a lock for inhibiting opening of the jaws, the lock comprising one or more resilient elements which provide resilience while inhibiting opening of the jaws.

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.

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.

A ski binding comprising a toe assembly comprised of, a toe housing, a bi-direction lateral release mechanism integrated into the toe housing, a vertical release mechanism integrated into the toe housing; and heel assembly comprised of, a heel housing, a bi-direction lateral release mechanism integrated into the heel housing, a vertical release mechanism integrated into the housing.