The Shape e. V5 ski carries EMC vibration-damping technology built into a full LYT Tech and Graphene construction, so it holds an edge at speed the way an intermediate-to-advanced carving ski should. We pair it with the JOY 9 GW SLR binding, whose DIN range tops out at 9 for an easier, more forgiving release while a rider grows into the ski's full capability. The result is a setup that keeps pace with an advancing skier without asking for a race-binding DIN before they're ready for one. What Our Gearhead(R) Experts Are Saying:"I felt the EMC damping smooth out a rough patch of snow that would have knocked a lighter ski off its line, and the binding still released clean the one time I caught an edge pushing harder than usual. That's the margin that lets me trust a ski built for more than I've fully grown into yet."