Patent ID: 8746728

Claim:
An apparatus for selectively holding a footwear heel to a snow travel aid, the apparatus comprising: a base mountable to the snow travel aid; and an upper portion having a connector for connecting the apparatus to the heel; wherein the upper portion is slidably engageable with the base for controllable movement by a user of the upper portion relative to the base into: (i) a downhill position whereby the connector would be connected to the heel, and (ii) a touring position spaced rearwardly from the downhill position whereby the connector would be disconnected from the heel; wherein the apparatus further comprises a brake moveable between a braking position whereby the brake is positioned to contact snow and a raised position whereby the brake would be positioned above the snow and a brake holder moveable in response to movement of the upper portion between the downhill and touring positions, the brake holder for holding the brake in the raised position when the upper portion is in the touring position; and wherein single motions of a lever in opposite directions result in complete movement in opposite directions between the downhill and touring positions.