Dual-position climbing aids give you two heel lift heights—typically around 30mm for moderate slopes and 55mm for steeper pitches. This lets you match your riser to the angle you're climbing, which keeps your calves much happier on long ascents.
For most backcountry skiers, dual-position is the sweet spot. If you only tour on mellow, consistent approaches, a single-position riser works fine and keeps things simple. But if your tours involve varied terrain—which most do—having that second, taller option is a game-changer when the skin track steepens.
The tradeoff is minimal: dual-position adds negligible weight and complexity over single-position. You just flip between the two heights based on what's ahead. It's the most versatile choice for standard touring without overcomplicating things like a triple-position setup can.