Straps and Highbacks

The highbacks are also made from a carbon-reinforced carbon construction. This ups the strength and response of the binding, so it’s not quite as soft as the original Arcs, but it manages to shave off a few extra grams at the same time.

The Pillow Line straps look almost identical, and they have the same footprint as the Arc bindings, but they’re made with Pebax plastic in the straps, ladders and adjusters. You still get the pillows for added comfort and the ribs on the outside for overall structure, but this material is able to withstand colder temperatures and retain the binding’s response over sustained use and some pretty serious sub-zeros. Oh, and guess what. Yep, 20% lighter than the original Arc straps.

“This material is able to withstand colder temperatures and retain the binding’s response over sustained use and some pretty serious sub-zeros”

Roundup

Making a binding lighter is one thing; making one stiffer and tougher is another. Rarely do these two criteria go hand in hand. Somehow Spark R&D have walked the line to absolute perfection – no mean feat given just how lightweight the original Arc bindings are. Starting with a binding that weighed 626g and then shaving another 69g (nice) from it and making it tougher and more responsive? Chapeau, Spark. Chapeau.