After you’ve sorted the flex, the fit is your next port of call, you want to make sure that your boot sits snug inside. This is where the bindings adjustability comes into play, most on offer these days can be customised for fit. Whether that’s the toe ramp, straps, heel cup or highback rotation, you can personalise your binding to make sure it’s good for you.
“You can personalise your binding to make sure it’s good for you”
Comfort is king, and once you’ve sorted out a pair of boots that fit you, you can start to look at the merits of bindings. Do you want cushy foam and plush padding or minimalist design with stripped back lightweight straps? It’s worth considering your end goal when building your set up, which aspect of riding are you prioritising?
Whether you’re looking for a budget binding to dial in your first turns, or a high-tech feat of engineering that’ll make a Tesla blush, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve spent months out in the mountains putting a buttload of binders through their paces to narrow down this list, and present to you our pick of the best snowboard bindings for this season. Make sure to take a look at our matching snowboard listicles to find the best all-mountain snowboards, the best freestyle snowboards, the best freeride snowboards and the best women’s snowboards for this season.
Best All-Mountain Bindings
Best Freestyle Bindings
Best Freeride Bindings
Best Women’s Bindings
Best Splitboard Bindings
Best Snowboard Bindings For 2024-2025
Best All Mountain Bindings
Nidecker Supermatic Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €450 / £400 / $400
Nidecker’s Supermatic has been shaking up the binding game for a couple of years now, offering a speed entry system that doesn’t force you to ditch your favourite boots. It’s aimed at all those who want to keep up with their skiing mates at the top of the lift, or are just over the faff of doing up their straps.
The secret lies in a system they call ‘Drop IN’ tech: step through the reclining highback, press the heel pedal, and watch it snap back into place like magic. It’s also dual-entry – meaning you can still sit down and strap in the old-school way if you find yourself teetering on a steep slope (or you’re just feeling nostalgic).
With a mid-stiff flex, the Supermatic strikes a balance between responsiveness and forgiveness. The chunkier baseplate adds a smidge of weight, but most riders won’t notice once it’s on the snow – if anything, it feels more powerful when turning. By contrast, the highback is on the softer side, bringing a little park-friendly tweak to the mix. AuxTech straps provide even pressure distribution and comfort without freezing up in the cold. These come fitted with LSR buckles that lock your preferred strap tension in place at the push of a button, though they require a bit more fiddling for on-the-fly adjustments.
For 2024/25, the Supermatic remains essentially unchanged but adds some fresh colour options to keep things interesting. While it might not convert the strap diehards who love their bindings bone-crushingly tight, the system offers a compelling mix of convenience and performance for the average rider. Just remember: proper strap setup is key to unleashing its full potential – Nidecker’s got your back here with some handy videos to get you dialed in.
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Drake Fifty Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: £261
The Drake Fifty bindings do not hide the fact that they’re somewhat lacking in the tech department. The clues are right there as you look at each individual component, from the no-frills straps to the chunky footbed.
The exception that proves this rule is the highback, which is a far cry from the basic fare of the 90s. The indented sides – niftily incorporating the Drake logo – provide a bit more give when you’re heavy over your heel edge, and their asymmetric design will keep your calves happier for longer.
Generally, though, this isn’t a flashy binding – and it’s one that, naturally, has kept the cost down. Even so, it’s more than the sum of its parts, offering a comfy, mid-flexing ride that had our tester reaching for their wallet (which is always more fun when you know there might actually be a few sheets left in there afterwards).
We’d highly recommend this for the first-time buyer that wants something comfortable, durable and reliable, but isn’t ready for the kind of carbon-infused response offered by, say, the Drake Supersport. The folk at Drake say that the long-serving Fifty is here to stay, and we hope they’re right.
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Rome Katana Pro Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €450 / $450
And just like that, the Rome Katana bindings are ten years old. It’s hard to believe, given how fresh their combination of longitudinal freedom with edge-to-edge power still feels. Now there’s a ‘Pro’ version, which has all the ingredients required to join the original in the annals of top binders.
Does ‘Pro’ in this case mean ‘more carbon’? Yes, yes it does; both the Katana’s wonderful asymmetric chassis and highback have been carbonned up, delivering a stiffer and more responsive product that weighs no more than the original. Anticipating the rough rides that one might encounter when pushing a binding like this as hard as possible, the dampening underfoot is second to none, and the stretchy straps won’t budge a millimetre thanks to an ‘auxetic’ design that actually expands over your boot as you tighten it.
For anyone worrying that they’re buying a pair of unforgiving beartraps with zero margin for error, on test they proved to be anything but, – thanks largely to the customisation options. If you want a bit more flex through your ankle, you can get it in a jiffy just by relocating the straps.
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Rome Katana Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €400 / $400
A case of ‘better late than never’, perhaps, but there is now a female-specific version of one of the best bindings to emerge in the last decade – the Rome Katana.
As a rule, high-end (and high-price) hardware tends to be for serious freeriders, but the Rome Katana is an exception. Yes, you can hoon it thanks to the unrivalled edge-to-edge stability and response, but there’s also more scope than normal for shifting your weight from end to end and embracing a more surfy style. That comes courtesy of the asymmetric chassis which only runs fully along the outside of each foot, but not the inside. The fibreglass/nylon combination in the highback and baseplate offers plenty of strength, and there’s a bit less glass in the former so that it’ll flex when you need it to.
The adjustability is off the scale, too, with tons of options for how you set your ankle strap. This can work wonders for your comfort levels, and also alters the Rome Katana’s overall personality, allowing you to choose (and switch quickly) between a surfier feel and more a responsive ride. Rome says there are 64 different configurations in total; finding them all could be an absorbing down-day activity…
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Rome Hydra Pro Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €270 / $270
This year Rome has given a couple of its mid-range models the ‘Pro’ treatment, resulting in binders that offer better performance without jumping up into another price point. The Rome Hydra Pro is the female-specific version, while men can check out the Rome Trace Pro.
Unlike some of Rome’s techier fare, the Hydra Pro features an aluminium cradle at the back that ends at first contact with the base plate. This is still pretty bomb-proof, and will suit riders who don’t want to feel too ‘locked in’ down either side of the foot.
Both straps use the ‘auxetic’ material that expands as you tighten it, resulting in an even distribution of pressure (and therefore no pinch points). Also differing the Rome Hydra Pro from the standard version is the canted footbed, which helps to minimise discomfort in the joints and can even improve the height of your ollies. Highback-wise, however, it’s the same as the original; an easy-going all-nylon model with a fairly sizable flex window up top.
On test the verdict was that these could do with a little more dampening, as foot fatigue crept in after riding in firmer conditions, but otherwise they got two thumbs up for their comfort and versatility.
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Rome Trace Pro Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €270 / $270
The Rome Trace only made its debut last winter, yet here already is the Rome Trace Pro. As with other ‘Pro’ models in the range, it carries over a lot of the features and construction of the original, with some minor tweaks here and there.
Similarly to the Hydra Pro in the women’s line, the star of the show here is the aluminium heel cup. It’s lightweight, and adjustable enough to get it to sit just right in your boot – but it’s obviously super rigid and responsive. It might be this that caused our tester to single out heelside turns as a particular highlight when running a pair of Trace Pros.
So far, so regular-Trace. Where the Trace Pro diverges is in the toe strap – made of clever-clever ‘auxetic’ material that evenly expands over the boot, rather than the original’s uber-minimalist version – the kinked ankle strap that allows you to flip your straps to adjust your level of support, and the canted footbed.
Rome hasn’t reinvented the wheel here, then, and many riders may feel the original Trace still meets their needs. However, those who push things just a little harder will appreciate the Rome Trace Pro’s upgrades, knowing that mellow cruising is still very much on the cards.
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Bataleon Astro Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €400
Bataleon’s Astro binding is available in two flavors to suit different riding styles, but whether you opt for the Full Wrap (FW) or Asym Wrap (AW) version, you’re getting a binding that embodies the brand’s 3D approach to all aspects of equipment design.
It’s based around their Hybrid Chassis, which blends an aluminium frame with a composite injected base. This minimizes the binding’s footprint, allowing for a more natural flex and enhanced board feel.
The Full Wrap model connects to the baseplate at four points, maximizing board connection for lightning-fast edge-to-edge response. This one should be your go-to choice if you prioritise precise, locked-in turns and aggressive riding.
On the flip side, the Asym Wrap version connects at just three points, offering a slightly mellower side-to-side flex without toe-to-heel control. This one is aimed at freestylers and all-mountain riders looking for a bit more forgiveness and the ability to really bone stuff out.
Both Astro variants come equipped with Bataleon’s Infinity ankle strap and AuxTech toe strap, which promise a snug fit regardless of your boot choice. Tool-free forward lean adjustment and Kink ladders for on-the-fly strap angle tweaks add to the user-friendly experience.
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Bataleon Blaster Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €350
Bataleon’s Blaster is slightly less aggressive than its counterpart, the Astro, making it well suited to park laps and creative freestyle riding. That said, by offering a choice between Full Wrap (FW) and Asym Wrap (AW) versions, you can fine-tune the exact kind of feel you’re after.
The FW is the all-mountain powerhouse of the duo. With a aluminium chassis that loops right around the base and connects at four points, it delivers quick edge-to-edge response and a locked-in feel. This is the binding for riders who demand solid support for charging groomers, exploring off-piste and hitting bigger park features.
For those who appreciate a more playful ride, the AW variant offers greater lateral freedom thanks to its three-point connection. Want to lean easier into presses, enjoy looser turns and generally get your tweak on? This is the one for you.
Both versions feature Bataleon’s 3D AuxTech CradleStraps, which provide a snug fit regardless of boot type. The full-height highback (vs some other models in the Bataleon line, which are shorter for maximum jib factor) provides great support and features tool-free forward lean adjustment for on-the-fly customization. Toadgrip heelpads and Transfer ankle straps add comfort for those long days on the mountain.
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Union Force Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €319 / £289 / $329/span>
For two decades, the Union Force has been the go-to binding for riders who prioritise all-terrain ability plus no-nonsense reliability. As our tester Chris puts it, “They’re solid, they’re basic, but that means there’s nothing to go wrong with them. It’s tried and tested – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
That said, Union continues to refine and enhance this classic design. The 2024/25 iteration features no fewer than six colour options as well as updated straps that hug your foot better than ever. There’s also a new non-stick EVA footbed that helps prevent snow from gathering inside – super handy on pow days.
Elsewhere, things are reassuringly familiar. The chassis is constructed from the same combo of a nylon baseplate and aluminium heelcup, delivering a great balance of lateral flex and toe-to-heel response. Union’s ‘Molecular Bushing Suspension System’ (basically an extra layer of dampening material) cushions vibrations for a smoother ride.
The highback is made from fibreglass-infused nylon and offers a middle-of-the-road flex that’s equally at home in the park or bombing steeps. There’s a tools-free forward lean adjuster on the back, and more of that non-stick padding on the inside.
For us, one of the most important elements on any binding are the smaller moving parts, and Union have got your back here with their magnesium S2 ratchets. They’re built to last and – thanks to the popularity of this binding – easy to find replacements for in resort should you ever manage to break them.
All told, the Force’s enduring popularity is no accident. Whether you’re new to snowboarding or a seasoned pro, it offers a winning mix of looks, versatility and durability that’s hard to beat.
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Union Atlas Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €339 / £309 / $369
Union’s Atlas is a hard-charging powerhouse designed for intermediate to advanced riders seeking precision and performance. With its firm flex, it’s equally suited to ripping the resort, hitting big park features or tackling technical backcountry lines.
As with the legendary Force, the Atlas chassis consists of a nylon (plastic) baseplate with an extruded aluminium heelcup. Here, though, there’s more fibreglass in the baseplate mix, which translates to enhanced stiffness and response without adding weight. Union’s ‘Vaporlite HD’ bushings help dampen vibrations underfoot.
Our tester, Emyr, noted that “There’s a lot of feeling in the footbed, and the smaller baseplate means you get a lot of flex in the binding and more control over the entire board.”
Moving onto the straps, the Atlas boasts a tough Exoframe 5.0 ankle strap and TS 6.0 toe strap. Both provide a snug, responsive fit and won’t freeze or get clogged with snow in the cold. The highback is a tall, sleek design made from more of that glass-injected nylon – one look and you just know it’s gonna provide lightning heelside response. Tool-less adjustments for both straps and forward lean allow for easy customization on the fly.
Components-wise, the Atlas features Grade 8.8 Steel hardware and Magnesium ratchets with aluminum bases, underlining Union’s reputation for bombproof construction. Indeed, this is the model trusted by pros like Kazu Kokubo and Arthur Longo, so you can be sure that if it can handle one of Arthur’s sub-orbital sidehits then it can surely withstand whatever you can throw at it. Just bear in mind that all that support comes at the expense of forgiveness. As our tester put it: “It’s definitely a stiff binding designed for hard-charging riders with a lot of experience.”
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Burton Step On Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €550 / £490 / $520
Burton’s Step On system continues to gain traction, and the Women’s Step On Re:Flex binding offers an enticing entry point for riders looking to ditch the straps. It’s an all-mountain model that promises a rapid, seamless interface between boot and board.
The main feature is, of course, the Step On system itself. Three connection points – two at the toe and one at the heel – create a secure link that’s as simple as it is effective. Just step in, hear that satisfying click, and you’re ready to ride. When it’s time to disconnect, a quick-release lever on the highback lets you exit cleanly. It’s been seven years now since Burton launched this system, and it’s gained an army of fans. For piste cruising especially, they’re pretty much faultless. A couple of years ago they introduced one significant upgrade in the form of chunkier toe hooks for smoother entry, and these feature again here.
“I have to admit I only got around to trying these for the first time this season,” reports our tester Stella. “But I have to say I really rated them: they’re comfy, stable, and, obviously, save you the hassle of strapping in. Part of me still missed the toe strap, though whether that’s due to habit or if it actually affected my riding is hard to tell. Regardless, I can understand why these go down so well with a lot of people.”
Underfoot, the FullBED cushioning system aims to keep your feet happy all day, while the Re:Flex mounting system works with any board and allows for improved board flex and feel. When you want to fine-tune your setup, the FLAD (Burton’s amusingly fancy name for Forward Lean Adjustment – hey, they’re sticking with it) lets you dial in your stance with micro-adjustments to the highback angle.
While this is the most wallet-friendly way into the Step On system (outside of rentals), it’s not exactly cheap. That said, for those with the skills AND the bills, the Escapade offers a similar flex with a more premium highback. Performance-wise there’s not an awful lot in it, so for most riders we reckon the standard Step On Re:Flex hits the sweet spot.
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Vimana Scando V3 Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €219
Vimana only makes one binding, but it’s a strong argument for other brands to cut their lines right down. Flex-wise, the Vimana Scando comes straight down the middle, which isn’t for everyone – then what is? There’s masses of folk who could make this work for them, plus the no-frills design and clean visuals are likely to tick a lot of boxes for a lot of riders.
The baseplate footprint has been kept as small as possible so as not to overly disrupt your deck’s flex, and there’s not much spare meat on the straps either. ‘Low-profile’ was definitely the watchword at the design stage, Yet the damp-tastic EVA foorbed combined with urethane in the straps and highback suggest that ‘comfort’ wasn’t too far behind.
Urethane is pretty ubiquitous here, actually, and that means there’s no reason to doubt the Scandi brand’s claim that it’s essentially unbreakable. Even if you do somehow crack the baseplate or highback, Vimana will give you a new one.
After trying the Vimana Scando, our tester was convinced that it’d do the job for just about every level of rider, from the first-turner to the veteran.
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Best Best Freestyle Bindings
Rome Katana Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €400 / $400
And just like that, the Rome Katana bindings are ten years old. It’s hard to believe, given how fresh their combination of longitudinal freedom with edge-to-edge power still feels.
Lightning-quick edge changes are always at your fingertips (toetips?), thanks to the aluminium chassis which runs the full length of the binder on the outside of each foot. Meanwhile on the inside, it doesn’t get much further than the heelcup. This offers you the chance to really shift your centre of gravity along the length of the board, and even tweak grabs like never before.
It’s a style thing, and not something that everyone will immediately benefit from, but even more conservative riders can appreciate the Katana’s premium build – a winning combination of light weight, durability, excellent dampening and high-tech, super-comfy straps. Meanwhile, for those who know how to get the most out this unique approach to binding design, there’s no looking back.
The ‘Asymwrap’ chassis now features on several Rome bindings – and the brand deserves credit for spreading it across price points – but for us the original is still the best. Be sure to also check out the Pro version and the women’s version, both new for 2024/25.
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YES Airmaster Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €330 / £299 / $300
With the acquisition of Lobster Snowboards and NOW bindigs, YES are rapidly evolving from a young upstart to an industry powerhouse in their own right. It’s good to see, though, that DCP and the boys have lost nothing of their trademark cheek. Witness their top-tier freestyle binding, the Airmaster, which pays homage to (or perhaps throws shade at) those Burton graphics of yesteryear.
At the heart of this binding is Skate Tech, a system pioneered by NOW and that YES continues to refine. Inspired by the mechanics of skateboard trucks, it uses a pivot in the centre of the baseplate to transfer energy into the board’s edges more efficiently. Bushings at either side enable you to customise the feel. While rival brands still debate the science of introducing this pivot, Skate Tech has earned a dedicated army of fans in the decade or so since it appeared, and there’s no denying it produces a unique feel. As our tester Emyr notes, “It’s just really comfortable and lets you feel the board under your feet.”
Elsewhere, the Airmaster’s construction is tuned for park domination. Its Hanger 3.0 baseplate, made from nylon with 30% glass fibre, provides a responsive yet forgiving flex that’s perfect for freestyle. Likewise, the boxy-looking highback allows you plenty of freedom to bone stuff out, while a canted footbed and generously padded Hyperfuse II strap work together to keep you locked in comfortably during the longest of sessions.
The binding is super customisable, too. It comes with both medium (45 shore) and hard (55 shore) bushings, allowing riders to dial in their preferred balance between dampening and response. Both the straps and the forward lean can be adjusted tools free, making on-the-fly tweaks a breeze.
Bottom line, whether you’re a YES fan who gets the retro reference, or just a park rider looking for a high-performance freestyle binding, the Airmaster is sure to float your boat.
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K2 Edition Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €320 / £285
We’ve long been a fan of K2 bindings, and while the golden age of the Lien FS and Lien AT may be behind us, the brand’s future looks rosy thanks to equally fine models such as the K2 Edition.
Flex-wise this is in the Goldilocks zone; if it’s mad stiffness you want, then the similarly shaped but infinitely firmer K2 Program has your (high) back. For just about everyone else, these are great for the whole mountain.
The K2 Edition bindings are really out to keep your feet happy from first run to last, with a chassis that allows for more of your board’s natural flex to come through without making you feel every snowflake underfoot. The uber-vibration-absorbing footbeds certainly won over the Whitelines testers, who raved about their ability to soak up heavy landings. The fact that they’re partially made from sugar cane (not only renewable but fast-growing) doesn’t hurt either.
Indeed, the K2 Edition isn’t short of eco-friendly features just about everywhere you look, including material derived from castor beans in the highback and both straps – but even if it’s purely the performance you’re interested in, this is as dependable an all-rounder as you’re likely to find.
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Bent Metal Beam Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €180 / £160
While they might fly under the radar on this side of the pond, Bent Metal’s pedigree is undeniable. As part of the Mervin Manufacturing family (the folks behind Lib Tech and Gnu), they bring decades of snowboarding heritage to the binding game.
The Beam, their women’s all-mountain offering, is a pared-back design that strikes a great balance between support and forgiveness, making it well-suited for beginners and intermediates alike who want to relax into their riding and explore the whole resort.
When it comes to comfort, Bent Metal’s secret sauce is their Flex Control Drive Plate. This fibreglass-infused footbed mimics your board’s flex pattern, creating a seamless connection from boot to binding to board. It’s like they’ve bottled that “just right” feeling underfoot. This is paired with a Uni-Body chassis that keeps things light and does a good job of absorbing vibrations, while the Large Axis Disk ensures easy mounting on various board setups. Up top, the Mobility ankle strap and Light Form toe strap offer a secure yet unrestrictive feel.
One thing Bent Metal have always done well is provide simple, outside-the-box solutions to everyday problems. Witness the Love Handle highback, that lets you grab your board more easily, or their trademark forward lean adjuster, which has been around since the 90s – a simple cube of urethane that you can spin into four different positions, allowing you to experiment on the fly. Genius.
Our tester, Stella, put the Beams through their paces in icy conditions and came away impressed: “It’s always a pleasure to ride Bent Metal bindings – they’re easy to adjust and feel really comfortable on the feet.” She praised their performance on steeper runs and rated them “a solid 8/10 – but only because I personally like a tad stiffer bindings. The comfort is unbeatable.”
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Best Freeride Bindings
Nidecker Supermatic Carbon Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €550 / £520 / $500
Nidecker’s Carbon Supermatic® takes their revolutionary speed entry system and injects it with a hefty dose of high-performance tech. As you’d expect, it’s aimed squarely at experienced, aggressive riders who demand maximum control and response from their setup, all while appreciating the convenience of rapid entry.
The star of the show is the stunning carbon fibre-infused highback, a sci-fi-looking piece of kit that delivers near-instantaneous heel edge response. Paired with the same wide-footprint baseplate as the original model, it offers the kind of power transfer you need to charge the steepest runs in resort and rip big lines. The upgraded ankle strap, now streamlined with a Lycra coating, makes slipping your foot in even smoother.
Nidecker’s ‘Drop IN’ tech remains unchanged – step in, press the heel pedal, and watch the highback lock into place like magic. It’s still as satisfying as ever, and the solid construction inspires confidence that it’ll handle seasons of abuse.
Elsewhere, the new LSR 2.0 buckles are a small but significant change, automatically locking in place as soon as you stop cranking. Less fiddling, more riding – that’s what this whole thing is about, right?
Without doubt, that stiff flex and hefty price tag will be overkill for park rats and beginners. But for chargers with deep pockets who’ve been holding out on Supermatic due to concerns about pure turning performance, your wait is over.
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Drake Supersport Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: £261
Drake makes great snowboards, but it’s still best known for bindings – and most recognisable of those is the Drake Supersport. It’s aimed at the rider who knows how to handle themselves on cliff-drops and spines as well as kickers and pipes.
An agreeable boot-binding interface is all but guaranteed here. Indeed, ‘comfort’ was the big takeaway from our tester’s review of the Drake Supersport, especially as the stiffness suggested it might not excel in that category. The heel-cup can be adjusted without tools, the highbacks are asymmetrical and adjustable, and the straps can be set in multiple positions. Speaking of which, both straps have been improved for the 2024/25 season: the ankle strap still features a sizable lattice design that suits any boot, but the weight has been reduced. Meanwhile, the toe strap is as minimalist as they come.
Freestyle fans will enjoy how the Drake Supersport’s baseplate does its best not to disrupt the natural flex of your board, and more confident riders will appreciate the extra support and response that comes from carbon highbacks. Beginners need not apply, then, but for just about everyone else the Drake Supersport is a safe pair of hands for your, erm, pair of feet.
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Bataleon Etna Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €330
Bataleon’s 3D approach to design isn’t limited to snowboards. Their relatively young binding collection brings that same innovative thinking to your feet, including with the new women’s Etna – aimed at all-terrain chargers.
The secret sauce here is what Bataleon calls ‘3D Flex’. By minimizing the binding’s footprint and reducing hard contact points with the board, your board can flex more naturally, without restriction.
At the heart of the Etna is the AsymWrap chassis, a design that shares some DNA with Rome’s tried-and-trusted asymmetrical frame. This aluminum chassis is light and responsive, connecting to the baseplate at three points for a quick heel-to-toe response but with a little more lateral movement, so you can bring some individual style to your turns. Underfoot, an injected composite baseplate with a dual-density footpad ensures comfort doesn’t take a backseat.
Our tester Kristiin was impressed: “They were really responsive and with the asym wrap they felt great edge-to-edge. They’re definitely pretty stiff so they’d work well for wider boards, powder boards and anyone that likes to carve.”
As for other features, the ¾ height highback offers decent support without limiting mobility, and a tool-free forward lean adjuster lets you dial in your stance on the fly. Bataleon’s user-friendly approach extends to the straps, with clever Pop Ladders designed to fall open when released, speeding up entry and exit. It’s a small touch but one you’ll be stoked on when it’s a pow day and every second counts.
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Union Falcor T Rice Pro Model Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €399 / £364 / $399
Union’s flagship Falcor binding, designed in collaboration with big mountain legend Travis Rice, gets a complete overhaul for 2024/25. As you’d expect from the silverback himself, it’s a high-performance freeride/freestyle hybrid that’s built to tackle the steepest of spines, the biggest of gaps and the gnarliest of drops.
The headline news is the introduction of Duraflex Blue, an eco-conscious nylon Union developed with the plastics specialists at Envalior. Made with 90% sustainable raw materials, it offers a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional plastics without compromising on strength or durability. The Falcor is the first in Union’s line to showcase this innovative material.
At the heart of the redesign is a new two-layer baseplate construction. The stiff Direct Connect core provides lightning-fast energy transfer, while the more flexible Asymmetrical Halo frame allows for increased freestyle flex. This clever combo delivers a binding that’s responsive when you need it, yet forgiving when you want to get creative. Our tester Emyr confirms the system works as advertised, provided you’ve got the skills: “It’s a really solid binding; incredibly responsive. You get a full feeling of your board – but that stiffer flex isn’t for beginners.”
The asymmetrical Molecular bushing further enhances versatility, offering natural inward canting and improved vibration dampening. Up top, the Asymmetrical Forged Hybrid highback features a spine made from Italian-made forged carbon alongside nylon; it’s a no-compromise balance of power and flexibility, and the latest iteration comes in 10% lighter.
Strap-wise, the Falcor comes equipped with Union’s Hybrid 1.0 ankle strap (for premium cushioning) and their web-like TS 6.0 toe strap for a secure, pressure-point-free fit.
Weighing in at a svelte 855 grams and featuring Union’s bombproof components, the Falcor represents the pinnacle of two-strap binding technology. It’s pricey, natch, but for aggressive riders who demand top-tier performance and appreciate eco-conscious design, it could just be worth the Travis tax.
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Best Women’s Bindings
Nidecker Supermatic Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €450 / £400 / $400
Nidecker’s Supermatic has been shaking up the binding game for a couple of years now, offering a speed entry system that doesn’t force you to ditch your favourite boots. It’s aimed at all those who want to keep up with their skiing mates at the top of the lift, or are just over the faff of doing up their straps.
The secret lies in a system they call ‘Drop IN’ tech: step through the reclining highback, press the heel pedal, and watch it snap back into place like magic. It’s also dual-entry – meaning you can still sit down and strap in the old-school way if you find yourself teetering on a steep slope (or you’re just feeling nostalgic).
With a mid-stiff flex, the Supermatic strikes a balance between responsiveness and forgiveness. The chunkier baseplate adds a smidge of weight, but most riders won’t notice once it’s on the snow – if anything, it feels more powerful when turning. By contrast, the highback is on the softer side, bringing a little park-friendly tweak to the mix. AuxTech straps provide even pressure distribution and comfort without freezing up in the cold. These come fitted with LSR buckles that lock your preferred strap tension in place at the push of a button, though they require a bit more fiddling for on-the-fly adjustments.
For 2024/25, the Supermatic remains essentially unchanged but adds some fresh colour options to keep things interesting. While it might not convert the strap diehards who love their bindings bone-crushingly tight, the system offers a compelling mix of convenience and performance for the average rider. Just remember: proper strap setup is key to unleashing its full potential – Nidecker’s got your back here with some handy videos to get you dialed in.
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Drake Fifty Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: £178
The Drake Fifty bindings do not hide the fact that they’re somewhat lacking in the tech department. The clues are right there as you look at each individual component, from the no-frills straps to the chunky footbed.
The exception that proves this rule is the highback, which is a far cry from the basic fare of the 90s. The indented sides – niftily incorporating the Drake logo – provide a bit more give when you’re heavy over your heel edge, and their asymmetric design will keep your calves happier for longer.
Generally, though, this isn’t a flashy binding – and it’s one that, naturally, has kept the cost down. Even so, it’s more than the sum of its parts, offering a comfy, mid-flexing ride that had our tester reaching for their wallet (which is always more fun when you know there might actually be a few sheets left in there afterwards).
We’d highly recommend this for the first-time buyer that wants something comfortable, durable and reliable, but isn’t ready for the kind of carbon-infused response offered by, say, the Drake Supersport. The folk at Drake say that the long-serving Fifty is here to stay, and we hope they’re right.
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Rome Katana Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €400 / $400
A case of ‘better late than never’, perhaps, but there is now a female-specific version of one of the best bindings to emerge in the last decade – the Rome Katana.
As a rule, high-end (and high-price) hardware tends to be for serious freeriders, but the Rome Katana is an exception. Yes, you can hoon it thanks to the unrivalled edge-to-edge stability and response, but there’s also more scope than normal for shifting your weight from end to end and embracing a more surfy style. That comes courtesy of the asymmetric chassis which only runs fully along the outside of each foot, but not the inside. The fibreglass/nylon combination in the highback and baseplate offers plenty of strength, and there’s a bit less glass in the former so that it’ll flex when you need it to.
The adjustability is off the scale, too, with tons of options for how you set your ankle strap. This can work wonders for your comfort levels, and also alters the Rome Katana’s overall personality, allowing you to choose (and switch quickly) between a surfier feel and more a responsive ride. Rome says there are 64 different configurations in total; finding them all could be an absorbing down-day activity…
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Rome Hydra Pro Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €270 / $270
This year Rome has given a couple of its mid-range models the ‘Pro’ treatment, resulting in binders that offer better performance without jumping up into another price point. The Rome Hydra Pro is the female-specific version, while men can check out the Rome Trace Pro.
Unlike some of Rome’s techier fare, the Hydra Pro features an aluminium cradle at the back that ends at first contact with the base plate. This is still pretty bomb-proof, and will suit riders who don’t want to feel too ‘locked in’ down either side of the foot.
Both straps use the ‘auxetic’ material that expands as you tighten it, resulting in an even distribution of pressure (and therefore no pinch points). Also differing the Rome Hydra Pro from the standard version is the canted footbed, which helps to minimise discomfort in the joints and can even improve the height of your ollies. Highback-wise, however, it’s the same as the original; an easy-going all-nylon model with a fairly sizable flex window up top.
On test the verdict was that these could do with a little more dampening, as foot fatigue crept in after riding in firmer conditions, but otherwise they got two thumbs up for their comfort and versatility.
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Bataleon Etna Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €330
Bataleon’s 3D approach to design isn’t limited to snowboards. Their relatively young binding collection brings that same innovative thinking to your feet, including with the new women’s Etna – aimed at all-terrain chargers.
The secret sauce here is what Bataleon calls ‘3D Flex’. By minimizing the binding’s footprint and reducing hard contact points with the board, your board can flex more naturally, without restriction.
At the heart of the Etna is the AsymWrap chassis, a design that shares some DNA with Rome’s tried-and-trusted asymmetrical frame. This aluminum chassis is light and responsive, connecting to the baseplate at three points for a quick heel-to-toe response but with a little more lateral movement, so you can bring some individual style to your turns. Underfoot, an injected composite baseplate with a dual-density footpad ensures comfort doesn’t take a backseat.
Our tester Kristiin was impressed: “They were really responsive and with the asym wrap they felt great edge-to-edge. They’re definitely pretty stiff so they’d work well for wider boards, powder boards and anyone that likes to carve.”
As for other features, the ¾ height highback offers decent support without limiting mobility, and a tool-free forward lean adjuster lets you dial in your stance on the fly. Bataleon’s user-friendly approach extends to the straps, with clever Pop Ladders designed to fall open when released, speeding up entry and exit. It’s a small touch but one you’ll be stoked on when it’s a pow day and every second counts.
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Bent Metal Beam Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €180 / £160
While they might fly under the radar on this side of the pond, Bent Metal’s pedigree is undeniable. As part of the Mervin Manufacturing family (the folks behind Lib Tech and Gnu), they bring decades of snowboarding heritage to the binding game.
The Beam, their women’s all-mountain offering, is a pared-back design that strikes a great balance between support and forgiveness, making it well-suited for beginners and intermediates alike who want to relax into their riding and explore the whole resort.
When it comes to comfort, Bent Metal’s secret sauce is their Flex Control Drive Plate. This fibreglass-infused footbed mimics your board’s flex pattern, creating a seamless connection from boot to binding to board. It’s like they’ve bottled that “just right” feeling underfoot. This is paired with a Uni-Body chassis that keeps things light and does a good job of absorbing vibrations, while the Large Axis Disk ensures easy mounting on various board setups. Up top, the Mobility ankle strap and Light Form toe strap offer a secure yet unrestrictive feel.
One thing Bent Metal have always done well is provide simple, outside-the-box solutions to everyday problems. Witness the Love Handle highback, that lets you grab your board more easily, or their trademark forward lean adjuster, which has been around since the 90s – a simple cube of urethane that you can spin into four different positions, allowing you to experiment on the fly. Genius.
Our tester, Stella, put the Beams through their paces in icy conditions and came away impressed: “It’s always a pleasure to ride Bent Metal bindings – they’re easy to adjust and feel really comfortable on the feet.” She praised their performance on steeper runs and rated them “a solid 8/10 – but only because I personally like a tad stiffer bindings. The comfort is unbeatable.”
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YES Airmaster Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €330 / £299 / $300
With the acquisition of Lobster Snowboards and NOW bindigs, YES are rapidly evolving from a young upstart to an industry powerhouse in their own right. It’s good to see, though, that DCP and the boys have lost nothing of their trademark cheek. Witness their top-tier freestyle binding, the Airmaster, which pays homage to (or perhaps throws shade at) those Burton graphics of yesteryear.
At the heart of this binding is Skate Tech, a system pioneered by NOW and that YES continues to refine. Inspired by the mechanics of skateboard trucks, it uses a pivot in the centre of the baseplate to transfer energy into the board’s edges more efficiently. Bushings at either side enable you to customise the feel. While rival brands still debate the science of introducing this pivot, Skate Tech has earned a dedicated army of fans in the decade or so since it appeared, and there’s no denying it produces a unique feel. As our tester Emyr notes, “It’s just really comfortable and lets you feel the board under your feet.”
Elsewhere, the Airmaster’s construction is tuned for park domination. Its Hanger 3.0 baseplate, made from nylon with 30% glass fibre, provides a responsive yet forgiving flex that’s perfect for freestyle. Likewise, the boxy-looking highback allows you plenty of freedom to bone stuff out, while a canted footbed and generously padded Hyperfuse II strap work together to keep you locked in comfortably during the longest of sessions.
The binding is super customisable, too. It comes with both medium (45 shore) and hard (55 shore) bushings, allowing riders to dial in their preferred balance between dampening and response. Both the straps and the forward lean can be adjusted tools free, making on-the-fly tweaks a breeze.
Bottom line, whether you’re a YES fan who gets the retro reference, or just a park rider looking for a high-performance freestyle binding, the Airmaster is sure to float your boat.
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Vimana Scando V3 Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €219
Vimana only makes one binding, but it’s a strong argument for other brands to cut their lines right down. Flex-wise, the Vimana Scando comes straight down the middle, which isn’t for everyone – then what is? There’s masses of folk who could make this work for them, plus the no-frills design and clean visuals are likely to tick a lot of boxes for a lot of riders.
The baseplate footprint has been kept as small as possible so as not to overly disrupt your deck’s flex, and there’s not much spare meat on the straps either. ‘Low-profile’ was definitely the watchword at the design stage, Yet the damp-tastic EVA foorbed combined with urethane in the straps and highback suggest that ‘comfort’ wasn’t too far behind.
Urethane is pretty ubiquitous here, actually, and that means there’s no reason to doubt the Scandi brand’s claim that it’s essentially unbreakable. Even if you do somehow crack the baseplate or highback, Vimana will give you a new one.
After trying the Vimana Scando, our tester was convinced that it’d do the job for just about every level of rider, from the first-turner to the veteran.
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Union Atlas Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €339 / £309 / $369
Union’s Atlas is a hard-charging powerhouse designed for intermediate to advanced riders seeking precision and performance. With its firm flex, it’s equally suited to ripping the resort, hitting big park features or tackling technical backcountry lines.
As with the legendary Force, the Atlas chassis consists of a nylon (plastic) baseplate with an extruded aluminium heelcup. Here, though, there’s more fibreglass in the baseplate mix, which translates to enhanced stiffness and response without adding weight. Union’s ‘Vaporlite HD’ bushings help dampen vibrations underfoot.
Our tester, Emyr, noted that “There’s a lot of feeling in the footbed, and the smaller baseplate means you get a lot of flex in the binding and more control over the entire board.”
Moving onto the straps, the Atlas boasts a tough Exoframe 5.0 ankle strap and TS 6.0 toe strap. Both provide a snug, responsive fit and won’t freeze or get clogged with snow in the cold. The highback is a tall, sleek design made from more of that glass-injected nylon – one look and you just know it’s gonna provide lightning heelside response. Tool-less adjustments for both straps and forward lean allow for easy customization on the fly.
Components-wise, the Atlas features Grade 8.8 Steel hardware and Magnesium ratchets with aluminum bases, underlining Union’s reputation for bombproof construction. Indeed, this is the model trusted by pros like Kazu Kokubo and Arthur Longo, so you can be sure that if it can handle one of Arthur’s sub-orbital sidehits then it can surely withstand whatever you can throw at it. Just bear in mind that all that support comes at the expense of forgiveness. As our tester put it: “It’s definitely a stiff binding designed for hard-charging riders with a lot of experience.”
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Burton Step On Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €550 / £490 / $520
Burton’s Step On system continues to gain traction, and the Women’s Step On Re:Flex binding offers an enticing entry point for riders looking to ditch the straps. It’s an all-mountain model that promises a rapid, seamless interface between boot and board.
The main feature is, of course, the Step On system itself. Three connection points – two at the toe and one at the heel – create a secure link that’s as simple as it is effective. Just step in, hear that satisfying click, and you’re ready to ride. When it’s time to disconnect, a quick-release lever on the highback lets you exit cleanly. It’s been seven years now since Burton launched this system, and it’s gained an army of fans. For piste cruising especially, they’re pretty much faultless. A couple of years ago they introduced one significant upgrade in the form of chunkier toe hooks for smoother entry, and these feature again here.
“I have to admit I only got around to trying these for the first time this season,” reports our tester Stella. “But I have to say I really rated them: they’re comfy, stable, and, obviously, save you the hassle of strapping in. Part of me still missed the toe strap, though whether that’s due to habit or if it actually affected my riding is hard to tell. Regardless, I can understand why these go down so well with a lot of people.”
Underfoot, the FullBED cushioning system aims to keep your feet happy all day, while the Re:Flex mounting system works with any board and allows for improved board flex and feel. When you want to fine-tune your setup, the FLAD (Burton’s amusingly fancy name for Forward Lean Adjustment – hey, they’re sticking with it) lets you dial in your stance with micro-adjustments to the highback angle.
While this is the most wallet-friendly way into the Step On system (outside of rentals), it’s not exactly cheap. That said, for those with the skills AND the bills, the Escapade offers a similar flex with a more premium highback. Performance-wise there’s not an awful lot in it, so for most riders we reckon the standard Step On Re:Flex hits the sweet spot.
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Best Splitboard Bindings
Burton Step On Splitboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €550 / £490 / $520
The last few years have seen nothing less than a revolution in resort riding with the arrival of two speed-entry systems: Burton’s Step On and Nidecker’s Supermatic. Now the big B looks set to do the same for the backcountry.
Based on Spark’s tried-and-tested Tesla T1 system, these bindings offer quick transitions between skinning and riding. But it’s the Step On tech that really sets them apart. As our tester Tristan put it, “Splitboarding involves enough faff as it is, and anything that saves time is welcome.” In fact the ability to click in and out without fiddling with straps is a godsend, especially when you’re racing to keep up with ski tourers.
The Step On’s genius also shines through in those unexpected backcountry moments. “On one particularly deep day, I fell in a snowdrift with my board above my head – and instantly discovered that clicking your feet out is so much easier than undoing binding straps,” Tristan reports. It’s way better on flat sections too, where quickly freeing a foot (or stepping back in) can save energy and frustration.
Burton hasn’t forgotten about the ascent either. A negative lean highback design maximizes your stride while skinning, then locks in place for the ride down. The secure heel connection in tour mode also promotes an efficient stride and reduces boot wear.
Of course, this being Step On, the cost is more eyewatering than a pair of ‘dynamically priced’ tickets to Oasis. But the verdict from our tester is clear: “They’re worth every penny.”
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Spark R&D Ark ST Splitboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €549 / $459
If you’ve been a regular visitor to the Whitelines gear pages over the years, then you’ll already know how highly we rate the stuff that comes out of a particular factory in Montana – and the Spark R&D Arc splitboard bindings are the perfect case in point.
The winning combination of high performance and ease of use has made Spark binders the go-to for splitboarding, and the Arc is the brand’s most ‘gateway’ model. It’s robust enough to handle any terrain (which is just as well, given where you’re likely to take it) but is at its best on slightly mellower pitches and softer snow. Thing surfy turns rather than pointing it down route one.
That’s largely down to the highbacks, which are medium-flexing and are flat at the top for a slightly more freestyle feel than you might expect. While we’re here, let’s not forget that Spark’s ‘Rip ‘N’ Flip’ system lets you change between riding more and touring mode in abot two seconds flat. Sure, the system has been around for a while now, but it’s yet to be bettered.
Whether you’re new to splitboarding or have sworn off chairlifts for life, the Spark R&D Arc ST is likely to be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
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Spark R&D Surge ST Splitboard Bindings 2024-2025
PRICE: €579 / $489
The Spark R&D Surge ST splitboard bindings feature all the same benefits of the brand’s industry-leading system, but in a package that’s even better suited to hell-for-leather freeriders than the Arc.
These are designed to be thrashed in the kind of terrain you only encounter when way out of bounds, with an emphasis on light weight (for the ascent) durability (no-one wants a gear fail in the arse end of nowhere) and performance (remember, splitboarding isn’t just about the way up!).
The baseplate, highback and straps tick every box, thanks to the liberal use of aluminium, thermoplastics, and some secret recipes. The toe strap of the Spark R&D Surge is emblematic of the whole thing – there’s barely anything there, but it’ll still keep you feeling secure, and it works like a charm.
The ST stands for ‘Smooth Touring’, something which did not come as a shock to our tester; while they had already been a fan of Spark since first using their binders a few seasons back, they were taken by how both the binding-bracket interface and the function of the retractable ‘Whammy Bar’ climbing wires had become even easier in their latest iterations.
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