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Jones Mercury 2021-2022 Snowboard Bindings Review

Tested and selected for our top 100 snowboard products of the year: the Jones Mercury

  • Price: £350 / €350 / 4350
  • Category: All-Mountain
  • Sizes: M, L
  • Flex: 5-8/10
  • Entry System: Classic

Why we chose the Jones Mercury Snowboard Bindings: A binding fit for the gods; the Jones Mercury remains the brand’s standout offering.

To paraphrase countless Top Of The Pops presenters, this one’s a non-mover; the Jones Mercury’s all-mountain prowess earned it a spot in last year’s Whitelines 100, and it has only got better since then. Thanks to a few new upgrades to what was already a much-admired model, it’s no surprise to see our testers giving it the double-thumbs-up once again for 2021/22.

“This one is absolutely top-shelf in terms of quality and durability, plus it’s customisable enough to please a wide range of riders”

MORE INFO:
jonessnowboards.com

Who Is The Jones Mercury For?

Freeride purists may find that the Jones Apollo is better suited to their needs, but for everyone else it has to be the Mercury. This one is absolutely top-shelf in terms of quality and durability, plus it’s customisable enough to please a wide range of riders.

Baseplate

Jones bindings borrow the ‘Skate-Tech’ system from NOW, which uses a central lever system to transfer power to rubber bushings at your heel and toe. This negates the need for a traditional large rigid disk underneath your foot, allowing the natural flex of your board to shine through. Picture the way a skateboard truck moves, and you’ve got the idea.

Ten years in, the system has more than its fair share of acolytes – Jeremy Jones among them – and to mark the anniversary it has been given a few upgrades. The bushings that the central kingpin system rests on have been moved closer to the edges of the board, improving the overall response. What’s more, the whole system has had a bit of weight shaved off without compromising performance, and the tool-less adjustability of the central kingpin element has been refined.

“Jones bindings borrow the ‘Skate-Tech’ system from NOW, which uses a central lever system to transfer power to rubber bushings at your heel and toe”

Straps and Highbacks

Like all Jones bindings, the Mercury features ‘Flip-It’ ankle straps that allow you to customise your ride. There’s more surface area on the top half of the strap, giving you tons of support when you want to really send it; but swap the left and right straps round, and suddenly you have more freedom to flex your boot down for a surfier feel. For best results, combine your calibration of choice with the right bushings (soft for surfy, firm for charging).

The ladders also have a bit of extra curve these days, making it easier to line them up with your ratchets, and a new hinge system on the ankle straps keeps them clear of the baseplate when it’s time to strap in.

As for the highbacks, the stiffer central section gives you power when you need it, while the softer sides ensure that you won’t get shut down when it’s time to tweak hard. The asymmetrical shape increases the comfort level, with more support available when you’re railing a toeside turn.

“As for the highbacks, the stiffer central section gives you power when you need it, while the softer sides ensure that you won’t get shut down when it’s time to tweak hard”

Roundup

Now entering its fourth year, the Jones Mercury has proven itself a winner in all conditions. The adjustments for 2021/22 do a bang-up job of polishing up what’s already there, and it still looks the absolute business too.

This is a true all-mountain conqueror, capable of being refined on the fly to make the most of whatever combination of park, powder and piste takes your fancy – and for anyone not yet convinced by the advantages of Skate-Tech, the Mercury serves as the perfect messenger.

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