- Price: £170 / €200
- Sizes: S, M, L
- Flex: 6
- Entry System: Classic
- unionbindingcompany.com
The clue’s in the name: only 5% of the Union Contact binding’s baseplate actually makes, ahem, contact with your snowboard when unweighted. This gives you truer board flex, which is especially handy for freestyle riders those who to make their binders creak with each press and tweak.
“The aluminium heelcup is the toughest around, but doesn’t result in a heavy, cumbersome ride”
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The Union Contact is a favourite of park riders everywhere thanks to its marriage of easy-going properties with dependable foundations. The aluminium heelcup is the toughest around, but doesn’t result in a heavy, cumbersome ride. Likewise the baseplate is as tough as old boots, but is actually fairly soft-flexing to compliment the minimal contact with the board.
The ratchets are aluminium too, and as smooth as butter in all conditions. The straps they attach to are built for freestyle, with an asymmetrical ankle strap doing most of the work whilst a lightweight toe strap keeps you locked down either over the top of your boot, or right on the toe.
The colourway seen here is the Union Contact Scott Stevens pro model, designed by longtime buddy and fellow rider Chris Grenier. If you go for this one, note that the highback is different from the other three colourways. This one has an asymmetrical design with no forward lean adjustment, as it’s not something Sleepy’s ever needed.
