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Union Strata 2019-2020 Snowboard Bindings Review

Still relatively new to the Union family, the Strata has been able to muscle its way into the already stacked range and was able to stand on its own two feet from day one. The Strata is a solid all mountain maverick designed for riders who are looking for equipment that is able to withstand the stresses and strains of day after day riding.

The Strata uses a Duraflex ST baseplate designed to deal with cold temperatures and like all Union baseplates comes with a lifetime warranty, so you know it’s tough as nails. It pairs with the Fused Vaporlite bushings to absorb chatter and soak up vibrations. You’ll have a smoother, more precise, ride and some extra cushioning when landing heavily.

“It pairs with the Fused Vaporlite bushings to absorb chatter and soak up vibrations”

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Does anything suck more than unnecessary aches and pains as you’re riding? The Strata are slightly tilted so your foot sits in with the outside marginally higher up. This translates to increased comfort through the knees as you’re rocking a wider stance. The straps sit ergonomically round your boots to get rid of hotspots and offer support where you need it.

Forward lean is such a subjective thing, but if you are a fan the PushPin FLAD on the Strata couldn’t be easier. Just push the knob in and twist, and voila… you’re cranked down.

Your body isn’t 100% symmetrical, and to mirror this the highback isn’t either. It offers more support on the outside where you need it so you’ll be able to rip and grip longer and harder without wasting energy. This is a great binding made for demanding riders who will put their equipment through its paces.

Tester’s Verdict

Rob McCreathWhitelines

“Well, if they’re good enough for Torstein…

Let face it, I wouldn’t be writing this verdict and you wouldn’t be reading it if either of us were riding at the levels of the man who helped design Union’s latest binding in the line. That said, you don’t have to be a world-class sommelier to get completely shit-faced off a bottle of ’95 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, either. There’s something for everyone to enjoy here.

It has the look and feel of a classic, top-shelf Union binding. Lightweight, sleek, and a baseplate that gets swallowed up by all that EVA cushioning.

They’re hellishly comfy. You don’t want to have to go stomping around on all the crunchy snow after a few laps in the Strata. Obviously they’ve been built to take all the big impacts that Torstein throws at them on the jump line, but the benefits of this are far-reaching beyond the park. These are just comfortable from first to last lift wherever you’re taking them for a spin.

“You don’t have to be a world-class sommelier to get completely shit-faced off a bottle of ’95 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There’s something for everyone to enjoy here”

You know they have people working at Facebook whose sole job is to create new satisfying notification sounds that please the user? Does Union have someone doing the same thing for fastening into their bindings? Their straps and buckles have to be up there as some of the best in the game. Vice-like hold, with pillow-like comfort.

There’s not a whole lot of flex going on in that highback, but that’s kind of why I loved them. They wrap the back of the boot super snug and delivers a sucker punch from the heels to toes that will definitely suit more aggressive riders.

The Stratas are bindings that are undoubtedly equipped for the freestyle domain, but won’t feel out of place over the rest of the mountain. Anyone from an intermediate level and up will make good use of the dampening and response levels here. Another quality product from Union. Not that you’d expect anything less though, would you?”

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