Published in Whitelines Magazine Buyer’s Guide Issue, Winter 2010-2011
APO Coin-coin Team: £140
Sizes: L
Speed Entry
Flex 4
They Say: Brings the best of both worlds together.
We say: The Team Binding features not only conventional straps, but a hinged heel-cup and a highback that opens backwards meaning you can use it to put your foot in from the front or the back. Flexwise it’s basically a freestyle binding.
Atomic White Russian: £160
Sizes: s-m / m-l
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: No wonder Lebowski was such a fan of White Russians!
We say: A solidly built binding made of relatively lightweight materials, at a price that won’t break the bank. Atomic have kept it classic here – it’s perhaps not quite rigid enough for truly aggressive riding, but it’ll handle most things easily.
BURTON Custom: £130
Sizes: s / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: All business. All over the mountain.
We say: Burton’s classic binding is a bit like their classic board of the same name – an all-mountain, go anywhere, do anything machine. With a flex pitched nicely in the mid-range, it’s not specialist, but it was good enough for Shaun White for years.
BURTON Custom Est: £150
Sizes: s / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: Smoother than a velvet tracksuit.
We say: With one of the most famous names in snowboarding, these bindings ooze class. The addition of the EST, making them easily adjustable (as long as you have the right board!) makes these classic, simple bindings even classier.
BURTON Mission: £160
Sizes: s /m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: No matter where your mission takes you.
We say: With specially soft straps and a lightweight highback, these are aimed at freestylers who want a bit more than the standard, but don’t want to pay through the nose. Well-made, mid-range bindings.
BURTON Cartel: £180
Sizes: s /m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 7
They Say: Undiluted utilitarianism.
We say: The Cartels come in nearer the upper end of Burton’s range, with features like Gel cushioning in the footbed adding to the comfort, but also adding to the price. They’re more rigid than most, making them ideal for higher-end freestylers.
BURTON Mission Est: £180
Sizes: s /m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 6
They Say: Ancient wisdom for the new breed.
We say: As well as adding the EST easy-adjust system, Burton have upped the spec on this from the regular Mission in a number of other ways – including adding a more padded footbed. Of course, like all EST bindings, you’ll need a Burton board to ride these.
BURTON Cartel Est: £200
Sizes: s /m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 7
They Say: A peak to parking lot tour de force.
We say: This is a jazzed up version of the already pimpin’ Cartel, with the EST footbed system added. OK so you need to but a Burton board to use these, and they’re a bit too stiff for beginners, but if you’re good and you ride the big B, you’ll love ‘em.
BURTON Malavita: £220
Sizes: s /m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 7
They Say: Feats of strength indeed.
We say: With a winged highback designed to spec by jibbing prodigy Keegan Valaika, this is a no-nonsense binding that’s nice and light, but stupidly strong. It’s more expensive than some freestyle bindings, but it’s more responsive too.
BURTON Prophecy: £250
Sizes: s /m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 6
They Say: Dawn of a new era in freestyle
We say: This benefits from Burton’s ‘Re: Flex’ technology, which they claim gives you better board feel while reducing the overall weight. It’s high tech stuff, and soft enough for freestyle kids though probably not for beginners.
BURTON CO2 : £300
Size: s /m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 7
They Say: Rethink flex with Re: Flex
We say: Like the Prophecy, this has Burton’s ‘Re: Flex’ tech built in, which means lighter and softer footbeds. It might seem pretty dear, but with carbon fibre init, it’s one of the more rigid bindings Burton build, making it perfect for serious shredding wherever.
DRAKE FIFTY: £130
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: The Fifty is ready to stoke you out again.
We say: Drake started out making bindings, and that pedigree shows in products like the Fifty, which they’ve been making for years. With its freestyle flex and light-weight aluminium heel-cup, this isn’t for speed addicts, but everyone else will love it.
DRAKE Reload: £160
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Provides the perfect combo.
We say: The Reload is aimed at freestylers looking for something supportive but not too rigid. As such, it makes a great all-mountain binding. Experts may find it a little bit soft, but intermediates and above will get on well.
FLOW The Five: £140
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 5
They Say: The past, the present and the future of Flow Bindings.
We say: This has proved popular amongst Flow fans down the years. It’s not the techiest binding in their range, but if you’re looking for a mid-range speed entry binding, you’d be hard pushed to find a better one.
FLOW M9SE: £170
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 6
They Say: Everything you need for all-mountain domination.
We say: With a stiffer than average flex and a tough, base plate made partly of Nylon , the M9 is an excellent lightweight all-rounder. If you like rear entry bindings and you want one that’ll do anything, take a look at this.
FLOW Nxt Fse: £200
Sizes: L / XL
Speed Entry
Flex 9
They Say: A great binding for demanding riders.
We say: This is a pimped-up version of Flow’s NXT range, but they haven’t just added bling around the buckles. The performance of the binding has also been souped up, so that the spec suits riders at the top of their game.
FLUX TT30: £130
Sizes: S / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: The most well-balanced binding in the Flux line-up.
We say: This is the latest version of Flux’s perennially popular Titan binding. Like much of their range, it’s got a super-tough Nylon highback that’s lightweight and rigid. It’s not the stiffest binding in the world, but it’d suit all-mountain riders perfectly.
FORUM Recon: £115
Sizes: m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: No bells, no whistles, just a whole lot of binding.
We say: An entry-level binding with an easy-going flex and very little in the way of extraneous crap. This would suit rail-riders or intermediate riders down to a tee.
FORUM Republic: £175
Sizes: M / l
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Good vibes, bad ass.
We say: Forum have taken their ‘good-vibes’ hinged base-plate from the Shaka into the Republic this year, making this binding more flexible and improving the binding to board feel. A decent amount of tech for a decent price.
FORUM Shaka: £210
Sizes: M / l
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: Feel more. Good vibes.
We say: The Shaka is the original hinge-disc binding– an innovation which Forum claims improves board feel. It also has a nice padded footbed and Forum’s top end cap strap. If you can afford to, you should really give this a go.
GNU Mutant: £210
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 8
They Say: Ultra light performance freestyle-freeride.
We say: Coming in at the top-end of Mervin’s binding range, this is solid as anything, giving great responsiveness. It’s also easy to get into and adjust, thanks to Gnu’s licensing of SP’s patent Fast-tec system. Reasonably expensive, but worth the money.
HEAD Nx One: £80
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 3
They Say: Less fighting, more riding!
We say: One of the cheapest bindings on the market, this one is pitched squarely at the beginner/intermediate market. OK so it’s not packed with technical features, but it’s solid, well made and does the job. And it’s only eighty quid.
HEAD Px5: £160
Sizes: s / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 8
They Say: Precise edge to edge transfer.
We say: This comes in near the top of Head’s range performance-wise, but it’s still not exactly expensive. It features their ‘Auto-open’ system which gets the ankle strap out of the way when released so you don’t step on it. Which sounds like a great idea.
K2 Formula: £140
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: The progression solution.
We say: Pitched more at the novice end of the snowboarding spectrum, this falls into the upper end of the beginner’s binding category – both in terms of price and performance. A good all-round package if you’re looking for a no-frills ride.
K2 Uprise: £150
Sizes: m / L / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: Evolutionary technology.
We say: This features K2’s ‘Auto’ technology, making it easier to get in and out of than most bindings. Other than that, it’s not the techiest binding out there, but its soft flex indicates it’s more for intermediates and park rats who don’t need super-tech kit.
K2 Ever: £180
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Ultimate binding perfection.
We say: K2 have made a damn fine binding here, complete with their Auto strap technology which automatically opens the toe cap when you undo the heel one – saving you time. It’s not as stiff as some in the same price range, but great for freestyle.
K2 Cinch CTX: £180
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Best of both worlds.
We say: K2 were the first to take the rear entry concept pioneered by Flow and pair it with conventional binding straps – in what they call the Cinch system. You can get in and out of these anyway you want, and while they’re not specialised, they’re great as all-rounders.
RAIDEN Strike: £120
Sizes: m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Solid do-it all binding.
We say: Raiden’s entry-level binding is all about solid, no-nonsense performance. They’re not pretending that this is the techiest or the lightest binding ever, but it’s a damn good all-round intermediate’s package.
RAIDEN Pusher : £150
Sizes: m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Indestructible.
We say: With a mid-range flex and a decent amount of tech, the Pusher is an attractive prospect for all mountain freestylers. It’s not super-tech, but it’s got extra dampening features in the foot-bed and Nitro’s wheel ratchets, making it easier to do up.
RAIDEN BLACK HAWK: £180
Sizes: m / l
Speed Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Our most versatile performance binding.
We say: As park bindings go, the Blackhawk takes some beating which is why Raiden have been producing it for a good while now. Its go-anywhere, do-anything flex is softer than some in the same price range, but for high-end park riders it’s perfect.
RIDE Ex: £135
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 3
They Say: The pinnacle of performance value.
We say: Beginners and park rats, this is one for you. It’s got plenty of features to play around with, and a flex forgive those early wobbles without scorpioning you every time. Plus it’ll keep feeding your needs as you start improving.
RIDE Revolt: £145
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 5
They Say: An all-round freestyle upheaval.
We say: The Revolt is a new model for Ride this year, and brings a load of new features with it like that ‘ThinGrip’ toe-strap – which is supposed to be lighter than most. Neither freestyle or freeride specific, this is somewhere in between.
RIDE NITRANE CONT RABAND: £155
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 7
They Say: Quenching that freestyle thirst.
We say: Ride’s Contraband system means you only have to do one ratchet up each time you strap in. It takes a bit of setting up first, but once you’ve got it there, it makes your life much easier. This is their top of the range Contraband binding.
RIDE Delta: £165
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 4
They Say: Freestyle flex at its finest.
We say: A high-end binding with a flex this soft is fairly unusual. This has been designed specifically for jibbers and park rats who want the light-weight materials and high-end cushioning tech that usually only gets stuck in stiffer bindings.
ROME 390: £170
Sizes: s-m / l-xl
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: The binding that has defined the collective addiction for Rome for the last few years.
We say: This freestyle-focused binding features Rome’s asymmetric highback – it’s shaped differently near the top to more accurately reflect the shape of your lower leg and ankle.
ROME 390 Boss: £175
Sizes: s-m / l-xl
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Bone out tricks old school style.
We say: As well as the asymmetric highback, this pimped up 390 has a ‘V-Rod’ base plate, which uses a narrow footprint to help your feet get a more accurate feel for what the board is doing. Built for park rats really, not for high-speed carving.
ROME Targa : £190
Sizes: s-m / l-xl
Classic Entry
Flex 7
They Say: The world’s most adjustable binding just got more adjustable.
We say: This features Rome’s ‘Yes I Cant’ system which lets riders choose the angle at which their feet sit using ‘Canting pads’. It’s a relatively stiff binding, so not for beginners, but experts will love the way you can tweak everything to fit.
SALOMON Arcade: £140
Sizes: s / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 6
They Say: Sex sells, and damn these bindings are sexy.
We say: An attractive prospect for park riders and piste cruisers who like something slightly stiffer than average – though not so stiff only euro carvers would like it. These feature classy little touches like aluminium buckles.
SALOMON Chief: £170
Sizes: s / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 7
They Say: From peak to tweak.
We say: With a stiff flex and features like its ‘super responsive’ base plate, the Chief is aimed more at the big mountain rider than the indoor or dryslope jibber. That’s not to say these are uncomfortable in the park, just make sure you’re going big!
SALOMON Relay Pro: £200
Sizes: s / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 8
They Say: All about a natural flex.
We say: This features some pretty advanced padding on the footbed, which, combined with the relatively stiff flex, makes it ideal for hitting big booters and soaking up heavy pow landings. If you’re just starting out though, steer clear.
SALOMON Caliber: £200
Sizes: s / m / l
Classic Entry
Flex 10
They Say: Light-weight carbon response.
We say: The stiffest binding in Salomon’s range, and one of the stiffest on the market. Designed for going fast – seriously fast – in powder or over hardpack, this is also light as hell. Just don’t lend these bindings to a mate who’s just started learning!
SP Core Fastec: £170
Sizes: s / m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 5
They Say: You’ll be storming the parks with a pair of these.
We say: A mid-flexing binding that’ll let you do most things you want it to with SP’s patented Fast-Tec system. This allows you to stick your boot in the binding’s backside – which has to be a good thing right?
SP Brotherhood Fastec: £200
Sizes: s / m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 6
They Say: High-end performance combined with an eye-catching look.
We say: A step up from the basic Fast-Tec binding, this features an aluminium base to keep the weight down, and an asymmetric highback. It’s basically an all-mountain shred machine, not given to one thing or another in particular.
UNION Dlx: £120
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Cash in on trickle-down technology.
We say: Apparently Union’s cheapest binding now boasts a load of features that used to be found on their more expensive models – features like the aluminium heel-cups and buckles. A solid entry-level binding.
UNION Flite: £140
Sizes: m / l / xl
Speed Entry
Flex 5
They Say: F***ing lite!
We say: Union have stripped a lot off this binding – in particular the highback – to keep the weight down. It’s not the stiffest thing in their catalogue, but for park rats and jib monkeys, it’s pretty much spot on.
UNION Force: £175
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 5
They Say: Down for the duration.
We say: Union’s staple, and their best selling binding year after year. The Force is solid, well built and stiff enough for all but the most extreme speed lovers. A great all-rounder at a good price.
UNION Re-union Data: £220
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 8
They Say: Waste not, want not.
We say: With several of its components made out of recycled materials, this eye-catching binding aims itself at the eco-friendly rider. It’s got a relatively stiff flex making it perfect for pow missions, but probably a bit stiff for most park rats.
UNION Contact Pro: £200
Sizes: m / l / xl
Classic Entry
Flex 6
They Say: Gigi tested, Rüf approved.
We say: With Gigi Rüf’s signature model, Union claim to have built the lightest binding ever. It’s easy to see, looking at that spidery highback, where they stripped a lot of the weight from. Solid, with a stiff-ish flex that suits people who want to ride like Gigi.
