Get All The Best Info You Need About
Snowboard Binding Systems Now!
UPDATED FOR THE 2009/2010 SEASON !
Find out all about snowboard binding systems!!! What to look for when choosing bindings,Whats important and why,How to choose a good binding! Who is selling them, and where YOU can buy them...
There are a lot of different binding types and styles on the market these days.Check out what's HOT and what's NOT! There are a few different types of bindings!!! Lets look at what they are...
TYPES OF SNOWBOARD BINDINGS
STRAP ON BINDINGS
These are the most popular and simple...Basically they have a number of straps usually 2 straps, that wrap over your boot and are buckled or ratcheted down tight over your snowboarding boot...Most manufacturers offer a good number of this type and they are by far the most popular on the market, as they are simple and easy to use and inexpensive...UPDATE 11/2009 Ride is making a new style binding called the Contraband , Its a one strap system and although I personally have not tried em or know anybody who has tried them, it's a interesting design, you can check em out here at the Backcountry.com bindings Shop about 5th row down.
STEP IN BINDINGS
These bindings usually are used by beginners or for freeriding...These bindings are very convenient and also simple to use...but they can be used with ONLY the snowboarding boots they are designed to hold down... The boots can be either soft for freestyle with a hardback on the binding or a stiff boot with no hardback...The Burton SI bindings I have used had a hardback, but the boots seemed pretty stiff too...
A few PROS are that step in snowboard binding are easy to use, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIT DOWN to get clicked onto your snowboard, they are fast to use...With practice you can click into them "on the fly" off the lift and like the "skier gang"...pass the sit down BOYZ and GURLZ and score the first runs in the deep pow...I rarely fall or get stuck...So I have found this was a BIG advantage for me...I lose a lot less time in the mornings when I want to score as many pow runs as possible...before it's all chop chop...
The few CONS are that the boots and bindings must match, you can't trade with your friends or trade boards during the day easily...
They CAN SOMETIMES be difficult to use on a steep slope or in deep powder especially to step in, but easy to release in the same conditions.... The inexpensive ones have a bad reputation for a "LOOSE" feel when it comes to snowboard control...
I have personally used the Burton SI system before with the "softer" boots and highback binding and never had control issues...
SLIDE IN (FLOW) BINDINGS
Flow bindings are a popular style binding that combines the ease of step-ins with a very "tight" feeling for control...
They are easy to enter and exit... The older ones were not as rugged as the newer versions but they have been improved upon year after year ...The only CON to this binding is you need to make sure the adjustments are just right...If all the adjustments are not right for your boots they can be loose or hard to enter...Its hard to make the adjustments off the slope...Its a good idea to do the best you can at the lodge, then make minor adjustments again once they are broken in and you have had some time to try getting in and out of them at the lifts...
I used Flow bindings for two years and rarely had trouble with them...
UPDATE 11/2007 Well I guess I spoke too soon as I switched from Burton to Flow
in mid season... My Flow bindings felt heavy and I promptly broke the end off one of the highbacks on a cold day, followed by an accident a few days later in which my back highback setting had loosened and allowed the binding to open up while I was boarding very steep and deep...I ended up crashing big time before retiring to the work bench to fix the adjustments... NOT GOOD...
UPDATE 11/2009 Last week I switched to a hybrid system, I'm using a Burton binding in front and a Flow binding in back...
It works pretty well for on and off the lifts, I can sometimes step in and lock it up on the fly... There's only a slight advantage out of the gondola or tram...Much better!
FREE CARVE/PLATE BINDINGS They are also called plate/lever bindings usually have a heavy gauge wire bar clip on the front and rear of the binding plate and they are clipped/fastened over the heel and toe ledges on the free carve/racing boots(hard)boots...or they have a locking lever and have a method to fasten the boots to binding similiar to the step in snowboard binding...
Remember that freecarve boots are very much like ski boots so they have a protruding toe and heel portion that the wire clips snaps over...They are also easy to use, but this type of snowboard binding is used primarily for high speed carving boards and racing gear,where a hard ski style boot can only be used...
MOUNTAINEER BINDINGS There are a few backcountry snowboard binding styles... also called mountaineering snowboard bindings, which are used with hard plastic boots and are used for mountain and backcountry ascents and powder descents...These are also called the split board bindings which are used like a cross country binding on the ascent and then converted to a snowboard binding for the descent on split snowboards such as Voila or the Burton split board ... Check out the
BACKCOUNTRY GEAR
section to check out some examples of this type of snowboard binding...
Snowboard bindings take alot of abuse so you want a binding that is strong and light. The best bindings use materials like carbon fibre and kevlar matte and base plate materials like titanium and magnesium and stainless steel fasteners...You want bindings that are tight and have no play...
The most expensive bindings are strong and tough plus very light...Buy the best you can afford...
Just remember that you can buy
a cheaper binding thats strong, tough and tight, but it will be heavier than the real expensive top of the line snowboard bindings.
BINDING SIZES The strap-on snowboard bindings usually come in 3 basic sizes...small...medium and large... Most of the other snowboard binding types can be adjusted to match the boots they will be fitted to....Make sure that you get the right size snowboard binding to match your boots... OK... I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION THIS !!!
Dont forget to check out each shops sizing guide and use the online help they got...Most of these shops have got excellent customer service who want to hook you up with just the right stuff...Believe me they want you to come back next season and buy again so they want to make sure you got the right gear and that you gonna stay happy and surf on back again and spread the word to your bros or sistas...They dont want you sending stuff back unhappy ! So take my ADVICE hit them up with any questions you've got !!!
WHERE TO BUY SNOWBOARD BINDINGS
Now lets see where to look for quality snowboard bindings and what shops got the best deals and where to buy them online... I want YOU to get the best snowboard binding for the best price, but you have got to browse the shops and make a wish list...
Go through the Backcountry.com snowboard binding page and the rest of the shops on the lower part of this page and go through and check out ALL the bindings available and find the exact snowboard bindings you want and at the best price...
After you get back here from the Backcountry.com's bindings page, the next place to continue the search is at BackcountryOutlet.com You might find the same name brand and style bindings found at Backcountry.com or Dogfunk.com but last years models with drastically reduced prices here...They have a pretty good selection year round... But again take my advice and surf through all the bindings found on this page to find exactly what you want and at the price you can afford...
Well What can I say??? I am a little disappointed with the Altrec.com's snowboard binding selection. I am not sure why ,if it's because they haven't gotten the new bindings for this year in yet or they just dont have it together in the binding department??? But they do have Burtons and Ride, so at least give them a look see and check their price compared to everyone else...
Another real happening place to check out is The-House.com They got so many snowboard bindings,its hard to know where to start ...They have got every binding in the house except notably BURTON....But it's cool cause they got real good selection and real GOOD prices...They carry K2 , FLOW , DRAKE , RIDE , FORUM , FUSION , AGENCY IMPLANTS !!! AND SIMS , TECH NINEs and THE HOUSE MX brand too and even more...All of these bindings are a good value for the dollar...The toughest bindings they carry are the FORUMs...They have got stainless steel frames and are built to take all the shock and abuse you can muster...I would check out all the bindings they got... there's just way too many to talk about, but go check em out yourself..You will see what I mean...One more piece of advice...DO NOT buy the cheapest binding you can get...Sure they might be alright , but you can get a real good binding for a real good price and still get the best performance you can afford...
Do not even think of forgetting to visit REI.com Snow Sports shop and check out all the snowboard bindings these guys have in stock...They have Burton, Flow, Ride and K2 bindings...
Lets see who else is got the goods...So Next stop is the gang at USOUTDOOR.COM They also have a killer selection of snowboarding bindings for you to check out! They are carrying over 40 bindings and have BURTON, K2, DRAKE, FLOW ,SP , SALOMON , RIDE and OPTION ...Again it's gonna be hard to pick...
Well we aint done yet...Hit ParagonSports.com...They got BURTON , SALOMON and RIDE snowboard bindings... The BURTON C60 bindings are good for the freeride crowd! I also think the BURTON Carbon PI are a good choice for freeriders...One other to check out are the RIDE TOMCATS!!! These bindings will give you some abilities to shred the slopes and leave your friends eating your crystal dust as you howl by them...
Here's a QUICK LIST of other online stores and resources to score bindings at...
Moosejaw.com Moosejaw.com is a new store I have used recently...Check em out ...
FogDog.com! Fogdog.com has a ton of snowboard bindings and lots of other real cool snowboard gear...
Amazon.com also sells snowboard bindings from lots of affiliated retail stores...
Try
Bizrate to Compare prices for Snowboards and Snowboarding Gear. Its a fast way to find the best price if you already know exactly what you want...
BINDINGS FOR UK & AUSTRALIAN SNOWBOARDERS
If you live in the UK, you can try Boardshop.co.uk one of the only shops I know of in the UK that is recommended by one of my friends from the UK...He said they are easy to shop from, have fast shipping and good service...I am not affiliated with them, but here's the link to Boardshop.co.uk They have a minimal selection of snowboard bindings right now from Burton...
This outfit is based in Australia and obviously if you live in Aussie you know your season is just winding down as the Northside starts up...But I know all you smart guys have already booked your winter trips to Niseko or BC, so it's still a good time to retire those old worn out bindings and buy some new ones so you can handle the deep stuff anywhere you go... So here goes check out
Discount boards Australia They sell new and slightly used snowboards, snowboard binding and snowboard gear ONLY... Be sure to check out
their
Discount boards Australia SUPER SPECIALS
for some sweet snowboard binding at even sweeter prices...
Ok ...You should have enough shop time in now to know about every kind of binding on the market and you just checked out maybe 80 % of whats out there ...
I wanna see you again soon, so bookmark this page now and go check out some of the other pages of this site to find out whatever else you wanna know!!!
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also sells snowboard bindings from lots of affiliated retail stores...
