So while skiers and riders were throwing down at Rails2Riches, I was cruising Killington's 50 open trails, ranging from powdery, mogul-laden steeps to icy flatland as well as some quick laps through the mini park. Once again, the Banana slayed it all with great hold on ice and easy riding through deep snow. Throughout this day on the snow I was thinking a lot about the new binders. First off, they feel slightly heavier than my Burton Customs, something that I actually didn't mind all that much. They felt nice and solid, yet not lacking in response. I feel like they transferred my movement accurately without feeling too loose on the board. I liked the minimalist design of the "Primostrap" toe strap, as I am a big fan of around-toe straps vs. over-toe straps. Apparently* (*disclaimer*: I have not tried this myself!) you are even able to switch the left and right straps in order to make them into traditional over-toe straps, if that's your preference. Pretty sweet for those who want to kick it old skool, but I'm perfectly content with them out of the box.
Like the majority of bindings on the market these days, these utilize a traditional ratchet system consisting of two straps that go over (or around!) your boots to hold them in. I experienced a veeeeery slight amount of jamming with them on Saturday, most likely due to the mad cold conditions that day. It never prevented me from strapping in nor did it cause my bindings to loosen up while riding; just a slight pain at the top that took about (litterally) 3-5 seconds longer to strap in than normal. Compared to my friend's Ride Beta bindings (now discontinued), the jamming really didn't create an issue for me. Good ol' fashioned two-strap bindings with a smooth-glide ratchet system: works for me.
Like I mentioned earlier, these bindings had pretty nice response, giving me a nice return on whatever flex I put in. The sturdy metal base gives peace of mind on those chilly days that seem to turn plastic into fine china, but not making it feel like you're riding in Frankenstein boots. I actually noticed the extra little bit of cushioning added to the padding on the straps as well as the highback, giving a super-comfortable ride. The only (potential) downside to this upgrade is your boot slipping around while strapped in. I cranked these down to what felt like the same level of hold as my old bindings and whether a result of the bindings or my riding, at least once or twice throughout the day I felt my boot crease in the binding. Rather than the sole of my boot staying level with my baseplate, I could feel it bend a little in my binding during some extra tweaked out butters and presses. Now don't jump to conclusions that I'm riding with bindings that are too big; I'm not, because they're the same size I've used for years and last I checked my boots didn't shrink over the summer. Honestly, I just think that the extra puff on the straps gave me a false sense of security on how tight I had my foot strapped in, making them feel tighter (but not in an uncomfortable way!) than they were. After a few days on the new setup this has been an isolated incident, but I'll mention in a later review if it continues.
The Bottom Line
Pros
- Solid binding with great response
- Nice and cushion-y with some sweet straps
- Some jamming with the ratchets
- Extra cushioning makes it feel more secure than it really is (more to follow on that)
P.S. If you're in the southern NH/northeastern MA area, check out East Coast Skate & Snow in the coming weeks to pick up some ECGR die-cut stickahs. I'll be re-printing the "MTN Logo" sticker as well as a second, soon-to-be-unveiled design, probably drawing influence from the "Gold" sticker seen on the site in earlier posts. Pick up your own and rep the EAST!
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