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Union contact pro or burton cartel?

21K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  Cpapp 
#1 ·
Hey everyone,
I've only ridden for one season on my current setup and it seems I already want to change it up a bit. Here is some info:
-I ride 60% park and spend the other 40% messing around with some friends.
-My current board is a Burton clash, and I'd rather not buy a new board yet, because I see no need to.
-My current bindings are Burton Customs, and quite honestly I do not like them. They're ok, but something about them feels off when riding. The ankle strap isn't the most comfortable thing, either.

I believe I have narrowed my choices down to the cartels or contact pros, but I am open to other options. Ive heard that the cartels are stiffer, which may be good since my boots are on the soft side, but I have also heard the contact pros are great for park. Opinions?
 
#4 ·
I picked up a pair of 2014 Union Contact Pros and Factory bindings for my LT Trice Pro HP and NS Proto HDX and honestly use my Contact Pros most often, I love how they feel. This year I'm picking up Rome Katanas and NOW Drive bindings as well, we shall see which I end up making my go to binding.
 
#5 ·
My own 2c about the Contact Pro's: very lightweight - altogether with my NS Proto the whole setup weighs approx. 5kg, great response, nice working EVA cushioning underneath the whole baseplate, comfy ankle and toe straps, the minidisk is a really nice feature, these bindings are a bit more on the stiff side . I ride with DC Ceptor size 11 boots which fit just fine into the XL size Contact Pro's. You should definitely take one of your boots with you to a shop and check if it fits correctly.
 
#10 ·
I also agree with the contact pro votes. They are super light, super responsive and quite durable. I have a pair that my sons coach used about 200 days last season. They ride everything from rails to huge big mountain lines(they compete in Freeride World Tour) and they held up pretty well. He did have one of the small disks break on him but they immediately sent a replacement.

The sizing is pretty accurate but some boots run bigger than others. They both wear size 10 flow or 32 boots and use the sm/md. I use lg/xl union bindings with size 11.5 flow boots.
 
#15 ·
I second the vote for the NOW selects. Bindings today have gotten so mushy. I own Contact Pros (way too soft even for park), Burton Genesis(not as soft but too soft to be weapons) and Cartels feel the stiffest of the three to me, the most like regular bindings before everything turned gumby.

If you can deal with the transition phase, the NOWs kick ass. It's like getting back on a cambered board, these bindings boost, pop, and rail. I hated them at first but now I can't imagine going back to my sloppy Salomon Holograms, or Contact Pros. But to each his own. Some guys like it sloppy ;)
 
#17 · (Edited)
Just my opinion. I've ridden Union bindings since they started and Burton. And I was a big fan of how "flexy" everything has gotten while maintaining response... until I forced myself to ride these NOW Selects on my park and jump board last season. I hated it at first but by the time the season was over I was in love with them and they raised the level of my riding. Not as forgiving as plastic bindings but everything was bigger and better. Kind of the same feeling I have about camber. I love my YES Big City and My Lib Darker but my cambered decks (Slash ATV, Signal OG, Rome Agent) just slay it. There's a place for everything. I just find the Contact Pros way too soft for me. But I like them and my Salomon Holograms in the powder, that added mobility and flexibility makes for a more fun slashy ride.

As a sidenote, I ride primarily cambered decks in the park, mostly jump line and pipe. The NOWs are able to load a traditional cambered board a lot better, they have the leverage of that metal construction and rigidity. The Contact Pros probably fit a lot better with hybrid cambered decks. (Although I know Gigi rides them yada yada...)
 
#18 ·
Probably going to pass on the NOW bindings unless my shop has them. I'd prefer to test them out before I buy them.
Pretty sure the shop also has union forces, which from what I can tell are a stiffer contact pro. I'll try out some bindings and go from there.
 
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