JHeagz

if you're not planning on riding a board w/ channel? I read great reviews of burton bindings all the time, but hard to decipher the marketing from the reality. Also, any opinions on how Cartels or Malavitas fit w/ K2 Thraxis boots?

lonerider

So, it's important to know that Burton makes EST bindings... which only can be used with Burton boards with ICS channel and standard bindings which come with 3/4-hole discs.

Never get an EST binding until you are going to put it on a ICS board. Most (all?) Burton bindings some in both EST and regular style (like there is a Cartel, and a Cartel EST for ICS boards only... etc).

As for the regular style Burton bindings... some are good, some aren't so good. Most of the good ones are a little pricey (i.e. pretty much they same for any random binding that is being sold now a a days).

Nivek

It just depends on what deck they're going on. Even non EST the Malavita is still a solid binding and though they're softer, the Cartels surely are too. I rode this years Mission ReFlex all last year and never really had a bad thing to say.

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Snowboarding Sucks.

MeanJoe

I have always used Burton bindings and I've been riding for over 20 years. As such, I really can't give you a good comparison of them against another company's product. For me, as with most things in this industry, there is some truth to "you get what you pay for"*. For many years, I used Burton Customs and thought they were great bindings at a low price point. After upgrading to better (and more expensive) Burton bindings I find the Customs to be really lacking and would not go back to them again. Personally I have CO2's and Prophecy Burton bindings on my two primary boards and love them both although they are very different bindings. Bindings like the Cartels and Malavitas have been around far to long to just be hype, they are also great bindings.

I cannot tell you if they are better than Rome, Flow, Union, etc., etc. Perhaps others who have used equivalent bindings from both Burton and these others can give you a better comparison.

* That is not to say that everything with a higher price point equals better.

snowklinger

I've been riding '12 Malavitas the first 10 days this season and I like them alot, very comfy and well built, light (doesn't matter IMO). Look forward to puttin hands on Cartels maybe this years tax returns...

They are nice bindings period, even the non-ICS/EST ones, it all comes down to preference. K2, Flux and Raiden also make some nice grippers well liked and discussed on this forum.

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is it late october yet?

RockyMTNsteeze

My Burton Escapades are the oldest of all my current equipment. They are high end women's bindings. They have outlived everything. They will be attached to a 3rd snowboard soon. They have probably like 400 days on them and still work good. Another good thing it's easy to find parts for Burton Bindings if something fails. Burton Bindings are also very adjustable. I have replaced a strap once.

I often loose the small bolts that attach to the high backs. They fall off if you don't tighten them. That is one annoying thing about Burton Bindings.

I like mine and have gotten my monies worth. They were worth it.

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TorpedoVegas

I have last years Cartel Restricted bindings with the Asym strap and they fit my 2013 Thraxis boots just fine. I'm not a big Burton fan for the most part, but I do love their bindings.

NWBoarder

I never had any problems with the Cartels I owned other than a ripped strap, and a ladder that the teeth wore out on. Of course, they were quite a few seasons old by that point.

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Oh yeah!? Well, my mom says I'm cool!

Slush Puppie

I hate this expression because it's not at all true - as you actually say. I prefer to say, "quality is worth paying for"

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We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.
Richard Dawkins

MeanJoe

I like that better, more accurately represents the thought I was trying to express.