East§ide

sigh. i always look at these threads hoping that union changed the toe design..sigh sigh sigh

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Never Summer Evo 153/Restricted ReFlex Cartel
Gnu Danny Kass 156 BTX

Alkasquawlik

Every single Union binding will have brand new ratchets and buckles this year. From the Force down, all the toe buckles will have the push pin buckles, whereas everything from the Atlas up will have new buckles, but without the push pin, strictly for aesthetic reasons.

The stitching is not the same, on the Factory, the ankle strap is SonicFused, which means that there is no stitching on the strap. Everything is fused together without the need for thread. The strap is also a bit more plush than the standard Atlas strap.

Also, the new Atlas highback is slightly stiffer than this years, so I'm assuming the Team highback that is no cored out will be slightly stiffer as well.

Regarding the Factory v Atlas base, the Factory has non pigmented nylon, whereas the Atlas has its nylon dyed. When you dye nylon with pigment, it lowers the durometer rating (making it softer and less responsive), so Travis wanted a non pigmented nylon in the base to make it a bit more responsive.

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Alkasquawlik

Why are you complaining?? All the toe straps have been changed as well.

The new toe straps are smaller, and not as blown out as this years. They definitely fit better. The material on the inside of the strap is also grippier than in years past.

The new toe design was the #1 compliment from consumers/retailers at our demo.

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East§ide

I'm complaining because I wasted $200 on shitty Unions - idk if you're a rep for them or not, but that toe strap looks IDENTICAL to last years. I had 2012 forces that I couldn't wait to get rid of . I have a paid of Ride Ex's from 2005 with better toe caps.

So they're smaller (like when I put medium toe caps on my large bindings and it did NOTHING?) and not as blown out..meaning they're blown out, just slightly less. And as for the material on the inside, if it's still that bumpy leather then it's still shit. I wonder how much business Burton has gotten just off of unhappy Union customers replacing their toe caps.

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Never Summer Evo 153/Restricted ReFlex Cartel
Gnu Danny Kass 156 BTX

Alkasquawlik

They're identical, just smaller in dimension than this year's and an upgraded material on the inside.

And no, I'm not a rep.

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"I'm only here for the apres"

East§ide

They say they upgrade them every year..all I know is that they're flat floppy pieces of leather and as a binding only company it's sad that that's the best they can do. I sell kitchens and could build a better toe cap

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Never Summer Evo 153/Restricted ReFlex Cartel
Gnu Danny Kass 156 BTX

Extremo

So it looks like the 'new' ratchets without the push pin aren't really 'new', just fixed.

One would think that the Factory being stiffer than the typical Atlas III baseplate would have been included in the company's description, the way the 2011 SL's carbon infused baseplate was.

Clearly the top picture shows the ankle straps to have seams. The second Factory picture it seems that it doesn't. But this detail is in the description catalog description.

poutanen

Agree... THIS is a toe cap! You listening Union?!? See how the cap wraps right around the toe? A strap with a slit down the middle is still a strap.

Nivek

Bro, chill. And this is coming from one of this foums supposed Union "haters". They changed the toe strap. Its not a smaller clone of the old one either. The 2013 had that sorta curved from strip. The curve is gone. It's smaller and both strips are straight with a better material on the boot side. I havent had the chance I hopefully get to get in them, but I find it hard to believe these wont be 10 times better than this years.

Regarding the Factory, as I was told by the kid who walked me around Union at SIA the frame pictured is slightly different than production. You'll notice the heel area in the photo is identical to the Atlas, not filled on and not canted. I have a photo somewhere that shows what I was told is the production model with the canted heel and filled in heel pocket.

Alka is right, everything from the Contact Pro down gets the lever release buckle, everything up gets a newly designed pressure release that is supposedly easier to "pop".

Regarding caps vs straps, apparently there is a patent war going on over capped designs. And the best toe straps I've personally used were Flux and Raiden. Both of which I wouldnt really classify as caps. Being capped or not is a non issue for me as long as it fits. In fact I think caps are worse as they arent as conformable.

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East§ide

And these are the bindings I love and wouldn't trade for the most limited expensive pair of unions on the planet

__________________

Never Summer Evo 153/Restricted ReFlex Cartel
Gnu Danny Kass 156 BTX