schro31185

Looking to get some new bindings for my ancient board. Anyway wehn I went riding saturday I looked at the ones on display at the pro shop. My local hill sells only Burton (Paoli, IN), but I noticed that everything from the $80 freestyle bindings, to the $250 cartels (i think) looked almost exactly the same. They all had the same adjustments, and they were all made of plastic. Is there really any difference in the models other than cosmetics? Also wouldn't an aluminum base be stronger than plastic?

Tarzanman

Hi. I'm a bit of a noob myself, but I think I have some of this snowboard stuff figured out.

First off, with a $250-to-$80 price differential, I am willing to bet that the $250 bindings were late modeland the $80 ones were 1 or 2 seasons old.

An aluminum base will be stronger than plastic, but if everything is dialed in and tightened properly then you shouldn't notice much of a difference under normal boarding conditions. A metal base will (obviously) hold up better over time and be less prone to outright breakage.

Yeah, lots of the bindings look almost identical in function. It most cases there are only minor differences... ability to change the angle of the 'high-back', material of construction for the latches & release, range of movement of the binding straps, etc.

As they are all so similar, I would get the cheapest binding that holds your boot properly and won't flex or give out on you. My friend had some rented board/bindings that had to be adjusted twice on our trip... the loss of control made him feel less certain on the mountain. Set it up right the first time and you shouldn't ever have to worry about it again.

But I'm a noob. Maybe someone who knows more will chime in.

bobepfd

At first glance you may not notice the difference in a cheap binding compared to an expensive one but they are significant. Ask someone who works for a real board shop and knows what their talking about to show you the difference. You will find the construction is much better in a higher level binding. Look for things like how well the buckle functions, does it slide nicely in the latch or is it a little grabby? How many clicks does the strap tighten when you use it? Cheap bindings may only go one click at a time while better ones will go 3-4. Does the ratchet slip while tightening? How much adjustment is in the highback and other various parts? There are many seemingly insignificant differences that truly do make most more expensive bindings better.

baldy

some bindings are super adjustable compared to others, the burtons are very good because of how u can adjust it to ur stance. other company's have other lil features in their bindings like cushioning on the baseplate so it doesn't hurt ur board when u flex it hard n stuff liek that even. i just don't like burton's plastic heel hoop..

arsenic0

As with all things in life you get what you pay for.

Cheaper bindings will typically have less adjustments, weigh more, less comfort, and break quicker.

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'09 151 Never Summer SL-R
'10 K2 T1 DB Bots
'09 Burton Cartel Bindings

shadowonyx

If your bindings you are currently using will get you through the winter, I would try to wait and get a good deal this summer.

Last Summer I was able to get some amazing deals on the previous winters gear. I got 08 Burton Cartels for around $100 (something like $150 off), and an 08 Burton Custom for $300 (somewhere around 200-300 off). I got both off of WaveRave.com but you could probly find similar deals on other sites. Hope this helps!

Dawg Catcher

this is completely wrong. not to sound like an ass but dont listen to this guy. there are a few things you can skimp on, on snow gear i.e. beanies some clothing, to and extreme your board. the things you dont skimp on are first and foremost boots and secondly bindings. while they may all look the same i guarentee you those 80 bindings you will go through two sets of them in the life time of buying a hihger end model. not only is it worth it to spend on bindings overall its better for riding. you will have less presssure points and equipment malfunctions.

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alpha732

I agree with dog catcher. I rode shitty gear last year and on my new setup (burton custom bindings and freestyle boots) it's night and day. You just have so much more control, and I only upgraded to decent stuff, nothing special.

T.J.

wrong

wrong

wrong

wrong

ding ding ding

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Passion Over Fashion

stevetim

Ya, Burton is kinda like on it's own island with the pricing schemes across it's product line and a lot of people will tell you to steer clear of paying the $$$ for Burton gear. I got the '09 Cartels for under $200(not online but in store) so don't drop more than that on them now.

Compared to some Ride EX bindings for $140(which I paid a couple years ago), the Burton stuff is champ in quality, tweakage, and comfort. For the $60 premium paid to Burton, it's fully worth it. I know the binders I compared are in different 'categories', but like posted above by Dawg. Don't skimp on them. They are like the steering wheel in your car and will ultimately relay your movements and control into the board you're riding.