The Strata are pretty surfy, I haven't ridden the others.

 

Surfy mean ?

 

Hard to go wrong with the cartels. The malavitas will be a bit more surfy.

Cartels are pretty hard to beat for all mountain boundings, especially with the hinge.

 

What he said ^

Stratas are FAR from "surfy". They are very restrictive (very big/restrictive baseplate and very narrow heelcup with no real lateral flex to it). BUT they are very responsive and very damp. So if your goal is response and prefer a 'locked-in' feel, then Stratas are good.

If you like response with great boardfeel, comfort and lateral freedom... Cartel are awesome. Especially w the Hinge.

If you just want playfulness and already know you like soft-ish bindings (and also want boardfeel and comfort)... Malavita.

Ride Capo are powerful to a good degree. Comfortable. Damp.

Now Pilot. Responsive. Not too stiff. Good lateral freedom. Very plush and damp.

If you have a bigger budget, then Rome Katana or B Genesis... they're pretty great.

 

Surfy bindings allow more movement nose to tail, and generally are softer flexing to allow for more movement in general. Think about the boots and bindings being one unit on the board. The opposite feel is binding and board as one unit.

Bindings affect how boards ride. It's best to really narrow down the feel you're after, and get bindings that translate that feel to your board. Are you after firm and responsive, or loose and surfy? On an evil twin that hits the park, I'd guess you're more on the loose and surfy side.

 

I'm gone back and forth between Cartels/Malavita and Stratas way too many times that make any sense in the last 2 seasons. I've probably owned more pairs of these than most.

I just sold my 2 pairs of stratas and got another set of Malavita's today.

Cartels and Malavita are very similar. Close your eyes and it would be tough to tell. You'd have to ride them back to back to really be able to tell the nuances. I find the Malavita ankle strap to be a bit more free and soft which I like. And I like the idea of the hammock highback giving a bit more grip so you dont have to crank down your straps too much. The reflex chassis and disk are AMAZING for allowing more true board feel. The only thing out there that I've noticed to be as good or even better is the EST burton bindings. But for a few reasons I wouldn't go the EST route again even on a channel board.

Stratas are a very nice binding and my preference in the Union line up. Straps and rachets are good and the disks allow for more stance width tweaks than the burtons. Pretty damp and decent board flex. Very responsive binding also.

The reason I'm going back to Malavita's are for a few reasons.

-I am getting older and am feeling some instep pain than I don't with Burtons. Burtons are just more comfortable.
- As damp as the strata is on the union scale, Burton reflex bindings are more damp. They are easier on the old knees.
-Burton reflex have quite a noticable amount more natural board flex.
-Unions aren't as well engineered IMO.

In short. Union Stratas are an excellent binding. Malavitas are just a bit better and more comfortable. I can use Malavita on any board in my opinion. But if I have a stiff board that I want something a bit more responsive. I'll put cartels on that.


Unions do look nice though and for sure get the "bro cred" on the hill and in the park.

I'm also riding a Bataleon Evil twin and a Bataleon Omni right now. 2020's.