# What's with Burton's proprietary 3 hole system?



## Guest (Mar 16, 2008)

market control YAARRRRRRRRGH!


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2008)

Who the Hell Cares, as long as you have a board to go down the Mountain with then everything is all good.


But If they have some kind of 3 hole system, you should be able to just buy the disks and use it in another binding.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2008)

Well I care because I was going to get a Custom and then I realized I'd have to go out and buy new disks for my bindings.

I was wondering if there were any technical reasons why they went 3 hole instead of 4.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2008)

finssidedown said:


> I was wondering if there were any technical reasons why they went 3 hole instead of 4.


technically, they wanted market control...


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2008)

Who cares Just buy the disks and stop your bitching and be happy and just board, If your bitching about the money you have to spend then you picked the wrong sport!


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## scottland (Jan 8, 2008)

They've had the 3D system for years. My sister has a '97 A deck, it has the 3D system, and i'm pretty sure they had it a few years before that.

Compared to the 4x4 setup, 3D is pretty comparable as far as stance options. Now the 4x2 setup is waaaayy more customizable than both.

The idea of the 3D setup is that it uses the least number of inserts, and takes up there least space, thereby in theory, affecting the flex pattern of the base the least.

Almost every binding company out there makes discs that will fit the 3D setup, and most will send you them for free. 

Hell I've got Rome bindings on my Custom :dunno:


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## rgrwilco (Oct 15, 2007)

i love burtons dominant, but i cant ride their boards anymore. i cannot get my desired stance at all. i would love to ride some of their boards, but just cannot do it.


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## scottland (Jan 8, 2008)

rgrwilco said:


> i love burtons dominant, but i cant ride their boards anymore. i cannot get my desired stance at all. i would love to ride some of their boards, but just cannot do it.


What stance can't you get?


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## PaoloSmythe (Aug 19, 2007)

i have owned both burton and non-burton boards and bindings, and never suffered any incompatability of any combination of parts.

however, some out there do struggle to know how to fit 1 and 1 together and so now Burton provides for free, a 'converting disc'.

so this whole hole configuration issue is hardly one of 'proprietary' is it?


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## romesaz (Nov 21, 2007)

finssidedown said:


> Well I care because I was going to get a Custom and then I realized I'd have to go out and buy new disks for my bindings.
> 
> I was wondering if there were any technical reasons why they went 3 hole instead of 4.


Actually, you'd probably be able to fit your universal discs (which is what you have) to the burton board.
And if you don't have universal discs, you can also add "Why does <insert your binding company name> make <insert pattern of bindings> discs?"


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2008)

Metalhead505 said:


> Who cares Just buy the disks and stop your bitching and be happy and just board, If your bitching about the money you have to spend then you picked the wrong sport!



Metalhead...

Shut the fuck up. More likely than not, I access to more money than you will in your life.



Thank you Scottland.

Well it's late now since I already have a new board, but that's good to know.


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## stevetim (Dec 26, 2007)

I have a Burton Custom and Burton P1 bindings.

I can get any stance I want and i do actually like having 2 less bolts to put in versus the standard 4x2.

It also definitely is a relief to see less stuctural integrity compromised on my board by not having about twice as many bindings' holes in the board.

Overall, the system works great.


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## Mysticfalcon (Nov 27, 2007)

Just remember it only takes 3 points to make a plane. Adding a fourth is unnecesary. On something with tighter tolerences and less flexability it would actually make things worse. Ive got both styles and I definately prefer the 3 hole system but my fav. board is a 4hole so I make due.


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## Grimdog (Oct 13, 2007)

finssidedown said:


> I don't get it. Besides doing it so you'll be more inclined to buy their bindings/boards what's the point?


If used with the proper discs the 3d Insert pattern does give you more stance options than a 4x2 or 4x4 pattern. The following link gives a good visual explanation.

3D binding offset map


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## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

I think the 3 hole system is pretty cool, lots of stance options, less inserts. BUT, the fact that Burton insists on being unreasonable about it (ie. No one else can use it on their boards at all, and anyone that makes a binding for it pays Burton a fee) is uncool, and really tuns me off Burton products in general. While I understand their need to make money, I can't stand that they keep spouting how they are wholeheartedly responsible for bringing snowboarding to the masses. While they do sponsor all the guys that work in shops, which is great, but then the first thing these guys try to push is Burton products. Once you break the ice, they'll spill the beans about how if they weren't riding for Burton, they would ride Mervin Boards, Rome Bindings and Thirty Two boots. 

/Rant Over


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