# Travis Rice signs with Union, Contour, & hOme



## ilikecoupons (Jan 20, 2012)

atleast its not burton.


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## rdot84 (Jan 28, 2009)

Tell me again why he's a sell out. Missed that point. And secondly, this


ilikecoupons said:


> atleast its not burton.


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

^^You don't get sarcasm much do ya?

And of course, we OBVIOUSLY have to hate on Burton.


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## rdot84 (Jan 28, 2009)

DrnknZag said:


> ^^You don't get sarcasm much do ya?


No....No, i dont


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## nickwarrenn (Feb 11, 2011)

Hopefully it boosts contour up, I love their cameras but all I ever see are gopros.


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

^^Theres a reason for that too. GoPro has had a far superior camera up until this year. GoPro still wins, but Contour has drastically closed the gap.


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## Riley212 (Nov 9, 2011)

maybe union will actually make some bindings with canting and toes straps that work.


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## jyuen (Dec 16, 2007)

ughhh union bindings suck...

been riding my SF45's all year, put my old Union Contacts onto my jib board... pressure points galore!


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

Well, Union and Home are part of C3, which is who Gigi rides for, at least as far as bindings are concerned. I suspect Mr. Ruf had a lot to do with T.Rice going with the C3 corporation. Will we see him on a CAPiTA next? Somehow, I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. :laugh:


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

maybe his lib tech/quiksilver contract is coming t a end soon, and he wants to position himself differently. He is not getting younger.


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

Weird shit has been happening with the parent company of Quik, with DC probably getting out of the snow game (which could somehow affect Quik). I wouldn't be surprised if Rice ended up in Volcom outerwear. Especially now with the Gigi link (he's still with Volcom, right?) and Landvik's dealings with them too. Volcom fits his style it seems too.


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

Yeah, Gigi still rides for Volcom. Only clothing though since he has his Slash brand up and running now. Maybe Rice ends up on Slash with Gigi. Hmmmmm.......stranger things have happened. Rice has ridden for Lib for so long though, I highly doubt they want to lose him.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Maybe he will make his own line of clothes and boards, that's what I would do. Better future for him, his name is big enough for it.

White should too for that matter, they could likely both give burton a run for their money


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

^^Yeah, and sell it at Target!

Speaking of SW, I just saw he signed with GoPro.

2 hours from now all the SW haters will post their GoPro's up for sale.


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## jliu (Jan 20, 2009)

NWBoarder28 said:


> Yeah, Gigi still rides for Volcom. Only clothing though since he has his Slash brand up and running now. Maybe Rice ends up on Slash with Gigi. Hmmmmm.......stranger things have happened. Rice has ridden for Lib for so long though, I highly doubt they want to lose him.


Given he rides for the Quiksilver package (Quik outerwear and googles, Lib boards, DC boots), he could sign a package deal elsewhere or splice it all up with independents if his contract is ending. Though, since he has star power like Nico...Quik may make a compromise like Burton did w/ Nike....who knows. Will be interesting to see for sure. I'd of been more stoked if he signed with Flux...haha 

It seems that all the big riders want to do branch off and start their own brand/company (thinking DCP and co with Yes, Gigi like you mentioned, the now dead Omatic with Richards, Torstein with Awsm, Helgeson bros, etc...)...guess they may as well since their marketing base is already set.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

DrnknZag said:


> ^^Yeah, and sell it at Target!
> 
> Speaking of SW, I just saw he signed with GoPro.
> 
> 2 hours from now all the SW haters will post their GoPro's up for sale.


Dammit, I already pawned my scooter, now I have to pawn that too?


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Anyone wanting to sell their go pro because of this? I'll pay $50


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## Hodgepodge (Dec 9, 2010)

Burton won't be too happy about this... didnt rice ride cartels up until now?


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

I think GoPro makes the superior POV product right now, but I'd rather have a Contour as a helmet cam. I have no desire to wear that brick that is a GoPro.


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

Hodgepodge said:


> Burton won't be too happy about this... didnt rice ride cartels up until now?


He did, but it wasn't under a sponsorship.


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## Riley212 (Nov 9, 2011)

His statement, union "makes the best bindings on the market", is pretty funny. Why did you ride burtons forever if unions are the best?

(i know he kind of has to say that now that he is sponsored)


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## stevetim (Dec 26, 2007)

linvillegorge said:


> I think GoPro makes the superior POV product right now, but I'd rather have a Contour as a helmet cam. I have no desire to wear that brick that is a GoPro.


Having used the Contour last year, I will say I love it. Love the streamline tube on the side of my helmet slightly better than GP brick on top.

But, the video quality and ease of changing settings are things that swayed me to the GP H2 this year. I also lost 2 of those damn Micro SD cards for Contour.


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## jliu (Jan 20, 2009)

DrnknZag said:


> He did, but it wasn't under a sponsorship.


ditto...

Only keen eyes would've even picked up that he rode cartels as he taped over the logos. Thats what Torstein does as well...he like covers all the logos of his burton bindings.




Riley212 said:


> His statement, union "makes the best bindings on the market", is pretty funny. Why did you ride burtons forever if unions are the best?
> 
> (i know he kind of has to say that now that he is sponsored)


Yea...its funny. He'll probably be rocking the MCs now and it gives more ammo for Union to push that as the alaska ripper binding of choice.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

My wife has a pair of unions, some flux and 3 burtons. She only has the flux and unions mounted to her boards. She thinks they are more comfortable and ride better. I use flow only, my son loves union but rides 2 pairs of burtons currently.... Missions and customs, they are definitely durable but he said unions are more comfortable. He has ridden 40+ days a season till this season and already has 60+ this year....


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

The really funny part is he will just continue to ride the Cartels.


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

Sick-Pow said:


> The really funny part is he will just continue to ride the Cartels.


Somehow, I doubt this. He's been without a binding sponsor for quite some time so I'm sure he's excited to have something new that he enjoys. Plus, Union spent good money to have him sporting their gear, so I doubt they're going let him get away with not actually sporting it.


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

NWBoarder28 said:


> Somehow, I doubt this. He's been without a binding sponsor for quite some time so I'm sure he's excited to have something new that he enjoys. Plus, Union spent good money to have him sporting their gear, so I doubt they're going let him get away with not actually sporting it.


meh, Lib pays him and he rides camber with no magna traction.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

They still are their lib boards and graphics and I think lib offers a camber deck too.... Alon with various hybrids of reverse camber and rocker


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

Good choice for T.Rice. I prefer Union over Cartel's and Flux anyday.


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## skip11 (Jan 28, 2010)

@sickpow: Nope he rides C2 and magnetraction, clearly says so in interviews. What he doesn't ride is regular banana (BTX).


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## fattrav (Feb 21, 2009)

Extremo said:


> Good choice for T.Rice. I prefer Union over Cartel's and Flux anyday.


Oh really? I thought you were burton hardcore? I actually think Union managing to get Rice is a good thing, here's hoping he can have some input into design, and they get some advancements and tech trickle down for some of the models that have been stagnant for quite some time.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

fattrav said:


> Oh really? I thought you were burton hardcore?


Please tell me that was sarcastic.


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## SnowSource (Aug 21, 2011)

He used to ride (last year) the Prophecy binding - not the Cartel as seen in older shots. Also, I highly doubt he walks away from his Mervin deal, but leaving Quiksilver makes sense. I don't think they can harness the artistic influence he has on outerwear like a Volcom type company can.


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

skip11 said:


> @sickpow: Nope he rides C2 and magnetraction, clearly says so in interviews. What he doesn't ride is regular banana (BTX).


Oh, cool. i guess what I had heard was left over from the BTX days. I like C2 a lot too. Magnatraction is great.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

skip11 said:


> @sickpow: Nope he rides C2 and magnetraction, clearly says so in interviews. What he doesn't ride is regular banana (BTX).


Yep. He never rode the old banana, but now that they've moved to a rocker/camber design, he's on that.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Extremo said:


> Good choice for T.Rice. I prefer Union over Cartel's and Flux anyday.


Nothing against Union, but give me Flux.

Different strokes for different folks.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

DrnknZag said:


> ^^Theres a reason for that too. GoPro has had a far superior camera up until this year. GoPro still wins, but Contour has drastically closed the gap.


Actually, the GoPro 2 has far better picture quality and comes stock with the waterproof housing. Contour still wins for ease of use, minimalistic design, and audio if you care about that one.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

Leo said:


> Actually, the GoPro 2 has far better picture quality and comes stock with the waterproof housing. Contour still wins for ease of use, minimalistic design, and audio if you care about that one.


Stock picture quality only matters if you don't plan on editing. But who doesn't color correct? No matter what cam is used.


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## dkzach (Jun 30, 2011)

I always laugh at people who buy union. Honestly its the band wagon effect! Guys at local shops recommend them as the best because there fricken expensive. Their profit margin honestly must be HUGE. Then kids see their local heros shop sponsors riding union so they buy union. Honestly iv always wanted union, but their slogan is "everything you need, nothing you dont" WHY WOULD I BUY A BINDING FOR 300$ THAT DOESN'T HAVE EXTRA FEATURES. haha. Then of couse you never hear anything bad about them because the people riding them just spent a fortune on them and dont want to feel like fools. Idk if anyone has realized but their toe cap doesnt even work! I just see people everywhere with their toes hanging out:laugh:. and you dont know what your missing till you ride a binding with a proper toe cap haha!because kid dont know you can ride without one and be fine for the most park till you take a really hard carve. And another selling point is that the binding is indestructible, THERE NOT, so funny watching kids at my hill scour the park looking for parts that fall off all the time... 

My only hope is that Rice persuades them to updating the toe strap.

its a real shame, I love the union company and the idea of their product but... they really never change their product to advance. And why would they, 70% of my local hill rides them.


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## fattrav (Feb 21, 2009)

Extremo said:


> Please tell me that was sarcastic.


I guess you'll never know....


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## SnowSource (Aug 21, 2011)

dkzach said:


> I always laugh at people who buy union. Honestly its the band wagon effect! Guys at local shops recommend them as the best because there fricken expensive. Their profit margin honestly must be HUGE. Then kids see their local heros shop sponsors riding union so they buy union. Honestly iv always wanted union, but their slogan is "everything you need, nothing you dont" WHY WOULD I BUY A BINDING FOR 300$ THAT DOESN'T HAVE EXTRA FEATURES. haha. Then of couse you never hear anything bad about them because the people riding them just spent a fortune on them and dont want to feel like fools. Idk if anyone has realized but their toe cap doesnt even work! I just see people everywhere with their toes hanging out:laugh:. and you dont know what your missing till you ride a binding with a proper toe cap haha!because kid dont know you can ride without one and be fine for the most park till you take a really hard carve. And another selling point is that the binding is indestructible, THERE NOT, so funny watching kids at my hill scour the park looking for parts that fall off all the time...
> 
> My only hope is that Rice persuades them to updating the toe strap.
> 
> its a real shame, I love the union company and the idea of their product but... they really never change their product to advance. And why would they, 70% of my local hill rides them.


If you have hate in your heart - let it out....


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## dkzach (Jun 30, 2011)

Thats what the internet is for.... and yes I feel relieved


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

Union bindings look rad, and get WAY better each year. They are number 2/ almost #1 for a reason. 

Yes, parts are plentiful and cheapish. 

All Bindings are not that tech (except splitboard bindings). Strapping boots to your board is not that hard. Union are C3, C3 is core (fact).

I think it is rad TR is on Union.


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## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

i don't like unions, like work unions and shit


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

dkzach said:


> I always laugh at people who buy union. Honestly its the band wagon effect! Guys at local shops recommend them as the best because there fricken expensive. Their profit margin honestly must be HUGE. Then kids see their local heros shop sponsors riding union so they buy union. Honestly iv always wanted union, but their slogan is "everything you need, nothing you dont" WHY WOULD I BUY A BINDING FOR 300$ THAT DOESN'T HAVE EXTRA FEATURES. haha. Then of couse you never hear anything bad about them because the people riding them just spent a fortune on them and dont want to feel like fools. Idk if anyone has realized but their toe cap doesnt even work! I just see people everywhere with their toes hanging out:laugh:. and you dont know what your missing till you ride a binding with a proper toe cap haha!because kid dont know you can ride without one and be fine for the most park till you take a really hard carve. And another selling point is that the binding is indestructible, THERE NOT, so funny watching kids at my hill scour the park looking for parts that fall off all the time...
> 
> My only hope is that Rice persuades them to updating the toe strap.
> 
> its a real shame, I love the union company and the idea of their product but... they really never change their product to advance. And why would they, 70% of my local hill rides them.


Unions are some of the cheaper priced bindings on the market


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

I see two extremes here...

Union's toe cap does suck, especially considering they are a binding only company. Who knows, maybe that bottom lip on the toe cap is supposed to stick out? However, I can't deny their durability. DuPont Zytel Plastic is not generic crap.

On the other side, It's not true that Unions are cheaper. They have a wide range of bindings from cheap to expensive. They are pretty damn average, but do have premium prices as well.

Union isn't what bothers me so much. It's the hardcore fans that tout them as the best bindings in the world when they haven't even demoed a fair share of bindings. A lot of their fans also frankenstein that toe strap so that speaks volumes about the design. Look over at Easy Lounging, that's C3/Burton forum much like this place is NS/Rome. They have an entire thread dedicated to frankenstein Unions.

I just think Union could do better with that toe strap and ratchet and perhaps offer up canting. There would be little to complain about after that.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

Leo said:


> I see two extremes here...
> 
> Union's toe cap does suck, especially considering they are a binding only company. Who knows, maybe that bottom lip on the toe cap is supposed to stick out? However, I can't deny their durability. DuPont Zytel Plastic is not generic crap.
> 
> ...


As a person who has wasted a lot of money trying to replace my Union's I can say for certain they're quality bindings. The only gripe is the toe strap, but really it's not like it's a deal breaker. If you don't like it get a replacement:


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## DrGreeNThumB420 (Aug 19, 2007)

Riley212 said:


> His statement, union "makes the best bindings on the market", is pretty funny. Why did you ride burtons forever if unions are the best?
> 
> (i know he kind of has to say that now that he is sponsored)


all bout money when comes down to it ....reminds me of this skit
Dave Chappelle - Coke and Pepsi - YouTube


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