# Salomon Hologram Review



## Surgeon

This review is indeed after riding these only one day, I will try to update it later this season...

So, I managed to snatch a pair of these relatively cheap.
Some quick background info:
I'm 40 and this'll be my 31st season snowboarding. I never had a season where I didn't ride but the first 2-3 years after my kids were born I didn't get to ride as much.
I'm 6'2'', 190lbs, in great shape (I skateboard in the summer and do about 4000km on my roadbike per summer (may to sept), lots of weight-lifting in the winter (which will make me gain another 10-12 pounds) + basketball).
I've always been more of a big air/halfpipe guy although I do rails/boxes too.
No pipe where I ride now but I still do big air and some rails, although that's still not my speciality.
I've always prefered stiffer set-ups (my last pipe/big air set-up was a 164 custom X with Cartels).
I ride on the east-coast (northern Quebec). Very rarely have anything close to powder over here, they groom every snowflake that falls.
I put the Holograms (M) on my new 2020 Huck Knife (155W)
I rode them with my Burton Imperials (2 days on them), size 9.5.

We had a lot of snow today and there were a few inches of "pow" since the snow fell early in the morning and they didn't have time to kill it with the groomer.

I really enjoyed the bindings. I've read a lot of comments regarding the fact that Shadowtech is a different feel, takes some getting used to and all that. I also remember an australian member stating that he felt unsafe on them (no offense intended, he seems like a cool guy and we see eye-to-eye on a lot of things).
I didn't experience them that way at all. Sure, they have more lateral play than the 2020 cartels I have on the Assassin I rode last week but they never felt "alien" or weird to me nor did I need to get used to them.
They were actually great. The lateral play is great but the toe-heel response was indeed still very good.
I do think that they're not as responsive as my 2020 Cartels (and a LOT less than the 2007 cartels I used to have, which I rode last year still) but good enough.
They were probably the reason why I felt more at ease on boxes and rails today, although I can't discount the impact of riding the huck knife (man that board is fun). Still, it was only the second day of the season so maybe it was just muscle-memory kicking in adequately.
They were a lot of fun on jumps as well. No big jumps built anywhere yet but every grab was a lot more fun and easier to tweak, even with my still fresh Imperials.

Thing I didn't enjoy: [part about sidefoot pressure removed, it wasn't due to the bindings but the boot] Forward lean adjustment. I enjoy "some" forward lean. Nothing extreme but I do want some. It's a bit bothersome to adjust. Sure, they can't go about it like other bindings but I found it a bit annoying and it was a bit hard (while on the mountain) to do it right and make sure both bindings have the same angle).

Will I keep them? Hell yeah.

I'm writing this review because a lot of comments and reviews make it seem like these are some very weird/hard to ride or get used to bindings. They're not. If going from a regular binding to these is hard for you, you either need to ride more and get better (a LOT better... no offense), you're doing something very wrong in the way you set them up or you're Damian Sanders-like and are used to ride freestyle with hard boots. I can see them being weird (as in too soft lateraly weird) for someone with super stiff boots and carbon bindings...yeah, you're not going to like them but you wouldn't enjoy regular freestyle bindings either so... They're not hard to ride, they're not weird feeling either nor will having other regular bindings in you quiver make things weird when you switch between boards. You're a beginner? Maybe skip them for the time being, but from intermediate and further on, go ahead, they're definitely worth a shot.

**I have no relations/contacts with anybody at Salomon at all, I just like these bindings and it's hard to find real-life or reliable info on them.


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## Yeahti87

I rode them on several occassions last two seasons. Definitely a lot of lateral give but nothing weird and they definitely do their job driving the board edge to edge. Paired with a softer Yes Typo the combo felt great for butters and small spins on piste. All mountain freestyle bindings with a lot of lateral give/surfy feel but for sure they’re not limited to park riding only. Most likely too weak to power a stiffer board (I’ve never tested them like that), just like any binding in this category.


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## Surgeon

I updated my original post. The pressure I felt wasn't from the bindings but from my left boot. I did some spot-heatmolding and it went away. I'm two days in (I rotate between 3 boards, two of them have cartels, one has these) and I friggin' love these things.


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## Surgeon

And I just bought a second pair to replace the cartels on my Assassin. I freakin' LOVE these things.


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## Yeahti87

Your hype makes me wanna hop on these again and focus ‚on testing them’ this time. Once they reopen the slopes here...


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## Surgeon

Yeahti87 said:


> Your hype makes me wanna hop on these again and focus ‚on testing them’ this time. Once they reopen the slopes here...


I really don’t intend to “hype” the bindings. To each his own, but the fact that they’re often described as “loose” or “weird” baffles me and I just mean to offer a quick review.
It seems like these were made for me.


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## Mike256

I just got some. I dont find them loose or weird. They just feel like a comfortable mid flexing binding. I really like them. They dont feel like they fight against my movements but they dont feel like a soft binding either. The straps and buckles suck though. Buckles freeze like union forces. And the straps take me an extra few seconds and brain power to put on and take off. I think the straps are a touch short too making it harder to put on. Its nitpicking but o well. Means I cant strap in whilst riding with them - devastating on a powder day.


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## Surgeon

That's what is so great to me: they react like a good midflex binding but they allow the side to side play I need in the park (and they allow more ease to tweaking even with stiffer boots). It's just an amazing combination for me.

I really haven't experienced the problems you seem to have though (but there's no powder here). The straps are great and the ratchet work well after a few very cold days up here. The toe strap doesn't conform as well to my boots as the Burton Supergrip (but I haven't found anything better with my burton boots yet) but it's still very good and holds well. The ankle strap I find amazingly comfortable too, better than my 19-20 Cartels.


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## Surgeon

*Update #3: Careful of which boots you use

So, I had two new pairs of boots for this season: Burton Imperial 9.5 and Burton Swath 9.5

I rode my first 12 days with the Imperials. I really liked 'em and they pair well with the holograms: they have the stiffer response I like (I've always been a pipe/big air guy so I like response and support, even if there's no pipe here) but the holograms make my set-up more playful side-to-side.

So I, being that I ride on a smaller hill, I had high hopes for the Swath: softer response for jibs, very comfortable walking, etc.

Thing is: the Swaths are bulkier. They fit my feet pretty much the same as the Imperials but the shell is definitely bulkier and I had to lengthen the straps to fit them better. No big deal until I rode in them.

The problem is: the heel is also bulkier. The boots have to be pushed in. Pair that with a soft heelcup and: After 1 lap, you feel the pressure, after 2 laps it gets a bit uncomfortable and after 4 it was painful. I ended-up unstrapping my front foot in the chairlift line a few times instead of my right in order to give it a bit of a rest. I managed to do the whole day but it was really uncomfortable. Enough so that I'm selling the Swaths right now (used for only 1 day...sigh). I love the bindings and the Imperial/hologram combination is great but I really hated the Swaths in there (or I hated the Holograms with the Swaths, depends on your angle). I wouldn't wanna go another day like that.

It sucks really 'cause I know I would've loved the Swaths otherwise but I'm sold on the Holograms' performance so they stay and the boots go.

My advice:
If you're considering buying the hologram and already have your boots: make sure you can test them in the shop and/or return them easily; or just buy cheap enough that you won't mind selling them if your boots don't fit as well.
If you already have the holograms and are going for another pair of boots: bring the board/binding in with you and test them in the shop, stay strapped in for a while to make sure you don't feel the pressure.

I'm lucky the Imperials fit so well and that I like them but I'm sure bummed that I bought the Swaths for nothing and now have to sell them at a loss (Ok, shouldn't be a huge loss since I got them on clearance this summer but still).


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## Mike256

Gees I got lucky then. I was about to buy some swaths a couple of months ago as hifi's don't seem to be available this year. Fortunately I found some last years hifi boots.


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## Surgeon

Mike256 said:


> Gees I got lucky then. I was about to buy some swaths a couple of months ago as hifi's don't seem to be available this year. Fortunately I found some last years hifi boots.


You ride Holograms as well? Then I’d say you definitely dodged a bullet.
It got me worried that it « could » be problematic to change boots but Salomon’s boots should be no-brainers regarding fit of course.


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## Mike256

Yeah they definitely work well with them but as i mentioned in my earlier post the toe strap is to short for their own boots. The wife just ordered some holograms too and she wears burton rituals and limewires. Hopefully she doesnt have your problem with them :/


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## Surgeon

Mike256 said:


> Yeah they definitely work well with them but as i mentioned in my earlier post the toe strap is to short for their own boots. The wife just ordered some holograms too and she wears burton rituals and limewires. Hopefully she doesnt have your problem with them :/


If it was a problem with many models and brands of boots they wouldn’t sell too many of these and would’ve had modified the model already. Still, I wish her good luck, just in case.


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## Surgeon

Quick update. Getting close to day 20. They're still amazing.
Got a pair of Salomon Launch Boa to replace the Swath I'm still trying to get rid of.
The fit with the Salomon boots, not surprisingly, is amazing. Even better than with the Imperials that work great. 
If in doubt, just get Salomon boots. It's like they were made to work together (duh).


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## adgu

This binding is the favorite of thegoodride.com for 2021. I am gonna buy Korua otto with burton ion boots. do you think salomon hologram is suitable for this quiver?


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## buller_scott

Hey Surgeon, nice review! The Australian member that you referred to was me. 

Interesting reading your notes about bulkier boots fitting into the binding in such a way as to cause a bit of pain. 

And (not to rebut your points and your love of these bindings), I think that’s where I fell down when I briefly had mine - at the time, I was on Salomon Dialogue Wides, size 10. IIRC, that was a borderline size between the M and L binding size. 

In store, getting the boot’s heel into the heel up required effort, and the straps had to be maxed right out in order to get over the toes and around the ankle - so I went for the L size binding, as the M seemed well undersized. 

My review was perhaps a little moany as it was on the back of massive contrast - in the Holograms I felt slack and slop to the point of feeling insecure, a few hours later I’m at the shop then into a pair of Burton Clutch, and I’m in heaven - so that would have played a part in my review. 

I’m not against alternate binding design - I really, really enjoyed the tripod system of my K2 Liens, I appreciated the Hinge in EST bindings, and I’m thinking seriously about getting another pair of Nows, this season.

If you’re thinking about trying Shadowtech and have the funds to experiment / can put good time on the hill via a demo day, I’d definitely encourage it. If Salomon somehow redesigned their sizing such that the M works better with that dreaded 9-11 “in-between” boot size, honestly.... I’d be inclined to give em another go. I like the idea behind the tech.


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## Surgeon

adgu said:


> This binding is the favorite of thegoodride.com for 2021. I am gonna buy Korua otto with burton ion boots. do you think salomon hologram is suitable for this quiver?


They should work but if you're using the ion, to me, it means you like stiffer set-ups. If it was me, I'd go for stiffer bindings than that.



buller_scott said:


> Hey Surgeon, nice review! The Australian member that you referred to was me.


I know, I just didn't want to single you out personnaly... 

​


> Interesting reading your notes about bulkier boots fitting into the binding in such a way as to cause a bit of pain.
> 
> And (not to rebut your points and your love of these bindings), I think that’s where I fell down when I briefly had mine - at the time, I was on Salomon Dialogue Wides, size 10. IIRC, that was a borderline size between the M and L binding size.
> 
> In store, getting the boot’s heel into the heel up required effort, and the straps had to be maxed right out in order to get over the toes and around the ankle - so I went for the L size binding, as the M seemed well undersized.
> 
> My review was perhaps a little moany as it was on the back of massive contrast - in the Holograms I felt slack and slop to the point of feeling insecure, a few hours later I’m at the shop then into a pair of Burton Clutch, and I’m in heaven - so that would have played a part in my review.
> 
> I’m not against alternate binding design - I really, really enjoyed the tripod system of my K2 Liens, I appreciated the Hinge in EST bindings, and I’m thinking seriously about getting another pair of Nows, this season.
> 
> If you’re thinking about trying Shadowtech and have the funds to experiment / can put good time on the hill via a demo day, I’d definitely encourage it. If Salomon somehow redesigned their sizing such that the M works better with that dreaded 9-11 “in-between” boot size, honestly.... I’d be inclined to give em another go. I like the idea behind the tech.


Hey, none of us is either right or wrong, it's all experience and opinion. They didn't work for you and it's fine. To me, they're the best thing I've ridden in a long time.
The situation you mention about your boots makes perfect sense and could very well explain a big part of the problems you had. Or maybe even with a good fit you wouldn't have enjoyed them. Who knows.
The reason I wrote my review is that, while completely valid from your point of view, your review did not reflect my experience at all and I felt the need to share what I thought of them. 
Demos don't exist in my little corner of the world so I took a shot and I sure am glad I did.

Cheers mate!


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## buller_scott

Surgeon said:


> They should work but if you're using the ion, to me, it means you like stiffer set-ups. If it was me, I'd go for stiffer bindings than that.
> 
> 
> 
> I know, I just didn't want to single you out personnaly...
> 
> ​
> Hey, none of us is either right or wrong, it's all experience and opinion. They didn't work for you and it's fine. To me, they're the best thing I've ridden in a long time.
> The situation you mention about your boots makes perfect sense and could very well explain a big part of the problems you had. Or maybe even with a good fit you wouldn't have enjoyed them. Who knows.
> The reason I wrote my review is that, while completely valid from your point of view, your review did not reflect my experience at all and I felt the need to share what I thought of them.
> Demos don't exist in my little corner of the world so I took a shot and I sure am glad I did.
> 
> Cheers mate!


Your review is good, and we need more like ‘em for different / off-beat binding design [hell, if Burton made bindings with the Hinge and micro adjustment base plates for non-EST boards, that’d be me right there!]. 

And boo @ no demo days — we’ve got one here at Perisher [interstate for me], but other than that, nothing else really. 

I just hope that folks like us who pay full retail to “experiment” with new gear, must be contributing SOMETHING to the industry!


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## adgu

Surgeon said:


> They should work but if you're using the ion, to me, it means you like stiffer set-ups. If it was me, I'd go for stiffer bindings than that.


Hello Surgeon, thanks. so If it was you, which stiffer binding that you select with the same price level ?


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## Surgeon

buller_scott said:


> Your review is good, and we need more like ‘em for different / off-beat binding design [hell, if Burton made bindings with the Hinge and micro adjustment base plates for non-EST boards, that’d be me right there!].


It just goes to show that there's no such thing as a universal piece of equipment..


> And boo @ no demo days — we’ve got one here at Perisher [interstate for me], but other than that, nothing else really.
> 
> I just hope that folks like us who pay full retail to “experiment” with new gear, must be contributing SOMETHING to the industry!


Ah yes, the all important "industry support" by which our worth is measured...

I "had to" (no one held a gun to my head of course) buy 3 full kits for this season in order to test out what I wanted "tech-wise", all freestyle set-ups too. But they were on sale so does this count? Am I good or bad? Am I a snowboarder or a skier in a trans-disguise? Please internet, validate me!



adgu said:


> Hello Surgeon, thanks. so If it was you, which stiffer binding that you select with the same price level ?


Hmmm, you could go for a stiffer "shadow-tech" binding such as the Highlander or the Quantum. However, _if it was me_ (be glad you're not ), and I wanted a stiffer set-up (if I was still lucky enough to do a lot of pipe riding for example) I'd just go with a tried and true stiffer binding to go with the ions such as the Cartel or Cartel X (k2 formula are in the same ballpark as well and cheaper too). It really depends on the type of riding you do of course. The shadow-fit will give you more play for tweaked-out grabs and jibs/rails (which is what I appreciate about it) while retaining a good toe-heel response, however, there's something to be said about stiffer lateral play if you're a powerful rider when it comes to carving or riding hard on big-airs, pipe, etc.

I'm by no means an expert on all good current bindings. I suggest you start a separate thread in order to fully tap the experience of the members here...


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## adgu

Surgeon said:


> Hmmm, you could go for a stiffer "shadow-tech" binding such as the Highlander or the Quantum. However, _if it was me_ (be glad you're not ), and I wanted a stiffer set-up (if I was still lucky enough to do a lot of pipe riding for example) I'd just go with a tried and true stiffer binding to go with the ions such as the Cartel or Cartel X (k2 formula are in the same ballpark as well and cheaper too). It really depends on the type of riding you do of course. The shadow-fit will give you more play for tweaked-out grabs and jibs/rails (which is what I appreciate about it) while retaining a good toe-heel response, however, there's something to be said about stiffer lateral play if you're a powerful rider when it comes to carving or riding hard on big-airs, pipe, etc.
> 
> I'm by no means an expert on all good current bindings. I suggest you start a separate thread in order to fully tap the experience of the members here...


Thank you Surgeon...


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## Jimi7

adgu said:


> Hello Surgeon, thanks. so If it was you, which stiffer binding that you select with the same price level ?


Older post, but I agree that a stiffer binding might be in order for your set up. I've never tried the Salomon Alibi/Alibi Pros, but that's a stiffer, more carver oriented binding at a pretty good price. The last set of Salomon Bindings I had were SPX-45s that I rode for ~10 years maybe 200+ days and are still functional today.


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## adgu

Jimi7 said:


> Older post, but I agree that a stiffer binding might be in order for your set up. I've never tried the Salomon Alibi/Alibi Pros, but that's a stiffer, more carver oriented binding at a pretty good price. The last set of Salomon Bindings I had were SPX-45s that I rode for ~10 years maybe 200+ days and are still functional today.


Hello Jimi7 thanks. I bought Union Atlas and not tried yet. looking forward to having some snow


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## jpegBri

Surgeon said:


> Quick update. Getting close to day 20. They're still amazing.
> Got a pair of Salomon Launch Boa to replace the Swath I'm still trying to get rid of.
> The fit with the Salomon boots, not surprisingly, is amazing. Even better than with the Imperials that work great.
> If in doubt, just get Salomon boots. It's like they were made to work together (duh).


Hey, Thanks for the updates. I have a pair of solomon launch st8 jacket or whatever its called in size 10.5. I have thin feet so i crank them shut. i ride mediums in burtons, you think i can fit a medium in holograms? thanks


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## Surgeon

jpegBri said:


> Hey, Thanks for the updates. I have a pair of solomon launch st8 jacket or whatever its called in size 10.5. I have thin feet so i crank them shut. i ride mediums in burtons, you think i can fit a medium in holograms? thanks


Hi, it'd be a tight fit.
This is a pic of the adjustment with my 9.5.
There's still room but not a lot.
i'd show you the toe strap but I've modded it so it wouldn't help.










Best to try 'em out in person or buy from a shop with a good return policy to be safe.


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## jpegBri

thanks for the pick. im more concerned with length as i usually dont have trouble getting ankle strap around (small ankles), does the adjustable toe ramp come out a significant amount or not really? thanks


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## Surgeon

jpegBri said:


> thanks for the pick. im more concerned with length as i usually dont have trouble getting ankle strap around (small ankles), does the adjustable toe ramp come out a significant amount or not really? thanks


There are three increments for the toe-ramp position.
I ride them at the center position with my 9.5 so there's one more notch to go still:









If that's your only concern I think you'd be good to go.


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