# Anyone else still riding 10 year old bindings?



## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

I'm firmly off the belief that boots are the most important component of your kit by a country mile and then a long way after that your board but bindings to me just don't seem all that important. 

I'm on 2009 Rome 390 bosses and they do the job. What am I missing? Have bindings really moved on since then or is it marketing bs?


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## Myoko (Dec 11, 2018)

Just my opinion, and others have way more experience than me in this area. Boards have massively changed, in so many areas including holding an edge/flex less chatter. Try riding an original Skate Banana. Bindings have also massively changed in regards to bloody near everything. Boots, the same but to a lesser degree in my humble opinion anyway. You are doing yourself a disservice and making things harder than they need to be. Don't believe me? Demo a short powder board for tree riding or the latest board and or bindings and see for yourself. Until you have felt the difference, you have no idea really to be brutally honest. Also, boots don't last long before packing out and then you are compromising without even knowing you are as things are no longer instant. That is unquestionable. Demo something, anything, please.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

Myoko said:


> Just my opinion, and others have way more experience than me in this area. Boards have massively changed, in so many areas including holding an edge/flex less chatter. Try riding an original Skate Banana. Bindings have also massively changed in regards to bloody near everything. Boots, the same but to a lesser degree in my humble opinion anyway. You are doing yourself a disservice and making things harder than they need to be. Don't believe me? Demo a short powder board for tree riding or the latest board and or bindings and see for yourself. Until you have felt the difference, you have no idea really to be brutally honest. Also, boots don't last long before packing out and then you are compromising without even knowing you are as things are no longer instant. That is unquestionable. Demo something, anything, please.


I agree things have changed but my question is specifically bindings and whether there are significant improvements, just looking at the parts I can't see it. 

Also demoing is 100%the best way to go but for us British boarders we don't really have that option.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

Left-Moment said:


> I'm firmly off the belief that boots are the most important component of your kit by a country mile and then a long way after that your board but bindings to me just don't seem all that important.
> 
> I'm on 2009 Rome 390 bosses and they do the job. What am I missing? Have bindings really moved on since then or is it marketing bs?


Mine have Bluetooth & perform rub & tugs on the chairlift. 
 <===8
Haha, you tell me, worth it?



 TT


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

I have 3 pair of Frankenstein Burton CFX bindings. 
With all new high backs, straps, ratchets, ladders.
Just the base plates are from the 90's I think haha.



When you have deadly boots, bindings are bindings, for the most part.
Except NOW bindings. They are new tech


TT


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## Myoko (Dec 11, 2018)

Look at toe design and how they hold your heel in better for a start I suggest. Tried NOW bindings, felt like I was glued to the board.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Burtons Hammock strap,... *waaaay* better response & comfort than the original or even the somewhat newer asym type padded straps. (...I have 8 & 9 yo Cartels and have upgraded _ALL_ of them to the Genesis, Hammock type straps.) _HUGE_ improvement. 

2017 Rome Katanas and their pivot mount for ankle straps. Again,.. HUGE improvements in adjustability, comfort and response. Not to mention the super grippy, toe straps. 

And those are just the binding improvements I've had my limited experience with. I'm _certain_ there are plenty other examples.


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## Crusty (Nov 8, 2018)

I don't get the hype. My backup bindings are Nitros from oh, let's say around 2003. They still work great. 
Granted, I've never had sex with them, so I may be missing something. BRB.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

timmytard said:


> Mine have Bluetooth & perform rub & tugs on the chairlift.
> <===8
> Haha, you tell me, worth it?
> 
> ...


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## Paxford (Jan 7, 2019)

Nows are dope. No comparison to my older bindings. Worth it.


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## SEWiShred (Jan 19, 2019)

I kept a snowboard for almost 8 years, and when I got a new one I realized I made a huge mistake and wasted a lot of time on a board that lacked a lot of nice features. Now I upgrade boots every year or so, bindings every three, and a new board every three years or so. 

I have learned that I've never regretted spending too much on snowboard stuff. But I have regretted keeping things too long or being too cheap. Maybe it's because I'm on a smaller midwestern hill and I need to keep things fresh with gear, but throwing something new in your kit really can wake things up. 

With my 2010 Flow Quantum, I did the same thing. I thought it was great, I had an emotional attachment to it as it was my first real, new snowboard. After I replaced by 04 Burton Clash I got off craigslist I felt like the Flow Quantum was the most amazing thing ever. And then I bought a Hot Knife and I think the Flow Quantum is boring. It helps I went from a 155 wide to a 159 wide, too. Quantum was a great board for its time, even though the brass edges were trash and I had to stop riding the board because my shop said there was nothing left to sharpen on the edges. 

I would probably be very bored of my little hill by now if it weren't for new gear. Maybe you're lucky enough to live by a real mountain and you can enjoy the snow more, but I really regret not being more on top of gear in the past.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

So this has clearly divided opinion so I'm not sure what to think. Still like my Rome 390s but I'd be tempted by some others if I could see the point. Going to take a look at these much heralded Now bindings now.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

SEWiShred said:


> I kept a snowboard for almost 8 years, and when I got a new one I realized I made a huge mistake and wasted a lot of time on a board that lacked a lot of nice features. Now I upgrade boots every year or so, bindings every three, and a new board every three years or so.
> 
> I have learned that I've never regretted spending too much on snowboard stuff. But I have regretted keeping things too long or being too cheap. Maybe it's because I'm on a smaller midwestern hill and I need to keep things fresh with gear, but throwing something new in your kit really can wake things up.
> 
> ...


Yeah I get that totally and it's what I did when all I knew was holidays in the alps, it added to my Excitement for the trip and gave another dimension. When I did a season in whistler and did 130days all I bought were new boots but only because I was wearing far too large a boot!


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

Bindings and boots have to be comfy and work. With that you can manage any board. You'd think a binding is easy to fit, but there are so many variations of footbeds and straps and highbacks. If you found something that works, don't stress it.


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## Jimi7 (Jan 14, 2020)

IMHO, all the new tech is 80% marketing BS, just like snowboarding is 80% rider and 20% equipment. 

I just retired my 2007 Salomon SPX55  bindings. I replaced them with some new Cartels. I'd still be riding them except the ankle slider has bit the dust and I can't seem to find a replacement slider for them. There was nothing wrong with them and they never let me down - as a matter fact those bindings and I cheated the Grim Reaper a couple times (or at least an ambulance ride). If I do locate a slider, then I'll mount these on my ~18 year old Custom. For what it's worth, I'm driving an 2001 Nissan Pathfinder and will keep driving it until the wheels fall of. I'm sure the new automotive tech is nice, but really I just need my car to start when I turn the key, go when I press on the gas and stop when I hit the brakes. Just like all I need my binding to do is keep my boots on the board and transmit my inputs to the board and not fall apart while doing it. Everything else is just optional or preference. 

When I started riding Palmer had the Power Links - basically a riser that you put under your binding to increase leverage and/or increase clearance for the big footed and/or dampen your ride. Burton sold something called a Cant that could be placed under your binding to cant the binding (ie lift the heel compared the toe). I used one on my rear leg to raise the heel, which increased heelside response when carving. I'd like to see those technologies/products come back kinda like all these new snowboard shapes are really just old recycled shapes. 

Obviously, it's been a long time since I shopped bindings and I don't see a massive change in the past ~12+ years. ~12 years ago I went thru a bunch of bindings before I finally decided on the Salomons. Toe caps were new tech when I bought my SPX55s and most of them sucked at the time, so I went with traditional toe straps. The toecaps on my Cartels are spot on, but I don't think they're anymore responsive or comfortable than old school toe straps. The infamous hammock strap is actually less comfortable than the padded ankle strap from my Salomons, but I've only rode them once and still need to try adjusting them - also could be my boots/feet/ankles adjusting to new pressure points. IMHO my Cartels are just "cheaper." I don't mean "cheap" in a bad way, but I'm sure the newer "minimalist" ankle straps and toe caps have got to be less expensive to manufacture than the old plush/padded straps from back in the day - there is just less overall material in the Cartels compared to my Salomons. Burton's "reflex" technology fails to impress me, but I only freeride - maybe freestylers benefit from that tech more than freeriders. Personally, I prefer bindings with thicker baseplates, but I can see why the Cartels are so popular and I plan to keep mine unless I hit the lotto and then I'll just get some Burton Step-ons. I'm sure if I retire my 12-13 year old gear and get new stuff my riding will improve by leaps and bounds (heavy dose of sarcasm). 

As for real life difference between my old and new bindings - the old ones were more responsive/stiffer (IIRC 30% Carbon), the Cartels are a tad lighter, slightly less responsive. As far what it means on the mountain - pretty much next to nothing so far. Actually, the biggest improvement I've seen is that new buckles and straps work way better than 12 year old ones. The Cartel from today isn't much different from the one I looked at 12-13 years ago when I bought my SPX55s. I actually passed on the Cartels over a decade ago because I didn't trust the new "living hinge" highbacks - they looked they would break to me. Clearly I was wrong about the living hinge. I wish I would have bought the Cartels back then, because I'm pretty sure they still use the same sliders, buckles and straps from back then so I could have repaired my bindings. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20. This time I'm buying a set of spare parts in advance.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

Jimi7 said:


> IMHO, all the new tech is 80% marketing BS, just like snowboarding is 80% rider and 20% equipment.
> 
> I just retired my 2007 Salomon SPX55  bindings. I replaced them with some new Cartels. I'd still be riding them except the ankle slider has bit the dust and I can't seem to find a replacement slider for them. There was nothing wrong with them and they never let me down - as a matter fact those bindings and I cheated the Grim Reaper a couple times (or at least an ambulance ride). If I do locate a slider, then I'll mount these on my ~18 year old Custom. For what it's worth, I'm driving an 2001 Nissan Pathfinder and will keep driving it until the wheels fall of. I'm sure the new automotive tech is nice, but really I just need my car to start when I turn the key, go when I press on the gas and stop when I hit the brakes. Just like all I need my binding to do is keep my boots on the board and transmit my inputs to the board and not fall apart while doing it. Everything else is just optional or preference.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this insight, seems like I won't be gaining much by "upgrading" to newer bindings according to your POV anyway. Pretty much confirms what I thought but I can't help but look anyway!


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

So on the note of newer bindings, I have seen a great deal on some 2020 Arbor Hemlock bindings, what do you guys think of these compared to my 2009 Rome 390 Boss, will it be a significant upgrade or just not worth the hassle?


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## Crusty (Nov 8, 2018)

Remember what I said about my old backup bindings? It's because I'm cheap. If they're a smokin' deal then by all means... more gear!


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

I have a few pair of NOW bindings if you're interested?


TT


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

Bindings are the interface between you and the board. If that interface breaks, you're outta luck. Plastics age. Straps break. I'd think a decade is a great amount of use from bindings. Might be time to thank them and move on. Or you could ride them till they die, and replace them after you figure out how to get down the mountain.


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## vodkaboarder (Feb 9, 2013)

Left-Moment said:


> So on the note of newer bindings, I have seen a great deal on some 2020 Arbor Hemlock bindings, what do you guys think of these compared to my 2009 Rome 390 Boss, will it be a significant upgrade or just not worth the hassle?



I had a pair of those 390s. The only downside I remember to them is that they are pretty heavy.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

timmytard said:


> I have a few pair of NOW bindings if you're interested?
> 
> 
> TT


Sorry bro I am in the UK so think postage would be prohibitive, thanks though.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

WigMar said:


> Bindings are the interface between you and the board. If that interface breaks, you're outta luck. Plastics age. Straps break. I'd think a decade is a great amount of use from bindings. Might be time to thank them and move on. Or you could ride them till they die, and replace them after you figure out how to get down the mountain.


Yes i appreciate that and have replaced several parts over the years. I have spare ladders, ratchets, heel loop and other parts but now need new straps as I am all out of those. I can buy replacements for about £40 but with the Hemlocks being £99 I am very tempted to just get these and use the Rome's as a backup. They are good bindings though no doubt with a very robust design. Seem to be selling basically the same binding still so that must be a good thing, just wish I could get spare parts as easily as I used to.


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## Left-Moment (Jan 17, 2020)

vodkaboarder said:


> I had a pair of those 390s. The only downside I remember to them is that they are pretty heavy.


Yeah exactly, they are tough bindings and I don't really care about the weight so I am reluctant to let them go but the new straps are pricey.


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## milwaukeeater (Feb 26, 2020)

newer bindings and boards seem a bit lighter these days.. i still have a pair of 15 + year old salomon SPRO carbon heel backs, work fine. i moved back to wisconsin from colorado so i dont stay clamped in as long. new bindings sure are comfier for those mile runs. I did change to FLOW bindings (7 years old) so i can strap in on the lift ( not recommended as its not safe) still run DC rogan boots like 10 years old too, work great feel great. my 15+ year old 170 never summer legacy holds an edge like new, did a road gap last year, would never sell it. not a fan of the rocker camber as wisconsin rarely gets over 6-8 inch dumps and i'm not concerns with rails at all.


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## iamok (Jan 25, 2020)

I have 2013 cartels, they ride the same as new ones, just softer.

And escapade from 2008, they miss some new tech, and way more responsive cause of this, but less comfortable.

In comparison - new bindings are a bit more durable (plastic straps), and a bit more responsive (cartels), and a bit more comfortable.


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