# Best soft/medium park binding?



## Weasley (Feb 4, 2013)

Hey guys, so I decided that i wanted to build a more park oriented board set up. I have been riding a Lib Tech T.Rice with some Cartels and although I love the set up I really wanted a more flexible/playful set up for those park days. I got a Lobster Park board mainly cause I wanted to support the Helgasons and really wanted to try out TBT. Now I am looking for a little bit softer binding for more tweakablity and playfulness. Now this will be my park setup and I want a park/freestyle oriented binding. I hit mostly kickers but do a few rails and jibs whenever they are there so I dont want something too soft. I have been looking at a few different binding and this is what I came up with.

Ride Maestro and Rodeo
Burton Malavitas
Flux DMCC Light and DS30
Possibly Switchback Halldor Pros
Union Contact

Now I am looking for something just a bit softer than the Cartels and on a scale of 1-10 something around a 4 at the least and a 6 at the most, preferably around a 5. Both the Rides and the Malavitas seem like the best choice for me but I've been hearing good stuff about Flux too. I just want to get yalls opinion on these binding and personal views. Please don't comment unless you have personal experience riding a pair of these. But yea what do you guys think of the Maestro and Rodeos? Are they a fun, flexy, playful freestyle park binding like they are made out to be? And what about the Fluxs? Anyways thanks a ton for the info


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## Rookie09 (Sep 5, 2012)

I don't really like Ride for park bindings since their baseplate is aluminum and really stiff. Burton Malavitas will be a really nice mid flexing binding. DMCC Light is an excellent mid flexing binding as well, pretty expensive if I remember correctly though. Contact is a good soft flexing park binding. I would also consider looking at the Raiden Zero bindings. Excellent mid-soft binding.

Personally I would rank what you have listed:
1) Flux DMCC Light
2) Burton Malavita
3) Flux DS30
4) Union Contact
5) Ride Maestro
6) Ride Rodeo

I haven't heard of the Switchback Halldor Pro bindings before. I would probably put the Raiden Zeros betwee the Malavitas and DS30s.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

I'd vote for the Switchbacks or DMCC Lights for that deck personally, from your list. Ideally I'd say get Salomon Holograms. Soft side to side for park but still super responsive. Other than my Flows which are on my Rush, those are what I ride.


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## scotty100 (Apr 3, 2012)

Weasley said:


> Now I am looking for something just a bit softer than the Cartels and on a scale of 1-10 something around a 4 at the least and a 6 at the most, preferably around a 5. Both the Rides and the Malavitas seem like the best choice for me but I've been hearing good stuff about Flux too. I just want to get yalls opinion on these binding and personal views. Please don't comment unless you have personal experience riding a pair of these. But yea what do you guys think of the Maestro and Rodeos? Are they a fun, flexy, playful freestyle park binding like they are made out to be? And what about the Fluxs? Anyways thanks a ton for the info


I have this year's malavitas (restricted) and they definitely are not what I would call soft/flexy. I'd say med-stiff. Some say they are stiffer than the cartels this year, although I have not ridden the cartels.


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## Weasley (Feb 4, 2013)

Nivek said:


> I'd vote for the Switchbacks or DMCC Lights for that deck personally, from your list. Ideally I'd say get Salomon Holograms. Soft side to side for park but still super responsive. Other than my Flows which are on my Rush, those are what I ride.


Awesome sounds good. Have you ridden the switchbacks? How are they and are they worth the 250 bucks? what about the normal version of the switchbacks? And thanks for the reply ill give those solomans a check out!


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## Weasley (Feb 4, 2013)

scotty100 said:


> I have this year's malavitas (restricted) and they definitely are not what I would call soft/flexy. I'd say med-stiff. Some say they are stiffer than the cartels this year, although I have not ridden the cartels.


The restricteds arethe winged back correct? I believe those are a stiffer binding than the normal version. Those ones were a little softer than my cartels but i'd still prefer a little bit softer but i'm still considering it. But yea thanks for the reply!


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

I vote contact pro. Even though the baseplate is carbon infused it's still pretty flexy because of the limited board contact.


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## scotty100 (Apr 3, 2012)

Weasley said:


> The restricteds arethe winged back correct? I believe those are a stiffer binding than the normal version. Those ones were a little softer than my cartels but i'd still prefer a little bit softer but i'm still considering it. But yea thanks for the reply!


Yes, they have the winged backs and that's what probably makes them a little stiffer/more responsive. Great binding but probably not what you are after.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Weasley said:


> Awesome sounds good. Have you ridden the switchbacks? How are they and are they worth the 250 bucks? what about the normal version of the switchbacks? And thanks for the reply ill give those solomans a check out!


When I rode them I kinda just figured they'd be worth the price if they were bomb proof. So far from all the dudes I know rockin em they have been. One is park crew at Breck. So at this point I'd say yes. And one nice thing if anything does ever break, completely tool less. They have a lot of ride adjustability too. It's a product I back.

I have only ridden the Standards. The wings would be rad, rock em on the inside.


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## Weasley (Feb 4, 2013)

why would you want the wings on the inside?


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## LadyFlinstone (Aug 5, 2011)

Wings on the inside of your binding are going to give you more edge to edge response. The wings on the inside of your calves will give you leverage in the center of your stance for when your carving front to back. Wings on the outside will give you leverage on the outside of your calves so you can push up on them for when you tweaking tricks and getting wiggly. 
The Flux DMCC light and DS30 have the asymetrical highback so you can switch them for a different feeling ride. Its not going to be as stiff and responsive as a full wing, but you will get a switch in leverage when you switch the left highback with the right highback. 
The DMCC light is going to be a little stiffer and lighter weight than the DS30. Both the DS30 and DMCC light have the same highback and baseplate, but the DMCC light is carbon infused, and the DS30 is made from a mid-flex fiber glass. The DMCC light uses titanium hardware for lightweight and the DS30 uses tooless screws. If you care about lightweight, get the DMCClight. If you want to save some money, do the DS30... it will be almost the same feel. 
I will say one thing for Switchback.... the tool-less is cool.... but Flux has been doing that for years.


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## readimag (Aug 10, 2011)

I second the holograms been rocking them all year and love them. You can really tweak all your presses and grabs. I also really liked the ride deltas for park/all mtn also they don’t make them any more but you can find them from time to time.


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## Weasley (Feb 4, 2013)

Oh i see thanks! Need to find a shop and check out those Fluxs and the Holograms


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## Weasley (Feb 4, 2013)

Oh after looking at the 2013/2014 Flux catalog I'm replacing the two Fluxes with the Flux DL and DS. Both look better to me than the other Flux i had down. 

zuzupopo / Snow Catalogues - Flux


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## LadyFlinstone (Aug 5, 2011)

Those will be available next season... I got the chance to ride the new semi winged highback and it is rad. Flux is known for having a highback that fits and wraps your boot a bit... and adding that little bit of a wing to the highback really adds a lot of leverage. The baseplate is bulked up and more responsive than the DS30 and DMCC light for this season but It is still going to be a mid flexing binding. Good luck choosing!


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## Weasley (Feb 4, 2013)

anyone else have any opinions on Ride Rodeos and Maestros as a park binding? Also does anyone else like the Solomon Holograms? How would they be on big kickers with those flexible heel cuffs?


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

I never liked the look of Flux but next year those bindings look sick as fuck.

which one matches up well with something noodely like an arbor draft or signal rocker light


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## LadyFlinstone (Aug 5, 2011)

OUr team has really liked the feel of the RL for next season.... it is light weight and pretty soft. The softest binding we have is going to be the RK... with the urethane in the highback. If you are looking for a soft binding to match a soft board I would recommend those. If you want something a little stiffer, I'd suggest the DS. Hope this helps!


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## n_jay888 (Jan 17, 2012)

Those 2014 Flux are HOT!!! I think i will just wait for them to come out before i buy my second set for my other board.


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