# Union Atlas vs Rome Targa for carving groomers?



## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

the targas are great. very comfortable. great shock absorption. as far as changing the stiffness, the only thing you can do is change the padding in the straps. since i like to ride aggressively i put the stiffest pads in when i first bought them (2012) and never tried the others. i never tried the canted footbeds either. if you buy them, definitely get the L/XL. i wear size 10.5 boots and they barely fit into the L/XL. you may want to go to a store and see if your boots will fit in them because both 32 and DC boots were too wide for my bindings. they may have widened the bindings since then but i don't know. as for the atlas, i never used them but i bought last year's union charger bindings for my other board and they seem to also have great padding on the footbeds so it looks to me that they'll have good shock absorption too. haven't had a chance to use them yet because we haven't gotten any snow yet. i have the L/XL bindings and my boots are a great fit even though they're size chart says i could fit into both the M/L and L/XL. i don't know how much smaller the M/L is but i don't think my boots could get into anything too much smaller then the L/XL so if i were you, i'd bring your boots into a store and see which size fits the best.


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## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

I can't comment on the Atlas but I have the Union Charger from 2 years ago and last year's Rome Targa. If you were talking about changing the inserts in the ankle strap as mentioned above, I don't know if they still sell them with that ankle strap. Mine have a newer version that I believe replaced the one with inserts. As for the Chargers, I broke one of the carbon fiber highbacks on my 2nd day on them. Union's warranty department was great though and sent be a replacement carbon fiber highback and 2 Factory highbacks. I used the Factory highbacks all season and lover the setup. Very stiff and responsive as well as comfortable.


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

SkullAndXbones said:


> as far as changing the stiffness, the only thing you can do is change the padding in the straps.


I think you can also move the location of the ankle strap, no?



SkullAndXbones said:


> if you buy them, definitely get the L/XL. i wear size 10.5 boots and they barely fit into the L/XL. you may want to go to a store and see if your boots will fit in them because both 32 and DC boots were too wide for my bindings. they may have widened the bindings since then but i don't know.


Agree on going with the L/XL but I have a hard time believing that they are not wide enough for any size 10.5 boot (including 32 DC). These bindings are so wide that I was concerned about potential slop even with bulky boots.



SkullAndXbones said:


> i have the L/XL bindings and my boots are a great fit even though they're size chart says i could fit into both the M/L and L/XL. i don't know how much smaller the M/L is but i don't think my boots could get into anything too much smaller then the L/XL so if i were you, i'd bring your boots into a store and see which size fits the best.


Surprised by that. Not consistent with my experience at all. I have had bulky size 10 boots in M/L Union bindings without problems. For last years version, you might have to get the longer ankle strap attachment piece but the M/L baseplate should be plenty big enough.


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## PalmerRider (Jan 25, 2012)

Apparently the 2016 Targa's stiffness can be adjusted by the following: medium to stiff (adjustable from 6/10 to 10/10 with strap mounting positions).

That was in the description of an online retailer. Not sure how strap positions would affect the stiffness?


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

PalmerRider said:


> Not sure how strap positions would affect the stiffness?


Same effect as the rotating arm on the Katana. Explained here:





Burton and Flux have the same concept of different ankle strap positions. Union unfortunately does not.


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## snoeboarder (Sep 19, 2008)

I don't vote for Targas. I'm ready to try something else.


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## PalmerRider (Jan 25, 2012)

snoeboarder said:


> I don't vote for Targas. I'm ready to try something else.


What about the Targa don't you like and what year model do you have?

SG thanks for the video that explains that!


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

SGboarder said:


> Agree on going with the L/XL but I have a hard time believing that they are not wide enough for any size 10.5 boot (including 32 DC). These bindings are so wide that I was concerned about potential slop even with bulky boots.


i forgot to mention that the 32 and DC boots i tried were size 11. i eventually bought size 10.5 rome bodega boots and they don't fit ideally into the bindings either. they're narrower so they clear the sides of the bindings but the heel barely squeezes in. sometimes they get stuck in the heel cups. not a lot, it's easy to get my boot out, but that shouldn't happen.


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## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

Not exactly. You can move the strap mounting location slightly but it's not some fancy new feature and it's not going to change the stiffness of your binding or straps.


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## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

See the 3 holes? My ankle strap is set up in the middle hole. You can use any of those 3 holes. The outside holes are about 1 inch apart. Not going to make a huge difference.


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## snoeboarder (Sep 19, 2008)

13-14 Targa's, the heelcup sheared apart completely on both bindings, it broke the inside heelcup screw bracket
nothing holding my heel to the baseplate except the tab mount hardware which sits below the ankle strap

less than a year old with reciept at that point, the parts guy was less than thrilled to help me and sent me the wrong parts
finally got the right parts, had to change out all the hardware myself, waaah waaah waaah I know but fuck them

their boards are shit, their boots are shit, their view on snowboarding is SHIT, they used to make good bindings

I don't take lightly to companies who produce shit then don't care about the customer, so, I'm ready to try something else


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## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

I am looking at mine (last years) and wondering how the heel cup could shear off. Do you have any pictures of where they broke?


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## ek9max (Apr 8, 2013)

I can't really comment on the Targa's. 

But this year i've had the 2016 atlas and then replaced them with 2016 katana's. I couldn't be happier. I find them better in every way.


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## sizzle (Aug 27, 2008)

ek9max said:


> I can't really comment on the Targa's.
> 
> But this year i've had the 2016 atlas and then replaced them with 2016 katana's. I couldn't be happier. I find them better in every way.


What are comparisons between the 2? I got the 2015 Katanas for my daily driver last year and loved them. I just picked up the 2016 Atlas along with a pow board on sale 2 last week, but haven't been on them yet.


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## PalmerRider (Jan 25, 2012)

Ended up ordering the 2016 Atlas now wondering if maybe should have gone Katana instead.

EK9 what makes the Katana so much better over the Atlas? What type of riding are you doing with them? I'm planning on 99% using them for freeriding...


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## ek9max (Apr 8, 2013)

PalmerRider said:


> Ended up ordering the 2016 Atlas now wondering if maybe should have gone Katana instead.
> 
> EK9 what makes the Katana so much better over the Atlas? What type of riding are you doing with them? I'm planning on 99% using them for freeriding...


I liked the Atlas. But ultimately, then katana offered 
-better adjustability (I'm pretty OCD when it comes to setting up my bindings), 
-better comfort (the atlas would pinch my feet slightly when cracked down hard, 
- easier to get in and out of (the atlas ladders are too short)


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## PalmerRider (Jan 25, 2012)

I see. The katanas do seem to have a tad more adjustability. How would you compare the response between the two?


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## AmberLamps (Feb 8, 2015)

Send them back, get the NOW select, you will thank me after you ride them the first time. For your riding style they will be perfect, never rode a binding that is more fun to just carve groomers with. It feels like im long boarding, cant wait to try the low backs out on a Pow day, and really feel that surf.


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

taco tuesday said:


> I am looking at mine (last years) and wondering how the heel cup could shear off. Do you have any pictures of where they broke?


i was wondering the same thing. my 2013 targas have metal heel cups.


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## ek9max (Apr 8, 2013)

PalmerRider said:


> I see. The katanas do seem to have a tad more adjustability. How would you compare the response between the two?


Katana feels SLIGHTY more responsive.


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