# The stiffest bindings



## Tackle (Nov 18, 2012)

The stiffest bindings?????


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

Catek FR2 Pro EVO, only thing stiffer is plates.


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## zk0ot (Nov 9, 2009)

The longest board????? The warmest socks?????? The tightest goggles strap?????? This game is lame.


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## Tackle (Nov 18, 2012)

Excuse me but my English is not so good


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## miked (Feb 19, 2012)

Been doing lots of online research on this topic recently. Based simply on reading the Union Chargers seem to be as stiff and responsive as just about anything.


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## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

miked said:


> Been doing lots of online research on this topic recently. Based simply on reading the Union Chargers seem to be as stiff and responsive as just about anything.


Chargers have the Atlas baseplate, so they are probably not even the stiffest and responsive bindings from Union (let alone in the market).


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

bseracka said:


> Catek FR2 Pro EVO, only thing stiffer is plates.


Not sure if I should mention Burton C60s here since they're not made anymore, but they're right up there in the stiffness range. I've heard Diodes are plenty stiff too but fragile.

I'm pairing C60's with my new fancy pants freeride board so that shows the OP what I think are stiff bindings.

I should stop promoting them considering I'm trying to find some nearly new.


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## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

The stiffest binding i have ever touched are the raiden machines 2013 model with the carbon high back, those things are super stiff!!!


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

cjcameron11 said:


> The stiffest binding i have ever touched are the raiden machines 2013 model with the carbon high back, those things are super stiff!!!


This. Maaaayyybe Ride El Heffe's.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

zk0ot said:


> The longest board????? The warmest socks?????? The tightest goggles strap?????? This game is lame.


1) Radical Surf 222
2) Thunderbolt Heated Electric Socks
3) Replacing the strap on your goggles with a small condom...


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Snowolf said:


> Know all about them small condoms do you?....:cheeky4:
> 
> Sorry, but I just couldn't pass up such an opportunity....


BAH! Foiled by my own attempt to be a smart ass!!! :dizzy:

That's okay, my new board arrives today. As long as the UPS truck doesn't blow up nothing could ruin this day!!! :yahoo::yahoo::yahoo:


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## AIRider (Dec 25, 2010)

I don't know how they compare to other bindings but Flow has the nx2 Rs as 5/5 stiff rating.


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## blunted_nose (Apr 26, 2012)

C60 were hella stiff, but they are still made for freestyle big Mtn riding. So less stiff then stiff bindings made for carving or such. Pretty sure this is as stiff as you can get: Freeride 2 Pro EVO bindings


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

blunted_nose said:


> C60 were hella stiff, but they are still made for freestyle big Mtn riding. So less stiff then stiff bindings made for carving or such. Pretty sure this is as stiff as you can get: Freeride 2 Pro EVO bindings


Soft Bindings For Freecarving

Bindings for Boardercross

Seems like people use a little of everything...

There is a point of diminishing returns. A board and boots can only be so stiff, putting something TOO stiff on the board may not feel any better than stiff freeride bindings.


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## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

blunted_nose said:


> C60 were hella stiff, but they are still made for freestyle big Mtn riding. So less stiff then stiff bindings made for carving or such. Pretty sure this is as stiff as you can get: Freeride 2 Pro EVO bindings


I cant say i have had a pair of these ^ in my hands but i can say that if OP is really looking for a great binding that is super stiff that i can vouch for raidens. The cap strap is awesome, one of the best I've used actually, the airbags are awesome and still responsive and the ratchets are butter.

I have not used the Machines as they were seriously too stiff for me (i weigh 265/270lbs) so i bought the phantoms for great responsiveness and some forgiveness when i fuck up. 

IMO for all the features they offer and the comfort you cant go past the machines, the CATEK just don't seem to have the same range of features for a similar price.


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## jbernste03 (Aug 20, 2012)

poutanen said:


> Not sure if I should mention Burton C60s here since they're not made anymore, but they're right up there in the stiffness range. I've heard Diodes are plenty stiff too but fragile.
> 
> I'm pairing C60's with my new fancy pants freeride board so that shows the OP what I think are stiff bindings.
> 
> I should stop promoting them considering I'm trying to find some nearly new.


I second this


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

cjcameron11 said:


> I cant say i have had a pair of these ^ in my hands but i can say that if OP is really looking for a great binding that is super stiff that i can vouch for raidens. The cap strap is awesome, one of the best I've used actually, the airbags are awesome and still responsive and the ratchets are butter.
> 
> I have not used the Machines as they were seriously too stiff for me (i weigh 265/270lbs) so i bought the phantoms for great responsiveness and some forgiveness when i fuck up.
> 
> IMO for all the features they offer and the comfort you cant go past the machines, the CATEK just don't seem to have the same range of features for a similar price.


I rode a prototype version of the Catek Freerides. They are by far stiffer than my Burton C60 or CO2. I haven't actually ridden the Raidens, but I have seen them in the shop and I'm pretty sure the Catek Freerides are miles stiffer than those as well. It is without question the most responsive strap binding that exists. With the dampening disk thingie, they are also probably one of the most damp bindings made. Finally, the have the Catek baseplate, which allows your to dial in a infinite combination of lift/cant you want.

*However, I would not recommend it to most people* because the design doesn't have the ergonomics features found in the bindings made in the last 5 years or so, so they aren't quite as comfortable. Frankly I don't think anyone really needs that much customization in cant... (1*,2*,2.5* is probably plenty). Front/Back Lift (i.e. like an adjustable toe/heel ramp) is actually kind of nice... but again, not an essential feature for 99 percent of riders.

I think the Catek FR2 Pro Evo as *like a Ferrari.* Mostly for people who have ridden a lot of bindings, like to go really fast, have a lot of money, and are looking for something "exotic." However, much in the in the same way a Ferrari or a McLaren is high-performance, expensive and exotic, and probably not the car you want to go buy groceries with, or pick up your kids at daycare - this binding is definitely overkill for "soccer mom" snowboarders.


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

hktrdr said:


> Chargers have the Atlas baseplate, so they are probably not even the stiffest and responsive bindings from Union (let alone in the market).


Well, the Union and C3 guys I talked with last season all said the Charger is absolutely the stiffest binding that Union makes and sells. I guess they could be wrong, but somehow I doubt it. It definitely was the stiffest Union binding I rode. I don't know that I would go so far as to call it the stiffest out there, but I absolutely would say that it is the stiffest in the Union line.


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## jbernste03 (Aug 20, 2012)

lonerider said:


> I rode a prototype version of the Catek Freerides. They are by far stiffer than my Burton C60 or CO2. I haven't actually ridden the Raidens, but I have seen them in the shop and I'm pretty sure the Catek Freerides are miles stiffer than those as well. It is without question the most responsive strap binding that exists. With the dampening disk thingie, they are also probably one of the most damp bindings made. Finally, the have the Catek baseplate, which allows your to dial in a infinite combination of lift/cant you want.
> 
> *However, I would not recommend it to most people* because the design doesn't have the ergonomics features found in the bindings made in the last 5 years or so, so they aren't quite as comfortable. Frankly I don't think anyone really needs that much customization in cant... (1*,2*,2.5* is probably plenty). Front/Back Lift (i.e. like an adjustable toe/heel ramp) is actually kind of nice... but again, not an essential feature for 99 percent of riders.
> 
> I think the Catek FR2 Pro Evo as *like a Ferrari.* Mostly for people who have ridden a lot of bindings, like to go really fast, have a lot of money, and are looking for something "exotic." However, much in the in the same way a Ferrari or a McLaren is high-performance, expensive and exotic, and probably not the car you want to go buy groceries with, or pick up your kids at daycare - this binding is definitely overkill for "soccer mom" snowboarders.



Those look like the most uncomfortable binders on the planet


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## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

NWBoarder said:


> Well, the Union and C3 guys I talked with last season all said the Charger is absolutely the stiffest binding that Union makes and sells. I guess they could be wrong, but somehow I doubt it. It definitely was the stiffest Union binding I rode. I don't know that I would go so far as to call it the stiffest out there, but I absolutely would say that it is the stiffest in the Union line.


Well, the Union/C3 guys do not really seem to be consistent or in agreement on what their stiffest binding is (based on this and this).
In any case, the Chargers might be very well be the stiffest Union binding (note that I did not claim otherwise), but they sure as hell are not the stiffest bindings in the market.


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## Tackle (Nov 18, 2012)

What about the flux dmcc?


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

hktrdr said:


> Well, the Union/C3 guys do not really seem to be consistent or in agreement on what their stiffest binding is (based on this and this).
> In any case, the Chargers might be very well be the stiffest Union binding (note that I did not claim otherwise), but they sure as hell are not the stiffest bindings in the market.


The Chargers are def a stiff binding. They don't use the Atlas baseplate, they use the SL baseplate with is one of the stiffest I've ridden. They're not on the level of stiffness of the Ride El Heffe but pretty close. I wish I had gotten them over the SL's. The SL highback is just a little soft for being a strictly freeride binding. Still rips though.


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## Cane700 (Oct 29, 2012)

Nidecker Carbons. I use an old version of these on my very stiff Palmer Centric. Nidecker Snowboards - Carbon Black/Orange

I've used them on everything from icy midwest groomers to Chamonix off piste. Stiff bindings are great but overkill if you ride a more flexy board.


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

Cane700 said:


> Nidecker Carbons. I use an old version of these on my very stiff Palmer Centric. Nidecker Snowboards - Carbon Black/Orange
> 
> I've used them on everything from icy midwest groomers to Chamonix off piste. Stiff bindings are great but overkill if you ride a more flexy board.


I've ridden two pairs of Nidecker bindings... one was the 800, and the the other was 900 Carbons(?) back around 2005-2007 era. These were very good bindings with an extra thick eva foam pad under the binding (so much so that they came with longer mountining screws). Stiff, responsive and damp. I would recommend Nidecker over the Catek Freeride 2 Pro Evo as they are a better mix of performance and ergonomics/comfort.


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## 24WERD (May 9, 2012)

Extremo said:


> The Chargers are def a stiff binding. They don't use the Atlas baseplate, they use the SL baseplate with is one of the stiffest I've ridden. They're not on the level of stiffness of the Ride El Heffe but pretty close. I wish I had gotten them over the SL's. The SL highback is just a little soft for being a strictly freeride binding. Still rips though.


The charger uses the atlas stage III base made with carbon injected.

The sl base material changed this current year to no carbon injected b/c of the charger to better diversified b/t the product lines. It is the same base model just no carbon.

2013 charger binding atlas base III = 2012 SL atlas base III ( both carbon injected)

2013 Atlas binding base III = 2013 SL atlas base III (no carbon injected)


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

24WERD said:


> The charger uses the atlas stage III base made with carbon injected.
> 
> The sl base material changed this current year to no carbon injected b/c of the charger to better diversified b/t the product lines. It is the same base model just no carbon.
> 
> ...


I have the 2012 SL. I love the carbon injected baseplate, super stiff and responsive. I wonder if I could just buy Charger highbacks from c3. Had I known they were going to make the charger I wouldn't have bought the SL's.


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