# Why are some bindings so expensive?



## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Hi. I'm a bit of a noob myself, but I think I have some of this snowboard stuff figured out.

First off, with a $250-to-$80 price differential, I am willing to bet that the $250 bindings were late modeland the $80 ones were 1 or 2 seasons old.

An aluminum base will be stronger than plastic, but if everything is dialed in and tightened properly then you shouldn't notice much of a difference under normal boarding conditions. A metal base will (obviously) hold up better over time and be less prone to outright breakage.

Yeah, lots of the bindings look almost identical in function. It most cases there are only minor differences... ability to change the angle of the 'high-back', material of construction for the latches & release, range of movement of the binding straps, etc.

As they are all so similar, I would get the cheapest binding that holds your boot properly and won't flex or give out on you. My friend had some rented board/bindings that had to be adjusted twice on our trip... the loss of control made him feel less certain on the mountain. Set it up right the first time and you shouldn't ever have to worry about it again.

But I'm a noob. Maybe someone who knows more will chime in.


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## bobepfd (Oct 28, 2007)

At first glance you may not notice the difference in a cheap binding compared to an expensive one but they are significant. Ask someone who works for a real board shop and knows what their talking about to show you the difference. You will find the construction is much better in a higher level binding. Look for things like how well the buckle functions, does it slide nicely in the latch or is it a little grabby? How many clicks does the strap tighten when you use it? Cheap bindings may only go one click at a time while better ones will go 3-4. Does the ratchet slip while tightening? How much adjustment is in the highback and other various parts? There are many seemingly insignificant differences that truly do make most more expensive bindings better.


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## baldy (Nov 14, 2007)

some bindings are super adjustable compared to others, the burtons are very good because of how u can adjust it to ur stance. other company's have other lil features in their bindings like cushioning on the baseplate so it doesn't hurt ur board when u flex it hard n stuff liek that even. i just don't like burton's plastic heel hoop..


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

As with all things in life you get what you pay for.

Cheaper bindings will typically have less adjustments, weigh more, less comfort, and break quicker.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2009)

If your bindings you are currently using will get you through the winter, I would try to wait and get a good deal this summer. 

Last Summer I was able to get some amazing deals on the previous winters gear. I got 08 Burton Cartels for around $100 (something like $150 off), and an 08 Burton Custom for $300 (somewhere around 200-300 off). I got both off of WaveRave.com but you could probly find similar deals on other sites. Hope this helps!


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## Dawg Catcher (Jan 5, 2009)

Tarzanman said:


> As they are all so similar, I would get the cheapest binding .



this is completely wrong. not to sound like an ass but dont listen to this guy. there are a few things you can skimp on, on snow gear i.e. beanies some clothing, to and extreme your board. the things you dont skimp on are first and foremost boots and secondly bindings. while they may all look the same i guarentee you those 80 bindings you will go through two sets of them in the life time of buying a hihger end model. not only is it worth it to spend on bindings overall its better for riding. you will have less presssure points and equipment malfunctions.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2009)

I agree with dog catcher. I rode shitty gear last year and on my new setup (burton custom bindings and freestyle boots) it's night and day. You just have so much more control, and I only upgraded to decent stuff, nothing special.


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## T.J. (Aug 28, 2007)

Tarzanman said:


> but I think I have some of this snowboard stuff figured out.


wrong



Tarzanman said:


> First off, with a $250-to-$80 price differential, I am willing to bet that the $250 bindings were late modeland the $80 ones were 1 or 2 seasons old.


wrong



Tarzanman said:


> It most cases there are only minor differences...


wrong



Tarzanman said:


> As they are all so similar, I would get the cheapest binding that holds your boot properly and won't flex or give out on you.


wrong 



Tarzanman said:


> But I'm a noob.


ding ding ding


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## stevetim (Dec 26, 2007)

Ya, Burton is kinda like on it's own island with the pricing schemes across it's product line and a lot of people will tell you to steer clear of paying the $$$ for Burton gear. I got the '09 Cartels for under $200(not online but in store) so don't drop more than that on them now. 

Compared to some Ride EX bindings for $140(which I paid a couple years ago), the Burton stuff is champ in quality, tweakage, and comfort. For the $60 premium paid to Burton, it's fully worth it. I know the binders I compared are in different 'categories', but like posted above by Dawg. Don't skimp on them. They are like the steering wheel in your car and will ultimately relay your movements and control into the board you're riding.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

There's a lot of disagreement with me here on the board! I'm a snowboard noob, but I'm not simple.

95% of the materials and tech on bindings are the same. The 'geared' straps all come from a handful of (probably southeast asian) factories using the same plastic molds the differences come down to the engineering tolerances and placement on the frame of the binding. 

As I stated, obviously you don't want anything that will slip or break, but like all snowboard gear, you should try it out in the store and compare the features to other stuff available in the store.

I have a pair of $80 Head P4 bindings, which would be considered low-to-mid as far as binding prices go. Plastic base, and no extended 'foot pedal', but they held my boots just fine on my 4-day trip. 

Spend $200 if it will give you piece of mind, but as the sales-person said... the Burton bindings are what unhappy customers tended to return most of the time. Price does not always equal performance, and it is just stupid to assume that a $60 binding is twice as bad as a $200 one. 

If your equipment is comfortable and functions properly (as I said in my first post) then I promise that the brand/price of the binding on your board won't be the limiting factor as far as your riding goes.

As I pointed out, my friend had some rented over-the-toe bindings that sucked because he never took the time to set them up when he rented the board. He didn't even have the toe strap over his toe (which is how the bindings were designed to fit). I bought a multi-tool and helped him make adjustments 2 days into our trip and he noticed a definite improvement.

Snowboarding isn't rocket science. Sorry to all you weathered veterans out there but you can become competent about equipment set up in one day surfing the internet and 3 days on a mountain. Looking at the trifecta of board, bindings & boots, bindings are the least complicated out of the three. If it holds your boot in securely and lets you move your board properly then buy it. Period. 

Nuff said.


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## Dawg Catcher (Jan 5, 2009)

there is a difference between low quality bindings and not having bindings setup right. i would bet if you put your friend in a set of cartels/forces/targas/nxts he would have said they were tons better. while i see some of the point you are trying to make you just seem to be digging a hole for yourself. snowboarding is a sport were you really have to pay to play its the same reason you dont see people racing auto X with a geo metro. while the parts are all probably made at teh same factory there is a huge difference.


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## stevetim (Dec 26, 2007)

It may be best to ride a couple seasons first, and then come onto the boards explaining the difference a few dollars on bindings can make.

Unless you have gone through a few sets, it's pointless to try to explain the difference to you. It's like trying to explain sex to a virgin. Just can't describe the 'feeling' involved.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Tarzanman said:


> There's a lot of disagreement with me here on the board! I'm a snowboard noob, but I'm not simple.
> 
> 95% of the materials and tech on bindings are the same. The 'geared' straps all come from a handful of (probably southeast asian) factories using the same plastic molds the differences come down to the engineering tolerances and placement on the frame of the binding.
> 
> ...


If your only boarding 4-5 times a season then yea, the cheaper bindings maybe a better option. But if your a season pass holder going 10-20+ times a season riding hard your going to snap the cheap ones half way through the season and have to buy higher end ones anyways. May as well just do it to begin with.


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## jaybap (Dec 1, 2008)

Tarzanman said:


> There's a lot of disagreement with me here on the board! I'm a snowboard noob, but I'm not simple.
> 
> 95% of the materials and tech on bindings are the same. The 'geared' straps all come from a handful of (probably southeast asian) factories using the same plastic molds the differences come down to the engineering tolerances and placement on the frame of the binding.
> 
> ...



how do you try out snowboard equipment in the store?


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## T.J. (Aug 28, 2007)

Dawg Catcher said:


> its the same reason you dont see people racing auto X with a geo metro. while the parts are all probably made at teh same factory there is a huge difference.


fantastic analogy.


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## jmacphee9 (Nov 11, 2008)

Dawg Catcher said:


> . there are a few things you can skimp on, on snow gear i.e. beanies some clothing, to and extreme your board. the things you dont skimp on are first and foremost boots and secondly bindings.


i agree with the whole statement 100%. board is the least important thing. but to the OP, im not sure if you held the 80$ freestyles in your hand, and then felt the cartels, but they feel totally different. better plastic, better buckles, better straps, adjustable footbed. there is a bigger difference between low end and high end bindings then there is for boards.

95% of the material and tech are the same????? dumbest statement ever.

at the beginning of the season i went from Drake MLBs(cheapies) to NXTs. the difference in everyway was huge. more comfortable, lighter, more responsive.

bindings bindings hold your feet to your board, but there are many different ways to make this as best as possible. you have to take comfort and response into question and the freestyles response is no where near cartels, coming from someone with experience in both.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

No. I am just a firm believer in skill/ability over equipment with such a small range in performance.

We aren't comparing Geo Metro's to Subaru WRX's here (though for the record, people do autocross Geo Metros). Its closer to comparing a stock muscle car to one with a race prepped exhaust and tuned suspension. It might make a (small) difference in the right hands, but the extra $$$ price doesn't automatically make better.

I know I'm a noob, but I'll put me and my $80 binding on any slope against any overpriced $200 brand name binding.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2009)

I'd like to say that the more snowboarding experience you have, the more you can appreciate the expensive gear. With experience you learn what you really want out of your boots, bindings, and board. In order to get the desired characteristics of your equipment you'll have to pay the cost. Only you can decide if you need/want the more expensive equipment.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

jmacphee9 said:


> i agree with the whole statement 100%. board is the least important thing. but to the OP, im not sure if you held the 80$ freestyles in your hand, and then felt the cartels, but they feel totally different. better plastic, better buckles, better straps, adjustable footbed. there is a bigger difference between low end and high end bindings then there is for boards.
> 
> 95% of the material and tech are the same????? dumbest statement ever.
> 
> at the beginning of the season i went from Drake MLBs(cheapies) to NXTs. the difference in everyway was huge. more comfortable, lighter, more responsive.


Yup, i didnt realize how uncomfortable my missions were until i went into REI and decided to try some new Cartels. All of the pains i associated with my boot and over tightening my bindings went away. It was like night and day.
Needless to say i bought the Cartels and put my old missions on Craigslist..


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## jmacphee9 (Nov 11, 2008)

Tarzanman said:


> I know I'm a noob, but I'll put me and my $80 binding on any slope against any overpriced $200 brand name binding.


well your just wrong man...why dont you ride the 200$ bindings before you say they dont do anything, you are really not getting how tech bindings are.


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## jmacphee9 (Nov 11, 2008)

took this from a thread posted 4 minutes ago...



SKooT1027 said:


> Well I finally got to the mountains this weekend for a day. I'm still a beginner/intermediate rider - Green and Blues only so far - About 12-15 days total riding. I had old LTD Cheapo bindings which I destroyed trying to play in the backyard, so I finally decided on getting new K2 Formulas.
> 
> WOW! I could feel the difference immediately. I was strapped in better than I could have imagined, they were incredibly comfortable, and the response was unbelievable. I will give some credit to finally getting my board tuned and waxed, but my comfort and abilities were much greater than they ever had been in the past.
> 
> I learned my lesson that it's worth spending a little more for a much better product. I must say I have no regrets with these what so ever. In fact, they have more adjustments that I even know what to do with. Maybe as I get better I'll figure them out.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

jmacphee9 said:


> 95% of the material and tech are the same????? dumbest statement ever.
> 
> at the beginning of the season i went from Drake MLBs(cheapies) to NXTs. the difference in everyway was huge. more comfortable, lighter, more responsive.
> 
> bindings bindings hold your feet to your board, but there are many different ways to make this as best as possible. you have to take comfort and response into question and the freestyles response is no where near cartels, coming from someone with experience in both.


Dude. Its not rocket science, Sorry. I just can't agree. Go to the store and look at all of the bindings available. There are like over a dozen brands and maybe 3 different basic designs total.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

jmacphee9 said:


> well your just wrong man...why dont you ride the 200$ bindings before you say they dont do anything, you are really not getting how tech bindings are.


Alright, I can deal with that. You choose the brand of bindings and I will rent them for a day on my next outing (assuming i can find them at the shop).

You go try my $80 head P4's and tell me if you think they are garbage.


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## legallyillegal (Oct 6, 2008)

that's quite the hole you're in

basically, you're saying that every boot is the same because they all have some sort of lacing system and have a similar shape


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## jmacphee9 (Nov 11, 2008)

legallyillegal said:


> that's quite the hole you're in
> 
> basically, you're saying that every boot is the same because they all have some sort of lacing system and have a similar shape


yea his argument sucks goat cock...all 2 strap bindings are pretty much the same, all flows are the same, and all k2s are the same im guessing...


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

legallyillegal said:


> that's quite the hole you're in


Nah. high dollar bindings won't cost me more than $30/day at the most to rent. I'm a noob to snowboarding, but I've skated and inlined for years (dabbled with wakeboarding). I know enough about how to work my legs/body weight to be able to tell the difference between a crappy fit/crap gear or crappy technique/input to the board/skate/whatever.

I also know that if you put a high $ price tag on something that certain people will swear up and down that it is better until they are blue in the face. That is why Ducati and Harley Davidson motorcycles have sold so well for years despite demonstrably sucking as far as reliability and maintenance compared to other brands. (for the record, I ride a Yamaha R1)

-edit-
And for the record, boots are completely different. I never said what you are saying.


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## legallyillegal (Oct 6, 2008)

quite clearly you are wrong because all boots have the same shape and same materials and all use some sort of lacing system

n00b


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## Flick Montana (Jul 9, 2007)

I'm sad I missed this thread.

Don't buy cheap gear unless you don't board very much. Some cheaper plastics will shatter in the cold or wear down over time. Some will pinch or prove to be uncomfortable. Some have weaker bolts or ratchets that will not hold up to prolonged use. If you're dropping the money to get into the sport, do it right. You'll have more fun and that is the bottom line.

You don't need the brand new $300 bindings if you go a few times a year. I'd argue that you were crazy for dropping that much money on something to do occasionally. But if you buy a bunch of cheap gear I'd BETTER not see a thread in a month asking why your feet hurt or why your board just won't respond quick enough.


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## BigC_ 13 (Dec 28, 2008)

Tarzanman said:


> I also know that if you put a high $ price tag on something that certain people will swear up and down that it is better until they are blue in the face. That is why Ducati and Harley Davidson motorcycles have sold so well for years despite demonstrably sucking as far as reliability and maintenance compared to other brands. (for the record, I ride a Yamaha R1)


Everyone listen to this guy he must be right. all the bindings are exactly the same, companies just draw names from a hat at the beginning of the season to see which binding they will charge more for. 

But in reality good bindings make all the differnece, just like everyone else has been saying. I rented for 4 years before i finally stopped growing last year and picked up my own gear. And i rode all sorts of shat bindings in those 4 years, so last year I picked up a pair of Cartels for my new setup and tere is most defnietly a world of difference between low end bindings and higher end ones. I finally got rid of the foot pains that plagued me with all the low end rental bindings.

Like many others have said, don't skimp on boots and bindings, they do make a difference.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2009)

Tarzanman said:


> There's a lot of disagreement with me here on the board! I'm a snowboard noob, but I'm not simple.
> 
> 95% of the materials and tech on bindings are the same. The 'geared' straps all come from a handful of (probably southeast asian) factories using the same plastic molds the differences come down to the engineering tolerances and placement on the frame of the binding.
> 
> ...


 I know what you're saying. You're a guy that values bang for the buck, I'm the same way. Take it from a guy that also holds the same values, bindings can make an absolutely huge difference. Last year I started off with a cheap morrow board and morrow bindings along with sims boots. My current setup is by no means a high end setup,I rock a salomon sanchez, burton customs, and burton freestyle boots. The first upgrade I did was upgrading the bindings to the customs (Still with the morrow board and sims boots), and boy it was night and day. I was so much more comfortable it wasn't even funny, I went from consistenly falling to not falling at all, I made major progress just from upgrading the bindings.

Just for kicks I tried my old bindings on my sanchez the last trip I did, and while I didn't do any worse than I would have with my customs, I had to focus so much more on what I was doing, whereas with customs it's so much easier and requires less focus in order to perform optimally. You yourself have acknowledged that bindings set up incorrectly can have a huge effect on performance, well the difference between good and poor bindings (I won't say "cheap" because you can get decent gear for cheap) can be as large as the difference between bindings setup properly or not.


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## Dawg Catcher (Jan 5, 2009)

Tarzanman said:


> Dude. Its not rocket science, Sorry. I just can't agree. Go to the store and look at all of the bindings available. There are like over a dozen brands and maybe 3 different basic designs total.


this is true when you think about it there is not many ways to afix your foot to a board hence three basic designs. just because im in a car annalogy mood your arguement would be like saying. look at the internal combustion engine there is only two basic designs yet you dont see the new chevy's with flat head 1936 blocks in em do you. just like they did away with the carb. i mean honestly your argument has about zero basis at this point i believe you are just arguing to argue. you are loosing board credit by the minute i would just admit yeah guys i was wrong we all know you are so instead of destroying your image here and negating and help you may get in the future i would just give up

IBTL
/thread


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## Flick Montana (Jul 9, 2007)

I doubt this thread will be locked. It hasn't gotten ugly yet.

Having ridden many pairs of rentals before buying, I'm quite confident that the $1xx I spent on my Arsenal bindings was money well spent. I suppose it depends on what snowboarding is worth to you. :dunno:


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## stevetim (Dec 26, 2007)

Dawg Catcher said:


> this is true when you think about it there is not many ways to afix your foot to a board hence three basic designs. just because im in a car annalogy mood your arguement would be like saying. look at the internal combustion engine there is only two basic designs yet you dont see the new chevy's with flat head 1936 blocks in em do you. just like they did away with the carb. i mean honestly your argument has about zero basis at this point i believe you are just arguing to argue. you are loosing board credit by the minute i would just admit yeah guys i was wrong we all know you are so instead of destroying your image here and negating and help you may get in the future i would just give up
> 
> IBTL
> /thread


Well the worst part is he is coming onto the boards without any real mountain experience, and trying to tell another beginner what the ABC's are about equipment.

At least ride a couple different setups and relay that information to the OP. Don't read a question and base an answer on feel, response, and control in a binding, on something you get from your 'extensive' skating, inline, or wakeboarding experience, which in all honesty, has squat to do with snowboard bindings/board setups.

And in all reality to the OP. The reason some bindings are so expensive, is because there is a market for them. A market created by riders who demand the best materials and tech put into these bindings which are developed by riders' input and needs.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2009)

gems like this make life so awesome


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## Dawg Catcher (Jan 5, 2009)

Flick Montana said:


> I doubt this thread will be locked. It hasn't gotten ugly yet.
> 
> Having ridden many pairs of rentals before buying, I'm quite confident that the $1xx I spent on my Arsenal bindings was money well spent. I suppose it depends on what snowboarding is worth to you. :dunno:


eh guess i come from boards where threads arent locked just because they get 'ugly' usually get locked/deleted for pointless shit like this or because the question has been answered numerous times. so seeing as this thread has both factors i believe lock is in order

IBTL
/thread


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## legallyillegal (Oct 6, 2008)

this thread is fucking tame


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2009)

I'm going to go a limb here and back what Tazanman was saying, you don't really HAVE to get 200$ bindings and that alot of bindings are made of the same parts. With the exception of last year, I've been riding 30+ days a year. I've been going with cheapo Rossignol binding made with plastic base and everything... worked great and didn't ever really feel discomfort. I bought a brand new setup including Union Data's after everyones been raving about them. I haven't noticed a huge difference except the union has slightly more comfortable straps.

Just my experience. Back to your regularly scheduled internet lynching.


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## Dawg Catcher (Jan 5, 2009)

legallyillegal said:


> this thread is fucking tame


and????????????????????


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## bakesale (Nov 28, 2008)

> Dude. Its not rocket science, Sorry. I just can't agree. Go to the store and look at all of the bindings available. There are like over a dozen brands and maybe 3 different basic designs total.


Wrong, you don't realize it because you haven't seen enough bindings let alone ridden enough bindings to know what the differences are. If you've ridden enough bindings you will know exactly what the difference is. Sometimes its even the subtle differences that can make a huge difference between bindings. I've been riding since the early 90s and i've seen how bindings have progressed. From cheap crappy pieces of plastic holding your Sorel snow boots to the board to those slim jim ones with the small highback to todays ultra high tech bindings. 

Things that will set a high quality binding apart from a low quality one.

The Highback will be lightweight and either flexible or stiff depending on the type of riding it is for. Companies will often cut holes into a design to take a lot of the weight out but the type of plastic is important too. It's also important that the Highback clamps onto the heel-cup, this will make the binding more responsive. The ability to set the forward lean on the highback is important too, the more forward lean the more aggressive it is.

The heelcup will be made of lightweight aluminum, it lasts longer and is more responsive than plastic. 

The base of the binding should be made of a high grade plastic and be one solid piece, this will reduce vibrations and be stronger

Straps will be padded, not too big and not too small, the strap should be fully adjustable in every way possible, from how much strap to the position of it on your boot in every way possible. The toe strap should have an option to go over your toes or on top of them.

The ratchet will be smooth when you are strapping in, it should hold strong and not slip. There should be a release mechanism that is smooth and doesn't need to be jerked to get it to move.


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2009)

I have both low and high end bindings. I have burton 09' freestyles on my lib tech youth in asia and 09' cartels on my dc pbj. The lib tech is a shorter jib board for rails and butters and the dc is the all mountain board which is a bit longer. 

The freestyles are on the jib stick because the softer flex and forgiveness of that factor. They are not as responsive or as comfortable as my cartels. They ride of each board and bindings have different characteristics. if i try and charge on the lib w/freestyles they arent as quick to respond which makes me sketchy while the cartels have no problem hitting big kickers and anything in between. 

I have tried riding friends board with different setups. ride, rome, forum, flux, flow, k2 and other higher end burtons such as c60's. 

the difference in price is the ride, comfort, adjustability and control.


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## tinffx (Dec 21, 2008)

I would just say rock the cheapest bindings you can buy for a year or two & then when they break or you get a wild spending hair buy some quality bindings. That's what I did. I started to get pretty good with my cheap stuff experementing with my setup until I found what was most comfortable. Then I broke one of those plastic Burton Custom bindings and strapped on relatively cheap Drake F50. Not the fanciest stuff you can buy but they have a nice aluminum base and nice metal hardware on the straps and I found I was quite a bit better and A LOT more comfortable. 

There is nothing wrong with starting out with cheap gear. Your ass is still going to be sore, your knees are going to be bruised and if you don't break a wrist you will have a lot of mondays when it hurts to push open a door with them. Once you can get down the hill in the fashion you intend (on top of the board) upgrade.

Oh yeah, the only "hardware" I won't buy online is the boots. Made that mistake once. Pay retail for the most comfortable ones you can find. Besides we are talking about saving less than what you would pay for a weekend 1 day lift ticket by going online. It really isn't worth it.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

tinffx said:


> I would just say rock the cheapest bindings you can buy for a year or two & then when they break or you get a wild spending hair buy some quality bindings. That's what I did. I started to get pretty good with my cheap stuff experementing with my setup until I found what was most comfortable. Then I broke one of those plastic Burton Custom bindings and strapped on relatively cheap Drake F50. Not the fanciest stuff you can buy but they have a nice aluminum base and nice metal hardware on the straps and I found I was quite a bit better and A LOT more comfortable.
> 
> There is nothing wrong with starting out with cheap gear. Your ass is still going to be sore, your knees are going to be bruised and if you don't break a wrist you will have a lot of mondays when it hurts to push open a door with them. Once you can get down the hill in the fashion you intend (on top of the board) upgrade.
> 
> Oh yeah, the only "hardware" I won't buy online is the boots. Made that mistake once. Pay retail for the most comfortable ones you can find. Besides we are talking about saving less than what you would pay for a weekend 1 day lift ticket by going online. It really isn't worth it.


While i did this too, why waste your time and money? You should realistically be renting until your buying your own gear anyways. Bindings and Boots are something you should spend quite a bit on for your comfort. A pro can rock a <insert cheap board here> with good boots and bindings. He can be riding a Vapor or something along those lines with shitty bindings and he will fail miserably.

I mean if its all you can afford to do the sport, that's one thing..but just doing it to penny pinch is dumb because its going to cost you more in the long run.


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2009)

stevetim said:


> It's like trying to explain sex to a virgin. Just can't describe the 'feeling' involved.


It kinda feels... you know, AWESOME.


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## RVM (Jan 31, 2007)

I tried like 15 pairs of boots on in stores. I would have bought locally for retail until I found the boots I wanted for right about $100 less online. Since I already knew exactly what I wanted I ordered online. Shipping was free too. I try to support my local shops but getting $300 boots (including tax) for $169.95 shipped is just too much of a price difference.

I don't know about other people on this forum, but I'm far from rich, especially in the current CA economy. That's $100+ more I can put toward a new set of bindings and board, or a couple of days on the mountain, or my car note, or my wife's $45k/year legal education...





tinffx said:


> Oh yeah, the only "hardware" I won't buy online is the boots. Made that mistake once. Pay retail for the most comfortable ones you can find. Besides we are talking about saving less than what you would pay for a weekend 1 day lift ticket by going online. It really isn't worth it.


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## tinffx (Dec 21, 2008)

RVM said:


> I tried like 15 pairs of boots on in stores. I would have bought locally for retail until I found the boots I wanted for right about $100 less online. Since I already knew exactly what I wanted I ordered online. Shipping was free too. I try to support my local shops but getting $300 boots (including tax) for $169.95 shipped is just too much of a price difference.
> 
> I don't know about other people on this forum, but I'm far from rich, especially in the current CA economy. That's $100+ more I can put toward a new set of bindings and board, or a couple of days on the mountain, or my car note, or my wife's $45k/year legal education...


I would say that at about a hundred dollars I would start doing the same thing. That is probably where it just doesn't make sense.

Don't piss off that wife, that legal ed will turn into some good cash flow down the road. Just don't let her get a govie job. Private corp. practice is where it is at!


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## RVM (Jan 31, 2007)

Amen to that. 



tinffx said:


> I would say that at about a hundred dollars I would start doing the same thing. That is probably where it just doesn't make sense.
> 
> Don't piss off that wife, that legal ed will turn into some good cash flow down the road. Just don't let her get a govie job. Private corp. practice is where it is at!


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