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This Article was
written and contributed by ABC-of-Snowboarding:
The Snowboard Info Portal |
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Detailed Look At Snowboard Bindings
Boot/Binding Combinations
Binding Sizing
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Bindings are essential for snowboarding; they make sure your boots
and your feet are connected to your snowboard.
There are different kinds of snowboard bindings, different people
using different styles of snowboarding prefer different kinds of bindings.
A
Detailed Look At Bindings
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Bindings connect your boots and thus your body to your snowboard and
are an essential part of snowboarding. Boots and bindings form
a combination where not all bindings are suited for each
type of boot. It is often best to buy them together and you will definitely
need to know what your intended riding style is before you buy a
combination of boot and binding.
There are a couple of types of
Snowboard Bindings which we will investigate in this section.
Highback/Strap Bindings
These bindings consist of a contoured base plate that a rider
can place his soft boot upon. At the back of the base plate is
vertical plate (the highback) that rises behind your ankles
and lower calves. The highback secures your heel and
backside of your lower legs. At the front of the binding are
two or three adjustable straps which can be used to secure the
front side of your feet and ankles to the snowboard. The
combination of the highback plate and the frontside straps
provide great control. This type of binding is used in
combination with soft boots. As the binding gives all the
support needed, the boot can remain soft and comfortable.
Highback bindings can differ in the number of straps and the
shape of the base and highback plates. Alpine riders who
need to perform high speed turns will prefer taller and
stiffer highbacks for greater overall control and improved edge
control. Freestylers will want a shorter backplate for more
flexibility and turning power. Most riders go for shorter
backplates because these kinds
of bindings as they are more common, offer excellent control
and offer more options when it comes to boots-binding
combinations. Soft boots can be used with any kind
of Highback binding.
Step-In Bindings
Highback bindings are more difficult to get into as it is
necessary to loosen and tighten the straps every time you get into and out
of your bindings. This is the reason that Step-in Bindings
were developed. Step-in bindings usually work in combination
with soft boots that are somewhat stiffer than those used with
highback bindings. In general step-in bindings make it easier
to get in and out of however, you pay for this convenience when it
comes to control, since step in bindings are not as responsive
as highback bindings.
There are, however, some higher end and more advanced step-in
bindings on the market that provide the best of both
worlds. Choosing a step-in binding narrows your choice when it
comes to choosing boots and bindings as they need to support
the same system of stepping in. Cross-over skiers will often
feel comfortable with step-in bindings and boots as they are
already used to stepping in, and out of, using harder
boots.
Flow In Bindings
Flow In Bindings are relatively new and try to combine the control
of strap on bindings with the ease of step in bindings. The
bindings look pretty similar to highback bindings and also use
soft boots. The most important difference is the fact that the
highback can be levered backwards creating an opening for your
softboot to enter in. Instead of two or three straps to cover
the top of your feet, there is one large tongue that covers a
very large part of the top of your boot. Getting into and out
of your binding is a matter of flipping the highback
backwards and inserting or removing your boot.
Riders love the flow in system as it combines all the
advantages of the highback bindings with the ease of step ins.
One disadvantage, however, is that flow in bindings are less
easily adjusted than strap-ons. Flow in bindings are growing in
popularity as the selection in models and technologies improve.
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As
explained in our Boot Buying
Guide, this will be the most important decision you will make. Boots and Bindings are often a
combination where not every boot is suitable for each type of
binding and the vice versa. The following are the different kinds of
boot - binding combination available:
- Soft Boots and Strap-On/Flow In Bindings: This system is most flexible.
Any soft snowboarding boot can be used with the strap on system.
FreeStylers and FreeRiders often prefer this system as it gives
greater flexibility and more maneuverability. It's also the most
comfortable combination when not actually on the board.
- Soft/Hard Step-In Boots with Step-In Bindings. If you are
going to choose step in bindings for your snowboard then you
will also need to choose step-in boots. The Step In systems need to be the same on the boots and
bindings. Step In systems make getting on and off your board
very easy. There is a price to pay: Step-Ins offer less
alternatives for boot manufactures and often cheaper step in systems give less board
control.
At this moment Soft Boots and Strap-on Bindings are the norm as they
provide both a flexible way of adjusting the boot and binding for
a perfect fit and are most comfortable when not on the board. Step
In bindings and boots are used by many riders, however, for their ease of
getting on and off the board.
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What Binding size should I choose?
Bindings typically come in two or three sizes (Small, Medium and
Large). The size you choose will depend completely on the Snowboard
Boot that you have chosen in combination with the binding. Make sure
the binding has the correct size that allows you to easily get into
the binding and easily adjust the straps (when using strap binding)
without leaving too much strap on either side.
How high should my Highback be?
As explained in the Binding Details section, the highback is the
plate at the rear of the binding supporting your heel and calves.
Different kinds of bindings have different highbacks. If your
preferred Riding Style is FreeStyle then you will want a smaller,
more flexible highback for added maneuverability. Aggressive FreeRiders and FreeCarvers will want higher, stiffer highbacks for
added control. For even more control choose a binding without a
highback
but with a hard boot.
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