Snowboarding Bindings Buying Guide
If you're hitting the mountain sometime soon, you should make sure you're equipped with everything you need for a safe and comfy trip to the top. And when it comes to snowboarding, 
nothing can make or break your ride like the right set of bindings. Check out the guide below to help you get the best bindings for your board, your riding style and your budget--you'll be shredding with the pros in no time.
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Strap Bindings
- The most common design on the market, these bindings have a baseplate to rest soft boots upon and a vertical plate that rises behind your ankle and calf for support.
- Comfortable and adjustable.
- Design helps you force the heel side edge of the board into the snow and bring the toe side of the board up.
- Come with two or three straps that are designed to help secure your feet to the board.
- May have to sit down to strap your feet in upon first using them.
Strap bindings have different designs based on the kind of riding you do: - Alpine riders need taller and stiffer highbacks for improved control on high speed turns.
- Freestylers need short backplates for more flexibility and turning power.
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Step-In Bindings - You step down and click into these, making it easier to get on and off your board.
- Good for beginners since there are no straps to mess with.
- Added speed, but no extra support.
- Your boot is a lot less flexible in this type of binding as opposed to those with adjustable straps, so make sure you get a good fit.
- Can be used for freeride and freestyle riders.
- Usually work in conjunction with soft boots.
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Flow-In Bindings - These are hybrids, combing both the step-in and strap systems.
- Have one large tongue that covers a sizeable portion of the top of your boots.
- Offer the control of strap bindings with the ease of use of step-in bindings.
- Allow you to use soft boots.
- To put on an remove your bindings, you must flip the highback backwards.
- More difficult to adjust than strap-ons.
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Plate Bindings - Also known as hard-boot bindings, these models consist of a hard baseplate, steel bails.
- Used with hard boots that are inserted into the bails.
- Flipping the lever attaches the boots to the bindings.
- Closely resemble ski bindings.
- Rigid design allows for greater leverage and power for riding on hard snow.
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Baseless Bindings - The sole of the rider's boot is placed in direct contact with the snowboard deck by removing the binding's baseplate.
- Supposed to enhance the feel of your snowboard's flex.
- Tends to aggravate toe drag problems for people with larger feet.
- Much more difficult to adjust than traditional designs.
- Halfpipe and park riders prefer these because they give them a quicker edge response.
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Major Manufacturers
Related Guides
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