The best freeride snowboarders know that they can only get so far on pure skill alone. To tackle the toughest terrain with the highest of style and grace, it takes not only talent but also an outstanding gear setup. You’re all tricked out with the finest board you could find, right down to your desired specifications. Your selected boots are comfortable and perform too well on the mountain. And you’ve put in hours of time on your own abilities. But what about those bindings? Your gear is only as strong as its weakest link and ignoring your bindings would not be a smart thing to do. We’ve got the best freeride snowboard bindings right here so you don’t have to toil away on the internet searching for the best bindings, wasting precious time that you could be crushing some powder.
Our Top Choices for Freeride Snowboard Bindings |
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The Best of the BestBurton X-Base Bindings
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The All-Around WinnerNOW O-Drive Bindings
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The Pro Choice WinnerUnion T. Rice Bindings
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What to Consider
So what do we want out of the best freeride snowboard bindings that we can strap into? Let’s take a look at a few factors that we need to account for in our purchase:
· Flex: Similar to boards and boots, bindings can have differing amounts of flex in them. And, again similar to boards and boots, we want to find bindings that are on the stiffer end of the spectrum. When we are flying down the mountain, bumping and grinding through the backcountry, we need a stiff setup so that we have good response. If we were to be using soft bindings, we would be sacrificing valuable stability that we absolutely need in this setting. So, we’re going to keep our bindings stiff here on our list.
· Binding Type: There are two types of bindings: speed-entry bindings and strap bindings. While both have their strengths, we want strap bindings for freeriding. Speed-entry bindings have moveable highbacks that allow you to slip in and out of your bindings easily – but this comes at the cost of stiffness and stability. This means we don’t want them in the backcountry. Therefore, the traditional strap binding is the way to go. It may be more cumbersome to put on but the added solidity of the strap over speed-entry is not to be compromised.
· Compatibility: While we can have all of the preferences we want, it is important to make sure that your chosen bindings can actually bolt to our board. There are four major patterns but the two most common are the 2×4 and 4×4 shapes. It is also notable that not all boots will be happy in all bindings. Your bindings should fit snugly and securely around your boots without the need to force them in. Once tightened, the binding shouldn’t let your boot shift, slide, or wobble around in any way.
Best Freeride Snowboard Bindings
Burton X-Base Bindings
Burton’s love of innovation is constant and the X-Base is yet another testament to this fact. With the X-Base, Burton had one idea in mind: Create the best bindings ever. Accordingly, this product is the lightest, strongest, toughest binding that Burton has ever come up with. These bindings use materials like titanium, carbon, and nylon to provide extreme lightness without salvaging awesome strength. They score a 9 out of 10 on the stiffness scale, making them a perfect contender for the best freeride snowboard bindings you can get. From the heavy duty ankle and toe straps to the Insta-Click buckles, Burton clearly tried to pile on ease of use to these bindings already stellar accolades to make them a fan favorite.
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The baseplate is another true mark of inventiveness, being a single-component 50/50 carbon fiber/nylon composite blend. While these may well be the actual very best bindings available on the market today, they do come with a high price tag at $540. These bindings are clearly meant for a serious rider with a serious passion for getting the best of the backcountry. If this describes you, look no further for the best freeride snowboard bindings because you’ve found them right here.
NOW O-Drive Bindings
Next on our list for the best freeride snowboard bindings are an awesome option from Now Snowboard Bindings. The O-Drive is a product built for the aggressive freerider that needs the utmost responsiveness. They’re incredibly strong despite being insanely lightweight. The baseplate uses Skate-Tech, a skate shoe inspired idea that tries to add extra comfort to the stability of these bindings. The flex rating on this NOW product is a scores a full 10 out of 10, providing you the stiffest feel you could get out of your next pair of bindings. This makes them perfect for tearing up the backcountry with the most control and power. A huge value that comes along with these bindings is the lifetime warranty.
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These bindings are built for the most in strength and durability but this doesn’t mean that NOW acknowledges that you are going to use their product in the most intense conditions. Anything can happen with how hard you can go in bindings like these so NOW has you covered. And at $500, that’s a great value to stand by. Altogether, this bindings are sure to satisfy your needs for bindings in the backcountry.
Union T. Rice Bindings
Who could argue against bindings used by a true, professional freerider by the name of Travis Rice? Once again, we have found bindings that are as stiff as they need to be while still being lightweight for performance. The highback on this particular product was designed by Rice himself and give a ton of support with their forged carbon. This speaks to the 8 out of 10 flex rating that they have earned, making them plenty stiff enough for the extreme backcountry riding you want to get into.
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The strapping system also ensures that you will be locked into your board for a great, responsive feel. These boots are plenty versatile and will fit 2×4, 4×4, and channel patterns. Altogether, for $300, these bindings provide professional performance at a fine price, making them a great candidate for the best freeride snowboard bindings. If Travis Rice loves them, why shouldn’t you?
Wrap Up
Keeping your feet underneath you is a combination of your own skill, your boots, your board, and, last but certainly not least, your bindings. To put everything together, the right bindings are a must. All told, you need some bindings that are as strong as you are to keep yourself headed in the right direction down the mountain. To avoid washing out or bailing on you during some extreme riding, we have provided you with only the sturdiest bindings. The lack of weight of these bindings are just an added bonus. At the end of the day, though, we want to be sure of one thing: that you can actually use the bindings you have picked out. Make sure that your bindings are compatible with your board and your boots before any purchase, as these things could be disappointing to find out at after a purchase has already been made. With the right amount of research done, you can enjoy the mountain in some of the best freeride snowboard bindings you can find and we think we’ve done a lot of the work for you right here.