Snowboard bindings are not universal or interchangeable as they have to be compatible with boards and snowboarding shoes. Good snowboard bindings should grip your boot securely and snuggly. Ideally, you should get snowboard bindings that fit your shoes and are compatible with your board.
Snowboard bindings act as the all-important link between a snowboard and you, the snowboarder. By acting as an interface between your board and boots, snowboard bindings help dictate your setup’s responsiveness as well as your overall control and comfort.
Keep reading as I discuss snowboard bindings in detail and how to match them with your shoes and snowboard. Ready? Then let’s get straight to business.
Do Snowboard Bindings Fit All Boots?
Snowboard bindings don’t fit all boots sizes, hence the need to choose bindings that fit snugly with just the right amount of space for slight modifications. And since snowboard bindings usually come in different sizes (that vary from manufacturer to manufacturer), you’ll need to pick the right size to ensure they are compatible with your snowboarding boots.
Therefore, when looking to buy bindings for your snowboarding boots, the first thing you should check is your preferred manufacturer’s chart (binding size). Checking the size chart for snowboard bindings is crucial since brands usually have varying binding size charts.
Once you’ve consulted the size chart of your manufacturer, the next step is to check whether the bindings fit your snowboarding boots well. Some snowboarders prefer trying out their boots after purchasing snowboard bindings. While this method might work for some, searching for snowboard bindings that can fit your boot size is usually the preferred option as it eliminates the guesswork and allows you to get bindings that fit perfectly.
When trying out your snowboard bindings with your boots, you should check whether they make a good fit. And to do so, you’ll need to place your boot inside the binding as if you’re about to strap in. Ideally, your snowboarding boots should hang off your bindings, and you shouldn’t have to over-tighten your binding straps.
As a rule, you’ll know that your snowboard bindings fit well if they allow your boots to flex without swaying. If your boots’ heels fit well in your bindings and you can feel the binding grip your shoes firmly but comfortably, then you’ll know you have a great fit!
Excessively small bindings will expose your toes on the board and thus, increase the chances of pressure and injury. On the other hand, excessively large bindings will limit your board control and overall response, which can greatly take away from your riding experience. Therefore, you should aim to get bindings that are neither too small nor too large.
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When choosing snowboard bindings for your boots, remember to always check the specific manufacturer’s size chart. And although the sizes of snowboard bindings aren’t universal, here’s a little guide to help you understand the three available binding sizes.
- Small (S/M) bindings: On most occasions, small-sized bindings tend to correspond to boots between sizes 6 to 8. But you can find brands like Abor (Amazon) that categorize their size 9 bindings as small.
- Medium (M/L) bindings: As suggested by the name, medium-sized bindings are suitable for people with medium boot sizes. In the snowboarding world, medium-sized bindings tend to fit size 8-10 boots. However, some manufacturers like Burton (Amazon) categorize their size 11 boots as a medium.
- Large (L/XL) bindings: These types of bindings are suitable for people with large feet and mostly fit boots between sizes 10-12. However, the size can go up to size 15.
Based on what we can observe above, there is no universal binding size as different manufacturers have their unique size profiles. The trick, therefore, is to examine a manufacturer’s size chart to determine if the bindings will fit your boots well.
Do Snowboard Boots and Bindings Need To Match?
Although not a must, snowboard boots and bindings that match each other allow for greater control, comfort, and performance. Your binding flex must correspond to the flex of your boot since snowboarding boots also come with different flexes.
Having a soft binding and a stiff boot won’t make much sense, and vice versa. Due to this, you should ensure that the flex of your bindings closely matches the flex of your snowboarding boots.
Not all snowboarding boots perform the same function as some are better suited for freestyle snowboarding, while others work better for freeride adventures. Here’s a brief guide on how to match your snowboard bindings and boots.
Freestyle Snowboard Boots
Freestyle boots are ideal for snowboarders who love spending time at the snowpark working on their jumps, tricks, and spins. Almost all freestyle snowboard boots are soft and highly flexible, which increases your maneuverability and control over your board.
And while freestyle snowboard boots are ideal for park features like rails and half-pipes, they also come with disadvantages as they are far less responsive than stiffer snowboarding boots. This means you’ll need to work more on powder or when on steep terrain.
As a rule, you should always match your freestyle snowboard boots with bindings that have high flex ratings. Matching stiff bindings with soft, flexible boots won’t do much good to your snowboarding experience as you’ll end up struggling to navigate while snowboarding.
Similarly, matching stiff bindings with flexible boots also compromises your overall comfort and performance, consequently forcing you to work harder to control your snowboard!
All-Mountain Boots
If you’re unsure about your preferred type of snowboarding, then settling for all-mountain snowboard boots is highly advisable. Most all-mountain boots have soft to medium flex levels and will work well on different terrains, making them great for intermediate or even beginner riders looking to snowboard on powder or groomed runs.
All-mountain boots aren’t as flexible as freestyle snowboard boots, meaning they won’t work well with extremely flexible bindings. Instead, you should match your all-mountain boots with bindings that have a medium flex. Doing so will allow you to make the most of your boots and have greater control of your board.
Freeride Snowboard Boots
Freeride snowboard boots are characterized by their stiffness, which allows snowboarders to navigate smoothly past steep terrain. However, these types of boots aren’t ideal for beginners as they usually have little room for error.
You’ll find that most pro riders who use freeride snowboard boots usually match them with stiff bindings to improve overall board control and maintain the desired consistency when riding on steep or potentially tricky terrain.
Therefore, as is evident from the above section, it is important to match snowboard bindings with snowboard boots for both safety and effectiveness. Flexible boots work well with flexible bindings, while stiff boots work best when matched with equally stiff bindings.
What Is Flex Rating, and Is It Important When Choosing Snowboard Bindings?
In snowboarding, the flex rating refers to how flexible a binding or boot is. Flex ratings act as a guide when choosing snowboard bindings, boots, and boards.
As mentioned in the previous section, it’s usually advisable to match boots and bindings based on size and flex rating.
Most manufacturers usually rate on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the stiffest binding and 1 the softest. Soft bindings usually range between 1-2, while 3-5 represents medium flex. The 6-8 range represents stiff flex, while bindings within the 8-10 range are often very stiff.
Again, flex ratings tend to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, hence the need to consult your preferred manufacturer’s flex ratings. If you’re a beginner snowboarder, it’s best to start with the more flexible bindings, as they’ll give you a lot more freedom and comfort, especially when navigating corners.
Below is a brief flex guide based on snowboarding experience.
- Beginner riders: For beginners, it’s ideal to start with bindings (and boots) that are forgiving due to the added comfort. This is because beginners don’t need loads of support as they won’t be moving very fast down a slope or a mountain. Therefore, it’s advisable to start with bindings with a softer flex if you’re a beginner snowboarder.
- Intermediate riders: Intermediate riders tend to hit faster speeds than beginners and prefer snowboarding in more demanding terrain, which dictates the need for better support from bindings and boots. Therefore, if you’re an intermediate rider, medium and firm flex bindings will work best as they give you more power when navigating turns.
- Expert riders: If you’re an experienced snowboarder who fancies big mountain or country riding, then you’ll need all the support you can get from your boots and bindings. Stiffer bindings will give you better control, especially when riding at high speeds.
What Are the Main Types of Snowboard Bindings?
Although all snowboard bindings perform similar roles of acting as intermediaries between the board and your boots, they come in different designs. Below are some of the main types of snowboard bindings.
Strap-In Bindings
Strap-in bindings are hugely popular snowboard bindings due to their ease of use and convenience. All you’ll need to do is place your boot in the snowboard binding footbed and wrap the toe and ankle straps around it. With strap-in bindings, it is only the straps that ratchet down to hold your boots securely in place, as the highbacks are designed to be stationary.
However, the challenge with strap-in bindings is they can prove taxing and cumbersome, especially when it comes to adjustments. This is because you might need to buckle and unbuckle the binding straps when riding, which can prove hard when you have your gloves on or in the middle of an event.
Rear Entry Bindings
Also called speed-entry binding, their reinforced highbacks and toe straps usually characterize rear entry bindings. The reinforced highbacks pop open to give you easy access as you’ll only need to slide your foot in and close the highback firmly onto your snowboarding boot.
Rear-entry bindings are often preferred by casual riders and are great at distributing pressure across the foot, specifically the front part.
The problem with rear-entry bindings is that they’re usually heavier than strap-in bindings, making it fairly hard for performance riders to control the board. However, you can still use these types of bindings for both firm-flexing and soft snowboard boots.
Burton Step-On Bindings
As the name suggests, Burton Step-on bindings are manufactured by Burton and are perfect for snowboarders who prefer an instant, hassle-free fit. These bad boys from Burton feature a unique mechanism that allows your boots to remain firmly locked once slid in.
Burton step-on bindings are a bit limiting when it comes to compatibility as they’re designed to work with Burton boots. They do fairly well in terms of performance and rarely affect a snowboarder’s control and board movements.
Are Snowboard Bindings Universal?
Snowboard bindings aren’t universal as they need to be compatible with snowboarding boots and snowboards. The trick, therefore, is to get bindings that correspond to your preferred snowboard.
The main types of mounting options are 2×4 cm (0.79 x 1.57 inches) and 4×4 cm (1.57 x 1.57 inches) systems. Other popular options include the 3D and the Channel systems, which are designed for Burton bindings.
Burton’s Channel mounting system features two integrated slots used to attach bindings to the snowboard. The mounting system adds a considerable amount of convenience, allowing you to adjust the stances by sliding your bindings along the snowboard.
Most bindings can be mounted on 2×4 cm (0.79 x 1.57 inches) and 4×4 cm (1.57 x 1.57 inches) mounting systems. The good news with 3D and the Channel snowboard mounting systems is you can use disc bindings to make them compatible with your snowboard bindings.
Since most brands use the 2×4 and 4×4 mounting systems, you won’t have to worry much about your bindings fitting your snowboard. However, it is advisable to consult with the manufacturer to see if your bindings are compatible with the board.
FAQs About Snowboard Bindings
Are Snowboard Bindings Unisex?
Snowboard bindings are usually designed for either men or women. Compared to female bindings, male bindings are usually larger to accommodate the large boot sizes of male snowboarders. Female bindings are often characterized by their fairly short highback as women’s calves are normally positioned lower than that of men.
Another difference between male and female bindings is the size of the base area. Women’s bindings have slightly narrower designs compared to men’s bindings. However, women can wear men’s bindings without any problem, provided they downsize to fit their actual sizes.
Can You Mount Bindings Without Tools?
Mounting bindings to a snowboard is a crucial process that determines your control, safety, and overall performance levels. As a good rule of thumb, you should use a Phillips screwdriver to mount and tighten the bindings on the board. You can also use a multitool like the Axe Multitool with Flathead and Phillips Screwdriver (available on amazon.com).
After How Long Should You Change Snowboard Bindings?
There is no fixed number of days, months, or seasons to change your snowboard bindings. The frequency of replacing snowboard bindings hinges on the number of times you put your bindings to use.
Over time, you’ll notice ratchets and binding ladders wearing gradually. Your ankle strap is also likely to wear out as it absorbs tension as you ride. The good news is you can replace these parts, provided your bindings aren’t outdated.
Wrapping Up
Snowboard bindings are not universal as they cannot fit on all snowboards unless you use disc bindings to mount them. Additionally, snowboard bindings come in different sizes, hence the need to get the right size that fits your snowboard boots.
And since snowboard bindings sizes tend to differ depending on manufacturers, it is advisable to consult a particular brand’s size chart to ensure you get the right fit for your boots.
Sources
- Rei: How to Choose Snowboard Bindings
- Skateboardershq: Do Snowboard Boots Fit All Bindings
- Evo: How To Choose Snowboard Bindings
- Snowboardrobot: Are My Bindings Compatible With My Snowboard
- Tactics: Choosing Snowboard Bindings
- Ridingboards: Can You Snowboard With Regular Boots
- The-house: Snowboard Binding Hole Patterns
- Snowboards: Buying Guide For Snowboard Bindings
- Glisshop: How To Choose Snowboard Bindings
- Ridingboards: How Long Does A Snowboard Last
- Rei: How to Install Snowboard Bindings