Advice on best board bindings please

[nickjaypee]

Hi, new to site, really joined because I'm also new to boarding - doing ok but live in United Kingdom and only get to board 1 -2 times per year.

Want to buy my own boots and board. Question is, which binding s are best. I have used clip ins, dead easy and quick to get on and off, but all the guys that look goodat boarding seem to use strap ins. I generally just free ride, little jumps and stuff, carving and downhill etc.

Oh, and although I've tried off-piste a while back I was rubbish until this year when we had loads and loads of overnight snow and all the slopes were knee deep in powder most of mornings. I managed really well, weight more on back foot, and turned well enough - second question is, is that similar to off-piste boarding. Might have lessons next time cos i really want to go off piste.

Appreciate any help, thank you

Nick
Leeds
England

[MARK]

If you just want to have a good time, ride short slopes, and don't go very often then step-ins may be enough for you. Straps offer more adjustability, greater boot selection, quick entry/exit if you buy a decent one, etc. If you want performance first and foremost then go with straps.

Binding selection depends largely on preference and boot compatibilty, but I will break it down in quick, GENERAL selection terminology for strap bindings.

Choose a less forgiving(won't flex as much), quicker reacting aluminum baseplate binding if you are one or more of the following:
1)an experienced or powerful freerider wanting quick reaction
2)a heavyweight(experienced or not necessarily with a lot of experience) over around 200lbs

Choose a more forgiving(flexes more), slightly slower reacting "composite"(plastic) baseplate binding if you are one or more of the following:
1)a freestyler wanting forgiveness on landings(especially when off balance)
2)a lighter weight rider(especially a child) whom is either a beginner or not a powerful freerider

I mainly prefer to use composite baseplate bindings, but do use aluminum sometimes if I am mainly carving that day.

[nickjaypee]

Thanks Mark. Appreciate the help. I notice from another post that straps are more popular for some good reasons too.

If you just want to have a good time, ride short slopes, and don't go very often then step-ins may be enough for you. Straps offer more adjustability, greater boot selection, quick entry/exit if you buy a decent one, etc. If you want performance first and foremost then go with straps.

Binding selection depends largely on preference and boot compatibilty, but I will break it down in quick, GENERAL selection terminology for strap bindings.

Choose a less forgiving(won't flex as much), quicker reacting aluminum baseplate binding if you are one or more of the following:
1)an experienced or powerful freerider wanting quick reaction
2)a heavyweight(experienced or not necessarily with a lot of experience) over around 200lbs

Choose a more forgiving(flexes more), slightly slower reacting "composite"(plastic) baseplate binding if you are one or more of the following:
1)a freestyler wanting forgiveness on landings(especially when off balance)
2)a lighter weight rider(especially a child) whom is either a beginner or not a powerful freerider

I mainly prefer to use composite baseplate bindings, but do use aluminum sometimes if I am mainly carving that day.

[NoKnees]

And just to give you one more thing to look at, it's Flow bindings. Kinda of a morph between strap and step-ins... Their low end stuff is still more responsive than most regular step in stuff. Their mid to high end actually starts to get more responsive than straps when setup properly. Quite comfortable too... The one knock against them is the price. But, if you can get a deal, try them out.

Da Gimp