Are you an experienced snowboarder looking for the best freeride bindings to take your skills to the next level? Look no further!
You need bindings that provide superior control and support without sacrificing flexibility. To help you find the perfect pair, we’ve compiled this list of top-rated freeride snowboard bindings from some of the most trusted brands in the snowboarding industry.
Each option offers something special for riders who want maximum performance out on the slopes, from stiff all-mountain models to lightweight freestyle designs.
So strap in, and get ready to hit those slopes like never before!
best overall
BURTON Step On Genesis
best value for money
System MTN 2023 bindings
best premium
Jones Apollo Bindings
best budget-friendly
5th Element Stealth 3 bindings
best for women
BURTON Citizen Women’s Bindings
most comfortable
Flow Nexus Snowboard Bindings
Best Snowboard Bindings for Freeriding
Burton Step On Snowboard Binding
Burton’s Step bindings have a unique in-built boot-to-binding connection for ease and convenience.
There are three connection points on the board, two at the toe and one at the heel, providing excellent board control. A spring hinge on the Toe Hooks 2.0 allows for easy entry and exit.
Burton’s bindings provide total underfoot cushioning, reducing pain and giving you a broken-in feel. The heel-to-toe connection provides pro-level control.
You can change your posture using the FLAD (Forward Lean Adustiblity) function. All of the most common mounting patterns are supported.
Only Burton boots are compatible with the binding.
It is also available on The House.
System MTN Rear Entry Step-In Bindings
The top-of-the-line rear entry/step-in design of System MTN’s bindings makes getting in and out a breeze. It offers a fantastic feature that saves you a great deal of time.
There’s no need to fasten your strap. MTN’s ankle strap opens up automatically; all you have to do is slap the hi-back down and slide your foot in, and it cinches back down with a single swift lever.
Full EVA padding on the hi-back and high-density dampening on the footbed provide you with the most cushioned and pleasant experience possible.
The ankle strap is made of 3D molded polyurethane and has a rapid response. It’s easy to fit your snowboard boot with features including tool-less forward lean adjustment, sliding strap adjusters, and a coated base plate.
Salomon Rhythm Snowboard Bindings
Salomon bindings feature clever technologies like Shadofit and Blaster Tech to give you the most pleasing on-snow experience possible.
The Rhythm comes with 3D Supreme ankle straps, among other features. Micro Max adjustments and complete EVA padding work together to ensure a superb fit and a comfortable ride.
The Rhythm highback guarantees pleasant and smooth riding. Because it includes soft flex bindings, it’s ideal for beginners or intermediate riders searching for a more relaxed, skate-like sensation.
Its Zone baseplate is more robust and comfy than aluminum. The baseplate is compatible with Salomon’s UNITE rental system, which is incredibly simple.
It is also available on The House, Public Lands, and Moosejaw.
5th Element Stealth 3 Bindings
The Stealth 3 binding is an excellent choice for all riders because it gives you a lot of control over your board and can adjust to any boot-toe shape.
It has a padded base plate that absorbs vibrations as you gain speed while learning, and the forward lean adjuster on the single component highback ensures that you can change and maintain proper posture while on the go.
The bindings have a very soft degree of flex, which aids in advancing riders’ skills.
This is the ‘It’ binding for you if you’re seeking a perfect balance of performance and efficiency.
Rossignol Battle Snowboard Bindings
Rossignol Battle bindings could be the right choice for you if you want something that is both reliable and controllable.
They give accurate boot-to-binding contact with One-Shot 3D straps that secure both vertically and horizontally. As a result, you get direct power transmission and stability.
Thermo-formed EVA and two zones of compression in the Puffy Pad Foot beds increase comfort and vibration absorption.
The Mainframe Highbacks provide incredible side-to-side motion with a solid center frame and specially constructed flex zones.
It incorporates a fit-in mechanism and freewheel ratchets for fast entry and exit.
Overall, Rossignol is a fantastic brand; check out this review on Rossignol Gala Snowboard and Bindings for more information.
It is also available on The House and Public Lands.
Jones Apollo Snowboard Bindings
This Jones Apollo Snowboard binding is designed for the expert freeriders out there. I like these bindings personally because it basically meets all of my demands.
The Flax Carbon highback with a wide upper part locked in my boot top on the toe side turns perfectly and very snugly.
It provides better edge control and balance to me while snowboarding. It also helps me respond faster and makes the whole snowboarding experience quite comfortable.
This snowboard binding reacts to every single muscle twitch with high-speed accuracy. Another great feature this binding offers is that it can be set up in Surf mode or Freeride mode.
These modes can be easily set up by switching bushings and swapping the Flip-It ankle straps.
You can switch to Surf mode if you want to maximize your tweaking ability. On the other hand, the Freeride mode offers maximum response. It has a triple-density EVA foot pillow, making the binding even more comfortable for the feet.
It is also available on The House.
Union Ultra Snowboard Bindings
This Union Ultra men’s Snowboard binding comes in 4 different color combinations. Among these four combinations of aqua blue, black/orange, ultra red, and white.
Despite my preference, these color combinations are very relaxed and funky and would stand out in the snow. I personally loved the white one.
These bindings help take off with a spring, and even the landings are pretty cushioned to cater perfectly to freestyle snowboarding.
It does not cater well to all-mountain or freeride styles. So, I’d suggest you avoid using these bindings if your snowboarding style isn’t freestyle.
These bindings have a flex rate of 6/10, making them not too stiff and enhancing a balanced and responsive ride. It also has mini disk technology, which gives maximum board flex and a surfy ride feel.
The ankle strap has a responsive exoframe exterior, and the padded comfort and flexibility of the Forma interior make the binding sturdy yet comfortable.
BURTON Cartel X EST Snowboard Bindings
This men’s BURTON Cartel Snowboard Bindings come in 4 different colors: Black, Stout white/Logo, Cream/Graphic, and Sun-Dried Tomato.
These colors are almost as unique as their names suggest for a snowboard binding. I find both the names and the colors quite funky, and I have to say, the ‘Sun Dried Tomato’ and ‘Cream/Graphic’ colors looked very out of the box and held my attention.
Its ankle strap and high back provide an enhanced hold and response. Not only this, but the ankle strap also has a durable and low-profile design and gives you instant control over the board.
Also, the sensory bed cushioning system also offers a comfortable connection to the board and outstanding control.
This EST version offers the ultimate in flex, feel, and adjustability. The dual-component baseplate creates a soft ride that is stiffer edge-to-edge which improves the balance by leaps and bounds.
The heel hammock has a rubbery material that wraps around the snow boot heel and provides complete suspension for lightning-fast response.
How to Choose Snowboard Bindings for Yourself
If you are an experienced freeride enthusiast, I am sure you already have a pair of favorite bindings that elevate your performance and enhance your experience.
However, if you are an amateur and searching for suitable bindings, there are certain things you need to remember before shopping for one.
Your choice for the perfect snowboard binding should only be considered after thoroughly researching the following points:
Riding Style
It’s incredibly crucial that your snowboard bindings match your style of riding. This is because your binding flex needs to match your riding manner and your boots’ flex.
The available snowboard bindings can usually fit three different riding styles, namely:
Freestyle
Snowboard bindings in this category usually offer a softer flex of 1-2 rating.
This is because the freestyle riders usually ride in terrain parks or similar grounds and thus need more forgiving landings options with room for errors.
All-Mountain
An all-mountain rider is someone ready to hit any terrain with complete confidence and charisma.
Whether a groomed park or an icy slope, they can manage it all and prefer a medium flex binding for all-purpose use.
Freeride
And the last one is the freestyle rider, which solely focuses on challenging terrains and therefore require a stiffer flex rating for better energy transfer and response.
Freeride style is most suitable for experienced riders who can easily ace their aerial techniques.
Binding Style
Moving on to the binding style, it’s imperative to match your snowboard riding style to your critical style because it will improve board control and ultimately deliver a better performance.
The four main types of binding styles are:
Strap Binding
The most common snowboard bindings these feature straps that go all the way down to firmly secure your boots. These straps provide excellent adjustment options with good support.
However, if you don’t like to buckle/unbuckle the binding manually, this one is not for you.
Speed-Entry Binding
Although similar in looks to Strap binding, these feature reclining highbacks allowing smooth in/out boot access with adequate stabilization.
They are a little heavier than strap bindings and are usually preferred by casual riders with soft to medium boot flex.
Splitboard Bindings
Specially designed for splitboard snowboarding, these bindings are incredibly responsive and offer multiple unique features that are not usually found in your traditional snowboard binding.
As mentioned above, they are suitable for aggressive mountain riders who like to ‘split’ up/down the terrain.
Rear-Entry Bindings
These bindings provide a perfect blend of support and control with quick and easy use. They are designed for smooth access and are especially appealing to beginners.
However, they do not allow for customized adjustments, and therefore their fit and comfort largely depend on you selecting the appropriate binding for your snowboard.
Binding to Boot Compatibility
Despite an obvious indicator, many riders forget to check this until it’s too late. Before making the final decision, you must ensure that your bindings are 100% compatible with your snowboarding boots.
Bindings and boots are available in different sizes, and you must cross-check to ensure that the former matches the latter.
This is especially important because a mismatch in size will result in a misfit affecting the functioning of the binding.
Binding to Board Compatibility
Another crucial point to remember- your bindings must work smoothly with your snowboard.
Binding baseplates usually feature discs/bolts that must be attached to the snowboard interface for the preferred stance. These baseplates have to be compatible with your snowboard interface to work correctly.
Most bindings today work across multiple board brands like Chamonix snowboards; however, there are three main types of snowboard bindings interfaces:
The 4 Hole Interface
The 2×2 and 4×4 are the most common mounting systems and are, therefore, used by most brands while being compatible with most snowboards.
This system features 4-hole mounting plates that are screwed into the snowboard for its use.
The 3D Mounting System
Unique to Burton boards, this mounting system features a distinctive pattern and uses only three screws to attach the binding to the board.
This is exclusively found on Burton snowboards; usually, most of the bindings are compatible with both 4-hole and 3-hole interfaces for smooth functioning.
The Channel System
A versatile and robust alternative to your traditional mounting interfaces, the channel system provides unlimited access along the board’s width and angles for the best compatibility and adaptability.
This provides the rider with adequate adjustability, refined stance opportunities, and a chance to fine-tune the overall fit of the binding.
These are some of the essential points you need to examine and understand before selecting your snowboard’s appropriate binding.
Final Words
Selecting the appropriate snowboard binding is crucial since it creates a link between your boots and the board.
Your choice of bindings will ultimately affect both your performance and safety.
Irrespective of whether you are an amateur or a professional freeride snowboarder, the right pair of bindings will completely revolutionize your game while also improving your skills and boosting your confidence.
I hope this article nudges you in the right direction and helps you to choose the right bindings for your snowboarding needs.
Also, ensure you gear up properly for your snowboarding adventures. Invest in good snowboard stomp pads, helmets, and suitable insoles for your boots.
Safe riding!
