step-in bindings. where did they go?

I realize a lot of the original designs were total crap, but are step-ins ever going to make a return to the snowboard market? I am still rocking a pair of Switch Team X bindings (they have the high-back) with Northwave boots. Best system ever designed. It's such a solid connection to my board, and the high-back provides plenty of stiffness at the back of the calf. No sitting on my ass before every run. Super responsive, no slop.

Although sadly at the end of last season I broke one of the mounts for the high back and have been mucking about with a smaller pair of the same bindings trying to get parts to fit my large pair. Anyone have any spare parts? Ha. Fat chance.

I was thinking that at Whistler last Friday. I didn't see any. I can't imagine getting enough heel hold without a strap. Stepping in would be convenient but I wouldn't pay any performance penalty.

Try clipping into them on a steep and deep run. Either you sit down and spend ages trying to clear snow out, give it a try, realize there's still snow in there and now you've packed into the mechanism, then repeat, or you turn your back to the terrifyingly steep slope and stomp over and over while trying not to lose your balance.

They sort of turned into the flow bindings, which have the same issues (and a couple more, where snow gets trapped between the giant strap and your boot creating pressure points.

Toe-cap style toe straps are the best innovation in recent years.

Cam: the Switch bindings from back in the day have a solid connection to the board, more so than conventional strap-based bindings. Once the boot is locked in, it doesn't move a mm. I can't speak to heel slippage in the boot though. At the end of a day, I start to get a bit of wiggle in the heel.

glib: good point, I do recall a few situations years ago when I had to fuss quite a bit to get clicked back into the binding. But those issues haven't been an issue for me for a long time (guess I'm not hitting enough steep [HTML_REMOVED] deep!). Packed snow can be a problem once in a while, depending on the snow. But again, hasn't been much of an issue in the last few years.

I've seen a lot of people with the toe-cap style. I was in a board shop a couple of weeks ago and noticed Burton's bindings have a different mounting (to the board) system. I'm way out of the loop.

EST.

Or just get a pair of Rome Targas or countless other bindings that work with countless other boards

Good in principle but will probably never be as good as a set of straps.

I don't board but we had a stepin guy with us on a bC trip and he had trouble clipping in when in deep pow they do look good for lift riders

also pick up the 2 different boots and the step-in boot seems to weigh about twice as much

and then how many boot/bindings standards do you have?

They went in the garbage where they below. If I wanted a crazy stiff boot I'd be a two planker.

I am still rocking a pair of Switch Team X bindings (they have the high-back) with Northwave boots. Best system ever designed. It's such a solid connection to my board, and the high-back provides plenty of stiffness at the back of the calf. No sitting on my ass before every run. Super responsive, no slop.

I've been riding the exact same setup for years too. I'll likely end up trying out Flow bindings with some different boots. Unless of course they don't make Flow bindings anymore.

my ex-hub has been designing step-in bindings for the last 10 years now. i think he and my son are using the latest variation, but i dont think he's ready for production (if ever). i believe they work like ski bindings.

hardboot stepin bindings are still made [HTML_REMOVED] pretty trick. I run conventional plate bindings (just a toe clip) which are still lots easier than highbacks. of course, I'm a bit of an esoteric minority. that said, modern carving boards freaking rock. amazing they're not more popular; trenching laid out carves is freaking rad.

Saw about a half dozen carving boards on cypress this am

If there's no pow to be had, carving up the corduroy is the way to go. :heart:

I'm seriously thinking about putting my spare set of step-in plates on my fatboard: so much easier to get into, and so much more responsive…

Saw about a half dozen carving boards on cypress this am

i was amongst that geriatric posse. there's a gaggle of hardbooters that hang out at cypress.