Hardgoods 24/25

[Msteff]

I’m running ultra trays with team backs and the exoframe heel straps from last years force. Pretty ideal for me. As others have said I also like lateral flex with solid response toe to heel. I bit the combo off the tribute board shop colab binding/noticing what kurt wastell was running.

[casjcade]

i might try them on? not really interested investing too much into this setup, and Burton’s in general don’t agree with my feet. i’m also pretty sure the stepon wides have just been thinned out inside the toebox, since the shell has to be a set width to fit the cleats.

salomon seems to have done the same now, and its fucking cold

[pow_hnd]

Union Bindings are pretty much the industry standard for quality bindings and I back em.

According to whom?

I was just at Baldface with and half our cat was demoing Unions.

They were retightening their hardware all day, complaining about the mini disc flexing and stepping on their ankle straps all day long because Union is still in 2005 without flex hinge ankle sliders.

Nobody was impressed and sure as shit nobody was going home to buy any.

[benjinyc]

never been a fan of them myself. there's like over a half a dozen other companies I'd pick over them

[Spenser]

I've always had love for union and C3, and I don't want to come off the wrong way, but I also don't really get the type of hype anymore. I don't mean to say there's anything wrong with the bindings, but sometimes there's a vibe of "if you don't ride Union, you just don't get it." Hardware quirks/etc aside, I think they are perfectly solid, but to go as far as saying "industry standard for quality" - I don't see what they have over any of the other major players in that regard specifically. Their following is what stands out to me.

Personally, although the function of the flex sliders worked fine for me, I didn't stick with them over all. There is a small amount of give in the hinge, probably imperceivable to the vast majority of people, but because of the way I carve and like to feel response from my bindings/straps, I went back-and-forth a few times and noticed it enough to stick with solid sliders. But I also never step on my ankle straps, because… I moved them out of the way so I didn't get a true benefit from their function.

[ad1105]

I started riding Union because I liked how they felt on a Korua and they paired well with the Vans boots I use. Definitely what I’ve chosen to use myself, but “industry standard” isn’t how I’d describe them. A lot of brands out there doing it right.

[eleveneightnate]

i forget if you’ve tried Strata’s or the new Ultras? similar feel to the Shadowfit for me.

Yessir, Stratas were my daily drivers for a couple seasons and I snagged the Ultras this season on sale to try. I didn’t hate them, and I definitely felt more lateral flex in them than other Unions, but there’s something about Union heelcups that just feel funny to me after riding Holograms and Romes. Like the flex from Unions comes from how soft the baseplate is but you’re still really locked inside the heelcup, whereas the others feel like you’re flexing within the heelcup. Hard to describe haha.

[SprockingCrail]

Ok guys, I take back the “industry standard” remark, that sure ruffled a lot of feathers. I like Union, how bout that.
I’ve ridden them for many years and they work for me.

[Spenser]

Ok guys, I take back the “industry standard” remark, that sure ruffled a lot of feathers. I like Union, how bout that.
I’ve ridden them for many years and they work for me.

No feathers ruffled at all, just a few people responding and expressing we don't agree with the sentiment. You're allowed to have whatever opinion you have, and respond to ours

I rode them exclusively for a long time, but that era ended before mini disc and mesh ankle straps. Roughly 07 through 14, I think? Even when I was all about them, I don't know that I would have felt they were "the" standard, but absolutely one of the top. I guess to make a shift to the sentiment, I would agree that they are one of the brands that takes part in setting a standard.

[SJF_NH]

I don't understand how anyone that would go to Baldface would be interested in demoing a binding with mini disks, assuming that they are not familiar with the design. I'm only speaking for myself, but if I go to Baldface, I know what I'll be riding and I won't be wasting pow days on demos of anything.