Jones Nebula FASE Bindings Review

Hello and welcome to my Jones Nebula FASE snowboard bindings review.

The Nebula FASE combine a traditional two-strap binding feel with the quicker entry and exit of the FASE system. They sit at the more freestyle-focused end of Jones’ FASE lineup, but still have enough response and support for riding the whole mountain.

In this review I will take a look at the Nebula FASE as freestyle snowboard bindings.

As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Nebula FASE a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other freestyle bindings.

Overall Rating

Bindings: Jones Nebula FASE 2027

Price: $299 (USD recommended retail)

Style: Freestyle

Flex Rating: Mid-Soft (2/5)

Flex Feel: Medium (6/10)

Rating Score: 82.1/100

Compared to other Men’s freestyle Bindings

Overview of the Nebula FASE’s Specs

Check out the tables for the Nebula FASE’s specs and available sizes.

Specs

Who are the Nebula FASE Most Suited To?

The Nebula FASE are best suited to riders who want a mid-flex freestyle leaning binding with a little more carving support than you typically get from softer, more playful bindings.

They’re a good match for riders who want to hit jumps, side hits and natural features but also spend plenty of time carving groomers and cruising the rest of the mountain. I found their response to be nicely balanced between quick low-speed turns and higher-speed carving.

Naturally, they are also best suited to someone who wants a fast-entry system but prefers the familiar feel and adjustability of regular straps. Once your toe strap is set, the FASE system reduces entry to placing your boot in the binding and tightening the ankle strap.

Not the best option if maximum board feel and super-easy pop initiation are your top priorities, IMO. They also have fairly limited adjustability compared to some bindings.

Work best with boards in roughly the 4/10 to 7/10 flex range, with their sweet spot being around 5/10 to 6/10, IMO.

Test/review details for the Nebula FASE

O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Nebula FASE are capable of.

Demo Info

Binding: Jones Nebula FASE 2027, M

Date: March 11, 2026

TESTING Conditions:

Overhead: Cloudy and snowing lightly throughout the day, like the day before. 

Visibility:  65%-90% for the most part. Variable. Slightly worse than the previous day but similar. 

Felt a little colder than the day before, despite the recorded temperatures being slightly warmer. 

On groomer:  Very similar to the previous day with some new fresh snow coming. I would say a little icier underneath than the previous day, in the spots that the fresh snow didn't completely cover.

Yesterday's groomer: "Dust on Crust. A little fresh snow on a hard, sometimes icy under layer. Some smoother areas on groomers, but mostly messy and ungroomed - but the mess was nice and soft and fluffy!".

Off groomer: Very similar to yesterday but with a little more fresh pow overall. 

Yesterday's off-groomer: "Fresh snow. Not deep and tracked for most part, but some untracked pockets and overall really decent for getting off groomer."

Set Up & Measurements

* for one binding, including screws and disc. 

**based on a sample size of ~150 bindings models that we’ve weighed in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 & 2027 models. 

Flex

In-House

The highback felt pretty stiff when twisting it by hand, though not quite as stiff as the highback on my control bindings.

There was virtually no pullback flex through the highback. In that respect, I couldn’t detect much difference between the Nebula and the Malavita (control bindings).

The ankle strap was also quite stiff. It felt a little stiffer than the Malavita strap both torsionally and when bending it lengthways. The toe strap followed a similar pattern and was slightly stiffer than the Malavita’s.

On Snow

On snow, the Nebula felt a little stiffer overall than my control bindings. I would put its flex at 6/10 perhaps even bordering around 6.5/10 – but I’d say 6/10 is the most accurate, by feel. Looking at their rated flex now, Jones rates them as softer (2/5).

That gave them a supportive, responsive feel without making them excessively demanding. They were still flexible enough for freestyle riding, but not especially soft or loose-feeling.

Responsiveness

The Nebula responded well at slower speeds and felt very similar to my control bindings when making quick turns.

They didn’t make it difficult to move from edge to edge, and they helped the setup to remain agile enough for slower, more technical riding. That helped them feel comfortable through trees, uneven terrain and anywhere I needed to make frequent adjustments to my line.

When I increased the speed or put more pressure into a carve, the Nebula offered a little more support than the Malavita but not by a whole lot. They weren’t super-powerful or highly aggressive bindings or anything, but handled carving decently well – and slightly better than my control bindings.

That balance made them versatile. Quick enough at slower speeds but still had the backbone to support some faster riding and stronger carves.

Board Feel/Butterability

Board feel was ok, but not as good as my control bindings. I could still feel what the board was doing reasonably well, but the Nebula didn’t provide the most direct or natural lateral flex I’ve experienced.

It was still perfectly capable for presses, but riders who place a lot of importance on board feel might them a bit lacking in this area.

Pop/Ollie Power

The Nebula provided roughly the same total ollie power as my control bindings.

The main difference was that the initial movement took slightly more effort. Once I loaded the board properly, the power was there, but it didn’t feel quite as easy to access.

That made it better suited to someone who doesn’t mind putting a little more input into an ollie. Not the bindings I’d choose specifically for effortless pop initiation, but they still provided enough support for jumps and bigger freestyle features.

Adjustability

The Nebula’s adjustability was one of their weaker areas. There was no independently adjustable heel cup, gas pedal extension, heel ramp adjustment or highback rotation. I also couldn’t change the position of either the ankle strap or toe strap (note you can adjust the length of the straps, like with all bindings – just not the position up or down the chassis).

The full-size mounting disc provided some stance-width adjustment, but the channels in the disc were relatively short, so the available range wasn’t huge, for a full size disc.

On the plus side, strap lengths adjustment and forward lean adjustment was tool-less. They are  also compatible with all major mounting systems – 2x4, 4x4 and The Channel.

Overall, I could get the binding set up well enough, but not a huge amount of options for really fine-tuning the fit and response.

Shock Absorption

Shock absorption was good and felt very similar to my control bindings.

The removable upper section of the footbed felt like fairly hard plastic, particularly through the middle. Underneath it, however, there was a good amount of padding around the toe and heel, with especially generous cushioning beneath the heel.

That padding extended down toward the point where the baseplate connected to the board. Only the perimeter around the mounting disc remained rigid, which helped cushion impacts and reduce vibration without completely isolating me from the board.

The Nebula absorbed everyday chatter and landings well and should provided good cushioning for park laps, side hits and general resort riding.

Entry/Exit

Entry/exit was naturally one of the Nebula’s standout qualities.

To use the FASE system, you first set the toe strap in the correct position and then leave it there. The ankle strap remains connected to its ladder but sits open, creating space for your boot to get in.

To get in, you place your foot into the binding at an angle, rather than dropping it straight down, and then tighten the ankle strap. I could do this while moving, which made it quicker than stopping and tightening two straps every time.

The ankle ratchet felt nice and smooth, which helped make the system work the way it does. Once getting my foot into the bindings, the ankle strap slides easily into place with a push and then only requires minimal – one or two at most I found – cranks to get it at the tightness I like.

The toe ratchet wasn’t quite as smooth, but it was smooth enough and, because it’s set and forget, it doesn’t need to be used often.

Exiting required me to release and lift the ankle strap, then pull my foot backward and upward at an angle. I still found that movement (pulling my foot towards me, as opposed to more straight up as I typically would in a traditional two strap binding where I would have both the ankle and toe strap fully released) a little awkward, even though the overall process was quick.

The system also took some initial setup. It wasn’t particularly difficult, but I needed to take a little time to find the right toe-strap position, initially.

I gave entry and exit a high score because the FASE system worked well and made getting strapped in noticeably quicker. At the same time, I’m still not convinced that I’d want it over traditional two strap bindings. I find traditional bindings are already easy to enter and exit, particularly when they have a flexible ankle-strap hinge that holds the strap out of the way.

But if faster entry is something you value, particularly if getting going without stopping after getting off the chairlift, the Nebula delivers it without feeling dramatically different from a normal two-strap binding once you’re riding.

Comfort

The Nebula felt nice and comfortable overall.

I didn’t experience any noticeable pressure points, ankle-strap bite or calf bite. That was particularly good to see given that the highback didn’t have any padding and the ankle strap felt relatively stiff when flexed by hand.

The canted footbed also helped provide a natural-feeling stance.

Nothing about the binding disappeared completely beneath my feet, but it remained comfortable throughout the test and didn’t give me anything to complain about.

Ankle Support

Ankle support felt good and was very similar to my control bindings.

The ankle straps kept my boots securely in place and provided a balanced amount of support. They weren’t exceptionally locked-in or, at the other end of the scale, surfy, but rather sat in a useful middle ground that should work well for a wide range of freestyle and all-mountain riding.

Weight

The Nebula felt a touch heavier when riding than my control bindings. The difference wasn’t significant but they also didn’t have a particularly lightweight feel underfoot.

Score Breakdown and Final Verdict

Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.

The Jones Nebula FASE felt like solid, versatile bindings that leaned toward freestyle riding without feeling restricted to the park.

Compared to my control bindings, they felt a little stiffer, slightly better for carving and about the same for slow-speed agility, shock absorption and ankle support. The main trade-offs were slightly reduced board feel, marginally harder pop initiation and fewer adjustment options.

The FASE system is the most distinctive part of the Nebula. Entry was quick, the ankle ratchet worked smoothly and the system maintained a familiar two-strap feel while riding. Exit still felt a little awkward to me, and I’m personally not convinced fast-entry systems are necessary, but that comes down largely to preference.

For someone who actively wants faster entry without moving to a heavier or less traditional-feeling system, the Nebula FASE are a strong option. They provide a comfortable, supportive and well-balanced ride, with enough carving ability for the whole mountain and enough movement for creative freestyle riding.

They’re also a lower priced option than last year’s initial FASE releases, for those with a smaller budget looking to get a FASE setup.