Hello and welcome to my Arbor Hemlock Bindings review.
In this review I will take a look at the Hemlock as freestyle snowboard bindings.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Hemlock a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other freestyle bindings.
Overall Rating
Bindings: Arbor Hemlock 2019
Price: $199 (USD recommended retail)
Style: Freestyle
Flex Rating: Medium-Soft
Flex Feel: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Rating Score: 77.4/100
Compared to other Men’s Freestyle Bindings
Out of the 20 men’s freestyle bindings that I rated:
- The average price was $205 (USD)
- The average score was 75.1/100
- The highest score was 94.7/100
- The lowest score was 45.8/100
- The Hemlock ranked 12th out of 20*
*Note that ratings for all bindings hadn’t been updated for 2019 at time of writing, so this is based on 2018 ratings – and I hadn’t ridden the Hemlock in the 2018 model so it wasn’t considered for the Top freestyle list – but this is where it would have ended up based on the 2018 ratings.
Sizing
Check out the table below for the available sizes for the Hemlock.
| Size | Fits Men’s US Boot Sizes | Euro Boot Sizes (depending on boot brand) | UK Boot Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| S/M | 7.0-9.0 | 39.0 - 42.0 | 6.0-8.0 |
| M/L | 9.0-11.0 | 42.0 - 45.0 | 8.0-10.0 |
| L/XL | 11.0-13.0+ | 45.0 - 47.5+ | 10.0-12.0+ |
Who are the Hemlock Most Suited to?
The Hemlocks are best for anyone who likes a looser, softer feeling in their bindings. Great for jibbing, butters, presses etc and for small jumps and side-hits.
Also, really good for beginner riders.
Not really for hard charging or backcountry excursions. More of a park binding or an easy going resort binding.
The Hemlock in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Hemlock are capable of.
Demo Info
Bindings: Arbor Hemlock 2019, M/L
Date: March 9, 2019
Conditions: Sunny with periods of cloud. Great visibility Icy in patches and getting slushy in other patches that were in the sun. A little bit of fresh powder in the upper parts of the hill but didn’t have to go too low for that to disappear.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance Width: 550mm (21.7”)
Board demoed with: Rossignol One 2018, 159cm
Baseplate Length: 24.5cm (9.7“)
Baseplate with Toe Ramp Extended: 25.5cm (10.0”)
Weight: 960 grams (per binding) (2lbs, 1.9oz)*
*Heavier than most I weighed but that was only a small sample size (10 different bindings). The average of the 10 was 864 grams, though that did include some very light Union bindings and it was a small sample size.
Flex
They feel softer than medium but not super-soft. 4/10, I would say.
Responsiveness
For their flex, they actually have decent response. More than I was expecting.
Board Feel/Butterability
Really good board feel/butterability – they have a mini disc so that definitely helps with this aspect.
Pop/Ollie Power
You can extract some good pop out of these bindings – and that pop is really easily accessible. I’d say less poppy than the Arbor Cypress I tried on the same day, but easier to extract that pop – the Cypress you got more out of it but you had to put more into it. About the same amount of pop as the Malavitas I compared all 2019 bindings against.
Adjustability
You can adjust a lot of things on the Hemlock including:
- The heel cup position (which I really like so it’s easier to center your toe and heel),
- The toe strap position
- The highback lean
- Highback rotation
- Toe ramp (but requires a tool)
The highback lean and the length of the toe and ankle straps are tool-less and they are channel compatible.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Shock Absorption
Not like the kings of shock absorption but still pretty good. Not as damp/cushy as the Malavitas, but those are really damp/cushy!
Entry/Exit
Like the Cypress, the Hemlock have some pretty sticky hard to use ratchets. You’ve really got to put some effort in to ratchet your bindings up and it’s not a smooth experience. Getting back out again isn’t any easier. This isn’t a deal breaker in my book – but certainly the biggest weakness of these bindings.
From my time on them, I didn’t notice the straps coming loose at all. I’m not sure about over a longer period of time, but from my experience they don’t come undone, they are just sticky to use. Once I was strapped in, I didn’t notice the straps.
Comfort
They’re really comfortable. The straps might be hard to do up/undo, but they did conform well to my boots and hardly noticed they were there, once I got them on.
Ankle Support
They have really good ankle support, like the Cypress, and very similar to the Malavita (and other Burton bindings) as well.
Price
They’re about the average price for this type of binding, which is pretty reasonable.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Shock Absorption: | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
| Board Feel: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Responsiveness: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL | 77.4/100 |
Overall the Hemlock are solid bindings for riding the park, and riding casually/riding freestyle over the groomers. Would be great for a beginner. Besides the sticky ratchets, they feel like well made bindings.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the Hemlock, are ready to buy or want to research prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to see how the Hemlock compares to other men’s freestyle bindings or want to check out some other options in that category, check out the next link.
>>My Top 5 Men’s Freestyle Bindings
Do you know if these bindings are softer/more flexible or a little stiffer than Burton Customs?
Hi Vince
I haven’t had them side by side to check, but based on how I felt them each at the time, I’d say they are very similar. The Hemlock are maybe a touch stiffer, but really not much in it.
Thanks Nate!
You’re very welcome Vince!