Burton Step On EST Escapade Review

Hello and welcome to my Burton Step On EST Escapade snowboard bindings review.

In this review I will take a look at the Step On EST Escapade's as all-mountain-freeride snowboard bindings.

As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Step On EST Escapade's a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other women's all-mountain freeride bindings.

NOTE: Since these had to be tested with Step On boots, the ratings scores aren't as accurate as they would be, as Meira didn't have her normal control boots to test with (so any comparisons to her control bindings are tainted because of having to ride these with different boots).

So this review is a rougher indication than the other reviews, because some of what Meira felt could have been influenced by the differences provided by the Step On boots she used to test the bindings.

Overall Rating

Bindings: Burton Step On EST Escapade

Price: $399 (USD recommended retail)

Style: All-Mountain/Freeride

Other Uses: Aggressive All-Mountain

Flex Rating: Medium (6/10)

Flex Feel: Mid-Stiff (7/10)

Rating Score: 85.5/100

Compared to other Women’s All-Mountain Freeride Bindings

Overview of the Step On EST Escapade’s Specs

Check out the tables for the Step On EST Escapade ’s specs and available sizes.

Specs

Who are the Step On EST Escapade Most Suited To?

The Escapade EST Step On are best suited to those who are looking for a quicker entry and want to really optimize their carving performance - particularly on a stiffer board. 

Not as well suited for more playful riders and I wouldn't recommend for beginners. Firstly because they are too stiff for beginners, IMO and also because the system takes some getting used to - and having that to learn on top of learning how to ride would be a distracting thing to have to deal with. 

The Step On EST Escapade in More Detail

O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Step On EST Escapade are capable of.

Demo Info

Binding: Burton Step On EST Escapade, M

Date: February 7, 2024

Carving

Great carving feeling with these bindings. My overall setup felt like it was noticeably better at holding an edge and carving.  I  found I could hold long and short carves with ease. This for me was their best quality.  

Slow Speed Response

Again, really decent. Not as good as when carving, mostly because I found that they gave me a locked in feeling, creating a bit more difficulty in slow speed manipulation of the board.

Board Feel/Butterability

I found it harder to nose and tail press vs when I had my control boots/bindings on the Feelgood. More difficult to get the press to ollie with. I found the Step On bindings restricted my ankle mobility which created a harder stance for ollies , presses and popping.

Pop/Ollie Power

With the Step On Escapade bindings/Felix Step On boots, I found it was a bit more difficult to get the proper flex and power to ollies and get functional pop as I could with my regular boots/bindings. I found I couldn't get the more flexible feeling from the ankle with the step on bindings to be able to get the board to pop as well. 

Adjustability

Heel Cup: No

Stance Width: Great stance width adjustability with these, because you are using the Channel (EST Bindings can only be mounted to boards with the Channel system) and you've got basically anywhere within that Channel  to set your bindings. 

Highback Lean: Yes - tool-less.

Ankle Strap Position: n/a - no straps

Toe Strap Position: n/a

Ankle and toe strap length:  n/a

Gas pedal/toe ramp extension: Yes. ~2cm of extension available

Highback Rotation: Yes, some. 

Compatible with: The Channel only 

Shock Absorption

I found these bindings provided decent enough shock absorption. Very similar to my control bindings (Burton Lexa ReFlex).

Comfort

I found that with this set up there were minor pressure points around the toe holds in the bindings as well as around the calf in the high back. But overall comfortable apart from that.  

Ankle Support

I prefer to have the ankle support feeling of a strapped binding. Being locked into the highback helps and its not as lacking in ankle support as I would of thought, but I still prefer the feeling of straps. 

Entry/Exit

I found the bindings a little hard to step into with the secondary foot at first, as the locking mechanism at the heel felt like it took a lot of force to lock in. The exit of the bindings was also quite difficult at first - the toe holds didn't seem to release very easily.

It got a lot better with practice by the end, but still not as easy as I'd like. However, I hear they get easier and they already had with my session, so my rating here takes into account that they definitely take some practice to get used to. Ease of use for beginners starting out with these bindings isn't great.

Score Breakdown and Final Verdict

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

My overall impression of this bindings/boots setup is that they lack a playfulness for the more all-mountain-freestyle riders that like to jib and pop off rollers. However, they do offer an amazing locked in feeling when carving and help the board to hold an edge well through variable conditions. 

I find that there is a learning curve with the Step On set up that does not make for an ease of entry into snowboarding. Not for light hearted beginners, IMO. But for intermediate to advanced riders who never want to mess around with straps again and love to carve, this binding/boot set up offers a great ride.