The right snowboard binding flex depends on a few things – your ability level, your style of riding and the flex of your boots and board.
Personal preference will also play a role but mostly it’s down to riding style, ability level and boot/board match.
Flex Ratings
Unfortunately flex ratings aren’t standardized. There are a couple of different rating systems and how flex is rated can differ between manufacturers.
The most common flex ratings you will see, and their rough corresponding flex rating out of 10, are shown below. As much as possible I will try to use both the word form and the number rating for clarity.
Also in terms of the word form, I will be using the wording from the first rating system below in the rest on the rest of this page.
Rating System #1
- Soft (1 – 2 out of 10)
- Medium-to-soft (3 – 4 out of 10)
- Medium (5 – 6 out of 10)
- Medium-to-stiff (7 – 8 out of 10)
- Stiff (9 – 10 out of 10)
Rating System #2
- Soft (1 -2 out of 10)
- Medium (3 – 5 out of 10)
- Stiff (6 – 8 out of 10)
- Very Stiff (9 – 10 out of 10)
Ability
If you are a beginner then ability level will come into play. If you are a more advanced rider then it comes down to your riding style (see the next section below).
Beginners are best to go with a Medium-to-Soft flex – a 3 or 4 out of 10.
This is the same as with snowboards and boots for beginners – so you will be matching the flex correctly.
>>Check out this post for more on how to choose a beginner snowboard
But the main reason that a medium-to-soft flex is the way to go, is that it enables a more forgiving ride and will be more forgiving of errors.
The reason I wouldn’t go for too soft a flex (say 1 – 2 out of 10) is that it compromises too much on responsiveness. Medium-to-soft (3 – 4 out of 10) is the best compromise between responsiveness and a forgiving ride.
Intermediate riders don’t need to stick to this but I still wouldn’t go beyond a 6/10 or 7/10 in flex for an intermediate rider.
Riding Style
Different riding styles suit different levels of flex in a snowboard binding.
The following is typically the best set up for each different type style but some personal preference will definitely come into play. And you may well be a unique blend of different styles which may influence the flex you go with.
Like with the beginner rider it is important to match the flex of your bindings with your boot and board. Check out the link below for more on snowboard flex.
>>Snowboard Flex Rating Explained – What Flex is Best?
Freestyle
Freestyle riders tend to go with a softer flex.
This is because the softer flex allows for easier landings, greater room for error and allows the freestyle rider to tweak grabs more easily.
If you typically just stay in the park and like to ride really soft flexing boards for easy buttering and like that really forgiving flex then a soft flex (1 – 2 out of 10) could be the way to go for you. This is mostly for street/jib boards and riders.
However, a lot of freestyle riders like to use the rest of the mountain for freestyle riding and also like to occasionally ride the trails with mates who don’t ride in the park. In this case a medium-to-soft flex (3 – 4 out of 10) is the better way to go.
For larger jumps or for riding the pipe, it’s usually preferred to have a slightly stiffer flex. a medium flex (5-6 out of 10), in this case is probably better. You still don’t want to go too stiff because you still want to be able to tweak grabs and want some forgiveness on landings, but that extra stiffness can help make your landings more stable.
All Mountain
All-mountaineers like to do a bit of everything. They need their board, boots and bindings to be flexible enough to ride in the park, ride the trails and help them to conquer the back country.
This is where medium flex or medium-stiff flex (5 – 8 out of 10) is king. It’s the happy middle ground to allow you to do everything on one set of bindings all in the same day.
Some all-mountaineers may go slightly softer or slightly stiffer depending on what they like to do and personal preference. An all-mountaineer that spends more time in the park may want to be closer to that medium flex around 5/10.
Whilst the all-mountaineer that spends more time bombing down the mountain at speed and likes to carve and does more backcountry stuff, may prefer a medium-to-stiff (7-8 out of 10) in their bindings. Again it’s a good idea to match this to your boots and boards as much as possible too.
Free-riders
For those aggressive riders that like to live in powder in the backcountry and bomb the steep slopes at speed then you will need a binding that is super-responsive.
This is where stiff flex (9 – 10 out of 10) is the way to go to maximize responsiveness. It would be very difficult for a novice rider to ride with such a stiff flex so make sure you have the ability to handle this type of flex.
Some freeriders do prefer a bit more forgiveness than what’s offered in a stiff flexing binding and might prefer to go with a more medium-stiff (7-8/10) binding
Other options
Of course, these are only three very broad definitions of styles and you may be someone who likes to bomb the backcountry but also enjoys riding in the park. Really the best solution for this is to have two sets of gear, if you want to get the most out of each day.
Other considerations
Flex is not the only thing to consider when looking for snowboard bindings. Choosing the right size, type of binding and ensuring compatibility with your snowboard’s binding mounting system are also important considerations.
Check out the article below to learn more about these other considerations.
>>How to Choose Snowboard Bindings: Sizing, Type, Style & Compatibility
Questions or comments
Hopefully this has helped in your decision for which snowboard bindings are best for you. If you have any questions or comments just leave them in the comments section below. I try to answer all questions and comments within a day or two.
Hi Nate, I’ve been riding for 4 yrs. but surfed 40yrs. I only know Bent Metal bindings. The Transfers I’ve been riding on a Hyper Kyarv (rocker) have served me well and I’m thinking about the Axtion. I’m having a Wired Snowboards Directional Twin camber board made. It is a Medium 6 flex. There are so many binding options out there. Do you have a recommendation what I should be looking at??? I’m 60yrs old, and pretty much an all mountain surf flow style in resorts a little off piste when I travel. I would consider myself an intermediate rider spending most of my time on the East Coast USA riding black’s until they get pushed off .
Thanks
Hey Chuck
Thanks for your message.
I would try to match the flex with the flex of the board, at least somewhat anyway, doesn’t have to be exact. So if it’s a 6/10 flex, then I wouldn’t go stiffer than an 8/10 flex binding and wouldn’t go softer than a 5. Ideally 6/10 to 7/10. I haven’t ridden the Axtion, so couldn’t say what it’s like but assuming the flex rating is fairly accurate, then it sounds like it would be a good match to the board you’re getting made.
If you wanted some other options you could also check out the following:
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
Hope this helps
Hi!
I am riding for 3-4 years now and i was riding rentals until now. I consider myself as something between beginner and intermediate.
I ride groomed areas only. I want something playful but sometimes a little speed.
So I want to buy a snowboard, boots and bindings.
I am thinking of GNU GWO, Burton Moto BOA and Union Strata bindings.
I will be grateful if you tell me what do you think and if you can point me in the right direction of what to choose.
Hi Dimitar
Thanks for your message.
I think the GWO is a good choice as a beginners board and the Moto also a great choice as beginner boots. The Strata are on the stiffer side for a beginner setup and on the stiffer side for the board and boots. However, they’re still in range of the boots/board flex. I wouldn’t go any stiffer than the Strata with that setup though. Ideally a little softer flexing, but they’re doable.
Hope this helps
Great site Nate.
I am trying to decide on bindings for my, still in the wrapper, 2022 burton custom camber snowboard paired with 2023 burton photon boas. My current set up is a 2006 burton royale freestyle board with 2008 burton cartels. I believe the custom is more stiff than my royale. I have been riding since 2002 so for the type riding i do i would say i am late stages of intermediate to early stages of advanced.
I know I want burton est bindings but i am torn between cartel, cartel x, malavita, or most likely not but maybe even genesis.
I live in the midwest. Most of my riding is done at the local hills on various snow conditions with an every other year snowboard weekend out west. When i ride anywhere I mostly just like being out there free riding at various speeds on various terrain with an occasional freestyle all mtn trick tossed in there. I spend zero time in the park anymore. I really like having the control to maneuver while hitting those little narrow trails through the woods too. Might hit a tiny jump every so often (don’t tell the wife)..
One of the guys at the burton store was suggesting malavita or cartel x. He was leaning toward cartel x for my board, boot, riding style scenario. He said the malavitas will be more comfy while the cartel x will be still be comfy and have more response. Is one of these bindings the stand out right choice? A better fit for the custom camber board and what i want out of it?
Hi Joshua
Thanks for your message.
I would be leaning Cartel X for the Custom and how you describe your riding. They’re a slightly better flex match to the Custom and for your riding style. They are a little stiffer than the Malavita, but they’re not super stiff or anything – a 7/10 by my feel. The Malavita wouldn’t be wrong – and I rode the Malavita with the Custom and they definitely work together, so it wouldn’t be a wrong choice or anything, but I’d be leaning Cartel X.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate! First thanks for all the great info! love the site it’s helped me a ton! One area I am struggling on is new bindings.
I used to ride a NS Premier F1, Flow NXT-At bindings, and Ride Insano Boots. Everything was rated pretty stiff (most rated around 9/10 at the time) . All was new 10+ years ago. This year I switched to a Never Summer Proto FR (8/10), and Nidecker Hylite boots (6/10), and my old NXT-AT bindings. I would consider myself a strong intermediate been boarding for 20 years.
I am in my mid 40’s now. I don’t charge down the hills with speed my only focus like I used to 10 years or so ago (although I still do it I am more into cruising these days on blues and some blacks) . I am not into the park, I am not into tricks/jumps, I like powder when I can find it.
I am looking for advice on flex for new bindings. I find myself leaning towards stiffer as I am used to it. I have looked at Rome A-8 as well as Fix Peak+ (rates at 7) . What would you recommend stick to the stiffer side or look for something in the middle?
Hi Art
Thanks for your message.
I would stick to the stiffer side, but given that you like to cruise, something more like 8/10 or even 7/10, rather than 9/10. I think you could get away with 7/10 on your setup, if you wanted a bit more forgiveness but 8/10 should be all good too. So Ride A-8 or Fix Peak would certainly both work, IMO (I haven’t ridden anything Fix, so not sure what they’re like – and I haven’t ridden the A-8 from Ride, but have ridden the C-6).
If you wanted to check out any other options you could also check out:
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
>>Top 5 Freeride Bindings
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I just bought the Flux XF and wanted to get your opinion if they will be a good match for me.
Regarding my skill level I wouldn’t consider myself a total beginner anymore, maybe somewhere on the lower end of the intermediate scale. I almost exclusively cruise down groomed pists and maybe do some light off-pist riding. You won’t really find me in the park doing jumps or tricks, that’s not my thing at least not yet.
Do you think the binding will be a good match? Do you think I will appreciate the responsiveness or is it too unforgiving for a someone with my skill level? I am also a bit concerned about the lack of cushioning, but maybe it doesn’t matter much because I anyway don’t go to the parks.
I highly appreciate your input!
Hi Tobi
Thanks for your message.
If you’re not doing a lot of jumping, then I don’t think the shock absorption should be a big deal. Shock absorption does also help with chatter, but I like to have it mainly for jumps.
In terms of ability, it’s on the stiffer side for your level, IMO, but you might get away with it, depending. If you’re a bigger guy, then it won’t feel as stiff if you’re a lighter guy, so that will affect how suitable it is. Also if you’re more athletic, then it will be easier to manage as well, but if you’ve got less strong legs, then it will be more of a challenge. Another thing to note is the board you’ll be putting them on. If the board is too soft for them, then they could make the board feel a bit twitchy.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
thanks a lot for your response, it definitely helps!
I am using a Salomon snowboard which is actually more on the stiff side stiff side, I believe it’s rated 6/10. Physically I am in reasonable shape, so your feedback really reassures me to not worry too much and give it a try. Even if I need a bit of time to get used to it, I am sure it’s going to be fine. 😉
Wish you all the best!
You’re very welcome Tobi. Happy riding!
Hi Nate
I’ve bought bataleon fun kink board (flex4) and salomon Malamute which is stiff boots (flex9). I want a softer binding so i can have some fun buttering and ride can you recommend some soft flex bindings?
Thanks
Hi Tony
Thanks for your message.
I would look at the Contact Pro first – my favorite softer flexing binding. But some other good options include the K2 Line Up and Arbor Hemlock.
Hope this helps with your decision
I’m a new snowboarder who’s buying their first set up.
I’m a beginner but I’m progressing pretty fast. After a 7 days, I’m able to carve my way down greens without a problem and LOVING IT. This was all with rental set up but now I’m ready for my own gear.
So I bought a Rossignol Circuit (Flex 3) and Vans Aura Pro Boots (Flex 5).
I wanted to complete my setup and support a local shop so I ended up buying Nitro Team Pro Bindings (Flex 7) without doing a lot of research. I now realized that they much stiffer than my board and boots.
Is this going to be a problem and make it hard for me to progress. Should I return them and buy softer flex bindings?
P.S. Im not interested in freestyle snowboarding. I like groomers and eventually want to do backcountry/tree trails etc.
THANK YOU
Hi Jonathan
Thanks for your message.
Yeah, I would return them and go for softer bindings. Given how you want to ride in the future and that you’re progressing quickly, I think you could go with something with around a 5/10 flex – you don’t need to go as soft as the board, if you don’t want to. But Going 7/10 for the bindings is too far removed from the rest of the setup, IMO, and a. it’s likely to make the board twitchy and b. even with the quickness of your progression, it’s still a push for your level going that stiff. Stiffer bindings like that can makes things far less forgiving – which can lead to a lot less enjoyment, particularly in the shorter term – and worse, can erode confidence. I think you can step up to 5/10 flex for bindings at this stage if you want, but I would be reluctant to keep 7/10 flex bindings.
Hope this helps
It does help. Thank you so much. I’m thinking the Union Contact Pros might be a good fit for me then? What do you think?
Hi Jonathan
I think the Contact Pros would work well with your board/boot setup.
Thank you Nate. You’re so kind to answer so many questions on this board. Sorry to be getting so specific to my own needs but do you think Burton Mission bindings would be a better choice than the Contact Pros? I’m interested in the canted high back that the Burton’s offer but I’m unsure if thats a gimicky feature or not.
Thank You !
Hi Jonathan
The Mission (flex 5, by my feel) would work on your setup too. It’s the stiffest I would go for the Circuit, but it’s doable, if you wanted to try the Missions.
Hi, Nate! I broke my Rossignol Viper bindings after several seasons of use and this is the first time I have to buy new ones. Most of my friends are skiiers and I’m teaching my GF how to ride, which means that I have to strap and unstrap all the time. For this reason, I’m interested in buying some step-ins, but both Burton and K2 require you to buy their own boots, and I’m happy with the ones I have. This is why I was thinking about buying CLEW bindings. Here in Europe they’re about 370€, which is way better than the 500$ they cost in the USA. My only worry is that they seem to be really stiff and I’m a lower-intermediate rider who spends most of the time on the slopes and the park, so I don’t know if they’re going to mess up my riding completely (I’m starting to land my first 360s on really small jumps, front boards and back boards on boxes, working on going switch faster down steeper terrain, etc.). Also, my boots are the Head Scout, which I believe to be really soft and I’ve read that wearing softer boots with stiff bindings is a bad idea. IDK if I’m overthinking this, but I would appreciate it a lot if you could give me some advice, because I’m going crazy. Thank you so much.
Hi Carlos
Thanks for your message.
I have no experience with CLEW bindings, so I’m unsure how stiff they are. Most binding brands have a range of softer and stiffer bindings, but just having a quick look at their website they only have one binding? But I could be wrong.
Given how you describe your riding and your boots, I wouldn’t go too stiff with your bindings. I would sooner go with something that is good for your riding and your setup and spend the extra time/effort strapping in, than go with something that may make your riding less enjoyable just to save you a bit of time and effort. But that’s just my opinion.
Hey Nate!
Do bindings make a difference? Yes…
Last season I purchased a Niche Story and set it up with Cartels. The board was fun at speed, but I had to muscle some turns and at slow speed turning was an occasional problem. I thought the board’s stiffness was the issue. This season I put the same Cartels on a Custom Flying V, and although easier to turn, I caught a few edges and the ride did not seem fluid. So, the light went on and I tried a pair of old Missions on both boards and problem solved. The setup geometry was the same in each instance. Additionally, the Missions are a Large and the Cartels a Medium with a 10.5 mid flexing boot. The Cartel’s length was fine with the gas peddle fully extended, but the width was tight and my boot stuck.
I going to assume the Cartel issue was their stiffness relative to my boards. I never would have thought the bindings would effect my riding so much. I do trees and do not want to take a chance with steering response. So, I’m going sell them and get another binding. Mission’s would be a sure bet, but I was thinking Genesis. What do you think?? I ride all mountain, trees, etc +50 days/season.
Hi Dan
Thanks for the message.
Yeah, bindings definitely make a difference, as you’ve discovered first hand!
Like you say, Missions are a safe bet, given what you experienced, but I think the Genesis would be a really good option. They’re softer flexing than the Cartel for sure, and they are a really nice binding. I prefer them over the Missions. Going L would make sense too, of course, based on your experience. Part of it is potentially the longer baseplate on the missions helped with turn response as well – even with the Gas pedal out the M Cartel wouldn’t have produced the same leverage. But softer flexing does typically mean easier to turn at slower speeds, so that’s likely certainly part of it too.
Hi Nate!
I upgraded to a 142 Never Summer Proto type 2, and I have my old Ride Preston bindings on it. (I’m pretty sure they are men’s/unisex, there weren’t women’s bindings when I bought them) I bought Union Trilogys, but the lack of responsiveness makes me dislike them. I love the feel of my Prestons, but after 20 years, it may be time for an upgrade. I’m mostly a carver on The Icy East, no parks for me. I have mid-flex Ride Donna boots. What do you recommend? I’m intermediate/advanced, 5’6, 155#. Thanks!
Hi Amanda
Thanks for your message.
I would still go with a women’s binding, but something more responsive as it sounds like that’s what you’re looking for the most. I would look at something like:
– Flux GX
– Burton Lexa X
– Union Legacy
Not to say that you couldn’t go with a men’s binding, but typically women’s bindings are made with women’s calves/feet/boots in mind.
Hope this helps
Hey, Nate. I’m totally beginer. And I’m about to buy a equipment.
I’d liked Burton Ripcord Flat Top Snowboard and Burton custom bindings which both are soft. Can I wear them with medium boots or should I buy soft boots?
Hi George
Thanks for your message.
I think softer boots ideally, however, of any part of your setup if you wanted to go medium in your boots, it should be fine. It partly depends on your weight too. If you’re a bigger guy, then I think medium in boots is a good idea. If you’re a smaller guy, then I’d lean more towards something mid-soft.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate! I recently got the 2020/21 GNU B-Nice board and I’m having trouble deciding which bindings would be best. I would consider myself to be beginner-intermediate, but I have been riding for a few years now. I usually ride powder and I do not do tricks nor aggressive riding. I was looking at the Bent Metal Binding Works Women’s Stylist bindings as well as some of the Burton bindings. However, the BMBW bindings are a flex 6, which I am unsure about, and I’m not sure which Burton bindings are compatible with 2×4 boards. Do you have any suggestions as to which bindings would be best for me? Thank you!
Hi Ashley
Thanks for your message. For the B-Nice, I think the Metta from BMBW would probably be a better flex match and for your level too. I don’t test BMBW bindings regularly so I’m not that familiar with them, but based on what I have tested and on the specs, I think the Metta is probably the better bet.
From Burton, anything that is a “Re:Flex” model is compatible with 2×4 boards. “EST” models aren’t compatible with 2×4 boards. So as long as you went with a “Re:Flex” model, you wouldn’t have any issues with compatibility. For the B-Nice and for your level, I would say the Scribe or the Escapade are the most appropriate. There’s also the Citizen but I think they’re potentially a little too soft for how you’re describing your riding, so I would be looking mostly at the Scribe and Escapade from Burton.
Hope this helps
Hey nate
I’m living in colorado this year and am looking for something to pair with either an a frame 170 or a pyl 164w, I have a pair of falcors and bent metal transfers and I’m finding the transfers arent giving me the response I need for piled up runs and trees, I’m considering putting the falcors on the pyl and getting apollos or o drives for the a frame, any thoughts on that combo, my only small concern is will the a frame become a pure groomer bomber with that stiff of a binding
Hi Jesse
Thanks for your message.
From my memory of the Transfer (has been a while since I rode them) I’m not surprised you don’t find them responsive enough on those boards. The Falcor on the PYL is a good combo, IMO.
In terms of the A Frame, I think the Apollo or O-Drive would definitely work. It would certainly make it a bomber, but a board with the stiffness of the A-Frame is kind of a bomber anyway – and I think to drive a board of that flex, particularly at that size, you want a stiff binding to drive it, to give it the response it will need. It’s never going to be a ride slow kind of board anyway, IMO, so you want to get the most out of it when riding at speed. A softer binding wouldn’t have the power to drive the board properly, IMO. You could probably get away with like a 7/10 flex binding on it, but I think ideally you want to go 8/10 or 9/10, IMO.
Hope this helps
how does a stiff flex binding affect the ride vs a softer flex? Is it just improved responsiveness and stability or is there more to it than that? For a novice/intermediate rider is very stiff flex a bad idea because it is less forgiving and will translate all movements straight into the board? Of the 3 flex ratings (board, binding, boot), which have the most impact on how the riding experience plays out? Should flex be consistent across all 3 components or would there ever be a reason to combine a softer flex component with a stiffer component? thanks!
Hi Z
Thanks for your message and great questions.
A stiffer flexing binding typically gives better responsiveness when riding fast and more ability to really lean into an aggressive carve. They also typically make riding slower more difficult – as in less maneuverability at slower speeds. Depending on whether the baseplate or highback (or both) is stiff and depending no other factors in the baseplate, a stiffer binding can make it harder to feel the flex of the board or to get good butterability out of a board – or for tweaking grabs and that kind of thing.
And yeah for beginners/low intermediate riders, that stiffer flex leaves less room for error – much less forgiving of errors – and because it makes thing more difficult riding slow, that can affect how your technique develops. So yeah, IMO, very stiff isn’t good for beginners/low intermediate riders. For a solid intermediate rider, they can go a little stiffer, if they’re style is leaning more towards bombing/carving hard.
Flex is also dependent on the rider’s physical attributes. A heavier rider or more athletic rider will be able to apply more force onto the bindings – and in such cases a binding won’t feel as stiff as it would for a lighter or less athletic rider.
I would say the flex of the board has the most impact and then bindings, then boots. But both bindings and boots aren’t far behind.
As a general rule of thumb I recommend keeping flex consistent across, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Also as a rule of thumb, if you’re going to go stiffer with any component it would be boots and then bindings. i.e. I would go stiffer boots and/or bindings on a softer board, before I went softer boots/bindings on a stiffer board. This is because I find that softer boots/bindings aren’t great at putting in the energy that a stiffer board needs – too much energy is lost in translation from boot/binding into the board, when the boots are too soft.
But this is also a general rule of thumb and not hard and fast. If you feel you need to mellow a board out – like if it’s feeling too twitchy, then going softer with boots/bindings can help to mellow it out. For me, I pretty much always prefer to have either matching flex or slightly stiffer boots/bindings compared to the boards flex. So the board is more responsive underfoot. I don’t often have the problem with a board feeling too twitchy, but I have had that sensation before with quite stiff bindings on quite a soft board.
Hope this helps/makes sense
Hey Nate!
I ride a Burton Custom Flying V with mission bindings and a real junker of a boot.
Just bought an Assasin Pro, also looking for a better boot.
Have Malamutes lined up to buy this week if they’re in decent condition.
In a video, think you said to go with a stiffer binding for the Assassin Pro.
Are the Quantum’s too stiff. Would Highlanders be a better choice?
I don’t spend much time in the park but I like doing grabs off natural features.
I love spending my days in the trees and on moguls. I’m weird like that.
Your advice would be clutch. Thanks for your time!
Hi Dion
Thanks for your message.
For the Assassin Pro/ and how you describe your riding, I think the Highlander would be a really good choice, and in this case I would go Highlander over the Quantum.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate!
I want to purchase a Nitro Lectra 2020 board (I saw it in your top here Top 10 Women’s Beginner Snowboards
I already have a pair of boots, Burton Mint 8.5 US for girls. What bindings do you recommend?
I also commented on your post there, but I’m not very sure if it’s posted since I don’t see it, so I will write it here as well (sorry for the spam):
I chose to go with Nitro Lectra, but I’m not very sure about the specs, so I will ask for your help. Some words about me:
– I’ve been snowboarding for 4 years, you can say that I’m beginner to intermediate by now, but I don’t feel like I’m very confident on my moves (I panic when I catch some speed and I can barely control the board to rectify the position), and this is why I will choose a beginner board.
– I am 55-56kg weight and 171-172cm height
– I have a pair of boots Burton Mint 8.5US for girls
I always rented boards from 149 to 152cm.. can this be the reason why I am still not very confident? Were they too long/heavy for me?
Hi Anca
Thanks for your message – I moderate all comments, so that’s why it won’t have showed up yet, but it should inform you that the comment is in moderation, so I’ll have to look into that.
Anyway, yes, I think you’ve been renting boards that are too long. I would say more like 143-145 for your specs, as a beginner. Up to 148 or 149 as a more advanced rider, but 149-152 is too long in my opinion. Most rental places just size based on height, because it’s faster/easier to do it that way. But it’s not accurate. Also, rental boards tend to be heavier anyway, because they’re designed to take a lot of abuse. I definitely recommend getting your own board sooner than later, for a number of reasons, but getting the right size is one reason. So yeah, I think a big thing will be the size of boards you’ve been getting.
For the Lectra, I would go 146 for you. You could even push to 142 if you were an absolute beginner, but with 4 years under your belt, I think the 146 would be a really good size for you. And also the 142 might be pushing it in terms of being too narrow for your boots. But the 146 I think will be just right for you, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Anca
Thanks for your message.
For the Lectra/Mint combination, I would go for something from here:
>>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings
Anything from that list would be suitable as a beginner, and match that board/binding combo well, IMO. But there are others that would be suitable, so if you had any others in mind, let me know and I can give you my opinion as to whether I think they would be suitable.
Hope this helps
Hi!
I just want to say in the beginning that english is not my native language, so sorry for my grammar.
So I already got a burton imperial boot and i want to buy a stiffer binding to it for carving, and i would sometimes use it for freeriding too.I also dont have a board i was looking at the ride warpig and maybe the burton custom.
Could you recommend a binding and a board for this use(carving, sometimes freeriding, but mostly just carving)?
I forgot to mention that i’m 178cm tall(5’10) and aroun 167lbs(76kg).
My boot size is 11.5us(44.5eu).
Hi Nagy
Size-wise I would say something around 157, 158 would be good for your specs. With 11.5 boots I would definitely recommend going for a wide board.
For the Custom Camber I would say to go 158W. But personal preference comes into play too. If you’re used to riding considerably longer or shorter that should be taken into account as well. If you consider other boards, let me know, and I can give you some specific sizing for those, but yeah generally, I would go around that 157, 158 range for you.
Hi Nagy
Thanks for your message.
To match the Imperial, I would go for something around a 6/10 or 7/10 flex for bindings – since you’re mostly carving and sometimes freeriding, I would be leaning towards the stiffer side of 7/10. Check out the following for some 6/10 and 7/10 flex options.
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
In terms of board, the Burton Custom (camber model) is a very good carver, and would be a good match to the imperials too. It’s not great in powder, for those times you get it, but otherwise I would say it’s certainly suitable.
I didn’t find the Warpig to be a great carver, so between those 2, I would go Custom personally.
Again, like with the bindings, something around 6/10 or 7/10 flex for the board would be a good way to go to match your setup. A lot of freeride boards are really good carvers – it’s something that a good freeride board should be able to do, so you could check out one of those, or you could for more of an all-mountain board that’s good for carving – and still decent for going off trail too. I would check out the following to get some other options. The Custom Camber doable though, but just wanted to present some other options, that you might not have considered.
>> My Top 10 Freeride Snowboards
>>My Top 10 All Mountain Snowboards
>>Top 6 Aggressive All Mountain Snowboards
Check out the score breakdowns for the strengths and weaknesses in different areas for the boards and hopefully you can narrow it down from there (if you don’t end up going Custom).
Hope this helps with your decision
Thank you for your anwser!
You’re very welcome Nagy. Hope you have a great season!
Hello, i was eondering if you can please help me. I have a very athletic 12 year old. 5 feet tall 105 lbs. Riding on a burton custom smalls 130. Boot size is mens 8. Would like to get him a burtom custom smalls 145 with burton genesis bindings. Has burton Moto -R BOA boot. Can you PLEASE tell me if the flex is good, can this all go together ??? I really dont know much about all this and dont really trust salepeople as i think they just want to sell me what they have.
Thank you Karen
Hi Karen
Thanks for your message.
Firstly, in terms of size, I would say the 140 is probably the better size for his specs, right now. But I definitely understand if you want to give him room to grow, as I’m sure he’s growing fast at that age. And given that he’s athletic, I think he would be fine with the extra length to begin with and then he’ll suit it even more once he gets a bit more weight on it.
In terms of flex match. I don’t really deal with kids gear that much, so I’m not sure if the relative flex ratings are consistent with men’s gear or if it’s different. But if the medium flex rating that it’s given is accurate, then the Genesis would be a great match for it, IMO.
The Moto is a little softer. Whereas the Genesis I would consider to have a 5/10 flex rating – and it sounds like the Burton Custom Smalls is similar. The Moto is more like 3/10 in terms of flex. However, I would probably stick with the Moto for now as I’m sure he’ll grow out of them at some point right? Then when he has to change boots anyway, I would recommend moving to a more medium flex.
But yeah, given the 145 Custom Smalls and Moto Boots are the existing items, the Genesis would match the setup fine. Boots not ideal, but I would say good enough for now until he needs to size up. That’s the way I would go.
Hope this helps with your decision