Hello and welcome to my NOW X YES review.
In this review I will take a look at the X YES as all-mountain snowboard bindings.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the X YES a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other all-mountain bindings.
NOTE: The 2021 model was the last model of the NOW X YES, so this review will no longer be updated.
Overall Rating
Bindings: NOW X YES
Price: $279 (USD recommended retail)
Style: All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium (6/10)
Flex Feel: Medium (5/10)
Rating Score: 76.3/100
Compared to other Men’s All-Mountain Bindings
Out of the 21 men’s all-mountain bindings that I rated:
Overview of the X YES’s Specs
Check out the tables for the X YES’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | All-Mountain |
Price: | $279 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Edge-to-Edge: | Medium |
Weight: | Normal |
Mounts To: | 2 x 4 | 4 x 4 |
Sizing
SIZE | US BOOT SIZE | EURO BOOT SIZE | Mondo |
|---|---|---|---|
S | 5-7.5 | 36.5-40 | 23-25.5 |
M | 7-9.5 | 39-42.5 | 25-27.5 |
L | 10-13 | 43-47 | 28-30.5 |
Who are the X YES Most Suited To?
The X Yes are best suited to anyone riding all-mountain or freestyle, but don't want anything too stiff or too soft but rather a nice middle of the road flex.
Best for those that value shock/chatter absorption over board feel.
Matches well with boards around that 4/10 to 5/10 flex.
The X YES in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the X YES are capable of.
Demo Info
Bindings: NOW X YES 2020, Medium
Date: March 21, 2019
Conditions: Sunny and with perfect visibility. Beautiful day! A little windy, but only noticed that on the lift and otherwise quite warm.
Some soft patches forming even early in the morning, with some icy patches in the shade. Very crunchy off groomer. Softened up overall as the day progressed.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance Width: 555mm (21.85”)
Board demoed with: Rossignol One LF 2018
Baseplate Length: 25.8cm (10.16”) – that’s measured on the top of the footbed. 23.5cm on the underside of the baseplate – it angles up to the top of the footbed.
Highback Height: 21cm (8.3”)*
* from bottom of heel cup to top of highback
Height from Bottom of Baseplate to top of Highback: 28cm (11")
Weight: 900 grams (1lbs, 15.7oz)*
*for one binding, including screws and disc. The average weight of a small sample size of 26 bindings (2019 & 2020 models) I weighed, was 894 grams. The lightest was 760 grams and the heaviest was 1,000grams.
Responsiveness
You get about a middle of the road response. About what I was expecting from the flex level. So a good amount of response without being amazing - but it does have a nice smooth and consistent response. Also there's a good balance between being maneuverable at slower speeds, but still relatively responsive at higher speeds.
Board Feel/Butterability
Like most NOW bindings I find the butterability/board feel to be a little lacking. The X YES probably has a little more than some others by a touch, but still nothing great there.
Pop/Ollie Power
Decent pop out of the bindings. Felt very similar to popping with my control bindings (Burton Malavita)
Adjustability
Heel Cup: No
Stance Width: Can run disc horizontal or vertical, so good for stance width adjustments when running horizontal.
Highback Lean: Yes, tool-less
Ankle Strap Position: No
Toe Strap Position: No
Ankle and toe strap length: Yes, tool-less - and one of the easiest to adjust as well
Gas pedal/toe ramp extension: No
Highback Rotation: No
Compatible with: 2 x 4 | 4 x 4 – need a separate disc for channel mounting
Overall not much you can adjust. One thing I'd like to see with these bindings is a shorter base plate with a toe ramp adjustment. Even running the disc vertically and setting the binding as far back as possible, there was still a little binding overhang on the toe.
Shock Absorption
These bindings are really damp. The combination of that king pin skate tech, plus some really generous padding in the footbed, typical of NOW bindings.
Entry/Exit
Easy to get in and out of. Ratchets are pretty smooth. Not the smoothest I've used, but still really good.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Comfort
Ankle Strap: Nice - didn't notice it
Toe Strap: Confirms well and secure
Shock Absorption: next level
High Back: Some padding on the high back - and some padding in the heel cup too. Felt comfortable
Canted Footbed: No
All round a very comfortable pair of bindings.
Ankle Support
Ankle support is good without being outstanding. If there was an option to move the ankle strap position higher on the ankle, that would be a plus.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
RESPONSE | 3.0 | 12/20 |
BOARD FEEL | 3.0 | 12/20 |
SHOCK ABSORPTION | 5.0 | 15/15 |
ADJUSTABILITY | 3.0 | 9/15 |
COMFORT | 4.0 | 12/15 |
ANKLE SUPPORT | 3.5 | 7/10 |
ENTRY/EXIT | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 76.3/100 |
The NOW X YES are a nice damp and comfortable pair of bindings that have good all-round response, with a nice balance between being relatively maneuverable at slow speeds, whilst being responsive enough at higher speeds.
My only complaints were with the board feel and adjustability, but otherwise a nice pair of bindings.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the X YES, are ready to buy or want to research prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to see how the X YES compares to other men’s all-mountain bindings or want to check out some other options in that category, check out the next link.
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