The Best Cheap Snowboard Bindings 2023-2024

BEST CHEAP FREESTYLE BINDINGS

Binding: Burton Mission

Price: $229

Snowboarding Profiles' Freestyle Rating Score : 84.7/100

Why These Bindings Were Chosen

Burton's Mission bindings take the best cheap freestyle bindings spot this year, and for good reason. They were number in 4 in our Top 5 Freestyle Bindings list and the average price of that top 5 was $304.

The Mission is $75 cheaper than the average of the top 5 and $29 cheaper than the average of the whole category, but scored a good bit above the average score. 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $8 compared to last year.
• The average price for the top half (top 8) was $284, making the Mission $55 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list.
• Of the 5 freestyle bindings costing $229 or less, not named the mission, the average score was 77.2.

Alternatives

Some honorable mentions: 

Union Flite Pro ($179 | 80.5 points)

Arbor Hemlock ($249 | 81.1 points)

BEST CHEAP ALL-MOUNTAIN BINDINGS

Binding: Union Strata

Price: $259

Snowboarding Profiles' All-Mountain Rating Score : 90.9/100

>>See Full Review

Why These Bindings Were Chosen

This one was a no brainer. The Strata is $38 cheaper than the average price of this whole category, and were the #1 bindings in our Top 10 All-Mountain bindings, which doesn't take price into account. 

And in that top 10, the average price was $331, putting the Strata $72 cheaper than the average of those that featured in the top 10, the highest of which cost $120 more than the Strata. 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $6 compared to last year.
• The average price for this category is $39 higher than the freestyle category (see above).
• The average price for the top half (top 12) was $330, making the Strata $71 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. And the Strata topped that list!
• The Strata was the lowest priced binding in the Top 12.
• Of the 7 bindings costing $259 or less, not named the Strata, the average score was 74.2.

Alternatives

Burton Cartel EST ($279 | 88.2 points)

Burton Cartel Re:Flex ($279 | 86.0 points)

Union Force Classic ($279 | 82.8 points)

BEST CHEAP ALL-MOUNTAIN-FREERIDE BINDINGS

Binding: Burton Cartel X

Price: $329

Snowboarding Profiles' All-Mtn-Freeride Rating Score : 87.8/100

Why These Bindings Were Chosen

Now I know, $329 isn't necessarily what some would call cheap for snowboard bindings. But in the case of this category, it really is. 

Snowboard bindings (like boards and boots), tend to get more expensive as they get stiffer. This category is for bindings between 6.5/10 to 7.5/10 flex - stiffer than the previous 2 categories, so naturally each binding is more expensive and the average is more expensive. And brands don't tend to use cheaper parts for stiffer bindings, they tend to be more high-end. 

The Cartel X are $31 less than the average price in this category, yet they score a well above the average score. 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $7 compared to last year
• The average price for this category is $63 higher than the all-mountain category and $102 higher than the freestyle category (see above).
• The Cartel X was the lowest priced binding in the Top half (top 10) and, naturally, the lowest priced in our top 10 all-mountain freeride bindings list. 
• Of the 5 bindings, not named the Cartel X, costing $329 or less, the average score was 80.6.

Alternatives

Cartel X EST ($329 | 88.8 points) - technically the better value for money than the Cartel X Re:Flex, but can only be used on boards with the channel.

Arbor Cypress ($299 | 81.9 points)

Salomon Highlander ($359 | 85.1 points)

BEST CHEAP FREERIDE BINDINGS

Binding: Bataleon Astro

Price: $399

Snowboarding Profiles' Freeride Rating Score : 89.0/100

>>See Full Review

Why These Bindings Were Chosen

You could argue that there's no such thing as a good cheap freeride binding. Like I mentioned above for the all-mountain freeride category, the stiffer the bindings the higher the price, typically speaking.

And while you may not see $399 as a low price, when you're looking at this category it really is stand out value.  

The average price of this whole list is a whopping $106 more than the average price of the all-mountain freeride list (which is the next highest). And with bindings in that 8/10 to 10/10 flex range, there's not much "cheap" to look at here. 

However, the Bataleon Astro Fullwrap are stiff and score really well - well above the average score and come in at #4 in our Top 5 Freeride bindings list, but are $67 than the average price of the category. And when you compare them to the rest of the top 5, they are $124 cheaper than the average price of the other bindings that make that list! 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $10 compared to last year.
• The average price for this category is the highest of all the categories and by a good margin - $106 higher than the next highest category (all-mountain-freeride), $169 higher than the all-mountain category and a whopping $208 higher than the freestyle category (see above).
• The average price for the top half (top 7) was $498, making the Astro $99 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. 
• Of the 2 bindings not named the Astro, that were $399 or under, the average score was 80.6.

Alternatives

Rome Cleaver ($449 | 92.1 points)

BEST CHEAP BEGINNER BINDINGS

Binding: Union Flite Pro

Price: $179

Snowboarding Profiles' Beginner Rating Score : 94.2/100

>>See Full Review

Why These Bindings Were Chosen

After that sticker shock from the freeride list, we now move on to the final category, which has the lowest average price of all the categories.

The results here are somewhat skewed, since the scores for beginner bindings take price into account, but none-the-less, the Flite Pro represents great value for money for those just starting out on their snowboarding journey. 

They are $64 cheaper than the average price in this category and top our top 10 beginner bindings list.  

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $2 compared to last year.
• The average price for this category is the lowest of all the categories, naturally being a beginner list - and with those that are suited to this category being softer flexing bindings. They are $15 cheaper than the next closest (freestyle category) and a whopping $223 cheaper on average vs the highest priced category (freeride). 
• Price is taken into account for the scores for beginner bindings – so this is somewhat skewed for this category. 
• The average price for the top half (top 14) was $202, making the Flite Pro $23 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. The bottom half of the list had a higher average price than the top half though - because price in this case influenced the scores. 
• The Flite Pro was the equal 3rd cheapest in the whole list .