NOTE: This category has now been disbanded. With any bindings previously in this category, now belonging to either the freestyle or all-mountain categories.
We feel the category changes now better reflect where each binding belongs.
The 2024-2025 list was the last of the aggressive-all-mountain freestyle lists. You can check out all the past archived lists here.
For details about how our categories have changed, see the section below in the drop down toggle.
This has been something we've been thinking of doing for a while but needed to nut out the details to make it cohesive enough to implement the change.
I think the best way to describe the changes is to first look at the criteria for this list before now and the new criteria, starting for the 2025-2026 season.
How it Was
Previously we had 4 men's snowboard binding categories, namely:
- Freestyle
- All-Mountain
- All-Mountain-Freeride
- Freeride
These were determined predominantly on flex, with those close to another category, in terms of flex, considering other factors as to where they went i.e.:
- Freestyle: 5.5/10 flex and below
- All-Mountain: 5.5 to 6.5/10 flex
- All-Mountain-Freeride 6.5 to 7.5/10 flex
- Freeride: 7.5/10 to 10/10 flex
While this worked and was nice and simple to determine where each binding went, it didn't fulfill the category descriptions quite as well as we wanted them to. Particularly putting stiffer flexing bindings that had a more freestyle flavor to them in a category called all-mountain-freeride felt a little off.
How It is Now
We have reduced the number of categories from 4 to 3 and stripped out the all-mountain freeride category.
- Freestyle
- All-Mountain
- Freeride
And have changed the criteria for which bindings belong where. It now looks more like this.
Freestyle
These can now be any flex level all the way from 7.5/10 and down. Anything 8/10 flex or stiffer remains in our freeride category. The biggest determining factor for the bindings in this category relates to board feel and in general, how well we think the bindings are suited to freestyle riding.
So this category now covers different areas of freestyle riding, from more extreme larger features, to more playful, creative freestyle riding/for those just starting out with freestyle riding.
The stiffer bindings in this category are naturally going to be more suited to big jumps, etc, where you need more solidity to handle bigger impacts and higher speed take offs etc. and the ability to carve into a take off at higher speeds and remain in control. These options are also best suited to stiffer flexing freestyle and all-mountain freestyle boards.
The softer bindings in this list are for those who don't go big, but are creative and playful with their freestyle riding. Flatland tricks, smaller jumps, side-hits etc, butter tricks, jibs etc. Or for those who are just starting out with freestyle and may go big later but aren't yet. These are better suited to softer flexing freestyle boards.
All-Mountain
This category also cover the flex level from 7.5/10 and below, but has more emphasis on things like ankle support, consistent feel and stability, than their freestyle counterparts.
Put this way, the freestyle list is more like all-mountain-freestyle, covering park and all-mountain-freestyle riding and this category is more like covering all-mountain to freeride riding.
The stiffer bindings in this category are more suited to bombing, laying down big carves and for the more advanced all-mountain riders and those who have stiffer snowboards.
The softer bindings in this list are for those who don't ride overly fast, but still like a little speed, but prioritize maneuverability over stability and want to be able to be nimble and quick turning when riding at more moderate speeds - e.g. trees, bumps, etc. These are also for less experienced riders, those who just want to cruise, and those with mid to mid-soft flexing snowboards.
Freeride
This category hasn't really changed and is for hard charging bindings with emphasis on as much support as possible and the power to drive the stiffest flexing snowboards. The bindings in this list are in the 8/10 to 10/10 flex feel range.
The Old All-Mountain-Freeride bindings Category
Those bindings that were in the All-Mountain Freeride category moved to either the freestyle bindings or all-mountain bindings category, depending on what it felt like they were best suited to.
Moved to All-Mountain
8 of the 12 bindings that made the 25/26 all-mountain bindings list were in the All-Mountain-Freeride category for 24/25:
- Flux XF
- Burton Cartel X
- Jones Mercury
- Flux CV
- Nidecker Supermatic
- Salomon Highlander
- Union Atlas
- Rome 390 Boss
Overall 15 bindings were moved from 24/25's all-mountain freeride category to the all-mountain bindings category.
Moved to Freestyle
2 of the top 10 freestyle bindings for 25/26 were in the All-Mountain-Freeride category for 24/25:
- Union Falcor
- Rome Katana AW
Overall 3 bindings were moved from 24/25's all-mountain freeride category to the freestyle bindings category.
Other Movements
There were also some movement of bindings between the all-mountain and freestyle bindings categories depending on where we saw them fitting better, based on the new criteria described above.
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