Hello and welcome to my list of the best freestyle snowboard bindings for women for the 2016/17 winter season.
These bindings have all been assessed specifically for their performance for freestyle riding.
Of the 16 different women’s freestyle bindings that I looked at:
- The average score was 79.2/100
- The highest score was 91.7/100 (see #1 board below)
- The lowest score was 60.0/100
- The average price was $188
O.k. let’s get into the top 5.
Women’s #5 Freestyle Bindings of 2016/17
Bindings: Flux GS
Price: $249
Flex: Medium (4.5/10)
Smart Rating Score: 86.1/100
The GS lacks a bit in shock absorption. I consider this really important for freestyle so the low shock absorption drops the score quite a bit. But some riders don’t mind this and prefer the feel of this.
Outside of shock absorption the GS is an immaculate binding. They have a great flex (4.5/10 with 1 being softest and 10 stiffest) for freestyle riding, super comfortable and really adjustable so you can set it up just right.
Like most, if not all, flux bindings these days, the GSs have tool-less adjustability so you can adjust everything on the fly without tools, making it really easy to get that perfect fit.
It is also great for buttering and as a bonus it also has a surprising amount of responsiveness which means you can take it out of the park and bomb the rest of the mountain with confidence whenever you feel for it.
The GS features a women’s specific high-back and base plate – check out the video below for more info.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of Flux’s GS Bindings?
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Shock Absorption: | 2.5 | 12.5/25 |
| Butterability: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Flex: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Comfort: | 5.0 | 10/10 |
| Responsiveness: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 86.1/100 |
Women’s #4 Freestyle Bindings of 2016/17
Bindings: K2 Yeah Yeah
Price: $199
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Smart Rating Score: 88.3/100
And the number 2 spot goes to the K2 Yeah Yeah bindings.
Besides perhaps a bit of improvement in the ratchet system for an easier entry/exit these are near faultless as freestyle bindings.
They have an ideal flex for tweaking grabs and jibbing, plus great shock absorption for landing those jumps.
They are also highly adjustable so you can get the perfect fit and feel.
Oh yeah and Silje Norendal rides these too – in case that means anything to you!
Featuring K2’s “tweekback” for a great feel for freestyle riding.
And the Yeah’s Yeah’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Shock Absorption: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Butterability: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Flex: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 5.0 | 15/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Responsiveness: | 2.0 | 4/10 |
| Entry/Exit: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL | 88.3/100 |
Women’s #3 Freestyle Bindings for 2016/17
Bindings: Burton Citizen
Price: $149
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Smart Rating Score: 90.6/100
In at number 3 we have the most value for money bindings on the list (along with #2) in the Burton Citizens (these are also great for beginners).
Great shock absorption and butterability means these are great for the park and other freestyle endeavors. Add to that a great medium-soft (3/10) flex and you’ll be tweaking grabs, hitting jibs and flying over jumps lap after lap – all without breaking the bank!
Best suited to small and medium jumps rather than larger jumps.
And the Burton Citizen’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Shock Absorption: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Butterability: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 15/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Responsiveness: | 2.0 | 4/10 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 90.6/100 |
Women’s #2 Freestyle Bindings of 2016/17
Bindings: Union Rosa
Price: $149
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Smart Rating Score: 91.1/100
And coming in the #1 position are the Union Rosa bindings.
The Rosa’s are a really great all-round binding for freestyle riding. They have a nice medium-soft flex (4/10), are super shock absorbing and great for buttering.
So whether you like to hit jumps, jib the rails or tweak grabs the Rosa’s have you covered. On top of that they have some really decent responsiveness that will take you across the rest of the mountain for when you feel the urge to exit the park.
And they manage all this at a really reasonable price – so you get heaps of performance without hurting the wallet too much!
The Rosa’s feature a women’s specific high-back and a lot of tool-less adjustments for adjusting on the fly. Check out the video below for more.
The Union Rosa Points Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Shock Absorption: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Butterability: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 15/15 |
| Adjustability: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Responsiveness: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 91.1/100 |
The Rosa’s will fit standard 4 hole snowboard binding mounting systems and Burton’s Channel system.
Women’s #1 Freestyle Bindings of 2016/17
Bindings: Burton Scribe (Re:Flex)
Price: $249
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Smart Rating Score: 91.7/100
Coming in at number 4 on the list are the Burton Scribe bindings.
These are the stiffest flexing bindings on this list with a medium (5/10) flex. These would be a great choice for those that like their bindings slightly stiffer, even for freestyle riding – but that can still butter and press with the best of them.
The Scribes are also the best shock absorbers on the list so (along with that slightly stiffer flex) are great for landing big jumps. But Burton have managed to keep them very jibable all the same – a tough balance to get right but they seem to have nailed it.
Naturally, being from Burton, they also have great adjustability and comfort to keep your fit right and feeling comfortable lap after lap in the park – or wherever you choose to take them.
Check out more in the video below.
So Where Did the Scribe Score its Points?
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Shock Absorption: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Butterability: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Flex: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Responsiveness: | 2.0 | 4/10 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL | 91.7/100 |
The Scribe also comes in the EST version (to work with Burton snowboards that have the Channel system). These will feel slightly different but should offer a similar binding to the Re:Flex version with slightly less shock absorption but better butterability.
Thanks for reading
So there’s my top 5 women’s freestyle bindings for 2016/17. I hope this has helped you in your search for bindings.
For the list of the top 5 freestyle bindings for women for the latest season check out the link below.
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