Not all bindings are made the same. There are different snowboard binding types and some are more or less suitable for different ability levels and styles.
Below I will outline what each type is good for depending on your ability and on what you like to get up to on the mountain.
Of course, there are no hard and fast rules here and some riders will have personal preferences outside of the guidelines below.
Beginner Bindings
Beginner bindings are not just the bindings that are the cheapest – though a lot of people still think this way. Price is important but there are also other factors that make a certain binding suitable or unsuitable to beginners.
Flex
The most important factor for a beginner binding is the flex level. Very stiff bindings are very difficult to ride with and are very unforgiving of errors. Trying to learn in stiff bindings would be very difficult.
So for beginners a soft flex (1/10 or 2/10) or soft-medium flex (3/10 or 4/10) is the best way to go (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the softest and 10 the stiffest).
I usually recommend soft-medium but this will also depend on your physical strength. Stiffer bindings are also more physically demanding. So if you are quite strong and a beginner then something around a 4/10 is best (you still don’t want to go much stiffer than that). If you aren’t that strong then you can consider something softer – but even a 4/10 shouldn’t be too physically demanding.
Entry/Exit
It’s not an absolute must but it’s nice to have a binding that’s easy to get in and out of when you’re a beginner. Bindings are new to beginners and also if you are going to be doing shorter runs on beginner slopes then you will probably be strapping in and unstrapping quite often.
Shock Absorption
Some level of shock absorption is good to have because it aids in the comfort of the binding but they don’t have to be super shock absorbing given that you aren’t going to be going over any big jumps or off gigantic lips when you’re just starting out!
Price
Whilst price is not the only factor, it is definitely a consideration for a beginner. So you may have to sacrifice on some things. Fortunately softer flexing bindings do tend to be cheaper so that’s a win!
>>Learn more about the key specs for beginner bindings here
Freestyle Bindings
If you like to ride freestyle, whether in the park, on natural terrain or in the pipe, there are different bindings that are more or less suitable for you.
Flex
There’s a bit of a range for flex for freestylers.
If you are a noodler that mostly likes to ride jibs and do small to medium jumps and ground tricks then you are probably going to appreciate having a softer flex – anything from a 1/10 to a 4/10 is going to be a good bet.
If you prefer your freestyle more extreme – like finding big natural hits or large to extra-large jumps in the park then you’ll probably benefit from something a little bit stiffer. Anything from a 4/10 to a 6/10 is a good bet in this case. Some like to go even stiffer but I prefer not to go too stiff here because I still like to be able to play around with more playful element like jibs and ground tricks that I like to have a bit more flex with.
If you like to ride the pipe then something around the 5/10 to 6/10 flex range is a good way to go too. Again it depends on the other things you are doing when you’re not in the pipe.
If you like to ride the whole mountain freestyle then something between a 4/10 and 6/10 works well in my experience.
Shock Absorption
Shock absorption becomes really important for freestyle bindings. If you’re going to be landing jumps and tricks all day then you want a binding that absorbs shock well. Your body will thank you!
Butterability
This is partly down to the flex but it’s also influenced by the binding’s connection with the board. A binding that allows the board to flex naturally will have better butterability (assuming that you are riding a board that likes to butter of course).
Some bindings are designed to flex more with the board and some make use of mini disks so that direct contact with the snowboard is a minimum – again this allows the board to flex more naturally.
>>Learn more about the key specs for freestyle bindings here
All-Mountain Bindings
All mountain bindings need to be able to do a bit of everything – they need to be able to ride at least decently riding freestyle and decently for freeriding.
Flex
To be able to ride well enough for everything the flex needs to be a compromise between super stiff and super responsive and flexible.
This where a medium flex (5/10 to 6/10) is most often the best bet.
If you are a more aggressive all mountain rider then a 7/10 or 8/10 should also be considered if you are looking for more response.
Shock Absorption
It’s maybe not as important as it is for freestyle bindings but you are still going to want some decent shock absorption in there.
>>Learn more about the key specs for all-mountain bindings here
Freeride Bindings
Freeride bindings need to be able to handle speed, tricky terrain and some serious force being applied to them – so they need to be strong and responsive.
Flex
Freeride bindings are the domain of stiff and responsive. A medium stiff (7/10 or 8/10) or stiff flexing (9/10 or 10/10) binding is the best bet to give you the most response. Response isn’t entirely down to flex but it is a major factor.
Adjustability
You want your bindings to be as adjustable as possible so that you can make sure that they conform to your boots perfectly. If they aren’t fitting properly then you’ll lose response.
This is important for any type of binding but especially so for freeride bindings.
Other factors
Shock absorption, comfort and easy entry/exit are also important for freeride bindings but come second to response and fit.
Freeride bindings tend to be the most expensive as there is more tech going into them.
>>Learn more about the key specs for freeride bindings here
Thanks for reading
I hope this post has taught you something about the different snowboard binding types.
If you have any questions or if you agree or disagree with anything in this post, or if there is something important that I’ve missed, feel free to leave a comment in the comments section below.
If you now know the type of binding that you want to go with you can check out my top 5 lists for the different types at the link below.
>>Snowboard Bindings Top 5’s by Type
Hi. I just got my Best friends child, a used but what appears to be a good set of snowboard bindings. His existing board which was bought used, works well for him as he is a beginner however the bindings were very brittle and kept breaking off. He is coming with us to the slopes every weekend and I wanted something safer.
I bought a used pair on Ebay. Salomon S5. They look like they are in great shape but they look odd. They have an extra flap on the back area ans I cannot find any research online on it. Have you seen this type before? I can send a picture. Thank you in advance for your advice. Tbe size is exact to what he has now.
Hi Kathy
Thanks for your message.
The S5 is a bit before my time demoing gear (not something I’ve heard of, and like you I’ve found it hard to find any info on them). It might be that they have a winged high back – that’s the only thing I can think of in terms of an “extra flap” – but a picture might help if you can send one through – if you leave a message on the contact page, then you’ll be able to email a pic through once I reply.