Compare Prices & Buyer Reviews

Compare Prices And Read Buyer Reviews

Sun & Ski Sports Flow Men's M9-SE Snowboard Bindings '12... $259.99 Check Availability Sun & Ski Sports Flow Men's M9 Snowboard Bindings '12... $239.99 Check Availability TightBoards.com Flow M9 Snowboard Bindings Black... $191.95 Check Availability Snowboards.net Flow M9-SE Mens Snowboard Bindings 2012... $181.98 Check Availability ProBoardShop.com Flow M9 Snowboard Bindings Black - Men's... $179.95 Check Availability Snowboards.net Flow M9 Mens Snowboard Bindings 2012... $167.98 Check Availability evo Flow M9 Snowboard Bindings 2012... $149.90 Check Availability Dogfunk.com Flow M9 Snowboard Binding... $128.99 Check Availability Backcountry.com Flow M9 Snowboard Binding... $128.99 Check Availability

The Good Ride Take

A Good Ride Take on Binding Tech

Metal vs Plastic Bindings

This is a Goodride breakdown for all you that are having a tough time choosing your bindings and what to make of the material you are looking at.  Most bindings are Metal, Plastic or some combo of the 2.

Metal Bindings have a lot of great aspects.  Almost all-metal bindings are made from aluminum.  Aluminum is great when it come to weight to stiffness ratio and also pretty durable.  There is one key issue with metal/aluminum bindings; they transfer all the vibrations from the board right into your feet.  This is the same principle that pelage “bass-less” bindings, your feet got totally tired or fatigued.  The newer generations have much better/damp bases so this problem has been minimized and in some cases eliminated.   There are some companies that make great bindings despite the vibration issue with Aluminum.   Some that come to mind are Ride and Rome.

Plastic Bindings also have many great features but let’s address some technical stuff first.  Most plastic bindings are really hardened glass plastic mix.   The high-end stuff tends to have a more carbon, and carbon fiber added for extra stiffness and weight savings.  Plastic bindings really dominate the market right now and most top bindings these days are mostly or all plastic.  They can be really stiff and react well to your commands.   The new bindings finally dialed in the carbon/ fiber integration to the point that the bindings will perform with the stiffness of metal and absorb more chatter.  Most industry leaders have limited or completely eliminated metal from their bindings and we feel that with the materials used right now this is the future.  Some mostly plastic companies that we feel rock are Burton, Flux and Union.

What kind of binding should you buy?  It’s a tough call.  Both Plastic and Metal bindings offer freestyle, freeride and all mountain styles.  At this point we feel that plastic bindings are edging out metal bindings when it comes to the very high end $300+ category.  However it is a tough call in the below $300 category as to which material has the advantage.

Company Info & Specs

Season pass holders and certified park rats love the M9 for its lightweight, easygoing shredability. This versatile freestyle binding is the perfect choice for abusive park riders and everyday chargers. The lightweight Nylon M-series baseplate offers a flexible yet responsive platform, while soft EVA-padding absorbs harsh park landings and high speed chatter. An adjustable toe-ramp adds custom function. All-around riders need on-the-fly adjustments, like the Free+ Snaplock--providing tool-free forward lean adjustment. Add the new fiber-reinforced nylon Ventilated hiback plus SLA and the M9 is looking like some serious bang for the buck.

• 33% fiber-reinforced nylon lightweight M-series baseplate
• Synchronous Length Adjustment (SLA)
• Moveable toeramp and EVA cushioning pads
• 14% fiber-reinforced nylon Ventilated hiback

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