K2 Virtue Snowboard Binding Review

$179
Discontinued 2012
Intermediate to Expert All Mountain
We at the good ride are not fans of the K2 Auto Bindings and aren't big fans of the Cinch Bindings either. However we are ok with the K2 Virtue. No gimmicks but just a binding that is made to last a long time. We like the ratchet system and long term reliability that this binding offers. It has some quirks we weren't happy with but it could work for you if you are looking for an old school binding. Check out the review below.

How It Rides
Flex	Med/Stiff	Response	Good	Dampening	Good
Adjustability	Good	Weight	Light	Shock Absorption	Average
Comfort	Good	Lateral Movement	Good	Board/Boot Integration	Good

Compare Prices & Buyer Reviews

Sun & Ski Sports K2 Women's Virtue Snowboard Bindings '10...	$189.99	Check Availability
evo K2 Virtue Helmet - Women's...	$159.95	Check Availability
Snowboards.net K2 Virtue Womens Audio Helmet 2012...	$159.95	Check Availability
Skis.com K2 Virtue Womens Audio Helmet...	$159.95	Check Availability
SummitOnline.com K2 Virtue Womens Audio Helmet...	$159.95	Check Availability
Backcountry.com K2 Virtue Audio Helmet - Women's...	$159.95	Check Availability
Christy Sports K2 Virtue Helmet \| Women's...	$149.95	Check Availability
Sun & Ski Sports K2 Women's Virtue Snowsports Helmet '12...	$149.95	Check Availability
The Gear Lounge K2 Womens Virtue Binding 09/10...	$139.99	Check Availability
Christy Sports K2 Virtue Binding \| Women's \| 09/10...	$94.95	Check Availability
AlsSports.com K2 Virtue Snowboard Binding: Women's (2009)...	$89.99	Check Availability

The Good Ride Take

So on the hill this binding doesn't surprise you in any way. It is very predictable and rides like most bindings did a few years ago. We rode these bindings on 2 different boards. A freeride board and an all mountain freestyle board. Both boards we have tried many bindings on so we have a good idea of how they ride. The K2 Virtues rode rather flat and unresponsive compared to the Union, Rome, Flux and Burton Bindings we had on these boards before. Flat response is desirable for some but for most of us at the good ride we like a binding that takes less work to manipulate the board. Normally we like an ankle strap of this size but it just didn't conform to the way your forward flex works and caused some pressure points on the top of the foot. It will probably go away over time but it would of been a little better to taper the size near the center of the binding. The toe strap was excellent. It works either way without any issues but we preferred it over the toe.

After our demo of these bindings we took them off to see a lot more than your usual marks on the board. It was very frustrating compared to union and Burton EST bindings. Those 2 bindings leave minimal impact. All in all this binding would not be something we would like to add to our quiver but it seems to be a good binding if you can find it on sale at the end of the season. We feel K2 has wasted too much time trying to make an easy entry binding instead of working on better turn initiation. This is one of the only traditional bindings they have left and even though they made some changes it still needs some work. If you like the old school feeling where you have to work more for your turns and you have a very tough top sheet then this might be an option.

The Good Ride Take on K2
K2 is a big company and is almost secretive when it comes to trying their gear before you buy it. So many companies are really proud of their gear and try to do everything they can to get you to ride it. K2 seems to do the bare minimum and despite its size has the least amount of gear to demo than almost any other company. Their policy seems to be if you want to try our stuff you have to buy it. K2 choose Flat Camber and rocker/camber snowboards and hasn’t chosen to work with any hybrid shapes. Some people love or hate their flat camber but their flat/rocker shapes seem to be some of the best out there and are well liked. When it comes to Bindings K2 spends a lot of time working on the quick release side of things instead of working on improved board flex and turn initiation like other companies have as of late. Their boots are well made and pretty comfortable but many don’t have the traditional upper and lower BOA system that others do. Instead they have an inner and outer lacing system which some like but to us it doesn’t make sense. Their customer support is not on par with some of the best out there. There is no customer service phone # on their site to call so you must contact them via email.

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

STYLIZED PERFORMANCE

For the ladies pushing the boundaries, the Virtue’s lightweight precision and super comfortable fit paired with energetic response and superior mobility make it the fundamental strap binding out there for women.

Powerful response anywhere you want to go, the Virtue’s fully loaded features include our A-line Chassis for the perfect boot to binding fit and smooth flex, while our NEW! Airlace Highback and Caddy Strap design take ergonomic comfort to new levels.