Snowboard Reviews, Articles, News & More
Bindings
02-03 Forum All Terrain Pro (ATP) Review
09 years ago
I stayed away from plastic and composite bindings for a long time because I didn’t think they could handle the Alaskan cold. However, the ATPs have done very well, and from my experiences, I would recommend these bindings to most any rider.
Forum has been working on their tool free system for a few years, and it looks like it may be paying off. You can adjust these bindings to fit most boots within 10 minutes, much faster than a standard binding, plus you don’t need any tools for most of the changes. You can quickly and easily adjust forward lean, strap length, and heel-cup size without tools. The adjustment system works well, but my one complaint is that you can’t really fine tune them, the holes are spaced a little too far apart.
The straps are comfortable – the boot side is some kind of synthetic material that is very soft and grabby at the same time. The top is leather or synthetic, and there is just enough, but not too much padding in between. The result is that the binding allows for plenty of flex while keeping your feet securely strapped in. The ratchets are some of the most sturdy-feeling I have ever used, and while the heel-strap release can be a little hard at first, it does work fine once broken in a bit; the click is very satisfying and solid. The rubbery foam used for the areas where the boot contacts the base and backs is super sticky, even in colder temps, and hold your boot very firmly.
00-01 Nidecker Pro 800 Review
011 years ago
If you are in the market for new bindings these are a great set to look at. The 800 is cheaper than the 860s but with all the same features. It is an overall awesome binding.
I honestly don’t have anything bad to say about these bindings. The Swiss have always been known for their perfection in luxury items, and Nidecker has ensured that snowboards gets on that list of items. Nidecker is one of those companies that is constantly innovating, and their product line shows it.
While these are not drastically different from last year’s model, they are still far superior over most bindings. They still sport the LDS (Lateral Dampening System) pads, which are designed to stop the lateral vibrations that can hurt your ankles without losing toe/heel edge performance. They have raised toe pads which help put your weight directly onto your toe edge in a turn. They also have a drop down heel bracket that is attached to the binding back and really grabs on to the heel of your boot, helping to hold it tight.
The straps, while not too different, are definitely improved over the 00′s. Nidecker seems to pay a lot of attention to the comfort and strength of the straps. They use a cloth webbing which doesn’t get brittle in the cold the way plastic does, and the straps themselves are very wide and super padded.
Nidecker has also moved towards the tool-less binding operation, you can completely alter the strap lengths without using a tool. The heel cup uses an innovative approach, it has only one screw to loosen, but maintains the strength of two.