Binding tech has changed a great deal over the last few years. Gone are the days when your choice was limited to buying a regular two-strap binding from a multitude of different companies, or maybe purchasing the 'marmite' rear-entry Flow binding!
Burton introduced their new Step-On binding in 2017 and this changed the binding game entirely. It wasn't a new idea, 'step-in' bindings have been around forever, but they were historically always rubbish with an interface that suffered from clogged snow and did not provide an ideal riding experience as they hindered response and feel. The evolved Burton Step-On actually increases that rider response above and beyond a lot of the bindings on the market and we really like them a lot here at The Snowboard Shop.
But today we want to talk about the latest revolution, Nidecker Supermatic and also the newly introduced FAST Entry System (FASE) snowboard bindings. FASE is also part of the Nidecker group and so it's found on a bunch of brands that are under the Nidecker umbrella, these include Bataleon, Thirtytwo, Jones and Rome.
Which is better?
Both bindings offer an easier, more efficient way of connecting your boots to your board. In simple terms, you can think of the Supermatic as an 'automatic' binding, whereas FASE is more of a semi-automatic binding.
Supermatic Pros
- Fully Automatic, set it up once and you're good to go
- Less bending down to strap / unstrap - save energy so you can ride more
- Available in 3 models, OG, LT and Carbon
- Easy to ride off the chairlift with no hassle (with a little practice!)
- Responsive, all Supermatic models are darn stiff
Supermatic Cons
- Heavy, there's no denying the weight
- If you like your binding straps tight then you'll find it tricky to get your boot in / out of the binding
- All Supermatic models are stiff, there is no 'soft' option.
FASE Pros
- Same weight as a conventional two-strap-binding
- Easy to get into your bindings when stood up and no issues when sitting down
- Because you only have to open the ankle strap to get in / out, you save a lot of energy throughout the day over a conventional binding
- Regular baseplate so the board-feel is not lost in a big / bulky binding
FASE Cons
- New tech, currently limited to only brands within the Nidecker Group
- Unlike the Supermatic you still need to manually operate the ankle strap
- Harder to ride straight off the chairlift than Supermatic (but that could just be practice!)
They are both great options and there are pros and cons to both. For me, I like FASE as I find the Supermatic a little heavy and I also tend to ride with my straps pretty tight so getting in and out of Supermatic when testing them, was a pain. Oli on the other hand loves his supers! Sophie rides conventional two-strap bindings - she's old school!
Any questions then hit us up and we'll help you out, or leave a comment below 👇🏻