Burton decloaks step ons for '18

A snowHead

I "fondly" remember the 90's system from Burton, very flakey, flexy and generally no quicker than traditional bindings once you'd cleared them of snow and ice (and that was supposedly their selling point).

The Clicker system also was a bit of a dodo, less likely to foul with snow but meant you had the combined weight of the boot and binding in the boot itself, the boots were huge!

I'll be interested to see where these go or will it just be a case of a few people getting it as the latest thing only to realise that normal boots and bindings haven't changed significantly for over 20 years for a reason (they work).

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Oh dear, I do remember step-in snowboard bindings first time around – was that 20 years ago now!?!

Good for Burton, the proprietary thing is annoying as a consumer but at the end of the day they are the ones investing in proper product development while the rest tinker at the edges so I can’t really grudge their commercial strategy. If they are truly on to something others will find a way to copy it soon enough.

Would I buy it? I’m sure they are great brand new and I’m assuming they are a good bit lighter. My main concern would be the robustness of the toe interface over time. At least with ratchets when they wear they start to slip slightly so you know they need attention. Difficult to tell without seeing them in the flesh but It looks like that that thing would just let go one day. Not great heading down a rocky Flypaper wink

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The two friends of mine who first got me into snowboarding back in the late 90's both started out with those early step ons, and I'll admit to being a tad envious of speed they could get up and running compared to ratcheting in. But then watching them struggle with them when in deep snow, or when the mechanism had frozen up with ice and they couldn't detatch themselves, I never succumbed to the temptation to switch, and eventually they moved into the strap'n'cap that most of us use now.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Something for parkrats would be my first thought. The snoawboarder.com review is pretty favourable though

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Yep I remember these too. Never felt very stable and, as others have said, no good in deeper stuff. I'll be surprised if they really take off, other than for beginners.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I suspect "park rats" are going to need more flex than these. They are not aimed at that market, I think.

Here's my mate Ken riding them last week in some fresh snow: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOO3urZFvAs/

Clickers were extremely popular with cat/ heli guides. They continued with them until they fell apart. Step-in / step-out is a plus in powder but it's not a huge thing as you're only doing it at the top and the bottom. Novices may find it more important as they fall on the flat more, but then the hassle of traditional bindings is the least of their problems. With Clickers people would rig a rope between the release handles for tree well emergencies - I'm not yet sure if that would work for the new design. I think people just liked the way Clickers rode, in deep powder. The market went to the park.... but that was then.

After all it is free

If you've got 20 minutes to loose (most people do this time of year) then give this a watch.

http://youtube.com/v/KxMq00U-WMw

Lots of info without actually showing the binding. It came across like they were sucking up as a thank you for a free trip to Vail.

What I love is they all "step on" in no time stand and there with classic..... "right where are we going?" conversation we all have whilst strapping our bindings on...

I had both the first and second generation Burton step ins and loved them for ease of use. I used Burton ruler boots with them, the first generation boots and bindings started to fail after about 10 weeks of use, the second generation after about 15 to 20 weeks although the boots lasted longer, I took off the strap and used them with normal bindings.

In that 25 to 30 week period of used (over many years) I had one pre release at speed which was a bit scary but ended well.

I would love to have them again, pain that I just bought a new pair of Ions, could have made my old boot last another year.

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I always found the standard way to do up bindings a little annoying, I would constantly be adjusting the pressure to get them to feel right though the day.

So I ended up with a set of flows hybrids, which I love (can still clip in and out for sitting down).Curious about these though, would love to give em a shot, but loose snow could be a problem.

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First post on here for me so hello, everyone!
Not dissing the product as I'm sure it works well and Burton have done their r&d etc. My only gripe is the fact that you're locked into buying boots, bindings and possibly board also from one brand? I've got a foot shape that just won't fit Burton boots, so I'm out already. But say you bought the set up then your boot liners wear/pack out after two seasons, and a boot to fit your perfectly usable step in bindings were no longer available due to product changes?

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You know it makes sense.

I had Clickers then Buton step-ins and thought they were both great at the time and never once failed or released.

Been boarding for 21 years now and think I have finally setttled on the Cartels I have had for the last 3 seasons, although I would prefer it if they were a little buit stiffer

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose .......

It'll be back in another twenty years, but even more 'new and improved'.

There is nothing that a serious, or any, rider needs, apart from a decent regular binding, from a good manufacturer.

JMO

A snowHead

A snowHead

The lapsed engineer in me still thinks we should be able to do better than what amounts to tieing ourselves to our boards.

The original Burton SI system was actually pretty well-regarded, it just got tied with the "step-ins are shite" brush that Clicker and the other rubbish justified.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I've still got a set of much loved CO2s (circa 2009) and have just bought a set of Genesis for my powder board.

You know where you are with ratchets.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Totally agree @stevomcd. I can't imagine the little lugs on the step-in bindings still being perfect after 10 years of use. The boots or the bindings!!

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My Burton SI's from early 2000's still going strong only ever had 1 pre release of the binding across all the winters

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

These boots and binders are going for over a £1000 at auction (£1130 exactly it seems this weekend) to a asking price of £3500 at the moment ?
No wonder the spammers are big on ski and snowboard sites .

5 years in development . . . WTF! Shocked

It takes Airbus less time to put one of their monsters into the sky.

5 years! . . . proof that weed rots the nogin?

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It seems there's a little teething trouble with the heel cleats: https://www.burton.com/uk/en/steponupdate

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From the look of it, the new cleat is larger than the old, so suggests that there have been some issues with it engaging properly.

snow reports

I wonder how many macho muscle Marys will strip the internal thread in the boot? "Tighten until secure and firmly in place" Twisted Evil

I loved my first and second generation Burton step ins (I remember having to send off one of the pairs for a "recall"), but now I have been away from them for a few years, I wouldn't pay this huge premium to go back.

5 years in the making and they still feck it up, inexcusable. The biggest problem was always with "freeze thaw" where you would end up with a slug of ice under the boot so it wouldn't engage, you'd then have to borrow a ski pole to clear it.

You know it makes sense.

I can't fault 'em for trying... If the kinks are all ironed out to the point where it's trouble free and reliable it'll catch on and become the new standard, meaning the end of the most faffy element of boarding. It may take a while, but good on 'em for taking the risk I say.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I don't think these are the optimal step ins, they look like more of a faf than my second generation ones.

A snowHead

I can't really see what the big deal is with having to strap in - only difficult if you've got a beer gut

A snowHead

@hang11, it's just one more bit of faff..if we can do without it, without a functional snowboarding compromise, then I'm all for it Very Happy

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

From those who've tried it, they reckon that the system gives you a very 'direct connection' feel to the board. Some have compared it to being a bit like riding in hard boots - and something that actually does take a bit of getting used to.

Could be interesting, particularly for those who have fit issues with boots and have to compensate with bindings...

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You think how many companies deliberately try to engineer 'give' or 'float' into their bindings though, e.g. Union, K2, Now... even Burton! (Re:Flex). I can see it working for some folks, but the cost is going to be a barrier for many.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Set of bindings is about £250, boots between £250-£350, package deal from Blue Tomato is £530

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OK, so only a bit more (about 10%) than an equivalent boot/binding package. I tend to buy discounted gear though so it seems like a lot Very Happy

Plus nowhere actually has the men's version in stock.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

would be interesting to know how well it works getting into them in deep snow, where you can’t really push down hard to get them to engage.

After all it is free

Will have to keep my eye out for anyone using them next week.

Just check out the burton rental racks in the near future you will see dozens !

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@Tirol 164, Nah, it'll hang around for years, like some niche nonsense with about half a dozen people who swear by it as it's what the Burton team riders use. A bit like Flow bindings.

Help!!

Burton decloaks step ons for '18

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