Binding Model: K2 Formula
Binding Size: Medium
Stance and Angles: Goofy, 21in wide, 18/0
Board Used: Rome Ravine
Boot Used: DC Tucknee
Boot Size: 8
Rider Weight: 155lbs
Location: Breckenridge
Conditions: Late season, some other mountains have already closed and while it is still a little bit firmer in the early AM, by 10 it is full spring and the bottom of the mountain is full on slush fest.
Binding Adjustability: The straps are on flip cams, so just pop them down, adjust, and snap them back up. The two strands of the toe strap are independently adjustable allowing for a better fit on more toe box shapes. The forward lean and rotation are on the same bolt making the adjustment a little time consuming to dial in, but not hard.
Straps: The toe strap with the dual adjustability and minimalist build does a great job of holding onto you boot and there isn’t anything to wear out or tip. The ankle strap is a more classic foam and fabric construction. It is well executed and fits great. It has enough give straight forward not to cause weird pressure points but is still substantial enough to offer any support you’d need.
Ratchets: The new ankle ratchet puts the climb lever on a bar-pivot mount that minimizes any twisting of the lever. This helps to keep it more positively engaged on the ladder to help prevent stripping. It works well and they both release very smooth.
Highbacks: No frills basic build. The horizontal cut-outs provide just a bit of extra flex to keep the highback from feeling too stiff and from creating any calf-bite. A little bit of torsional flex thrown in so it is just soft enough not to be in the way as you get your weight over the tips.
Binding Flex: The frame is just above a middle flex, just above. That with the slightly softer straps and average highback land the overall flex at dead middle. The lack of under frame padding and the average sized footprint do make the transfer of energy into the board a little more efficient.
Ride: Classic feeling binding. No fancy tech or nonsense to muck up the classic feel. There is 3 degrees of canting with a standard EVA foam for those that still ride wide stances, but the foam isn’t too stiff to feel like you can’t press through it.
Rider in Mind: This is the team binding and for anyone looking for a binding they don’t have to think about, for any style.
Personal Thoughts: This is the workhorse of the K2 line. It has the build and tech that matter without anything fancy to polarize anyone. It works, and it keeps working. It’s classic.
