Binding Model: Salomon Alibi
Binding Size: Medium
Stance and Angles: 21.5 Wide 15 Negative 12 Goofy
Boot Used: K2 Thraxis
Boot Size: 10
Board Used: Endeavor Archetype
Rider Weight: 195lbs
Location: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: Sunny bluebird skies, 3 to 6 inches of snow depending on where you were, cooler temps turning warmer making the blower pow into hot pow, and a little bit of wind.
Binding Adjustability: There’s a forward lean adjustment on the heelcup. Twist cams on the toe and heel strap to lengthen them. Adjustable toe ramp to extend as needed. There’s also a push down pin placement for the toe straps.
Straps: The toe strap is that new age minimalist multi-comforming one that will contour to any boot shape. The heel strap is more oldschool and made of multiple materials. This is the type that takes time to break in and will stretch as time goes on.
Ratchets: These did their job and did it well enough. I will say having a push down release and a one finger quick release seems counter intuitive. I did notice that these climbed and released well with zero issues.
Highbacks: It’s there and it’s doing highback things. There’s a little stiffness and rebound in it so you won’t drive through it.
Binding Flex: This is a slightly stiffer and more responsive binding. I’d say it’s just past a middle of the road all mountain flex but still has some play to it so you can do tweaks and press on your board.
Ride: The ride was super damp and stable. This was a binding that did a good job of killing chatter and not causing foot fatigue.
Rider in Mind: All mountain rider that likes to charge a bit more than be freestyle.
Personal Thoughts: This binding was solid and reminded me of older Salomon bindings like the Chief. In my opinion other than the All-Terrain Freestyle Joint it seemed very meat and potatoes. And speaking of that feature, I don’t know if it did anything. I didn’t notice anything different with it and it felt like a binding I’d been riding for years. It reacted how I wanted and got the job done.
