Binding Model: Bent Metal Axtion
Binding Size: MD
Stance and Angles: 21.5 Wide 15 Negative 12 Goofy
Boot Used: K2 Thraxis
Boot Size: 10
Board Used: K2 Cool Bean
Rider Weight: 200lbs
Location: Copper Mountain
Conditions: A mix of overcast skies with pockets of blue and sunshine coming through, colder temps, a light dusting on top of perfect corduroy, and as always preseason death cookies.
Binding Adjustability: This binding is pretty straight forward with adjustments. You have flip cam for lengthening or shorting your straps, push down pin placements for the toe strap, the forward lean block on the highback, and then you have the highback rotation if you want it.
Straps: The heel strap is a mix of foam and harder plastic so that it gives a more abrupt wrap around the boot when tightened down. It does a great job of contouring and keeping a firm feel in place. The toe strap fits most boot shapes ideally and stays locked in over the toe.
Ratchets: The ratchets climb and release well. I never had any real issues with them and felt that they did their job. My only gripe would be the lack of a one finger quick release on the toe strap, but then again I rarely used the release on the heel strap and would just fling them open when I needed to.
Highbacks: The shape of the highback gives it a small wing that cups the outside of your calf and helps with power transmission. The overall flex of them is pretty mellow and you can drive into them and not feel like it’s trying to stop you but it also won’t fold like a wet noodle.
Binding Flex: While they claim this is a stiffer than a middle of the road binding it’s not. It’s overall flex is closer to a true middle of the road. What is stiffer is the baseplate but the lateral flex and strap flex is less than that.
Ride: These are a very smooth consistently flexing binding. You feel locked in but that you have power when you need it or can be laid back as you want it.
Rider in Mind: All mountain rider.
Personal Thoughts: Out of the three Bent Metal Bindings I rode these were my favorite. They had a smooth consistent flex, dampened where I wanted them to, and had good straps for keeping me locked in. The power was there if I wanted it but I could also be laid back. Overall it felt like a binding I had used a thousand times.
