Binding Model: Jones Mercury

Binding Size: Medium

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: Sunny skies with some clouds, moderate winds, cold temps, a dusting of snow on top of perfect corduroy, and pockets of wind loaded powder and chunder.

Binding Adjustability: Flip cams on the straps for lengthening or shortening them. Flip it heel strap so you can go from stiffer to softer and more surfy. Forward lean adjustment. You can swap out the bushing for soft, medium, or hard offerings.

Straps: So the heel strap is new for this year and it’s of that composite and rubber variety that takes the excess material out and gives you a sleeker more conformable strap that cradles around the instep. This eliminates pinch points and gives more lateral flex as the boot and it move as one. The toe strap rectifies past issues and is insanely grippy. It has a solid shape that lends itself to fit over most toebox shapes plus has added grip ridges inside it.

Ratchets: The ratchets climbed well and seemed to release most time with ease. My one gripe is that the toe is a push down or grab from the front release instead of the one finger quick release with the tab. It creates a different motion than on the heel and while most might say this is first world problems it’s not a uniform release like other bindings have.

Highbacks: The center of the highback offers the most response while the sides of it have lateral play which allows you to get some tweakability from them. By and large it did its job and does what you would expect. I did get a tiny bit of calf bite from it as its natural shape didn’t match up too well with my boot but that’s more a personal issue than a design flaw.

Binding Flex: The flex of the binding is precise but slightly forgiving making it a solid all mountain freestyle binding. You do have a bit of lateral give in this one which allows for more play but the toe to heel response is solid. The beautiful thing is you can flip the straps if you need more or less flex and power out of them.

Ride: The overall ride is smooth and predictable for the most part. You can feel the power where you need it.

Rider in Mind: All mountain freestyle guy.

Personal Thoughts: The strap upgrades are well worth it on this binding they just grip so much better. The toe strap has a better shape and more grip which was one of the issues with the previous version. Overall it’s not a bad binding and if you like Skatetech you will be pleased with how it rides.

Comparable Bindings: Rome DOD, Ride C-8, Burton Cartel