1.05.02 - What are the various types of bindings?

Three types of bindings are used in snowboarding: strap bindings, plate bindings, and the soft-boot step-in.

1. Strap bindings are the most common bindings. There are 2 straps which go over the foot. One strap holds the heel down and the other the toes. They also have a vertical plate at the back which allows for pressurising the heel side edge.

2. The plate or hard-boot binding is used with a hard shell boot much like a ski binding except it is non-releasable.

3. The third type of binding is the soft-boot step-in. Some are a kind of combination of the first two types listed. You may see some old style ones around where they rider simply stands on the plate and clicks into place, these use special softboots with the right sort of connection mechanism. Although they don't seem to be produced these days, they can still be seen around. Another version has a heel plate that pivots at the bottom and what looks like one large strap that covers the foot. The rider slips in the boot (like putting on a slip on shoe), and then lifts the heel plate so it locks into place.