I don't think of myself as one, but I'm probably a Union fanboy *glances at 4 pairs of Union bindings* I think this is a good, fair review. Like you said, the Force is what it is. Just a simple, do-it-all binding with a more old school feel and really no bullshit about it. It's there, it works, and it just does binding things. And I like that.
I really like that on the force baseplate it has the extra heel hold screws. I have seen the heelcups come loose and slide if they aren't securely fastened
Great honest review . Was on the fence between strata and force . Like some play and twist to the binding. Like my butters surfy playful riding but also loke to turn on the jets for a few runs. Rode ride revolt for a season and bit till they broke , stepped up to there more "solid" rodeo not the greatest, stiffer high back. You have the best reviews out there , you dont just read the specs off the website . Throughly enjoy your reviews !
@@Gravitas2019 for sure. Ladder play is nice for my style and when you push back into the highback you can really drive craves. Fits my. DC. Boots . Rode em on Ride kink . Captia asymulator. Picked up the K2 passport for this season.
Appreciate your honest take on these bindings. My wife has the Trilogy and likes them. I have Cartels from 2015 that desperately need replacement. I was trending toward the Force, based on my wife's positive experience with Union. My Cartels have been solid though. How would you compare the Unions to Burton? I am an older rider (46) that you may be referring to in the review, lol ;)
I got union bindings 8 years ago and was pleased. This year was the time to get a new board & bindings. Having not done any research in the binding department I just got the Union force again because I was not sure on what to get. I feel satisfied but kind of wish I had bought a pair of now bindings. Ho ya riding Trice pro 161 union force and 32 boots.
Union Force were the first bindings I really liked, back when I was learning. They were stiff enough to be responsive but not overpowering, the straps were comfy and easy to manipulate, and they weren't bogged down by marketing feature-creep... basic, solid, bombproof bindings. That having been said, I wouldn't ride them today... I use Jones Mercury (basically NOW Drives) and Union Baldface Custom (basically Falcors with a Team highback and FC straps); both of these are streets ahead in responsiveness, physically lighter and give a much livelier board feel. Still though, for your first pair of 'real' bindings I'd say Union Force beats crappy low-end Salomons, Burtons etc with ease.
@@AngrySnowboarder Fair enough :D I once literally had to give away a pair of Missions though, they weren't a patch on the Force. These days though I agree they've not been updated very well while many other designs have moved onwards and upwards.
I would say so as well. I owned nitro bindings twice. The strap on the first ones broke pretty fast. To be fair it was a beginner binding wich I learned snowboarding with. The second one was a upgrade and much stiffer. It was better but all this dampening on the heel from nitro is far too much imo. It made the board feel so unresponsive and wobbly under feet. So I switched to the Union atlas many years ago and fell in love immediately and I don't think I will ever switch to another brand. Every time I look at a nitro binding or a Salomon binding at the shop they look cheap and they feel cheap. Get away from me with this plastic shit. By the way I gave my old nitro binding to a friend in need. He had about 5-8 more days in the mountain with the binding before the strap broke on this nitro binding again.... Cheap shit I guess. Maybe I am biased but almosed anyone who recommends a nitro binding looses his credibility immediately for me because I only had bad experiences with them. By the way did I mention that I think that nitro bindings are cheap plastic shit because I think they are cheap plastic shit.....
I have been using Forces for a while. There may be better bindings somewhere out there for me, I just haven't taken the time to research it thoroghly. But I do tend to be the target demographic (all-mountain, dabble in everything). They work. My only bad experience was one VERY well used pair about ~200 days old snapped a toe strap buckle on the mountain. Don't know if it was so much a wear and tear issue or a weakness in construction. So I am on my 2nd pair. Anyway, I was surprised you were so kind to them. You were fair.
I have Union Force bindings - season 2020/2021. After 50 days of use, both ankle straps are broken. Also, the heel shift system keeps pulling out since I'm riding in position zero no matter how hard I tighten the screws. Other than that, everything else is OK. For now. 😎
Have 2019/20 pair and love them got the 23 for my new board , like them better than the flows I’ve used, but not as experienced on softer or small disc bindings
I switched from Cartels to Forces. I needed more adjustability. Already regret I did it. I don't feel a response from my snowboard anymore. I'm riding bindings rather than board now. It feels like a redundant layer.
Excellent review, and on point. I used to think Union bindings were the best on the market based on reviews and how many people I see on the hill using them, however I find they are over priced for what you get. They are not bad by any means, just that most of their models cost too much when you have better options out there, both in terms of quality and performance.
I'm an all mountain rider, I just bought Union Force Pro after getting it suggested more than any other binding. I literally asked multiple facebook groups for 2 weeks. I asked about Nidecker Kaon-X, Burton Cartel, Rome Vice, NOW IPO, and NOW Pilots. I'm a pretty good rider but never had the means for new gear. I've been on Burton Customs since 2012, the pair I got that year were used so I'm guyssing they were from mid-2000s. I feel any binding I get will be a massive improvement. I ride a High Society Twilight and some Burton I forgot the model. Any suggestions if the Forces aren't really worth it from this review? Powder, trees, high speed runs, hitting every little bump/jump I can find, and occasionally the park for some fun.
Interested to know how you liked the Union Strata and/or Contact Pro? Union bindings in a similar price range (although distinctly different from the Force) with a mini-disc, and a lot more lateral flex. Outside of the preference away from the universal disc, wondering if you had a more positive feeling on either of those models. Just curiosity. I have a pair of Ultra's, but also bindings from Bent Metal, Ride, and Jones. Probably rode the Bent Metals most this year.
I’m a little concerned about my purchase now after watching your review. I’m replacing an older pair of burton missions for these. Maybe I should of went with the stratas? I want something a little more laid back. I’m an old school rider. I feel that maybe I just got a new pair of burton missions since they have the same characteristics. I got my forces on sale so I’ll try them out.
hey. the union atlas is it mutch stiffer than the cartel? Looking fore a new binding. Have the cartel. But like to get more stiff and aggressive binding. ride the flagship 165, and the weston japow. rome cleaver ore the rome katana, ore the atlas? Any opinions? like to ride aggressive, and pow.
I have an Amplid Surfari and size 12 Photons wide's. Own the Cartel X and the Union Atlas. I feel the Atlas is a little more aggressive and responsive than the Cartels, I prefer the Unions, I feel a little more connected to the board with the Unions.
Nitro Teams are similar in that they are a little stiffer and have tall supportive highbacks. Ive ridden both;The lateral play and heel air pocket definitely make it a better freestyle binding by far but I personally think they ride better all-mountain as well. Forces might do better as a freeride binding just because of that minimal lateral play.
I have Union stratas as well as rome arsenal I'm not a big fan of the lateral flex on the strata. What would you recommend for an aggressive rider? Is upgrading what I have worth it in your opinion or would you mount the rome? The board is the 22 bsod 165w. k2 thraxis boot I'm 6' 230 lbs. riding the east coast
A fanboy but I've got a bit of a bitch for Union: I broke my ankle strap on my Atlases. I have way over 100 days on them so not a huge problem there. The problem is I can't find a single replacement in stock anywhere. Couple that with the local (Tahoe) trend of everyone being almost completely sold out of large bindings and you're really annoyed. Was there a Sasquatch baby boom twenty years ago?
Would you buy Rome Vice 2020 at the discounts now or should I wait and ride my STR’s this season and try to pick up the 2021 Vices at the end of the season. I’m thinking the upgrade to the 21 Vices is worth being patient for
@@osiris1828 they can be k2 or rome or flux, flow would be z-rollers tho. .... Im sure all those binders work for people too, but burton has the best bindings for my feet. So burton is indy. Fuck the rest.
@@voi907 I want to like Indy's, but after all kinds of problems, fuck 'em. Kinda like I always have problems with Unions when I try them. Logic derived from my personal experiences: Indy = Union.
They fixed the screw problem. They now have a wager in the straps to keep it from loosening and the base plate now has a metal plate instead of washer that works really well.
