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Burton\u2019s innovative new binding system is set to fly!<\/p>\n\n\n\nBurton\u2019s innovative new binding system is set to fly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, a question: Would you rather be slamming down the slope on a sleek board or flailing around on the cold ground trying to get a grip on an uncooperative strap?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019re guessing the former. With Burton\u2019s Step On binding system, getting ready to ride is now hassle-free \u2014 even better, you\u2019ll spend more time ripping over the snow and less time sitting on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s hard not to call Burton\u2019s Step On heel-to-binding interface \u201crevolutionary.\u201d For the snowboarders who use the system, it most certainly represents a revolution in everything from ease of use and comfort to response and performance. For Burton \u2014 arguably the company that made it a mission to perfect the strapless binding approach \u2014 the process was a gradual evolution, one that was several years in the making. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s here now \u2014 and riders at all levels are reaping the benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking back to the early days, when snowboard companies were trying to crack the strapless code, says Burton Canada\u2019s Brendan Cordell: \u201cEveryone tried and failed. Because nobody knew enough about the anatomy of the foot.\u201d Memories of those early attempts were wiped clean when Burton\u2019s Step On hit the market six years ago \u2014 after four years of development, hundreds of hours of rigorous testing, and a heck of a lot of riding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jake Burton put an entire team of developers on the project, releasing them from any other commitments so they could focus on the task at hand. It was that important to him. The first thing they did was put a bunch of cameras on a board and study exactly how the foot, binding and board perform on the hill. Because if the ride wasn\u2019t right, it just wouldn\u2019t fly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Burton was driven to remove barriers to entry for newbie riders by reducing the hassles of suiting up. Sitting on your butt on the freezing ground while struggling with straps can wear thin pretty quickly, especially for a newbie. \u201cPeople were quitting because it\u2019s too hard, but now we\u2019re seeing whole generations embrace Step On,\u201d says Brandon. Pro athletes are taking to the system, too \u2014 testament to the fact that the ride is right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sporting Life\u2019s Rebecca Brownridge \u2014 a self-confessed \u201cwinter baby\u201d who grew up on the slopes \u2014 credits Burton for focusing on the spot that matters most: the connection to the board. Step On provides the control, feel and feedback of straps but with none of the headaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe most important thing for a new rider is to feel confident and enjoy that first day,\u201d says Brownridge. \u201cWith Step On, you\u2019re standing, not sitting \u2014 so it\u2019s confidence-boosting. You step in, you step out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brownridge is absolutely confident recommending Step On to a new customer \u2014 and she rides the system herself. \u201cIt\u2019s the same quality of ride. Burton is the best at bindings, hands down. You can ride just as confidently, and you don\u2019t have to change your ride in any way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The barrier to learning to snowboard, Brownridge says, \u201cis almost inherently gone. If you come from skiing, the gear is completely the same. We used to say you\u2019ll spend the first day on your butt, but not now. Imagine that this is what you learn on \u2013 you\u2019ll never buy anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The future is now, so to speak. This season, riders will see the Step On system at rental shops on some hills across Canada. That\u2019s a great way to try out \u2014 and join \u2014 the revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey are change-makers at Burton,\u201d Brownridge says. \u201cThey always have the best and the latest and the greatest. And they wouldn\u2019t launch something unless it was perfect. They update and stay current, and now Step On is totally the next thing. Burton made it work well, but they also made it cool!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most important thing for a new rider is to feel confident and enjoy that first day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n