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Riding Level Intermediate - Expert
Quick Release No
Manufactured in China
Canted Footbed No
Burton Channel Compatible Yes
Mini disc No
Approx. Weight Feels Light
Flex

Stiff

Boot Support

Locked In

Turn Initiation

Medium/Fast

Buttering

Very Easy

Binding Adjustability Good
Stance Adjustability Poor
Comfort Excellent
Ratchet System Excellent
Shock Absorption Excellent

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Burton Diode 2016 - 2012 Review by The Good Ride

The Burton Diode offers a smooth but responsive, comfortable, shock-absorbent ride. It’s for those that want the most responsive Burton binding out there.

The 2016 Burton Diode isn’t much different from the 14 and 15 models and it’s still a great binding. There might be some little tech tweaks but it’s still the same great ride. The only real difference is the toe strap of the Demo Diode we tried didn’t conform around the boot like it did with the 15 and below models.  The rubber was too stiff and it stuck up from the boot. They said they were going to fix that with the production models and they did (much softer) so we are 100% behind the 2016’s now.

Update: After spending some time on the Burton Genesis X and comparing it to the Burton Diode it won out as a Good Ride Favorite.  The Diode is still a great binding and highly recommendable but the Genesis X won out with the hammock strap and auto cant tech.

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews.  No one is perfect and we do make money from the “Where To Buy” links below, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

The 2015 Burton Diode hasn’t changed much from the 2014 model except a few tweaks.  The thing we noticed the most was the ankle strap opens up really easy compared to last year but the ride that we loved last year is very much the same.

The 2014 Burton Diode has a few changes this year.

1. We all really liked the change from carbon fiber to a blended more eco-friendly high back. It doesn’t have that rigid feel that the older models did but it’s just as responsive. Actually, we like the little bit of give that the new high back has compared to the old carbon one.

2. Great new more supportive ankle strap that really feels good.  You can crank it down more than before.

3. There is a new ratchet system that slides on easier and cranks down harder.  It’s much easier to get the ratchets on and you can do it one-handed if you need to. It takes a little getting used to but the more I play with the ratchet system the more I like it.

Days:  30+
RidersJames, Peter, Jimbo, Stephen, Eli, Mary, and a few others.
BootsBurton IonBurton SLXBurton ImperialNike KaijuNike Zoom ItesBurton Ruler,
BoardsJones Mountain TwinRossignol One Magtek,  Never Summer CobraGnu Riders ChoiceArbor Steepwater and a few other boards

Flex: So the Diode changed up the flex of the high back for 2014.  It’s still very stiff but it’s got a little more give in the flex that actually feels pretty good. The older completely carbon high back was almost too stiff and we like the changeup. The flex seems to change according to the size. I have the mediums and they feel almost medium/stiff.  There is some flex when you twist it and a little give when you pull back but the large doesn’t really give at all. The small is more like the medium but a little softer. For example, I couldn’t bend the high back straight back with the Large but I could a little bit with the medium and small Diode.  So the general feel is stiff but it could easily be called med/stiff. The new flex is much better because we thought the older high back was a bit to stiff. This is just as responsive or even more responsive but with the give, there is also a return that seems to enhance the response.

Size Medium Weight: 3.6lbs

Adjustability: Same great adjustability. It’s pretty easy to adjust the ankle, toe straps and forward lean but after that, you need a tool to adjust the high back rotation.  Even though this binding requires a tool its still a lot better than most bindings when it comes to dialing it out for your specific needs.

Comfort: Incredibly comfortable and the 2014 Burton Diode offers the kind of set up that allows you to be very comfortable even if you are one of those riders that must crank down his straps as far as they go.

Heel-Toe Response: The Diode is pretty responsive but it sits at the bottom of excellent and borders on being great. There are other bindings out there from other brands that are more responsive but this is the most responsive of the Burton line.  This year the 2014 Burton Diode feels a little more responsive than before but also has a better all around feel to the ride. The new ankle strap seems to give the binding a little more toe side response than before and the high back does the same job as before even though it’s slightly softer. The Re:Flex tech of this binding also makes the response really smooth to where you don’t feel at first that it’s that responsive.  However, it really comes into play when you take up another responsive set of bindings along with the Diodes and one board.  I’ve done this a few times with a few different boards and it’s really interesting.  The board feels stiffer with most other bindings but the other bindings still turn it just as well.  When you put on the Diodes after the board feels softer but just as responsive.

Tip-Tail Response: What a great binding to butter with.  You would think this wouldn’t be so but it is thanks to the re:flex tech underfoot. This and the other Burton bindings that share this same base plate design are some of the best disc bindings out there when it comes to getting the board to flex lengthwise. Yes EST bindings are better but they only work with Burton boards so that doesn’t really count.

Boot Support: The new ankle strap for 2014 bumped up the response and also the support.  It’s still not as locked in as the higher end flux bindings but it is getting a lot closer to the point where it can share the same rating.  The new ankle strap really does contour your boot and give support everywhere it touches where the older react ankle strap, although great, just didn’t have the complete contoured support that this does. You really feel it holding you on the sides as well as the top. You can crank it down too with no pressure points if you have a comfortable boot on. All in all, it’s very solid when it comes to

Ratchet System: So I was a little worried about the new ratchet system at the Demos but Burton did some good work over the summer and now the ratchet seems better than their previous industry-leading ratchet system. The big thing about the new ratchet system is you can do it rather well with one hand and it also ratchets very smoothly. You can also push the ratchet down without using the crank so you push it down to where there is contact with your boot and then you crank to tighten it.  I was very skeptical about this upgrade at the demo’s but the more I play around with the production models the more I’m into this new design.

Shock Absorption: Same excellent shock absorption as always and with the new ankle strap, there is little to no compromise when it comes to getting your boots locked in.

All in all the 2014 Burton Diode is a great ultra stiff responsive binding for those that like to have the lightest, stiffest and most responsive binding a company makes.

Regarding Re:Flex Tech: Re:Flex Tech really changes the way the board rides for the better but it has one minor issue that should be addressed.  Most 4 hole Discs can be aligned tip to tail or heel to toe but the Re:Flex Disc can only be aligned heel to toe. This isn’t a big deal because most align heel to toe but some like to turn their discs sideways to reduce or increase their stance width to a size that the binding holes won’t allow. If you do this make sure your board has the stance width you desire.

 
Burton Diode Past Reviews

 

 

 

The Burton Diode 2013-2012 took over as Burton’s high end binding. Burton Co2 was discontinued but a few properties still live on in the Diode and Diode EST.

Days:20+
Boards Tried- Many
Boots Tried- Mostly Burton but some Nike, DC and a few others.
Riders: James, Peter, Kyle, Dylan, Mary and a few others I can’t remember.

It’s hard to resist putting a lot of time on such a high-end binding. After trying them they had a very familiar feel that was like an improved Co2 with a hint of C60 in ‘em. Many of us at The Good Ride like to pair a binding like this with a medium to stiff all mountain board. We spent most of our time on the Re:Flex Diode because we will always test many non-Burton boards but we did get some time on the EST version. As much as we hate proprietary tech we also love the feel of the EST version with the new Hinge Tech on Burton boards. It just makes the boards more poppy and playful.  If you’re all about speed, shock absorption and ollie power, the Diode EST’s will be the call.  If you ride other boards than Burton there is no choice but to get the Re:Flex.

2013 Burton Diode Re:Flex: The 2013 Burton Diode changed out the base plate from the 2012 model, resulting in more responsive binding with better flex under foot. The 2012 base plate is good, but the 2013 has a feel under foot much more like an EST binding. In addition to better lengthwise flex it also flexes better from edge to edge. The high back, ankle strap and toe strap is the same but again that new base plate really makes a huge difference, giving the ride a much different feel. It’s hard to explain but it feels like the only solid connection on the board is the disc that holds the screws. It felt like you were free under the foot yet there was still ample support and hold around the ankle, or that it felt like there weren’t bindings but mere straps connecting you directly to the board. That being said it could be a little weird at first coming from a non-Re:Flex model or even an older Re:Flex model, but we feel most will love this.

Approximate Weight- Both models feel as light as a feather. The Diodes are in the same weight class as the Union Force MC bindings.

Flex– The high back feels very stiff and it’s stronger than the old Co2’s but it’s a bit brittle.

Shock Absorption: Like all high-end Burton bindings they come with an excellent foot bed to create a very shock proof and very damp ride.

Adjustability and Comfort: To go with this general theme the adjustability and comfort factor with the EST and Non-EST are arguably the best in the industry. We loved this ankle strap that was taken from the 2011 Co2 and 2011 C60. It provides more comfort, more leverage, and more support where you need it. The straps can be adjusted with or without tools, which is a plus.

Heel-Toe Response: This is a weird but good feeling here. Most aggressive bindings try to out muscle board below and make the board feel more responsive.  Instead the Diode makes the board feel like it’s softer and there fore easier to get from edge to edge.  It’s a really smooth feel where most bindings feel a little more crisp and sharp. So to us it feels less responsive than most of the competitors like the Union MC or Flux DMCC but it could be argued the other way for the reasons I mentioned above. Peter and I personally liked the more balanced tip to tail response better with the Limited Cartel but if you like a stiffer high back you will like this better.

Tip to Tail Response– Not many bindings with this kind of edge to edge flex have the ability to flex a board from tip to tail like the Diodes do.  It makes the board you ride feel softer on a butter or press or ??. Their reduced dead spot tech is near the tops. I personally think the Union and Burton are probably the best when it comes to creating such a lively feel under foot. This has one of the best flexes underfoot of any 4 hole bindings out there. Yes the EST models are generally better but they only work with Burton boards.  This is on the bottom end of excellent and closer to great where the EST models are at the top end of excellent but they don’t really count because they are Burton board only.

Boot Support: The bindings ankle straps fit as good as almost any strap out there but it just isn’t as locked in as bindings like the Flux DMCC.

Shock Absorption– That foot bed is just plain excellent. Its damp and it allows the binding to lessen the impact from the snow below.  It’s excellent at dealing with hard uneven snow and we all like taking a binding like this out when it’s hard (insert joke).

2012 Burton Diode Re:Flex: The Diode has the ankle straps that we loved from the Co2s. The high back is entirely new this year but reminds us of the old C-60’s and the very old P1-Carbon bindings that were around about circa 2004. It’s super thin and looks fragile like the Co2’s high back but is actually a little stronger. These bindings are incredibly light, damp, and reasonably responsive and are a great combo with a medium to aggressive flexing all mountain board
2013 and Below Burton Diode Review
A quick look at How Re:Flex Tech Works

 
Burton Diode Specs

 
Burton Diode Images

We try to get as many images of the Burton Diode, but forgive us if they're not all there.

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

Burton Diode User Reviews

Burton Diode Re:Flex 2016-2012 Snowboard Binding Review SKU UPC Model

Toe Strap

Dec 19, 2015 by Tim Abenath
Ability Level: Advanced • 
Riding Style: All Mountain • 
Days You Ride A Year: 30 days • 
Height, Weight And Boot Size (for Boards, Boots & Bindings): Arbor A Frame, Never Sumer Ripsaw 

I tested the 2015 Diods a few weeks ago and was really satisfied with there perfomance! The only issue is the toestrap witch is a better at the 2016 Diods. You´ve got a way better hold with the new rubber Strap !!!! I checked the new strap at a local Snowboard shop and ordered them as a replacement for my older Diods from Burton.....60 Euros and there you go .....


Burton Flex system sucks

Jul 19, 2015 by Daniel
Ability Level: Expert • 
Riding Style: Big mountain • 
Days You Ride A Year: 60 • 
Height, Weight And Boot Size (for Boards, Boots & Bindings): Rossignol XV, salomon malamute 

I ride Burton bindings since 1988. The diode is a great binding and light but besides the new ankle strap I don't see any improvements to the C60. The highback is a copy of the BurtonC14 of 2001 and the flex system sucks... It seems that Burton just cares about their EST system. I think I will still keep riding my C60s..I only upgraded the toe straps and nothing broke over the years.


Super responsive bindings for quick edge to edge

Apr 30, 2015 by Tim Scheffer

I picked up these amazing bindings last year (2013/2014) since I was looking for new bindings with excellent boot support, fast turn initiation and a stiff flexibility (that's because I like to go fast and go quick from edge to edge)

This binding has all I can wish for. My boots were locked in, just the way I like it and that made sure I had complete and quick control over my board.

I've put these bindings on 3 types of boards, two of them I rode about 7-8 days now. The boards were the Rossignol One Magtek 163 (2012), Jones Carbon Flagship 168 (2014) and the Jones Mountain Twin 161W (2014). And I had a lot of fun on them because of the bindings I put on.

I'd definitely recommend this binding for people who like a stiff flex and a locked in feel of the boot


3.8 5.0 4 4 I tested the 2015 Diods a few weeks ago and was really satisfied with there perfomance! The only issue is the toestrap witch is a better at the 2016 Diods. You´ve got a way better Burton Diode Re:Flex 2016-2012 Snowboard Binding Review

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