Positives
- Smooth Buttery Ride
- Excellent Flex Underfoot
- Soft Easy to Rotate Highback
- Solid Shock Absorption
Negatives
- No Stance Width Adjustability
- Limited Boot to Binding Adjustability
- Response Drops Off With Stiffer Boards
Summary
The Burton Genesis Re:Flex doesn’t have any stance width adjustability for non-channel boards, but it does offer a new softer flexing highback that matches well with the overall ride. Update 2024: The Burton Genesis Re:Flex did not change for 2024, so this review still stands.Where To Buy
No obligation, but these links support the site.
Sun & Ski Sports
Dreamruns
Snowboards.com
Burton UK
Burton Germany
Burton France
BlueTomato Belgium
BlueTomato France
Burton Snowboards Canada
Riding Level | Intermediate - Expert |
Quick Release | No |
Manufactured in | China |
Canted Footbed | Yes |
Burton Channel Compatible | Yes |
Mini disc | No |
Approx. Weight | Feels Light |
Flex | |
Boot Support | |
Turn Initiation | |
Buttering | |
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Where To Buy
No obligation, but these links support the site.
Sun & Ski Sports
Dreamruns
Snowboards.com
Burton UK
Burton Germany
Burton France
BlueTomato Belgium
BlueTomato France
BlueTomato Sweden
BlueTomato Denmark
BlueTomato Finland
BlueTomato Italy
BlueTomato UK
BlueTomato Netherlands
BlueTomato Austria
BlueTomato Germany
BlueTomato Spain
SnowCountry
Burton Snowboards Canada
Burton Genesis Re:Flex Binding Written Review Review by The Good Ride
Here sits the Burton Genesis Re:Flex Snowboard Binding Review from an average rider with an exceptionally objective perspective
Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average rider’s perspective.
A Break Down of How it rides and who it is for
How This Review Happened: I borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.
Days: 5+
Conditions: Really good spring powder, mid-winter-like spring snow, and an early morning slackcountry time with Drift Boards.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs)
Boots: Burton Kendo,
Insoles: Footprint Insole Technology Gamechangers
Boards: Burton Territory Manager, Burton Deep Thinker
Jacket: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Tusk Jacket, Volcom TDF Infuse 3L Gore-Tex Jacket
Pant: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Burton AK Gore-Tex 2L Swash Pant, Burton Gore-Tex Ballast Pant
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith IO Mag, Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Burton AK Tech Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt
Similar (but not the same) Bindings: Union Contact Pro/Union Ultra, Burton Cartel, Burton Mission, Burton Malavita, Salomon Hologram, Salomon District, Nitro Team Pro, Nitro Team, Now Pilot, Now Select, Now IPO,
How It Was Tested
I used this for many days and compared it against the Genesis Step On, Cartel X EST, Union Atlas, Union Ultra, and many other bindings when doing same-day samplers. Samplers mean taking out the same board & boots but switching out bindings all day on the same run.
Weight
1.8lbs. The Burton Genesis Re:Flex is very light.
Highback Flex
The 2023 Burton Genesis Re:Flex has a softer overall flexing high back, which I personally like. I think it matches up well for those that want a more parkish ride or those like me that prefer a softer high back but still like a pretty responsive base plate. Some might call that surfy. The 2 layer highback really mellows out the ride in a good way. It doesn’t bite into your calves, and it also helps keep the ride a little less chattery.
Flex Underfoot
The Burton Genesis Re:Flex still has a remarkable flex underfoot. It makes it very easy to butter a board and get it to twist when engaging in harder turns. It isn’t as easy as the EST, but we are talking shades of excellence here. Some mini-disc bindings can accomplish the same thing but it has a pretty different feel. The board never feels dead underfoot.
Turn Initiation/Response
The Turn initiation of the Burton Genesis Re:Flex is more dependent on the flex of the board underfoot. If it is a soft to medium flexing board, it will have a very smooth but responsive feel. If the board is really stiff, it doesn’t allow the Re:Flex tech to work as well to get the board to respond. I did notice this time in same-day comparisons, on the same board as the Genesis Step On, that the Genesis is considerably less responsive and has less symmetry response-wise. I think being attached to the high back and having the plastic bottom of the gas pedal seems to help the toe side response more with the Genesis Step On.
Shock Absorption
There is near perfect slow speed shock absorption with all this EVA foam. It isn’t super damp like some bindings out there but there is a little gel in the middle of the heel pad which helps a little. So not super damp but super shock absorbent.
Boot Support
I think the Burton Genesis Re:Flex has some of the best ankle straps in the business, and I love the support they give. The toe straps never seem to match the hold and support of the ankle straps. They are better than in past years but they just don’t hold or conform around your boots toe like many other toe straps do from other companies. Still, I think the Burton Genesis supports your ankles well in all kinds of terrain.
Ratchets
The Burton Genesis Re:Flex ratchets are super smooth on and off. Some of the smoothest in the industry, and the double-take tech seems to work really well. The problem is you can’t crank down your ratchets. When you do, they either stop or pop back up a notch or two. I often warn riders not to crank down their straps as it can cause damage to your feet over time, but I do love to crank down my toe strap because it doesn’t put pressure on any part of my feet. I can’t do it with Burton toe straps, and that disappoints me.
Adjustability
There is decent boot-to-binding adjustability with the Burton Genesis Re:Flex but literally no stance width adjustability with the Re:Flex discs. This is always the deal breaker for me personally when it comes to any Re:Flex binding from Burton. You can only move your bindings up and back 20mm, so it is hard to get the stance width you want. If you ride a channel system board, you can, but not with the other 95% of the industry.
The new Re:Flex discs don’t have a lot of adjustability to center your boot and binding on the board so if you are on the upper or lower end of the recommended sizing, you might not be centered.
Conclusion
So overall, the Burton Genesis Re:Flex doesn’t have the stance width adjustability I need and boot to binding adjustability that I would like. That being said, it has one of my favorite highbacks in the industry, an excellent feel underfoot, great shock absorption, and an overall smooth ride to it.
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Burton Genesis Re:Flex Past Reviews
The Burton Genesis Re:Flex is one of those bindings that appears as it would be only for mellow park boards but instead fits a wide variety of boards and has been one of our favorite bindings for a long time.
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 Burton Genesis hasn’t had a lot of major changes from 2014-2016 there are only a few minor changes. They are mainly with ease of use adjustability/comfort and only a little bit of response/performance.
The 2016 Burton Genesis demo model’s Toe Straps didn’t really conform around the toe of your boot and none of us liked them. They stuck out and didn’t fit right. I just got a 2016 production model and the new toe straps fit really well. The rubber is much softer and they fit great around the toe.
Days:50+ on 13,14,15 and 16 models
Boots: Burton SLX, Salomon F3.0, Burton Fiend LTD, Burton Fiend, Burton Ion, Burton Imperial, Nike Kaiju, DC Judge, Nike Zoom Ites, Burton Ambush, Burton Hail, Burton Ruler, Salomon Synapse, Nike Lunarendore
Boards: Rome Powder Division 157, Jones Mountain Twin, Gnu Impossible Series, Yes Greats, Rossignol One Magtek, Lib Tech Burtner Box Scratcher, Never Summer Proto, Never Summer Cobra, Lib Tech TRS, Lib Tech Lando Phoenix, Lib Tech Hot Knife, Arbor Coda, Burton Barracuda, Burton Nug Flying V, Gnu Space Case, Gnu Riders Choice, Slash ATV,Yes Jackpot
This is a great binding but first impressions seem like the 2 piece high back could be a little fragile. So after bringing this up with a Burton rep, he showed us that they hold up better than they look. He bent the 2 pliable pieces each way and it convinced us that it will hold together much better than our initial impressions. In general, one part lasts longer than 2 but this should hold up better than a brittle high back as they had with the old Burton Co2’s.
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.
Size Medium Weight: 3.6lbs
Flex: The High Back is very interesting. At first, I felt that this was a soft high back but the more I ride this the more I feel like the flex is just med/soft to even medium. It’s the 2 piece thing that makes you think the high back is softer than it is. It’s hard to flex the 2 pieces with your hand together. In actuality, the combined flex of the 2 pieces makes for a high back that is more responsive than it’s flex. The two-piece system grows on you and makes for a pretty fun/unique feel on the high back when turning.
Adjustability: Very adjustable like all Burton bindings. This is one of Burton’s best qualities. One of our favorite parts about this and all Burton bindings is the high back rotation is better than almost every other binding out there because you don’t have 3 holes to choose from. You have something you can slide back in forth that is more like the equivalent of 5 holes.
Comfort: These ankle straps are some of the best in the business and these are the favorite in our line. The Toe Straps are just like every other Burton Binding and do a pretty good job. The overall feel of the binding is very easy on the feet. For most, it should be pressure point free.
Heel to Toe Response– We felt the Diodes have more response but these do the same thing that all high end Re:Flex bindings do. They don’t feel super responsive but instead make the board underneath you feel like it’s softer and easier to turn. I noticed that when we put these on the Arbor A-Frame which is a pretty stiff board that requires responsive bindings to turn it the best that they had no issues there. These feel right in between the Diodes and standard Cartels in terms of response and give you a lot more response than you would think for the high backs flex. The new 2014 ankle strap feels a little more responsive too.
Tip to Tail Response– Very easy to leverage the board into a butter or press. This base plate is exceptional and it offers a good flex underfoot that we feel is pretty much tied with Burton EST bindings.
Boot Support: There is a very good grip around your ankle that holds your boot down very well. The new 2014 Hammock Ankle strap grips incredibly well and is a step up from the older but very well liked react strap. It has a more supportive and more form-fitting grip that’s coming really close to how the high-end Flux bindings lock you in. The Burton Genesis is more on the great side of excellent where the high-end Flux bindings have set the standard but man this is a really locked in feel. It can crank down harder than the old react strap and feels like it’s holding your heel into the binding more than any other Burton ankle strap has done before. Also, there feels like more support on the outer sides of the ankle strap. Even with the EVA footbed the ankle strap keeps you locked in. Well done.
Ratchet System: Smooth and practically perfect. Burton’s high-end bindings are very easy on and off.
Shock Absorption– Really great for absorbing hard landings or dealing with shitty tracked out chatter filled runs. Burton does one of the best job’s here. The offer a very cushy deep pad under your foot without really affecting the response. Also, the Auto-Cant that’s been on the binding for the last few years helps align your body better and reduce joint stress with the stance width you have when snowboarding. Well, at least it does for me.
2016 Burton Genesis Review
2015 Burton Genesis Review
1. It’s got a new ankle strap that really conforms to your ankle that we really like. You can crank it down without that much discomfort.
2. It has a new ratchet system. Some of the demo models had issues but Burton said this would be fixed for the production models. So far the production models we have played with are outstanding. I actually now own a Genesis binding and find that the new ratchet system is smoother and easier to put on compared to my Burton bindings that have the older system.
Burton Diode vs. Burton Genesis vs Burton Cartel
The Burton Genesis 2013 has a 2 layer high back combined with a base plate very similar to the Diode. At first it seemed fragile and a little weird but the more time we have on this binding it the less fragile it feels and the more fun it rides. It’s kind of like a mellow diode or a slightly more responsive Cartel binding that offers a pretty balanced all mountain ride.
Burton Genesis Re:Flex Specs
Burton Genesis Re:Flex Images
Burton Genesis Re:Flex User Reviews
Burton Genesis Reflex 2017
I like the Burton Genesis reflex binding a lot now... Before I bought it I didn't know what to think with all the hype and extra price tag. When I first strapped in and went down the hill I had instant regret, It felt weird and I called bullshit on everything anyone has ever said on them. But once I relaxed and got acquainted I realized I initially freaked out because how much I could feel the board and how little I could feel the binding. It's like they disappeared and I was standing on the board naked but some how they were still had good response and turned the board very well. If they could make the toe strap less awkward to put on it would be a perfect binding. Crazy how comfortable it is to ride hard or slow with. Great on the mountain and in the park.
I didnt know they were there!
I bought these bindings after a chat with James and a careful toss between these and the Cartels. I must say i wasn't disappointed.
I combined these bindings with a Yes. Standard 158 and Adidas Tactical ADV boots.
The set up was a great ride, of the 3 boards set ups i tried this year it was hands down the best. the carving and grip hold on the icy days was second to none!
With my previous bindings i knew they were there, there was some pinch and the wrap wasn't great. The odd thing with the Genesis is I really couldn't feel them at all, it was just me and the board! The straps, despite looking like plastic instead of padding was awesome!
The main thing with these bindings was the lack of a need to tighten, there was a few runs where the strap was lose and i didnt notice at all. With previous bindings there was a need to do up tight, but with these the hold was so good i didnt need it, which meant i had no issues with squeezing my feet!
My only criticism of these bindings is the price, i honestly cant see why they are that much dearer than the cartels.
In Summary, last week was the best boarding week ive ever had, i would personally like to thank The Good Ride guys for helping make it so.
Go To Binding
I have ridden the Union Force bindings, Cartels, and Malavitas, and as much as I enjoy the Malavitas, these are amazing. Surprisingly supportive for how comfortable they are. My go to binding and will stay my go to for a long time.
Where To Buy
No obligation, but these links support the site.