Burton X-Base EST 2016 Review by The Good Ride

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The Burton X-Base EST Snowboard Binding is pretty much a lighter Diode EST without the hinge tech. To us, it wasn’t really worth the money but to those looking for a super light super high-end Burton only binding, it might work.

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.

Days: 1
Riders: James, Peter, Jimbo,
Boots: Burton SLX, Salomon F3.0, Burton Fiend LTD,
Boards: Burton Tough Cat

Flex: Stiff and very snappy.  Seems snappier than the Diode.

Adjustability: Same great adjustability as all EST bindings. One of the best when it comes to high back rotation and placing the binding where you want it on the board. Not as good as some bindings when customizing the footbed to your boot but still pretty good.

Comfort: Very comfortable and it fits easily around our boots.

Turn Initiation: Smoother than you would think for how stiff and snappy it is. It’s not quite as responsive as other stiff flagship bindings we have come across but it turns a board pretty quick.

Buttering: EST bindings are all about butterability and they make a board flex easier underfoot than almost any other binding we encountered. They only work with Burton boards which is a huge disappointment but if you only have burton boards then they will butter very well underfoot. If you can’t butter with these bindings then your board won’t butter with any.

Boot Support:  Wraps around your boot very well and maybe other than high-end bindings like Flux there isn’t a more supportive boot.  Well at least with what we tried.

Ratchet System: Smooth easy and the best in the business. Not much bad to say about these and after 2 years of owning these double-sided ratchets now we have had no problem.

Shock Absorption: Almost nothing there so you are really relying on your boots. I think you might be able to upgrade to a thicker pad but not 100% sure. With the Burton X-Base EST, it’s more about feeling underfoot and a direct relationship with the board.  That comes at a price which is not only in the wallet but possibly your joints too from the extra shock you will have to absorb yourself.

So all in all this is a very very expensive binding that only works with Burton boards so to us this is not worth the money. Also, they eliminated their pretty well-liked hinge tech to save weight so you lose a little ollie power compared to the Burton Diode EST.