Nitro Phantom Written Review Review by The Good Ride

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Here Lies the Nitro Phantom Snowboard Binding Review from all that is average but all that is objective. Find out if it’s right for you.

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A Breakdown of how it rides and who it is for

How This Review Happened: I borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.

Size: Medium
Days: 5+
Conditions: A wide variety of spring conditions.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-190lbs)
Boots: Ride Torrent, Ride Fuse, Ride Deadbolt
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Jones Mtn Surf Anorak, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Jacket
Pant: Jones Mountain Surf Bib, Skyline Fuse Jacket, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Bib
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,
Boards: Nitro Dingy, Nitro Quiver Pow, Nitro Quiver Slash, Yes Standard Uninc, Yes Greats,

Similar (but not the same) Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Force, Union Falcor, Salomon Highlander, Now Drive, Rome Katana

How It Was Tested

I rode these several days in a lot of different conditions and then put them in a sampler to truly see how they compare against similar bindings.

Weight

2.0lbs

Highback Flex

There is a snappy, responsive high back, but it isn’t super stiff. There is a lot of give/twist at the top to minimize calf bite. I personally love this because I have even featured calves, and really stiff high-backs easily bite into me.

Flex Underfoot

So, in the video, I said the Nitro Phantom doesn’t have as easy of a flex underfoot as many other mini-discs. That is true, but it still flexes naturally and easily underfoot. It just feels a little more damp and like the disc is a little bigger than it actually is. I actually like this feel as sometimes min-discs can be a little too flexy for an all-mtn board.

Turn Initiation/Response

The Nitro Phantom has an easy response to it. It’s not going to light up the world of response, but I’d say it’s about a 3.5 out of 5 in terms of response. It can power just about any board you want to pair up with. If you want more response, go with the Nitro Phantom +.

Shock Absorption

There is top-notch shock absorption. Slow speed and high-speed shock absorption are taken care of here. The Phantom + felt a little more, but this is close.

Dampness

Usually, mini-disc bindings aren’t damp, but the Nitro Phantom for sure is. It really absorbs chatter you can get riding in uneven snow. Like with the Phantom +, I was really impressed with the balance of shock absorption and dampness.

Boot Support

I enjoyed the boot support more from the Phantom +. Usually, I like minimal all-plastic/rubber ankle straps like you would see with the Nitro Phantom, but this didn’t feel wide enough, so I felt like it didn’t wrap around my boot like the Phantom + did. I also enjoyed the Phantom +’s asymmetrical ankle strap that I could flip around for more support.

The toe straps were great with the Phantom and the Phantom +. They stuck to the boot and never came loose.

Ratchets

Very smooth, reliable ratchets.

Adjustability

Nitro does adjustability right and understands it makes for a better riding experience if your boot is centered in the binding. There is an adjustable heel loop and adjustable gas pedal and room to adjust for all footprints in the suggested sizing. Then you can turn the disc to slide tip to tail and get your perfect stance width.

My one complaint is these mini discs don’t work with set back inserts that a lot of brands have these days. It means I don’t recommend these as much as full or hybrid discs that can fit those boards.

The rest of the Nitro Phantom is pretty easy to adjust.

Conclusion

So, if it wasn’t for the Phantom +, I would be super into the Nitro Phantom. It’s a great binding. I’d just spend the extra money to go with the Phantom + if you can.