NOW X YES 2020 Review by The Good Ride

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The NOW X YES is a colab binding with YES that seems to have the base similar to the Select with a highback similar to the Pilot and that is a pretty good combo.  Depending on the boot you own, it can be a massive hit or miss.

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 riders’ perspective.

How This Review Happened:  We borrowed this for an extended demo and then returned it.

Days:  3
Riders:  James (Size 9/8.5 in my Adidas, 5’10” 185-195lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles, Footprint Insole Technology Gameghangers Low Profile
Boards: Gentemstick Mantaray 156, Yes Greats, YES Ghost

Highback Flex: There is a pretty friendly twist that is on the mediumsih side and I like the notch in the top that allows it a little bit of give on the back flex even though it’s much stiffer than the twist. Overall pretty medium.

Binding to Boot Adjustability: Not much here. Very plug and play. Many of the things you take for granted like footbed adjustability, high back rotation etc aren’t there. The highbacks are pre-rotated so that’s ok if your stance angles match the bindings pre-rotation of about a 10%  angle..I think. The footbed fits me fine as 8.5 boots are right in the middle of the hanger 1.0 footbed suggested sizing but it might feel off at the larger and smaller sizes. At least the footbed is soft and cushy so it isn’t as important to be perfectly on the gas pedal like it is with other bindings. Don’t get me wrong…it’s still pretty important but just a little less with the softer NOW X YES bindings. The straps are adjustable, so is the highback and that’s about it.

About Adjustable Kingpin– So something I forgot to mention in the video is the whole binding can detach from the Kingpin Tech and connect to another board. This is a pretty smart idea for gear whores like myself that get pretty deep on a quiver. You can buy multiple Kingpin Tool-Less kits that you can set up on other boards for $45 and have a pretty easy switch compared to unscrewing and screwing in bindings. It’s a similar idea to the Karakorum Prime Connect bindings but has a YES twist to it and is much cheaper as they cost $75. Also, the Karakorum are more quasi split bindings so it’s not quite as solid snowboard friendly as the NOW system. This is great for traveling too.

Stance Width Adjustability: There is some adjustability if you can turn your disc sideways but less than most full-sized discs. It’s about the size of many mini-disc slots.

Comfort: If you have a stiff sole on your boot then these could be very comfortable but if you have a soft sole on your boot then these could cause weird pressure points on the bottom of your feet because you can feel the sway bar under the gas pedal press up. So for me, I felt the pressure with my soft-soled Adidas Tactical ADV’s. Other than that the straps are super comfortable and the hanger 1.0 heel cup, which I used to find tight, is pretty comfortable now so whatever tweaks they have done over the years really helped the heel area feel more comfortable for most boots.

Boot Support: The improved heel cup is less constricting but it still wraps more around your boot than other bindings but the EVA foam ankle strap gives you a little freedom of movement. Love these new toe straps and the rubber holds much better than the ones with EVA on em.

Turn Initiation/Response: Very smooth and predictable like all NOW bindings. Not super responsive but a cool turning experience that matches up really well with my YES Greats and did very well with my Mantaray 156. It wasn’t bad with the Ghost but with my boot size, I was hoping for a little more response with this binding on this wider board.

Buttering: Not that easy to butter with the medium bushings or as I call them stoppers. Maybe it would be a little better with the soft bushings but overall it’s not a board that makes the board feel softer underfoot.

Ratchet System: Pretty smooth after a few runs and seems pretty reliable.

Shock Absorption: The best out there that I have come across. It’s just soo damp and cush underfoot and it creates a really unique layer between what’s happening on the snow and our fragile bones not made to ride at these speeds. The interesting part is it doesn’t make the board feel dead underfoot either. The combo of the rubber bushings and the soft EVA foam footbed really stand out as a great choice for those who hate riding in uneven snow.

So if you don’t have issues with adjustability and have stiffer soles on your boots the NOW X YES could be a game-changer. Especially if you like excellent shock absorption and a unique turning experience.