Salomon District Snowboard Binding Review

A Detailed Breakdown Of How The Salomon District Rides And Who Its For Review by The Good Ride

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Salomon District Written Review

Update 2025: The Salomon District Binding has changed very little so while this review is a bit old it’s still very relevant. 

Days:  6+ for 2019 and 2020 but many other days on past models.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs), Peter, & Grant ( Size 11, 6’0”, 160lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV, Burton SLX
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles, Footprint Insole Technology Gameghangers Low Profile
Boards: OZ Custom Woody, Gnu TBT, Salomon Assasin, Loaded Algernon K2 Enjoyer

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About Shadow Tech

It’s been around for a while, so we often don’t get too into it anymore, but here is what it is. It’s a soft heel loop with kevlar ropes that wrap around it and then connect to the center of the base plate. It seems sketchy but after riding it we really like this feel.

Highback Flex

Feels about the same or maybe a bit stiffer but the stiffened heel loop might be what makes it feel that way.  Hard to tell without a direct comparison to the older model and I had to go on memory. Regardless, there is an easy twist to it with a little give when pulling it back.

Binding Adjustability

There are some compromises with the Salomon District when it comes to high back rotation vs. forward lean, but the rest of the binding, like the toe ramp, can be adjusted well enough to get most boots properly on the gas pedal that fit the suggested size range. However, if you are on the larger or smaller side of that range, you will most likely have to use the discs to center the boot/binding on the board. The ankle strap and toe strap are super easy to adjust.

Stance Width Adjustability

Salmon discs do a decent job for those that need to get their stance width dialed out and most will be able to get their desired stance width even if the inserts aren’t lined up that way on your board.

Comfort

Very comfortable, but we do like the Salomon Hologram straps a little better. The same goes for the 2020 District HPS, and we like those better. Still, the 2019 toe strap was good, but now that it has one of our favorite toe straps in the industry, the Salomon Hologram, we like it even better. We forgot to mention that in the review, as that helicopter flying by threw us off. It’s always unsettling to hear that.

Boot Support

Nice supportive ankle strap and you would think that with a soft heel loop you wouldn’t be supported but we always felt like our ankles weren’t alone in a high-speed adventure our body wasn’t made to withstand. The ankle strap gives you the most freedom of movement of all the Salomon Shadow Tech bindings.

Turn Initiation/Response

There seems to be a little faster edge-to-edge transitioning with the 2019 Salomon Districts

Feel Under Foot/Buttering

So, in comparing these with some of our best butterers, like the Burton Genesis and Union Superpro/Contact Pro, we found the District to do a pretty good job without having any tech that allows the board to flex easier underfoot like all EVA foam with a mini-disc (Union) or a 4 hole disc and base plate that bends with the board.  It might be that the flexy heel loop allows you to lean more toward the tip/tail to get a little more leverage. It also has enough EVA foam at the bottom of the base plate to allow the board to keep its personality underfoot.

Ratchet System

There is nothing to complain about here, and they are super smooth. They aren’t quite as smooth as some, but they are definitely at the top of the class. I never thought about them, which is good. I think most will not have issues with these ratchets.

Shock Absorption

There is more room for EVA foam in the heel with the 2019-2020 version. Regardless, it is pretty good, and I’m pretty sure it’s better than before because the foam extends further towards the sides than the past model.

So we think the Salomon District received a nice upgrade for 2019-2020, making it a little better binding than before. In 2020, we say get the HPS version if you can because it has a better ankle strap and it’s slightly more responsive, but this is still no slouch.