Union Atlas Pro Snowboard Binding Review

Union Atlas Pro 2023-2026 In-Depth Objective Written Review Review by The Good Ride

• User Reviews
• Past Reviews
• Product Specs
• Product Images
• Questions?

How The Union Atlas Pro 2026 Was Tested:

I borrowed the Union Atlas Pro for an extended demo and returned it.

So I rode this primarily with my Nitro team, TLS. But I also did get on this with the Battalion Acid Boa. I tested it against the force on a same-day comparison where I rode this one run, then I rode the force one run, then I put the force on one foot, the Atlas Pro on the other, and then switched so I could really get an idea of how this binding changed and compares against my baseline or the Union force.

Days:4+
Conditions: Hard, uneven snow, good snow, and messy uneven snow. 
Riders:  James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-190lbs). I’ve tested and compared 800+ boards, over 180 bindings, and 100+ boots 
Boots: Nitro Team TLS
Insoles: Footprint Kingfoam Orthotic Elite
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Skyline Fuse Jacket Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Skyline Fuse 3L Jacket, Skyline Fuse Light 3L Jacket
Helmet: Smith Method, Smith Scout, Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,

Boards:

Nidecker Megalight, Capita Black Snowboard Of Death, Yes Greats

Similar (but not the same) Bindings:

Union Atlas, Union Force, Union Falcor, Rome Katana

Weight

The Union Atlas Pro is 2 lbs 3oz with screws and discs in. In comparison to the force, these are 2lbs 5oz. And the Atlas is just about the same weight as the Atlas Pro as well.

Highback Flex

The Union Atlas Pro is a stiffer high back than the Atlas now, and there’s a noticeable difference. The Atlas now has a channel through it, which makes it much easier to twist and gives it a lot more give on the way back. And just for reference, against my personal favorite binding, the Force, there’s a good bit more twist now and a little bit more give. This has a lot more padding on the high back. This has a very minor, very mellow padding on the high back down near the bottom. And I personally like the give of the Force and the Atlas better than the Atlas Pro, because it has less calf bite. But this still isn’t bad by any means, especially for a higher-end binding.

Boot To Binding Adjustability

Union’s All Mountain Series is exceptional for its adjustability. They’re the best in the industry because they have an adjustable heel loop and an adjustable gas pedal. This lets you actually take your boot and center it in the binding, thereby centering the binding on the board. That is far more important than you would think. So many people get bindings that can’t do that. And then they think the board isn’t working correctly or that they have problems with their turn. They often think it’s their problem, but all they needed to do was get a different pair of bindings with better adjustability. Then, suddenly, their turn feels normal, and they get a better, much more symmetrical response.

Then, for the more basic stuff that comes with most bindings, you have tool-less straps. There is an adjustable forward lean. I think they should have this on all their high backs. You can also rotate your high back. This allows you to line up your high back to the heel-side edge and get a better, easier, more symmetrical response. The Union Force Pro does have an easy twist, so it’s not 100% necessary to rotate your highbacks, but it still does feel much better if you do.

Stance Width Adjustability

And because you can center the boot in the binding on the Union Force Pro, you can turn the disc sideways and slide it tip to tail and get any stance width you want. Not many bindings can do that. They’re also the best discs I’ve found for setback inserts because the channels are so long that they even allow a little adjustability with inserts that are 40 mil apart instead of 20 mil apart. So, even compared to other full-size disc bindings, these are hands down the best for stance width adjustability.

Flex Underfoot

When it comes to flex underfoot, the Union Atlas Pro’s full-size disc with a lot of plastic around it and rubber bushings makes the board feel stiffer and a little more damp without feeling dead. And that’s a good combination.

It’s not the easiest to butter and play around with if that’s important to you. You want to step away from the Atlas Pro, the force, and the Atlas and look to bindings like the Falcor, the Stratos, and the Ultra, which have many discs along with much softer material underfoot that allow the board to flex much easier when it comes to buttering, playing around, and getting the board to twist naturally.

Shock Absorption Dampness

The 2026 Union Atlas Pro is a big improvement over past Atlas Pros, thanks to the heel pad feeling much softer.

The bushing here on the bottom still feels similar. It’s that harder rubber which makes the binding absorb chatter and feel much more damp underfoot. But the problem with the Atlas and Atlas Pro is that the heel pad foam used to be the same dense rubber as on the bottom. So, it was damp, absorbed chatter, and made the micro, bumpy, slightly uneven snow feel less bumpy and uneven. It really kept the edge quiet underfoot. But it didn’t have that impact absorption. And it could be fatiguing and hard on the joints.

Now, with the new Union Atlas Pro 2026 heel pad, I can actually push my thumb in where I could barely do that before.  That really changes the ride and makes it a good bit more shock absorbent. On same-day tests against my Union Force, they were still far less shock-absorbent but more damp- and chatter-resistant.

Then, on the gas pedal, they put in a softer material that feels a little better, because the difference between the Atlas Pro’s gas pedal slash discover and the Atlas was a big one before. This forged carbon, while it’s more responsive, does not absorb chatter or feel like a smooth ride. So now with this extra padding, it’s much easier.

And going out with a much smoother, much more shock-absorbent binding like the Union force, having this on one foot and then having the Atlas Pro on the other foot, I didn’t feel as much of a disparity between the two bindings as I did in the past. So this is a huge improvement and makes this a much more shock-absorbent, much better all-day ride.

Turn Initiation/Response/Carving

I felt the Union Atlas Pro was pretty close to my Force, but it did feel a bit faster/more responsive.  And the Atlas Pro is also going to be a little bit better than the regular Atlas, which is a touch more responsive than the Force but very similar.

If you compare it to the Atlas step on, it’s a good bit further back. Depending on the boot, you pair it up with. But if the boot is like my Nitro Profile TLS Step On, which responds similarly to, let’s say, the Nitro team TLS, which is medium to medium-fast, the Atlas Step On is going to be a lot faster. Even better, it will have a lot more shock absorption. But as far as traditional strap bindings go, this is very responsive. And while I didn’t find it overpowered mellower boards, it definitely feels more demanding.

Boot Support / Straps

These straps are super supportive, and this binding feels great. I never felt like I needed more support when I was off piste. I love how these toe straps wrap around your boot without the ratchet pinching the sides of your toes. And they never come off. And these ratchets are some of the best in the industry. I’ve never had an issue with these over the last decade. They’re incredible.

Final Thoughts

So overall, I love the extra shock absorption in the heel here, and having this softer material in the gas pedal slash binding cover is a nice little addition too. It seems more durable, too, but only time will tell with that. And wow, I still prefer the 2026 Atlas versus this 2026 Atlas Pro and the force. I think this more shock-absorbent Atlas Pro gives you a little extra response without compromising on shock absorption like it used to. So it’s highly recommended. There you have it.