Union Atlas Pro Step On Snowboard Binding Review

An In Depth Breakdown of the Burton Highshot X Pro Step On Rides Review by The Good Ride

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Overview

How It Was Tested

I tested these with my Nitro Profile Step On boots, the Footprint Gamechangers 2026. Rode them on the Amplid Time Machine and also did a sampler with a lot of Step On boots and compared it same day, same run, same turns with my Union Atlas Step On, my daily driver that I use to compare against other Step On bindings, as well as to test Step On boots.

The conditions weren’t great, but good enough for testing. It was a horrible year, and the good snow days were few and far between.

I/We borrowed the Union Atlas Pro Step On for an extended demo and sent it back.
Size: Medium
Days:2
Conditions: Spring-like conditions and hard, slightly uneven snow with 1/2″ of new snow on top. 
Riders: James (Size 9 E, 5’10”, 185-190lbs). I’ve tested and compared 850+ boards, 200+ bindings, and 120+ boots
Davey (Size 12, 240lbs, 6’4”)
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Skyline Fuse Jacket, Jones Mtn Surf Anorak
Pant: Skyline Fase 3L Bib Pant, Skyline Faze Pant, Jones Mountain Surf Pant
Helmet: Smith Method, Smith Scout
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag Low Bridge Fit
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove

James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Stance Angles +18/-3, +18/-9. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.

Boots

Nitro Profile Step On

Boards:

Amplid Time Machine, YES Greats

Similar (but not the same) Bindings:

Union Atlas Step On, Rome Katana FASE, Bataleon Blaster AW FASE

Ethics Statement

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Design

Weight

When it comes to weight, these are 2 pounds. In comparison, the Atlas Step On is 1 lb 14 oz. So these are a little heavier, which surprised me. I thought they would be lighter.

And in comparison to the Union Force, my daily driver and a regular strap binding, those are 2 lbs 4 oz. So these run on the lighter side for sure.

Highback Flex

When it comes to highback flex, there is a lot less give because of this stiffer spine than the regular Atlas Step On. But there still is that good twist.

For reference, the twist is about the same, but the regular Atlas Step On has a little more give in the back.

Boot to Binding Adjustability

When it comes to adjustability, you don’t have much for centering the boot in the Union Atlas Pro Step On. You need to use the discs. They haven’t figured out a way yet to slide the heel loop in and out to better center your boot in the binding, and therefore get symmetrical overhang, less toe and/or heel drag, and a more symmetrical response.

I hope one day they do it so you can run the heel loop all the way to this, and you can just slide it this way or that way. That would be amazing. But it’s not here yet.

All you have is an adjustable gas pedal to pull this in or out to match your boot’s length.

Union gives you this weird full-size disc that mounts mini-disc style. It has no stance width adjustability, but you can slide it edge to edge to center your binding on the board.

So it’s not that great compared to Union’s regular bindings, which often have at least an adjustable heel loop, and many have the heel loop and the gas pedal.

In terms of forward lean, there doesn’t seem to be much or any. There doesn’t seem to be a way to unscrew this forged carbon spine, put in another one, and create more forward lean.

With the Atlas Step On, you have a screw, and you can take this forward-lean piece out and put in a higher one to get a little more forward lean.

Stance Width Adjustability

Now, when it comes to stance width adjustability, if you can center your boot in the binding like I kind of can, being in the middle of the sizing range at a nine, you have full-size discs instead of this Re:Flex Burton-style disc that does not turn sideways and slide tip to tail at all.

You can sometimes find an aftermarket disc, but it doesn’t offer much more stance-width adjustability, so it’s kind of a wash.

Union gives you a disc that lets you slide edge to edge to help center your binding. But if you don’t need to, you can buy a camber disc or one of their old discs for much better stance-width adjustability.

That’s what I do. I put this camber disc in here, and I can slide it tip to tail and get any stance width I want.

That’s why I recommend the Atlas, and I’ll also recommend, to a lesser extent, the Atlas Pro for anybody who wants Step On and wants some stance-width adjustability. That’s the way to go.

On Snow Performance

Flex Underfoot

The flex underfoot is very similar to the Atlas Step On. It’s pretty much EVA foam throughout, except for the heel area. That’s plastic, but it sits higher and doesn’t contact your topsheet.

This will preserve your topsheet a lot longer because the only real contact is where the disc is.

While these aren’t like mini-disc bindings from Union’s line, the Union Atlas Step On Pro, just like the Atlas, has a very easy flex underfoot. It’s not quite there with Union’s mini-disc bindings like the Ultra, the Falcor, and others, but it’s much better than the Force, the Atlas, the Atlas Pro, and all other full-sized disc bindings out there.

These bindings flex more naturally underfoot, but still stiffen the board slightly to give it more composure and chatter resistance at speed.

And with the Union disc that comes with it, which mounts like it’s a mini disc even though it’s a full-size disc, it allows the board to flex a little better.

When you put in a normal full-size disc, there is a little difference in flex, but not much.

Shock Absorption

For shock absorption, the Union Atlas Pro Step On heel pad is mostly plastic with only a little EVA foam, and it feels much stiffer and less shock-absorbent than my Union Atlas, which has dense EVA foam here.

This heel pad is all EVA foam throughout, and it’s much more shock-absorbent.

Surprisingly, the gas pedal foam is the same on both. I would have thought they’d put less foam here and raise the plastic to create more toeside response.

So if you want more shock absorption, as I do, go Union Atlas Step On instead of Pro.

Neither of these has canting. I don’t think they figured out how to do canting with Step On technology yet.

Response

The response of the Union Atlas Step On Pro is just a little bit faster than the regular Atlas. However, I felt it was more asymmetrical than my Atlas in same-day testing, and that’s because most of the response improvements are in the highback and heel pad.

The heel pad is plastic with very little EVA foam, so it transfers more instantly. Then you have forged carbon in the center of the highback, which gives it more transfer going back.

You are locked into the highback, so there is a little more pull going forward. But because this gas pedal still has the same amount of EVA foam and the same design as the regular Atlas, it’s less responsive on the toeside turn.

Atlas Pro Step On vs. Atlas Step On

So even though I’m more a fan of the Atlas, and that’s going to be the binding I use when I’m doing Step On stuff, I wish they would have made this plastic all the way up to the top of the gas pedal, just like they did the heel, to improve the toeside response and make this response more symmetrical.

But overall, it is a slight bump up from the regular Atlas. And I’m really just splitting hairs here because Step On with the right boot is almost as responsive as hard booting.

It’s on another level compared to traditional strap bindings. Getting off the Atlas Pro, the Atlas, and my Profile Step On, then getting back into my Nitro Team BOA boots and my Union Force, it was such a difference.

Boards that I could turn super easily were now more work. And if you like to ride a wider board for your boot size and want a wider width for extra speed and more float, but you still don’t want to compromise too much on turn initiation, then Step On’s a great way to go.

I personally don’t like that locked-in feel to the highback, and it doesn’t allow me the kind of tip-to-tail movement I’m used to. So it’s not for me. But that’s my personal preference. Yours could be different.

Carving Overhang

When I had the Atlas Pro, I forgot to do the overhang test on the heelside, which is a huge problem for hard carvers who want to use Step On.

If you want to use Step On, you have to get a much wider board because of this. This is as far as you can go on your heelside in comparison to a normal binding, my Union Force.

Look how much further you can go on your heelside so you can really lean over.

And compared to the Katana FASE, which is the same as the Bataleon FASE, you get a lot more heelside lean on the Atlas Pro and regular Atlas Step On.

And if you want something better, go to Flow. They have almost nothing behind there.

Support

When it comes to boot support, you’re very much at the mercy of the Step On boot you choose.

I chose the Profile TLS, which has great ankle support and a pretty symmetrical response. I found it supportive in all conditions, especially uneven snow.

So if you’re going to do Step On, I strongly suggest you look at the Profile Step On, the Venture Step On from Nitro, and the Burton Ion Step On if you want a lot of response, upper and lower adjustability, and ankle support.

Most responsive, most supportive boot out there. This Profile is second.

For 2027, I believe the Team Step On from Nitro will have ankle support as well. But we’ll have to see.

And then if you’re okay without upper and lower adjustability, which I am not, but you might be, the Burton Photon Step On is another good option because it has a very supportive ankle strap as well. It just might be hard to find.

Stepping On & Off

The main reason why you get Step On is that it’s so easy in and out. But what I found with all Step On—Nitro, Union, Burton—they’re really easy stepping in when you get off the lift, and it feels amazing.

But when you get to the bottom of the hill, it feels sticky, and I just don’t like the out no matter what tips and tricks I’ve adopted from Step On enthusiasts over the nine-plus years I’ve been testing these.

So for you, it might not be an issue at all. But if you’re like me, it could be an annoyance.

Final Thoughts

Overall, while I would have liked to see a different gas pedal as you see with the regular strap Atlas Pro and Atlas FC, this is a small bump up in response.

So if that appeals to you and you want more from your Atlas, this could work.

Personally, I love the Atlas’s extra shock absorption, and I never felt like I needed more response on the heelside turn. If anything, I want more response on the toeside turn.

So I’m sticking with the Atlas.