Union Neo Snowboard Binding Review

An In Depth Breakdown Of How The Union Neo Rides Review by The Good Ride

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

Overview

How The Union Neo Was Tested

So I rode this primarily with my Nitro Team BOA boots, my new Footprint Gamechangers 3D with Quantum Heel Technology, and my Footprint Kingfoam Orthotic Elites.

In same-day tests, I compared it against the Contact and the Force Team, as well as the regular Force. I wish I had an Ultra, but they didn’t have one to send.

And I rode this with a wide variety of boards, but did same-day testing with my YES Greats.

I borrowed the Union Neo  for an extended demo and sent it back.
Size: Medium
Days:6+
Conditions:I got this in a decent amount of conditions. But the season was really poor this year, so I didn’t really get to ride this in deep powder. But I got it in some thick, wet snow on top of hard snow and a lot of varied snow that starts out hard and goes to soft. Insert joke there.
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/+3, +24/+6, +27/+9 back, +18/-9, +15/-15. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.

Boots

Nitro Team BOA

Boards:

Yes Greats, Amplid Time Machine and many others

Similar (but not the same) Bindings:

Union Force, Union Atlas Step On, Union Atlas, Union Ultra, Union Strata, Union Falcor, Rome Katana, Nitro Team Pro, Nitro Team, Rome Katana FASE, Bataleon Blaster AW FASE, Bataleon Astro AW, Nitro Phantom Plus, Nitro Phantom

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Design

Weight

Now let’s talk weight. One Union Neo binding with screws and discs in is just a touch shy of two pounds. Compared to the Contact, this is just over two pounds. Compared to the Union Force, this is two pounds, four ounces. So it’s a pretty light setup overall.

Highback Flex

Now let’s talk highback flex. This has a lot of easy twist and then a little bit of give. Not a lot, but there is some give in the middle of the binding.

Adjustability

And when it comes to adjustability, boot-to-binding adjustability is pretty good. The straps are tool-less. You have an adjustable heel loop that can pull out or push in, so you can get your boot more or less centered in the binding.

Then you can turn these discs tip to tail, slide them and get any stance width you want. And while I do like bindings like the Union Force that have an adjustable gas pedal and an adjustable heel, I find that the Union Neo’s adjustability is good enough.

And it’s still better than a lot of bindings just because it has that adjustable heel loop. The only thing with these discs is they will not work with setback inserts, like my United Shapes Cadet. But it will work with all other boards.

On Snow Performance

Flex Underfoot

Now when it comes to flex underfoot and this binding’s ability to allow a board to flex naturally, it’s better than all the full-size discs in Union’s line. But this ultra-damp, ultra-cush bottom, especially this back part that is very damp around the heel, feels stiffer, and I don’t think it flexes underfoot as easily as a lot of mini discs like the Ultra and, to a lesser extent, the Falcor.

Those do a better job when it comes to flex underfoot. But I actually like this because sometimes I feel the Ultra allows the board to flex almost too easily.

And this is the kind of binding you want to pair up with an easy-flexing, mellow-turning board to make it a little more damp but still be able to butter it very easily. And this is a great solution for that.

Top Sheet Wear

Your top sheet is going to be almost in perfect condition. The only place that’s going to get a little wear is right here, because all of this is either soft EVA foam or some kind of combination of EVA foam and damp rubber here.

Shock Absorption

Now, when it comes to shock absorption, this is incredible. I would say this is the most shock-absorbent binding in Union’s line. Hands down. This has incredible dampness in the back.

Usually when I squish this area, I feel something like a plastic bar running across underneath or something like that. This is all that rubbery EVA foam hybrid. Then on the front you have all soft EVA foam until you get to the Sway Bar, and then you get plastic to support you there.

So the Sway Bar doesn’t press up and flex your arch the wrong way. I’m not seeing any cant here, which would have been nice, but it’s okay.

And even the highback has cush, damp EVA foam. So this is one of the least fatiguing bindings you can get. And I’m talking as good or better than the dampest Jones and YES, formerly NOW, bindings.

Response

Turn Initiation

So when it comes to turn initiation and response, I found that what makes this so shock absorbent hinders the response. This gas pedal is really soft, and there’s no immediate transfer when you lean into the toe of the gas pedal.

Then this ankle strap is really soft in the middle, which makes it very comfortable, and there’s support on the sides for buttering tip to tail. But when you lean on a toeside turn, this area stretches, and then this gas pedal is so soft it doesn’t really engage and go on the toeside turn.

So I felt the Union Neo wasn’t quite as responsive as they say in their marketing material.

Same-Day Comparisons

And in same-day tests with the same boot, same board, same run, same turns, I found that this Union Contact initiated on the toeside turn faster because it had this stiffer ankle strap here.

When you leaned on this gas pedal, it’s a little stiffer than the Union Neo. And I felt like the toeside turn was faster on the Contact, which is a five out of ten rating.

And then when I went to the Force, which has a very stiff gas pedal right here; this is plastic. So this just initiates a turn on the toeside very quickly.

Even though this shares an ankle strap that’s somewhat similar to the Union Neo that’s soft in the middle here—and this is the Force Team—this has a softer, different ankle strap that’s a little more cush but less responsive.

This was still much more responsive than the Union Neo by a lot. It was a night-and-day difference. And then when I got on my regular Force, it was even more responsive because it has an ankle strap more similar to this.

Committed Turns

But here’s the good thing. Once you get going on a toeside turn and you really commit to more of a carving turn, this keeps your edge very quiet, very damp, and you can ride at higher speeds than you could the Contact or the Ultra and keep that edge quiet and turn.

So as you pick up speed, it’s a little better, but overall I think you would be much better off pairing the Union Neo with very easy-turning boards.

Boot Support

And when it comes to support, I like this new strap, and it’s a little soft here, but overall I think it’s very good. I wouldn’t mind if this area went a little further towards the middle, but overall I think this is a very comfortable, very supportive, great strap.

And this toe strap just grips so well. I love this rubber on the other side here. It never once came loose from my binding, but almost all Union toe straps hold like a champ for me. And I’ve never had an issue with that.

Ratchets

The ratchets are just smooth as silk. Union is one of the best in the industry. They just kill it.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I liked the Union Neo. I think it could use a little more response on the toeside turn. Maybe something stiffer along the gas pedal to help with response and to get it more to what Union calls six out of ten.

Right now I feel like it’s a four. But I love the dual foam. This is a great binding for those of you who aren’t like me, that ride the park, that go big, that want a cush, all-day, shock-absorbent binding to pair up with an easy-turning board.

This will be a great choice.