Name: Forum Shaka

Price: $240 US

Review: On one hand bindings don’t really matter. All they need to do is hold a boot in place; however, binding tech has been progressing rapidly over the last few years so let’s do this. The new Forum Shaka works wonders, and makes your feet look cool. When setting these puppies up you can adjust every aspect of the bindings. The highbacks will even adjust to better support the angle of your legs. Forum’s pride and joy is probably the baseplate, which is capable of folding in half. At first glance it looks scary and new, but strap it down and give it a whirl and you notice your board and bindings are working as one, refreshing after years of battle between the two. Now I know that’s a breakthrough, and a wonderful development, but to be honest, these bindings are all about the straps. Both straps are big, comfy, and work like clockwork. The toe strap should be given an award. It’s a toe cap with no limits, and if you haven’t moved onto toe caps by now you are really old or just plain lazy. This thing is a huge piece of comfort you slap over the end of your boot and forget about until the end of the day, it’s the best, end of story.

On-hill: These bindings are smooth. The ratchets slide on and off without sticking or causing you any frustration even after taking a beating. HCSC set up a mini pipe this year with a jump over the top of it. Coming up short of this sucker was no joke and when it happened these bindings kept me in place and saved my back ankle. The comfort the Shaka’s provide is something else as well. The toe cap is so big and comfy that even on the hardest cut turns you feel secure. They are wide enough to fit into any boots too, as we tested multiple boots in them. The fact that the highback can be adjusted to match the angle of your legs is a real bonus too. rather than fighting your highbacks they work with you. To wrap it up, these bindings are comfortable as hell and continue to work perfectly even after you thrash the hell out of them.

Notable stuff: Two thumbs up, best straps around town, fully adjustable, bending baseplates allow for some serious movability, comfortable, and they make you look cool in the lift line.

All the products in these reviews were provided by the companies and we’re given to YoBeat after the review. Of course, we broke most of them in the testing process, but what can you do.