I’ll preface this by saying that I’ve only ever used two kinds of bindings. I started out on the SnowJam Extreme 2’s, and while those are good entry-level bindings, the Bombers are on a whole other level.
I have used both the older and newer versions of the Bombers (based on the TD1 and TD2 alpine snowboard bindings) on several different boards and the performance is amazing. When I originally got my RVL8 EMP’s, I put my SnowJam’s on and used the same pair of boots to establish a control “feel.” I then switch to the Bomber Elites, and I must say it’s hard to describe how much better they feel. The EMP’s are a wider-bodied design, and the extra height of the Bombers, coupled with the stiffness of the design makes cranking the boards up on edge quite easy. Additionally, the bumper design really impressed me with how well it allowed the boards to flex in choppy conditions.
On groomers these bindings are really hard to beat. As I mentioned before, the riser/bumper design really lets the your boards perform well, and the feedback is very good.
In powder I believe the bumpers again offer an advantage by allowing the boards to flex up and ride on the powder as opposed to diving into it. Obviously the stiffness of the boards will also play into this, but I think the bumpers do help.
In the park I must admit I think the riser/bumper design looses some of it’s charm. The bindings do perform well, however, the solid engagement between the bindings and the boards that is so good carving is a bit rough for landing jumps. Also, the bumpers, I think, allow the board to flex a bit too much while landing jumps. I noticed that with the Bombers I had more of a tendency to land backseat, and I couldn’t save the landings as well. A binding like the Zero or FF Pro will give you a bit more cushioning and a bigger “footprint” for landing jumps and coming off of rails.
Having said all that, I’ve been really happy with my Elites overall, and I think they are definitely worth the money. If you have wider boards then I highly recommend going with the Elites. You will not be disappointed.
Rider – Tim – Intermediate Skiboarder
