The Wild History of the Modern Snowboard Binding

Once upon a time, snowboarders deployed plastic milk jugs for highbacks and donned sneaker-esque “riding shoes.” Today’s snowboard binding is a feat of ingenuity—an embodiment of the right-brain spirit that has always fueled riders. In this episode, Tricia and Jen track down the modern snowboard binding’s strange and true history over half a century. With hot intel from such experts as Trent Bush, Chris Doyle and Dennis Nazari, they trace the evolution from a single rubber toe strap to an injection-molded riding appliance. They reminisce on the lowbacks and T Bolting craze of the “fat stance” era. They talk hole patterns, channel systems, and who invented the highback. And they fearlessly (some would say foolishly) wade into the Great Step-In Debate. After another unapologetically lengthy deep dive, they bring in legendary snowboarder and style icon Russell Winfield for some quality binding banter. Russ divulges such secrets as how heelside carves happened in the days before highbacks (hint: they didn’t) and the backstory behind Ride Snowboards’ seminal ’90s baseless binding.