Binding Model: Now Drive
Binding Size: Medium
Stance and Angles: Goofy, 21in wide, 12/-6
Board Used: Niche Aether 156
Boot Used: Ride Fuse
Boot Size: 8
Rider Weight: 155lbs
Location: Keystone
Conditions: Early season no new snow quite yet
Binding Adjustability: The straps are on tool less bolts that are easy enough to undo and fit back on.
Straps: The toe strap had a bit of a hard time accommodating my 8’s, which are on the bottom of the size run. They never blew off or felt like they weren’t doing their job, but they tended to slip forward a little bit. The ankle strap had a very solid locked in feeling. The solid foam strap feel very secure and locked in. The strap doesn’t have any stretch and only minimal flex. Its shape is done right so that it doesn’t cause any pressure despite it’s inflexible and stiff nature.
Ratchets: Smooth on and off with all the cranking power you could need.
Highbacks: The pseudo wing is nice on this. Straight back the highback really doesn’t have any give but torsionally there is some play. The wing helps keep everything in check so you don’t go too far towards your tips and helps keep the usable structure of the highback behind your leg when you are way on your back foot. It also creates a nice cradle to push into at the end of a deep carve.
Binding Flex: Supportive and stiff with some moveable flex. The carbon/nylon disc mount Post) was a huge improvement. It provides just a hair more solid locked down feel than the older aluminum mount.
Ride: Charger with some ability left to move your body around. Freeriding steep and technical terrain does require some degree of movement on top of your board. Being Jeremy’s model, this provides all the locked down, supportive, and responsive feel you’d need out there, but with just enough flex and give to allow for some unhindered body positioning.
Rider in Mind: All mountain charger who might also be hiking into some chutes.
Personal Thoughts: The Drive was already a pretty dialed binding. Changing the post to carbon from aluminum just made it better. Lighter, more respsonsive, and not so “beefy” feeling. It lost nothing and gained a bit. Hangar 2.0 is nice to see here too. The wider heelcup just fits more boots more comfortably.
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2 Comments
How does this compare to the Now Recon, would you recommend one over the other?
They both sound very similar from your reviews, and I am torn between the two.
There’s a bit of overlap, get the cheaper one and save the cash.