Hi there and welcome to my Union Atlas Professional bindings assessment.

On this assessment I’ll check out the Atlas Execs as freeride snowboard bindings.

As per custom right here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I’ll give the Atlas Execs a rating out of 100 (primarily based on a number of elements) and see how they examine with different Freeride bindings.

Total Ranking

Bindings: Union Atlas Professional 2024

Value: $469 (USD really helpful retail)

Model: Freeride

Different Makes use of: Aggressive All-Mountain

Flex Ranking: Stiff (9/10)

Flex Really feel: Stiff (8/10)

Ranking Rating: 86.9/100

In comparison with different Males’s Freeride Bindings

Out of the 13 Males’s Freeride bindings that I rated:

Who’re the Atlas Professional Most Suited To?

The Atlas Professional are finest suited to somebody in search of a stiff binding to get essentially the most out of excessive pace carves. If bombing/carving is your major keep, then these bindings will deal with you effectively. However they’re definitely succesful at extra average speeds and offer you good assist and management in uneven terrain as effectively. 

Not for learners – too stiff for that, and even intermediate riders would possibly battle with these, until they’re significantly sturdy or large. 

Greatest matched with boards in that 7/10 to 9/10 flex vary. So finest for stiffer boards, IMO. 

Bindings angles: +15/-15

Stance width: 555mm (22″)

Board examined with: Lib Tech Terrain Wrecker 157

Boots examined with: Adidas Response ADV, dimension US9.5

Management Bindings: Burton Malavita, M

Baseplate Size: 24.5cm (9.7”)*

*measured on the highest facet of the footbed – slightly little bit of angle right down to underside of baseplate which was 23cm (9.05″).

Baseplate (footbed) Size absolutely prolonged: 25.5cm (10″)

Highback Top: 21.5cm (8.5″)*

* from backside of heel cup to prime of highback. From backside of baseplate to prime of highback is 27cm (10.6″)

Weight: 980 grams (2lbs, 3oz)*

* for one binding, together with screws and disc. The common weight of a small pattern dimension of round 80 bindings (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024 fashions) I’ve weighed is 920 grams (2lbs). So the Atlas Professional have been slightly heavy than common on the scales, however on snow felt regular.  

Flex

In Hand: Barely any twist when twisting the excessive again in hand. However there’s some twist there. Greater than what the Atlas FC had (excessive again on the Atlas FC is tremendous stiff!). By way of pull again, there’s mainly no pull again flex – although there’s only a very refined trace of it vs the Atlas FC. Little bit of flex within the ankle and toe straps. Not tremendous flexy however not overly stiff both. 

On Snow: I could not get these to a 9/10 flex. They’d extra forgiveness than that. However I might get them to an 8/10, bordering 7.5/10. In hand the highback looks like it is going to be stiffer than what they really feel when using them. 

Responsiveness

Vs my management bindings (Burton Malavita), the Atlas Professional might get deeper and extra aggressive on carves. And simply felt like they may maintain on to carves noticeably higher, when digging them in at greater speeds. So candy to carve with!

At sluggish speeds, they have been more durable work than my management bindings. They did not make the board really feel too sluggish edge-to-edge or something however positively took extra effort to show at slower speeds with them. 

Board Really feel/Butterability

Given there was no mini-disc or something like that, the board really feel was truly actually good. There is not a lot in the way in which of padding on the footbed, which is probably going why the board really feel was higher than anticipated. That does not assist with shock absorption however for board really feel, it helped with these bindings. 

Pop/Ollie Energy

They took slightly extra vitality enter to get them to pop the board, however they have been capable of extract slightly extra pop than my management bindings. In case you’re in search of an off-the-cuff, easy come out of them, I fond my management bindings higher for that, however the pop ceiling on these felt greater – you simply needed to put extra effort in to extract it. 

Adjustability

Actually good adjustability general. See under for particulars. 

Heel Cup: Sure – which I actually like, nice for boot centering.

Stance Width: Full disc that may run horizontal or vertical. There are 5 screw placements, so can get good and micro adjustable stance width with this – and, due to that heel cup adjustability, you need to by no means should run disc vertical. 

Highback Lean: Sure and tool-less. However a really totally different kind to the Atlas FC – it is a little dial factor that twists, like a cog. It’s fairly stiff on the Atlas Professional (simpler on the Atlas that I additionally had) – I discovered it actually arduous to maneuver, significantly certainly one of them – it nearly felt prefer it had seized. 

Ankle Strap Place: No

Toe Strap Place: Sure – 2 positions

Ankle and toe strap size: Device-less. 

Gasoline pedal/toe ramp extension: Sure, with a 1cm vary.

Highback Rotation: Sure – 2 positions. 

Suitable with: 2×4 | 4×4 | Channel

Shock Absorption

The footbed has some padding within the toe and heel but it surely’s pretty minimal and feels arduous to the contact – not soft. 

On snow, the shock absorption was higher than the texture of the footbed would have steered, however nonetheless nothing superb. However slightly higher than common. 

Entry/Exit

Was straightforward sufficient to get out and in of. Ratchets have been fairly clean and did not have any downside releasing the straps on the transfer. 

Consolation

Total good and cozy. 

Ankle Straps: They felt good and comformed effectively to my boots with no stress factors. 

Toe Strap: Ditto ankle straps. 

Canted Footbed: Sure

Padded Footbed: Fairly arduous, however shock absorption nonetheless respectable. 

Highback: Minimal padding and stiff, however nonetheless did not get any calf chew or something and that is the primary factor. 

Ankle Assist

Ankle assist was good. Nothing tremendous locked in feeling, however definitely not unfastened feeling. Safe sufficient, with some forgiveness/freedom of motion. 

Rating Breakdown and Remaining Verdict

Try the breakdown of the rating within the desk under.

Total, the Atlas Professional are actually good bindings that deal with pace and aggressive carves very well. That is their finest attribute, however they journey effectively at average speeds too and general are snug and supply respectable board really feel.

So they don’t seem to be one thing that you need to journey quick and aggressive however if you really feel the necessity for it, they’ll take you there confidently.