Review: Arbor Cypress Snowboard Bindings

Bindings can make or break the entire experience of snowboarding. Anyone who's had a day ended prematurely on a broken binding, or a day of retching discomfort from a binding laden with pressure points, knows this.

The Arbor Cypress bindings will ease your woes. Constructed from durable and sustainable bio-plastics, with metal buckles, they'll last you seasons of riding to come. And they've got just the right amount of flex for a do-it-all freeride binding. There's plenty of responsiveness, but the bindings aren't harshly stiff.

My only complaint about the Cypress is that the highback adjustments are tedious. The forward-lean adjustment requires a screwdriver, while the highback-rotation adjustment requires two screwdrivers. It would be nice to see some tool-less adjustment mechanisms on a future version of the Cypress highbacks, such as those that appear on its straps.

But if you're looking for a smooth, forgiving ride with the occasional burst of aggressiveness, pick up a pair of the Arbor Cypress. Plus, the "Forest" color looks badass when paired with a wood-topsheet board like the Arbor A-Frame.

Available at arbor.com; $300.