• Price: £230, $250
• Sizes: S, M, L
• Flex: 5/10
• Entry System: Classic

The Bent Metal Joint is a versatile mid-flexing all-mountain option that marries high tech with high performance to create your dependable daily driver binding.

Bent Metal use their signature Flex Drive Plates, which are built much the same way as a snowboard, with a core sandwiched between multiple layers. They do exactly what it says on the tin- they flex underfoot, and drive power to the edges of your board, rather than create a dead zone across the width. You can switch out the Flex Drive Plates for softer or stiffer versions to really cater to each riders individual needs, they’re available via the Bent Metal website and are super easy to swap out.

“They do exactly what it says on the tin- they flex underfoot, and drive power to the edges of your board”

The top strap is Bent Metal’s Mobility Ankle Strap, it’s lightweight and malleable so as to fit around your boot instead of creating a pressure point over the arch. A central cutout shaves precious grams and allows it to bend around lumps and bumps rather than push down on them. The toestraps are minimalist in design, but offer a good amount of support up front, without being bulky or awkward.

The Nylon Highback sits with a flex rating slap bang in the middle, it’ll be great for playful cruising and mellow laps with your buddies. The cutout near the top both reduces weight and enables a flex point, and even better it’s a handy carry handle for hiking lines or traipsing through the carpark.

“For an access all areas binding at a really reasonable price, you can’t say much fairer than the Joint”

The forward lean is adjustable via Bent Metal’s classic cube design, and the plates can be manoeuvred to better fit your boot length. If you’re looking for something with a bit more beef, you’d do better to check out the BMBW Solution, but for an access all areas binding at a really reasonable price, you can’t say much fairer than the Joint.