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Bindings

Nidecker Muon-X 2021-2022 Snowboard Bindings Review

  • Price: £140 / €150 / $160
  • Sizes: M, L, XL
  • Flex: 6/10
  • Entry System: Classic

Named after one of the subatomic particles being studied at the Large Hadron Collider, the Muon-X looks suitably sci-fi. It’s a soft-ish binding with a lightweight construction and some comfy straps that are just the job for styling things out in the park or cruising the resort in search of natural transitions.

“Named after one of the subatomic particles being studied at the Large Hadron Collider, the Muon-X looks suitably sci-fi”

MORE INFO:
NIDECKER.COM

Who Is The Nidecker Muon-X For?

Beginner to intermediate riders who need a forgiving platform for progression, or freestyle fans who live to tweak and love a bargain.

Baseplate

The chassis is constructed from glass-filled nylon to keep the weight down while offering effective toe-to-heel response. Laterally, there’s a little more flex baked in; the Muon-X is definitely a friendly kinda binder which you’ll feel comfortable in from the first run. Underfoot padding is a little spartan (there’s a minimalist philosophy at work throughout the design) but some EVA cushioning in the heel helps to absorb heavier landings.

If you look at the underside, the baseplate’s spines run at an angle across its length. Nidecker call these Off-Axis Powerbeams; the idea is that energy is transferred quickly into the edge at an angle that better matches the way you fix your bindings to your board. The corners are cushioned and rockered, too, which helps the board to flex more naturally.

“Laterally, there’s a little more flex baked in; the Muon-X is definitely a friendly kinda binder which you’ll feel comfortable in from the first run”

Straps and Highbacks

Not many bindings in this price range come with an AuxTech toe strap, but that’s exactly what you get here. AuxTech is used by several brands now and is fast becoming the gold standard for straps; it expands evenly around the boot using a clever hinged mesh, with no stretching or deforming.

The ankle strap is a little less high tech but features a good amount of padding and a nice wide shape to spread the load. It also feels tough enough to last several winters – certainly we couldn’t put a tear in ours during testing. There’s not a lot to say about the thematically-named Proton ratchets except that we found them to tighten efficiently and let you out at the end of your run with the minimum of fuss.

The highback is made from nylon, with no fibreglass or carbon added to the mix, so torsionally it’s quite malleable. This makes it very accessible to less experienced riders, and enables park rats to tweak hard. At the same time, heelside response is quick enough for all but the beardiest of freeriders and the jockiest of pipe shreds. It’s asymmetrically designed for a better fit with your boot, and features a tools-free forward lean adjuster that’s nicely incorporated into the overall shape.

“It’s asymmetrically designed for a better fit with your boot, and features a tools-free forward lean adjuster that’s nicely incorporated into the overall shape”

Roundup

The Muon-X is essentially Nidecker’s no-frills binding, but it spares little in performance. They’ve focused on the important stuff here: keeping the weight down, keeping it comfy, and keeping it flexible enough for its target audience. Spot on. Or should that be Muon?

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