Binding Review: 09-10 K2 Auto Agogo

Location: Loveland, Colorado

Snow Conditions: Bluebird sunny skies and hardpacked groomed runs.

Setup: I rode the K2 Auto Agogo’s on the K2 Slayblade with my Bonfire Geo boots size 8.

Time to set up the binding: Little longer than average, to make sure the auto strap was adjusted properly.  Props to K2 reps for making sure it is.

Fit: No problems with the fit to my bonfire boots, in fact I thought the toe strap fit the best with my boots above all the other bindings for the demo’s and even better than in my Vans boots.  The width was fine for boot and highback fit properly with my boot height as well.

First Impression: It’s like putting your feet in a pillow while snowboarding except the pillow makes the ride better down the mountain.

Appearance: I’ve noticed that the agogo’s tend to be the higher upscale look of women’s bindings, last year was pearls and this year was animal print…it’s definitely the cougar in training binding look.  Despite the animal print, I actually like the purple/black combo they put together and if there’s one binding to make you pounce, it’s this one.

Comfort: The agogo’s are all comfort from the bottom of the binding to the top.  Padded baseplate that helps absorb rougher landings/vibrations when riding.  The ankle strap is K2’s custom women’s caddy which has neoprene gel zones that really mold around your boot and offers comfortable padding with no pressure points.

Functionality: The agogo’s make it so strapping in only means strapping in your ankle strap and your toe strap will tighten as you do your ankle strap.  I’ve gotten used to the auto agogo’s and they are quick to get in/little slower to get out since your waiting for the auto to undo.  They have some features that I wish other binding companies had, like their hinge mount which makes it easy to get straps out of the way so you can strap in (pre-molded straps sometimes just get in the way).  Easy to adjust the straps if you need to and I had no reason to on the mountain since they were adjusted fine for me.  The ankle ratchet didn’t stick on me either.

Flex: The agogo’s are middle of the road on flex, they aren’t soft but not overly stiff.  The highback has a good mold to women’s boots and will hold steady but not overbearing on a female rider.  You have stiffer lateral flex than forward/back flex on these bindings and that helps them handle the mountain with stability.

Response: I always expect this binding to be more responsive because of the pros behind it, but I still find it not overly responsive on the mountain.  It’s a good mix of response and the rider still has control over it, if you want to really go into a turn the binding will help but you can also enjoy the ride and not worry about going into a turn when you don’t want to.

Toe Strap: I’ve only ridden these toe straps with Vans boots, so when I used them on my bonfire boots I found the fit even better than before.  It fit the best cap strap over my boot and was totally snug, no problems with it slipping when riding.  The biggest thing with these bindings is making sure they are adjusted to your boot because of how the strap in system is.

Overall Impression: The auto agogo’s make strapping in quick but without having to ride traditional bindings.  They offer comfort when riding but they don’t sacrifice response and handling on the mountain.  Strapping in is super quick so you are ready to go when you put your board down.

Shay’s Honesty Box: These are one of my favorite bindings on the market for women and the virtue’s which are the non-auto version.  They are comfortable, I like the idea and they offer something good looking to women that also rides well on the mountain.  The auto agogo’s are the binding I wish I owned, I love the concept and I wanna see how durable they are over time so someday.

Ready to buy? Head over to evo for the 2011 version of the K2 Auto Agogo or shop their full line of K2 snowboard bindings

On Snow Photos

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K2 Auto Agogo Description

Review Disclosure: I rode this binding at a demo day.