Location: Keystone, CO
Snow Conditions: Softpacked to hardpacked groomers to fresh snow on the mountain.
Setup: I rode the Burton Escapade Bindings on every snowboard this season but mostly the NS Lotus/Thrive Renegade with my Ride Cadence boots size 8.
Time to set up the binding: Average time to set up on the board.
Fit: My size 8 boots fit in the large women’s bindings with good width, functionality and comfort.
First Impression:Response combined with forgiveness and movement in the Escapades this year…perfect for riding all conditions, all the time.
Appearance: I love blue so having the Burton Escapade’s in the blue colorway is exactly what I wanted. Very bright, fun with subtle designs to it.
Comfort: The Escapades are all about comfort. Good padding in the baseplate cover to the highback and straps. No pressure points and it keeps my feet without pain on the mountain.
Functionality: The Burton Escapades are compatible with my traditional 4×4 snowboards, I haven’t used the bindings on a Burton board yet and they are holding up just fine when switching from board to board on the traditional pattern with the right plate. The bindings feature the AutoCANT fullbed dual density EVA cushioning to help vibration, impact and allow for a more comfortable ride. I extended the toe ramps to better suit my boot size better. The baseplates utilize reground materials to reduce waste. The Escapades feature the new zero lean kickback hammock highback that gives it a more relaxed, playful feel. The gettagrip capstrap toe strap grips the toe of the boot for a locked down fit. The React ankle strap offers a precise fit and response with good padding and comfort. Tool-free adjust on both ankle and toe strap allow for easy switch-0ps on the mountain. The Escapades are womens’ specific true fit design to help match the way a woman rides.
Flex: The Escapades are built to be stiffer, more responsive for a women’s binding but with the new addition of the hammock highback, they have become more forgiving as well. It’s an interesting combo. They are still on the high-end, still more demanding of a binding for women wanting more aggressive but they have some flex to the highback allowing in more forgiveness overall. The ankle strap is comfortable with just the right amount of flex so it’s not overly soft.
Response: Still a more responsive women’s binding from Burton in terms of handling. They are a bit more relaxed than in previous years in the quickness but still a quick responsive binding especially when combined with the right board.
Toe Strap: I’ve ridden the gettagrip before and definitely love the idea of the capstrap, gripping my boot better. I’ve tried the capstrap with two boots so far, Ride and Vans. On the Ride, even though the strap is on the same for both feet, the right binding toe strap can unlock a little while riding but it doesn’t happen in my Vans boots. Still working on deciding whether the ratchet, ladder or what’s going on.
Overall Impression: The Burton Escapades are the binding for women who know how to ride and want to ride the mountain fast, fun and with a binding that works. They’ve been a great choice for years and I’m pretty happy to be riding them all season to get the complete review done on them.
Shay’s Honesty Box: Over the years I’ve demoed the Escapades but haven’t spent a full winter on them until this season. I was ready for the comfortable response that they offered but also really excited to try the hammock highback on a women’s highback (had tried it previously on the men’s binding). The combination of the hammock and the escapade I know is exactly what I wanted, there’s forgiveness and movement in the highback but also a great deal of response for handling the mountain from park to pow.
Review Disclosure: I received these bindings from Burton Snowboards.
