Switch Team X 2001

Review Date
May 29, 2009

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Joel C ,  Snowboarder

Price Paid:  $75.00 at eBay

Summary:
Off all the designs ever conceived for a step-in snowboard binding, the Switch Team-X was hands-down the best that made it to market. It is unfortunate that the bad reps earned by all other mediocre (or worse) step-in bindings out there had to tarnish these gems, or they'd probably still be in production today.

I've snowboarded for 23 years (since snowboards were made by horizontal wood lamination like skateboards), and things have changed a lot since then - except for bindings. I spent years riding (and breaking) every type of strap binding available (worked in snowboard shops, so got to try lot's of gear). Eventually, a serious ankle injury forced to switch to hard boots for a while. After breaking a plate binding (halfway down a 45-degree chute in the Mt. Baker back country), I realized it was time to move on and I found Switch.

The Team X is a hybrid binding, the high-back allowing use of more flexible boots thatn the backless N-Type bindings Switch introduced previously. Of all the step-in systems I've ridden, the Switch Team X has been the most durable, trouble free, and comfortable. They really don't clog, are very rugged, are fairly adjustable, and offer a lot of support or even flexibility with the right boot. It is not a perfect binding - sure, later versions were better than the 2001, and subsequent years might have been better still. It is, however, still a great binding for both free-riding experts or beginners looking for something simple to use. They are decent for launching, great in moguls and they release easily when you get bogged down or buried in deep snow (forget about straps without a shovel). Park riders who like extreme flexibility may not appreciate these, but that has much more to do with choosing the boot intelligently than it does the binding, as the boots were made by many companies (Vans, NorthWave, etc.) with a wide range between stiff and flexible. I have four different boots that I use with these depending on the riding conditions and terrain, and have always felt good about them. If you need a first-hand demo - you may catch me showing off their capabilities on 50-degree+ drops at Mt. Baker, Alpental, Stevens Pass, or Verbier, Switzerland.

NOTE: They are no longer being made (as of 2004/5), so you really have to look for them (and even harder, boots). A while back I stashed away a half-dozen pairs I found at a ski-swap... Now, all my friends ask me if I want to sell any. Sorry, but you gotta find your own.

Similar Products Used:
Switch Team X 2003, Switch Team N, Switch standard N, K2 clickers, Rossignol (step-ins). Pro-Flex (plates). Flow, Burton, K2, Sims, Bent Metal, Kemper(straps)

Review Date
December 11, 2002

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Countless

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 4 votes

Reviewed by: Raze (Unregistered User) ,  Intermediate

Price Paid:  $90.00 at EBAY

Favorite place to ride:
Mountain Creek

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
Excellent step-in binding, good response and great durability. I've used other step-ins before and by mid-day had problems with the locking mechanism getting filled with snow and ice chunks. The Team-X bindings have not clogged even once in over 30 snowboarding sessions. Great binding if you're looking for step-ins

Strengths:
Ease of use, reliable and responsive to rider.

Weaknesses:
Foward lean adjust could have been made eaiser for on-the-fly adjustment and bindings could have been made easier to rotate stance setup.

Review Date
February 23, 2002

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
6-15

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: tungjak(Unregistered User) ,  Advanced

Price Paid:  $0.00

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
I can't agree with all these posts. I'm in my late 20's, been riding since high school--back when the best bindings were Burton Flex, and the boards were really wood.

I moved over to step-ins last season. Had some Switch N-types with Vans Boots--these sucked! The board contact was flimsy, and the clogging sucked. Also, the bales on the boots tore up my board's topsheet.

End of last season, bought Switch Team X Limited red bindings in M/L. Got some DC Response Boots. This is $400 worth of top of the line gear. Looks cool, blah blah...

Ridden now 8-times. The bindings are not able to give 100% contact to the board. The highbacks are cosmetic only, and I can't get them to rotate (parallel to backside edge).

These act just like my old n-types, and are essentially all base-plate--the rest is just plastic decoration to make these look like straps.

My DC boots rule, but these bindings make the boots do all the work for suppport--and make these useless for kickers, jibbing, and pipe. The only plus side to these is that you can get in quick. My step-in style (stiff lower legs, looking like a renter) is even more pronounced with these than it was with the cheap old N-types.

If this is the best step-in tech out there, we're in trouble. I'm moving back to straps, and next season may try Flow bindings.

Strengths:
Easy to step-in, don't clog. Look cool. Bales on boots lock-in tight to bindings, no slipping.

Weaknesses:
The contact between board and Xenon alloy baseplate is weak! The high-backs are useless. The bales tear up the V-latches on the bindings. The forward lean is useless. No toe ramp, and the dampening on the bottom is clear plastic. The folks who designed these should get an award for polishing a turd with cool red plastic.

Similar Products Used:
Switch N-type (no-high-back), K2 Clicker

Review Date
February 23, 2002

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
6-15

Reviewed by: BMAN (Unregistered User) ,  Advanced

Price Paid:  $0.00

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
I can't agree with all these posts. I'm in my late 20's, been riding since high school--back when the best bindings were Burton Flex, and the boards were really wood.

I moved over to step-ins last season. Had some Switch N-types with Vans Boots--these sucked! The board contact was flimsy, and the clogging sucked. Also, the bales on the boots tore up my board's topsheet.

End of last season, bought Switch Team X Limited red bindings in M/L. Got some DC Response Boots. This is $400 worth of top of the line gear. Looks cool, blah blah...

Ridden now 8-times. The bindings are not able to give 100% contact to the board. The highbacks are cosmetic only, and I can't get them to rotate (parallel to backside edge).

These act just like my old n-types, and are essentially all base-plate--the rest is just plastic decoration to make these look like straps.

My DC boots rule, but these bindings make the boots do all the work for suppport--and make these useless for kickers, jibbing, and pipe. The only plus side to these is that you can get in quick. My step-in style (stiff lower legs, looking like a renter) is even more pronounced with these than it was with the cheap old N-types.

If this is the best step-in tech out there, we're in trouble. I'm moving back to straps, and next season may try Flow bindings.

Strengths:
Easy to step-in, don't clog. Look cool. Bales on boots lock-in tight to bindings, no slipping.

Weaknesses:
The contact between board and Xenon alloy baseplate is weak! The high-backs are useless. The bales tear up the V-latches on the bindings. The forward lean is useless. No toe ramp, and the dampening on the bottom is clear plastic. The folks who designed these should get an award for polishing a turd with cool red plastic.

Similar Products Used:
Switch N-type (no-high-back), K2 Clicker

Review Date
January 10, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
6-15

Reviewed by: tgz13(Unregistered User) ,  Advanced

Price Paid:  $230.00 at eternalsnow.com

Favorite place to ride:
Killington VT

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
Great binding period.. Very light, extremely responsive, very durable. I just recently made the switch from straps and I will never go back. With the switch team x stepins you feel like your feet are literally part of the board. I recommend these to anyone looking to make the switch to step-ins

Strengths:
Lightweight, strength, ease of entry and exit. Absolute great response.

Weaknesses:
NADA

Similar Products Used:
Burton CFX Straps, Ride Brushie Straps