How to Adjust Snowboard Bindings & Quick Binding Repair Tips

Of all the knowledge that every rider should have, how to adjust snowboard bindings and quick on-mountain binding repairs should be at the top of the list. These two topics are important for a couple of reasons, including your comfort, which affects how long you can ride, and your safety, which impacts your ability to get down the mountain and back to your friends and family. With that in mind, Burton’s snowboard binding experts compiled the most important things riders of all ability levels should know.

Snowboard Binding Adjustment Video Tutorial
How to Adjust Snowboard Bindings
Quick Snowboard Binding Repair Tips
Additional Snowboard Binding Resources: Parts, How-to, Burton Binding Systems

Snowboard Binding Adjustment Video Tutorial

How to Adjust Snowboard Bindings

Lots of snowboarders set up their bindings once and then never adjust them again, and for what it’s worth, this approach is totally fine with us. (Please make sure to at least tighten your screws at the beginning of every season.) But understanding your equipment and knowing how to make adjustments yourself is important for four main reasons:

Knowing how to adjust snowboard bindings will allow you to address comfort, performance, and safety issues without assistance.
This knowledge allows you to troubleshoot and fix issues that may come up while riding.
Having the confidence and ability to tackle these adjustments can save you time and money.
Adjusting bindings is one more way to fall in love with snowboarding. We happen to know a handful of riders on the Burton Team who thoroughly enjoy tweaking and testing angles, widths, and setbacks all the time. There are endless possibilities and some of them are reeeaalllly fun.

Bottom line: Knowing how to adjust snowboard bindings will let you ride more comfortably and give you the confidence to tweak your setup for the conditions and your goals as a rider.

To begin with, here are some common reasons you may want to adjust your snowboard bindings.

Heel Drag or Toe Drag
Additional Support for Turning & Carving
Varying Conditions (Powder, Groomers, Chunder)
Fine-Tuning Your Individual Binding Fit

Heel Drag or Toe Drag

Heel drag is when the heel of your boot hangs over the heelside edge of your snowboard. Toe drag is when the toe of your boot hangs over the toeside edge of your snowboard. Drag prevents you from getting up on edge while carving because the toe/heel of the boot digs into the snow. Most riders would agree that more drag is bad, and less drag is best. There are many reasons why drag occurs (narrow board, big feet, low stance angles), but at some point in time you will certainly need to deal with drag.

The good news is that in most cases, heel or toe drag can be fixed with some quick binding adjustments.

Pro tip: If you have large feet and struggle with heel or toe drag, read Do I Need a Wide Snowboard? to learn if a fatter deck could be a permanent fix.

How to Fix Toe Drag: If you’re experiencing toe drag, shift your bindings back toward the heel side edge of your snowboard. We recommend moving each binding ¼-inch (6-millimeters) at a time. Loosely hand-tighten your screws just enough to secure them in place. Next, strap your snowboard boots into the bindings, and place your board on a solid, durable surface. Now, tilt it up on the toe side edge, and then the heel side edge, noting if the heel or toe of your boot contacts the ground. Ideally, with the base of the snowboard at a 45-degree angle to the ground, there should be no boot contact on either side.

How to Fix Heel Drag: If you’re experiencing heel drag, shift your bindings forward toward the toeside edge of your snowboard. We recommend moving each binding ¼-inch (6-millimeters) at a time. Loosely hand-tighten your screws just enough to secure them in place. Next, strap your snowboard boots into the bindings, and place your board on a solid, durable surface. Now, tilt it up on the toeside edge, and then the heelside edge, noting if the heel or toe of your boot contacts the ground. Ideally, with the base of the snowboard at a 45-degree angle to the ground, there should be no boot contact on either side.

Additional Support for Turning & Carving

If you ever find your ankles or feet getting fatigued over the course of the day, one of the quickest and easiest binding adjustments to experiment with is the forward lean of your binding hiback, the vertical support that extends upward along your calf.

The hibacks found on Burton snowboard bindings are adjusted using the FLAD (Forward Lean Adjuster), which comes in three different versions.

DialFLAD™ is the tool-free forward lean adjustment system for Burton hibacks on bindings with Burton’s living hinge technology.
MicroFLAD™ is the tool-free forward lean adjustment system for Burton hibacks on bindings without living hinge technology.
Step On FLAD is the integrated forward lean adjustment system for Burton Step On® snowboard bindings and can be adjusted using a #2 Philips screwdriver.

Note that Burton Hitchhiker touring bindings have a FLAD device that is similar in design to MicroFLAD. However, unlike our non-touring bindings, the hiback on Hitchhikers can be adjusted to a negative lean position for more comfortable uphill travel.

Forward lean is measured as the angle between the snowboard and the binding hiback. For example, when the hiback is vertical, forming a 90-degree angle to the snowboard, this is considered neutral, or no forward lean. If the hiback creates an angle that is smaller than 90-degrees to the top of the snowboard, this is positive forward lean, a setting that riders sometimes utilize to increase power for carving. If the hiback creates an angle that is greater than 90 degrees, this is negative lean, a setting that splitboarders may use for better range of motion when skinning.

How to Adjust Hibacks for Beginners: Less forward lean can be helpful for beginners who are still developing muscle memory and building leg strength. If you’re just learning to ride, adjusting your FLAD so that your hibacks just cradle the back of your boots when you are in a comfortable standing position is a great starting point. This should be close to 90 degrees.

How to Adjust Hibacks for Performance: More forward lean generally translates to quicker edge-to-edge transitions and better power transfer when carving. When adjusting your hibacks for increased performance, do it incrementally, making tiny adjustments between laps until you reach your desired level of support.

Varying Conditions: Powder, Groomers, Chunder

Different riding conditions often demand different levels of foot, ankle, and leg support. By adjusting your binding hibacks, you can dial things in to have as much fun as possible.

How to Adjust Hibacks for Powder: Adjusting the forward lean of your hiback to a more neutral, relaxed position (90 degrees) will give you better ankle mobility which can provide a more “surfy” feeling in soft and loose snow.

How to Adjust Hibacks for Chunder: Once the morning snow been slashed, and you find a mix of chunky, lumpy mashed potatoes in the afternoon, adjusting your hiback to increase the forward lean (85-90 degrees) can help prevent leg and foot fatigue.

How to Adjust Hibacks for Groomers: For carving trenches down groomed or packed snow, a more aggressive forward lean (75-85 degrees) on your hibacks gives enhanced ankle support and facilitates super quick edge-to-edge transitions.

Fine-Tuning Your Individual Binding Fit

Sometimes small binding adjustments can make a big difference in comfort and performance. But it’s important to understand that these adjustments are unique to every individual, and we highly recommend that you spend the time tweaking and testing to figure out what rides best for you. Here are some of the binding adjustments that you may want to make to fine-tune your fit.

Boot Centering: Centering your boots between the toeside edge and the heelside edge will prevent toe drag and maximize power. For individuals with smaller feet on a wider snowboard, shift your bindings toward the toe edge for more power during toe side turns. For riders with larger feet, or if you ride a narrower board, shift your bindings toward the heel edge to prevent toe drag.

Stance Angle: Stance angles are an individual preference, but front foot angles generally range from positive 6 to 22 degrees (+6 to +22). Back foot angles generally range from negative 15 to positive 15 degrees (-15 to +15). For a more thorough explanation detailing when and why to adjust your snowboard stance, read Snowboard Stance Angles Explained. Generally speaking, because of the anatomy of women’s hips, they can often run a bigger difference between the front and rear foot binding angles, however doing so isn’t necessarily recommended.

Width & Centering: Like most binding adjustments, the width and centering of your stance is a very individual choice. A wider stance can provide more stability for grabs and jump landings while a narrower stance can provide more turning power and responsiveness. Try a centered stance for the terrain park, groomed terrain, or firm snow. Try a back-of-center stance for powder or freeriding. No matter what stance you choose, start at the reference stance of your snowboard, and then make small adjustments to find what works best for your needs.

Hiback Rotation: To deliver the most power and best maneuverability for freestyle riding, your binding hibacks should be rotated parallel to the heel side edge of your snowboard. Do this after selecting and confirming a stance. To rotate your hibacks, loosen the screws on either side of the bindings that connect the hiback to the baseplate. Next, twist the hiback so that it is parallel to the heelside edge of your board, but by no more than 30 degrees. Finish by ensuring the hiback is properly seated in the heel hoop, then re-tighten the screws.

Forward Lean: More forward lean results in quicker turns and more response, while less forward lean provides better freedom of movement for freestyle maneuvers and tweak-ability.

Gas Pedal Adjustments: Gas Pedals help to reduce toe drag, cut down on foot fatigue, and can add more power to your turns. Adjust Gas Pedals so that they only go as far forward as the contact point of the sole of your boot to the binding bed, any more can result in contact with the snow. Watch How to Adjust Gas Pedal Length on Your Burton Binding for a video tutorial demonstrating how to make the necessary adjustments. Note that Gas Pedal adjustments are slightly different for Re:Flex™, EST®, and Step On® Bindings. Consult your binding owner’s manual for detailed instructions.

Ankle & Toe Strap Adjustments: The toe and ankle straps of your snowboard bindings should be adjusted so that they are centered on the ankle and toe of your boot, with at least 1-inch (3 centimeters) or more of extra tongue (or ladder) strap. Most Burton snowboard bindings feature tool-free hardware for easy on-mountain adjustments, but the other riders in your crew might need to drop into the shop or hit the tuning bench at the bottom. Regardless, remove the screw (or screws) securing the strap to the slider (pay close attention, don’t drop any bolts) and extend or reduce the length of the strap. The holes should line up and you can replace the screws.

Pro tip: Need to brush up on your snowboard binding parts vocabulary? Read Comprehensive Overview of Snowboard Binding Parts for all the correct terminology.

Quick Snowboard Binding Repair Tips

Whether you prefer to lap the lift, or explore deep into the backcountry, we recommend that every rider has a basic repair kit that can be used for on-mountain repairs. For resort riders, this repair kit can stay in your car in the parking lot. For backcountry riders, you should already know that the repair kit (and the rest of the standard safety gear) needs to come along with you.

Note: When we say “on-mountain repairs” in this context, we mean basic things like replacing broken straps and buckles or replacing hardware that has fallen out. Burton bindings straps come with tool-less hardware for making small adjustments to fine-tune fit, however full strap replacements will require some basic tools. And please, never ride snowboard gear that is damaged or unreliable - we're not suggesting that you try to duct tape your stepdad’s haggard '80s board and bindings back together for a victory lap.

Ideally, your repair kit should include a Snowboard Multi-tool as well as a few key spare parts.

Toe Strap
Ankle Strap
Buckles
Tongue & Slider for toe and ankle
Spare strap and binding hardware

If you can’t find the spare parts you’re looking for on Burton.com, it may be out of stock. Please reach out to the Burton Guides, who have access to the full depths of the spare parts empire, and if we have one at the warehouse they can get it for you.

Pro tip: When building your repair kit, confirm that the spare parts you add are compatible with your bindings. It’s weird that we mention this, but you’d be surprised how often this problem happens.

Performing Binding Repairs at the Mountain

One great reason to perform binding repairs and adjustments inside is to avoid dropping small parts like nuts or bolts in the snow. When tackling an on-mountain repair, instead of trying to do it outside, head into the lodge and find somewhere that you can work comfortably and won’t be in the way of other guests. For a more serious issue or if you are not confident performing the task yourself, head over to the rental window and ask for help.

Performing Binding Repairs in the Backcountry

When performing binding repairs in the backcountry, we highly suggest laying your equipment on top of a backpack, or jacket before removing any nuts or bolts. This will help you avoid dropping small spare parts in the snow, where they can become lost.

Can you repair bindings with duct tape, bailing wire, or Voile straps?

Here’s the deal: you should be prepared to perform any on-mountain repair that can get you safely down the mountain. For backcountry travelers, it is wise to have a well-rounded repair kit that includes many other handy items. This might mean that you bring a Leatherman tool, duct tape, bailing wire, para-cord, or Voile straps.

If you break a hiback or binding baseplate at a resort, Burton recommends downloading the chair lift and taking your equipment to the closest rental center or snowboard shop to explore your repair options.

If you are in the backcountry and break part of your bindings, you must do whatever is necessary to get home safely. If you attempt to repair a hiback or baseplate, we strongly caution you against riding your equipment at high speeds. The truth is, your safest course of action may be to skin or hike out, if you are able.

For your safety, Burton does not recommend riding any bindings with self-repaired hibacks or baseplates.

Additional Snowboard Binding Resources

Didn’t find what you were looking for in this article? Review Burton’s comprehensive catalog of snowboard binding-related topics, including a breakdown of snowboard binding parts, how-to guides, and in-depth overviews of Re:Flex, EST, Grom, Step On, and Step On Split snowboard binding systems.