Arbor Hemlock Binding Review: A Playful Jib Binding with Serious Give

Introduction

The Arbor Hemlock is a binding that makes its priorities obvious from the first ride: playfulness over power. Ridden on a bluebird day at Copper Mountain, with perfect corduroy, some chop and chunder in the shade, and leftover powder pockets, it was paired with a Ride Shadowban snowboard and K2 Maysis boots. The setup gives a fair picture of what this binding wants to be: soft, lively, and forgiving up top, with just enough structure underfoot to push into.

Who This Product Is For

The Hemlock is aimed squarely at the jib crowd: riders who want a ton of lateral and toe-to-heel play, a highback that gives way when you drive into it, and a baseplate that still transfers a bit of power. If your riding is mostly presses, butters, and park laps, this profile makes a lot of sense. If you want a damp, powerful, all-mountain workhorse, this is not that binding.

Adjustments and Fit

There is a solid set of adjustments here. The toe and heel straps use twist cams: pop the tab up, twist it, and you can lengthen or shorten the strap to taste. The heel cup is adjustable too, so you can loosen the screw and pull it out or push it in to centre your boot. The highback offers both forward lean adjustment via a set screw and rotation, so you can angle it to sit parallel with your heel edge. The toe strap adds a push-pin system: push it down, pull it up, flip the rubber gusset back over, and it locks in place.

Straps and Ratchets

The heel strap is the Bio Strap, the same minimal design used on the Cypress. There is no extra padding; it simply moulds over your instep, with all the cushioning coming from your boot. It is a little more rigid than padded options, but it locks you down well. The toe strap has a large cutout that suits pointy, narrower boots better than big blocky ones, and it locks you in firmly. Neither strap is the stiffest on the market, so you can press through them, which is very much part of this binding’s character.

One caution: check the twist tabs. On a first day ridden fully cranked down, one tab came off during a hard toeside turn near the base area and was never seen again. Always inspect them before you ride.

The ratchets release smoothly but have their limits. With only three teeth on the ladder, they do not offer as much leverage as other ratchets on the market, and climbing hits a wall. The heel strap’s one-finger quick release is so minimal that you end up grabbing it from the front, just like the toe, so there is no uniformity between the two ratchets. They were also a little sticky out of the box, though they break in over time.

How It Rides

The highback is the headline: one of the softest and most malleable in years, twisting easily and giving generously when you drive into it, apart from a touch of rigidity right where the forward lean block sits. The X-base platform adds a bit of rigidity underfoot so you can transfer some power, but the overall feel is two worlds colliding. With the soft highback and minimal straps, you float on top of the binding, with plenty of lateral play and toe-to-heel give. Only when the flex is maxed out does the base actually engage and feel stiffer.

It is also not damp. There is a pad that tries to dissipate chatter, but it does not do a good job of it. Flat landings, washboard sections, buried ice boulders: you feel all of it, hammered repeatedly through the whole structure. Carving was possible, but control was limited because the highback kept giving out and the straps could be pushed through.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Comparable bindings in this playful space include the Bent Metal Joint, the Union Ultra, and the Bataleon Fly. If you need more power and damping for all-mountain riding, look at stiffer options instead.

Buying Advice

Buy the Hemlock if your style is jib-first and you want maximum play with a little power underfoot. Skip it if you ride fast, land hard, or want a binding that soaks up chop. The ratchet limitations, sticky-out-of-the-box feel, and lack of damping are real trade-offs, but for the right rider they barely matter.

Conclusion

The Arbor Hemlock is a very playful, surprisingly soft binding that does exactly what a jib binding should: it gives when you want give and stays lively all day. It will frustrate riders looking for power and damping, but jib-focused riders will likely enjoy it a great deal.