NOW Select Snowboard Binding Review: A Lively, Park-Friendly All-Mountain Binding

Introduction

The NOW Select sits in an interesting spot in the NOW binding lineup: softer than the Select Pro, built around the brand’s skate-tech platform, and clearly aimed at the park-focused all-mountain rider. It is not the stiffest binding out there, and it is not the softest either, but it lands below middle of the road on the flex scale, which gives it a lively, tweakable character that many NOW bindings have lacked in the past.

This review covers how it performed in real spring conditions, what the adjustability looks like, where the straps stand out or fall short, and who this binding actually makes sense for.

Riding Conditions and Test Setup

Testing took place at Arapahoe Basin under classic spring conditions: blue to grey skies with clouds, warm temperatures, and a surface mix of slush, chop, chunder, and ice. That kind of everything-and-the-kitchen-sink terrain is a genuine test of how a binding handles both soft snow and firm chatter.

The binding was ridden on a Ride Shadowban snowboard paired with K2 Thorsen boots, a setup that gives a fair read on how the Select translates power and comfort across a mixed deck and boot combination.

Adjustability: Meat and Potatoes

Like other NOW bindings, the Select keeps adjustability limited and straightforward. The toe and heel straps use twist cams: unscrew them, slide the strap forward or backward, and center it over your boot. The highback has a forward lean tab that pops up, slides up or down, and locks back in. Underfoot, the bushings can be swapped to whatever durometer you prefer.

That is the entire adjustment story here. It is very meat and potatoes, which some riders will appreciate for its simplicity and others may find limiting if they like to dial in every parameter.

Straps and Ratchets

The toe strap is the weak point. It is questionable at best: not great, not bad, just sort of there. It needs a little stretching right out of the box, it is rubber inside the cutout, and it has grip pads that keep it locked down. The offset cutout means it fits a pointy-toed boot better than a snub-nosed or blunted boot shape.

The heel strap uses a one-piece design that is a bit more rigid, so your boot provides all the padding while the strap simply locks you down. There is a hinge on the inside that adds lateral play, giving you power where you need it and give where you want it.

The ratchets work well overall. They climb easily, feed smoothly, and never prematurely released during testing. The one-finger quick release on the heel side works as intended. The biggest gripe is on the toe ratchet, which lacks that one-finger quick release tab, so you have to grab it from the front and apply a bit more torque. There is also a little play in the buckle, though it never caused any actual issues.

Highback and Flex

The highback has a ton of play, and you can genuinely feel that give when tweaking or playing around. There is a center spine that lets you drive into it for some response, and the forward lean adjustment is easy to use: pop the tab, slide it where you want, flip it back down, and lock it in.

Flex-wise, this is a softer binding. It is not a full-blown jib noodle, but it is not middle of the road either. You still get solid toe-to-heel response. The skate-tech construction means you lose a bit of lateral play compared to more conventional designs, since the disc is bigger and more rigid, but the straps compensate and give back some lateral roll, which is nice for jibbing, buttering, and playing around.

Overall Performance

This is a bit more of a lively binding, and it suits riders who like to press, tweak, and stay playful. Dampening underfoot is okay: it will dissipate a lot of micro chatter, but anything more aggressive will be felt through the bottom of your foot, ankles, knees, and hips. Nothing wrong with that, just something to be aware of if you ride firm or icy terrain a lot.

For what it is, the Select is not a bad binding. The softer flex compared to the Select Pro is welcome, and the extra lateral tweak is something often missing from NOW bindings. The toe strap remains the main drawback, but it does work.

Who This Binding Is For

The NOW Select is a binding for the park-focused all-mountain rider. If your days mix laps through the park with general resort riding, and you value lateral tweak and a lively feel over maximum response, this fits that profile well. Riders who want a stiffer, more dampened binding for aggressive terrain should look elsewhere.

Buying Advice

Comparable bindings in this space include the Rome Vice, the Union Ultra, and the Nitro Zero. If the softer flex and skate-tech platform of the Select appeal to you, it is worth comparing against those options before deciding.

Conclusion

The NOW Select is a solid choice for playful, park-leaning all-mountain riding. It offers easy, limited adjustability, swappable bushings, a lively softer flex, and more lateral tweak than many NOW bindings. The toe strap is the notable compromise, and heavier dampening is limited, but neither is a dealbreaker for the right rider.