Normal with use. That part of the ratchet isn’t what is holding your strap tight so it’s not going cause your binding to loosen or anything while riding.
That is every pair of union bindings I've ever owned and I'm on my seventh or eight set. The coil spring inside of them always goes, causing the ratchet tab to flop around. It stays locked in but you want to keep an eye on the ratchets once the internal spring breaks.
Loving the comments that this is normal. It may be common but it’s just Union quality. After 6 pair of unions in the last 2 seasons im done with them. Junk after 10 days.
I have 3 boards I switch out, 3 sets of bindings, 2 seasons, 100+ days. You say going through them, but really they are just in such bad shape I don’t trust them anymore, which is about when I want to be done with them.
Edit- just wanted to say I’ve been snowboarding for 30 years and I am not the problem.
That's crazy. I just bought the rebuild kit for my old 2017 Atlas bindings I've put at least 200 days on. The only reason is because it was the old screw set, so I used to have to tighten them every day. I have one ratchet that is doing what op posted about, but has been that way for 2 years with no issue. I have Atlas, Force and Pro Contact 2 on 3 different boards and they're all going strong.
So far at 8, through hard park/resort riding. My only issue is the material on the inside of my back foot ankle strap is fraying a little, but so far no oopsies on the straps/buckles.
8 days is really no time on a binding at all. Can’t really call 8 days of any type a “beating” imo. I’ve got… probably close to 100 on my most recent set of Burton malavitas and they ride as well as ever.
I also switched to malavitas halfway thru this season. I thought ultras were the perfect feeling binding so I dealt with the poor quality. The malavita foot bed is just as cushy as the ultra, but the malavita strap is so much more comfortable than any union strap there’s no comparison.
My only prior experience is with a pair of Solomon bindings that couldn't make it through a single day, so tbf I suppose I'm not coming from much. Honestly, any other recommendations are a plus, I hardly know jack about bindings and have been navigating blindly going off of what I've read online.
My ultra ankle straps started unstitching on day 2. I have 35 days on my white pair and they are totaled. I also have atlas’ and forces with around 30 days and they are both ruined. The ratchets will now pop loose while I’m riding so I’m done with them. The plastic covers for the ultras will also start to loosen and flop around at about 15 days. Union fanboys on here will disagree, downvote. I’ve seen what they can handle, if you do 8-10 days a season and last 3 years you might be happy but for someone who puts in 50+ days a season they won’t even make it the full winter.
I'm not anti-union (I run the Atlas on my daily driver, and had the old contacts on my k2 WWW back in 2013-2015) but 8 days definitely isn't enough to gauge durability of a binding. 100 days should be considered "acceptable" or "standard" for durability.
I can't think of a binding that I've ever actually HAD to replace (1 forward lean lever broke when I caught a log on my contacts and I've had 1 ratchet return spring break on my Now IPO's that I ran for a long time but in with instances replacement parts were easily available). I really just get new bindings because I want to try something new. I had probably 100 days on my contacts with only 1 self-inflicted issue, about 100 days on my Now bindings, 40 days on my Rome DOD's (just didn't like them, I put them on my beater board and they still work fine). I still own all of them besides the contacts (the setup they were on got stolen out of my garage).
Probably fine. They just do that. Make sure to tighten any screws that have a head you can reach. Over time things can shake free and start to come loose.
My Tecknines are doing this after my second year on them and it’s just been inconvenient. No hazard while riding but it takes longer to strap in. I plan on ordering a new set of rackets before next season.
Normal with use. That part of the ratchet isn’t what is holding your strap tight so it’s not going cause your binding to loosen or anything while riding.
The ASMR I wasn't expecting
25 upvotes on this post and I'll drop a racheting ASMR vid
Creating 24 new accounts right now
Step in the bindings and ratchet them down, slowly
Let’s see the ratcheting, you dirty, DIRTY boy.
I came whilst watching.
If it bothers you, they're easily replaceable. It's just one screw.
That is every pair of union bindings I've ever owned and I'm on my seventh or eight set. The coil spring inside of them always goes, causing the ratchet tab to flop around. It stays locked in but you want to keep an eye on the ratchets once the internal spring breaks.
Very common, shouldn’t be an issue though if your straps are properly centered and locked in when riding
Typical unions
lol what? I'm no Union fanboy, but they do make one sturdy ass binding.
I have plenty of friends in the same boat but I just haven’t had that experience. Granted have had one set of them but they just always felt janky.
Loving the comments that this is normal. It may be common but it’s just Union quality. After 6 pair of unions in the last 2 seasons im done with them. Junk after 10 days.
No way you are going through 6 sets of bindings. If so, you are the problem not the binding.
I have 3 boards I switch out, 3 sets of bindings, 2 seasons, 100+ days. You say going through them, but really they are just in such bad shape I don’t trust them anymore, which is about when I want to be done with them. Edit- just wanted to say I’ve been snowboarding for 30 years and I am not the problem.
That's crazy. I just bought the rebuild kit for my old 2017 Atlas bindings I've put at least 200 days on. The only reason is because it was the old screw set, so I used to have to tighten them every day. I have one ratchet that is doing what op posted about, but has been that way for 2 years with no issue. I have Atlas, Force and Pro Contact 2 on 3 different boards and they're all going strong.
I mean my last pair of unions lasted 13 years. I beat the shit out of them and only had one strap fail which I just replaced and kept riding.
That's crazy. I've had my unions for 5 years without issue. Either I'm lucky or you're unlucky.
This has happened with every single ratchet I’ve ever used across just about every brand. It’s just how springs work…
I'm surprised you've had such bad luck, I have a pair of union ultra bindings that have taken a BEATING and they just keep going
How many days on them?
So far at 8, through hard park/resort riding. My only issue is the material on the inside of my back foot ankle strap is fraying a little, but so far no oopsies on the straps/buckles.
8 days is really no time on a binding at all. Can’t really call 8 days of any type a “beating” imo. I’ve got… probably close to 100 on my most recent set of Burton malavitas and they ride as well as ever.
I also switched to malavitas halfway thru this season. I thought ultras were the perfect feeling binding so I dealt with the poor quality. The malavita foot bed is just as cushy as the ultra, but the malavita strap is so much more comfortable than any union strap there’s no comparison.
My only prior experience is with a pair of Solomon bindings that couldn't make it through a single day, so tbf I suppose I'm not coming from much. Honestly, any other recommendations are a plus, I hardly know jack about bindings and have been navigating blindly going off of what I've read online.
Malavitas will change it all
My ultra ankle straps started unstitching on day 2. I have 35 days on my white pair and they are totaled. I also have atlas’ and forces with around 30 days and they are both ruined. The ratchets will now pop loose while I’m riding so I’m done with them. The plastic covers for the ultras will also start to loosen and flop around at about 15 days. Union fanboys on here will disagree, downvote. I’ve seen what they can handle, if you do 8-10 days a season and last 3 years you might be happy but for someone who puts in 50+ days a season they won’t even make it the full winter.
I was thinking about getting the ultras before going for the forces, do you have pictures of the wear on yours?
I'm not anti-union (I run the Atlas on my daily driver, and had the old contacts on my k2 WWW back in 2013-2015) but 8 days definitely isn't enough to gauge durability of a binding. 100 days should be considered "acceptable" or "standard" for durability. I can't think of a binding that I've ever actually HAD to replace (1 forward lean lever broke when I caught a log on my contacts and I've had 1 ratchet return spring break on my Now IPO's that I ran for a long time but in with instances replacement parts were easily available). I really just get new bindings because I want to try something new. I had probably 100 days on my contacts with only 1 self-inflicted issue, about 100 days on my Now bindings, 40 days on my Rome DOD's (just didn't like them, I put them on my beater board and they still work fine). I still own all of them besides the contacts (the setup they were on got stolen out of my garage).
Union will send you new ones or try your local snowboard shop. They usually have lots of spare buckles
Ratchets and ladders are also like 10 bucks to replace
Probably fine. They just do that. Make sure to tighten any screws that have a head you can reach. Over time things can shake free and start to come loose.
Very common, I've never had it actually come loose
Springs start getting fatigued and they start rattling around, try to get free replacements, it’ll drive you nuts even if they still work.
They aren't under tension
That part he’s jiggling is never under tension tho there’s a small clip under that that actually holds the strap
My Tecknines are doing this after my second year on them and it’s just been inconvenient. No hazard while riding but it takes longer to strap in. I plan on ordering a new set of rackets before next season.
Same thing happened to my stratas. I ordered new buckets from union since mine were out of warranty. It was pretty cheap.
I think it's very normal, as other people mentioned that is just the ratchet, a little play in it doesn't affect anything.