At 860 g the Burton Step On Re:Flex was the lightest binding in our step-in test, and Shaun clicked into it in 1.8 seconds on the flat, the quickest of the ten, but slush in the heel pocket can stop the heel clicking home. It scores 76 out of 100 and ranks #9 in our best step-in & quick-entry snowboard bindings guide as our best lightweight step-in snowboard binding.
What is the best lightweight step-in snowboard binding?
The best lightweight step-in snowboard binding is the Burton Step On Re:Flex, which weighs 860 g, the lightest binding here, and which took Shaun 1.8 seconds from standing to locked in on the flat.
Burton Step On Re:Flex
- Weight: 860 g
- Heel stack: 13 mm
- Flat entry: 1.8 s
- Boots: Step On boots only
Bottom Line : The fastest binding on the flat and the lightest, with direct, lag-free edge response. It takes only Step On boots, and slush in the heel pocket can stop the heel clicking home.
Pros
- 1.8 seconds on the flat, the fastest of the ten
- 860 g and a 13 mm heel stack: the lightest and lowest binding here
- Zero heel lift and instant toe-edge response
- Cleat latches and release levers worked with no looseness
Cons
- Works only with Step On boots, so Boots scored 3.0
- On steep ground or in wet slush the heel cleat needs deliberate downward hip pressure to reach its second click
- Slush or ice packed into the heel pocket can stop that second click
On the Mountain
On the flat you drop the heel cleat in, click down on the toes and go. A steep traverse took 5.2 seconds and slush 8.9, each the average of three timed entries. Step On is Burton's boot-and-binding system, so only boots built for it click in.
With no straps, the boot locks into the binding at three points, two at the toe and one at the heel, and Shaun had zero heel lift and instant, lag-free toe-edge response, with energy going straight into the board edge. At 860 g and a 13 mm heel stack, which is how high your heel sits above the board, it's the lightest and sits the lowest of the ten, and the cleat latches and release levers worked with no looseness.
Shaun rode a size Medium on a Burton Custom 158 cm with the Burton Channel mount, at 22.5 in, +15 and -9 degrees, in the Burton Photon Step On and Ion Step On boots, both US men's 10.5, with James co-testing.
Where It Asks Something of You
You give up your own boots. It takes Step On boots only and ordinary boots won't fit, so Boots scored 3.0, and the binding is mid-price before you add the boots.
Steep ground and wet slush are the other price. Getting the heel cleat into its second safety click took deliberate downward hip pressure, and slush or ice packed into the heel pocket could stop it engaging, so check the pocket is clear before you step in. Slush entry also trailed the LT Supermatic.
Spec Sheet vs Our Test
Re:Flex FullBED cushioning. Maximum comfort and minimum fatigue, with a trap-door design for easy access to mounting hardware, is the maker's claim. We didn't score fatigue or use the trap door, so it stands untested. What we noticed was a direct ride; the Genesis is the damped one.
Single-component baseplate and Re:Flex mounting. The maker says one material throughout gives reliable response across any terrain, and that the Re:Flex mounting system improves board flex and reduces weight. At 860 g the binding is the lightest here, which fits the weight claim, although we didn't weigh it against other mounting systems. We didn't test board flex. Response held up, with instant toe-edge response.
Step On connection. Two toe points and one heel point give unmatched simplicity and security, says the maker. Simplicity on the flat held, and so did security, with zero heel lift. The weak point is wet snow, where slush in the heel pocket could stop the second click.
Zero forward lean highback and FLAD. A zero forward lean highback with a micro-adjustment system for relaxed or aggressive riding is the maker's listing. We didn't test the adjustment or ride it at different settings, so we can't say how it behaves. Shaun's edge response was instant and lag-free as tested. If you like to tune your forward lean, treat the adjustment as the maker's word.
Should You Buy the Burton Step On Re:Flex?
Lightest, and quickest on the flat, the Step On Re:Flex is our lightweight pick for anyone who will commit to Step On boots. It's mid-price before you add the boots, so count them in, and skip it if you ride lots of steep ground or wet slush.
For a smoother, more damped ride for 20 g more at the same price, look at the Burton Step On Genesis Re:Flex. To keep your own boots, the premium LT Supermatic is the one. Check the maker's size chart against your boot size before you order.
Compare With
- Nidecker LT Supermatic: our best overall step-in snowboard binding.
- Bent Metal Lightning Supermatic: our best step-in snowboard binding for carving.
- Bent Metal Speed-In Pro: our best step-in snowboard binding for freeride.
- Flow Fuse Hybrid: our best step-in snowboard binding for freestyle.
- K2 Cinch GT: our best step-in snowboard binding for heavy riders.
- Flow Fenix: our best step-in snowboard binding for beginners.
- Flow NX2: our best step-in snowboard binding for high-speed riding.
- Burton Step On Genesis Re:Flex: our best step-in snowboard binding for comfort.
- System MTN Rear Entry: our best budget step-in snowboard binding.
See all ten, and how we tested them, in our best step-in & quick-entry snowboard bindings guide.
Ranked in our Best Step-In Snowboard Bindings guide. All our tested picks, guides and reviews are in our Best Snowboard Bindings hub.
Editor's Note, 11 November 2026: New review. In June and July 2026 Shaun and James rode the Burton Step On Re:Flex on Horstman Glacier at Whistler Blackcomb, timed entry three times on the flat, on a steep traverse and in slush, weighed it, and scored it on entry, instep hold, boot compatibility, and weight and bulk.
Our Testers
This review was edited by Sean Williams and tested on Horstman Glacier at Whistler Blackcomb by Shaun Taylor and James Ward.
- Sean Williams, Editor-in-Chief. A former commercial outdoor copywriter and gear journalist who runs Top-Notch Outdoor as an independent publisher. He checks every tester's field notes against the maker's claims before a score goes live.
- Shaun Taylor, Freeride Snowboard Tester. Raced banked slalom and halfpipe in the late 1980s and 1990s before turning to backcountry freeriding, and a finish carpenter by trade. Shaun led the testing of the Burton Step On Re:Flex.
- James Ward, Alpine Ski & Fat Bike Tester. On skis since he was 3 and a former regional alpine racer, now a ski tuner and dryland fitness coach. He ran the stopwatch and the boot swaps for every binding in our step-in test. James co-tested the Burton Step On Re:Flex.
