by: Urs P. Meyer
Snowboard safety release bindings are on the market since 1990. The first and leading snowboard safety binding is the patented MEYER BINDING of Switzerland, which is also the World's first binding of this kind with the highly regarded TÜV-GS-Seal of approval. This binding features simple and quick central mounting, individual, multi-directional central release, twice as many release-angles than ski safety bindings, hight-strength, low-weight, compact construction. The bindings can be had with an automatic board-brake, which prevents run-away boards after release. The Meyer bindings have been successfully used by world-champions and record-holders for years.
Hard-core snowboarders still do not believe in safety bindings. No risk, no fun is their motto, unfortunately. They are made to believe by leading snowboard companies that non-release binding are more dangerous than bear-trap bindings. They also think that most snowboard injuries are upper body injuries rather than foot and leg injuries. However, honest statistics prove the contrary. There are indeed a great percentage of foot and leg injuries with non-release bindings. Studies on snowboarders with release bindings have proven that they definitely also suffer from fewer upper body injuries. The reason for this is clear. A falling snowboarder with non-release bindings risks multdiple end-over-end tumbling falls which can cause numerous upper body injuries, whereas a falling snowboarder on release bindings can easily prevent these dangerous tumbling falls with bot feet free after release.
One big fear has been spread by leading snowboard companies via so-called "expert oppinion leaders". Its the "one-foot-only-release-fear". They think that there is a great risk that only one foot will release and the will stay attached and will get hurt. This thinking is totally wrong, because properly adjusted release bindings will always release in any angle as soon as the preset release force is reached. This wide-spread "one-foot-releae-fear" stems from the early days of snowboarding when primitive bindings on primitive boards were prone to break, rip-off or spring-open, whereby one foot only came loose and the other remained stuck on the board and often got hurt. In high-speed snowboard competitions, the World's fastest racers are successfully using Meyer Snowboard Release Bindings at speeds up to 120 mph!