The Union Contact Pro is a perennial favorite binding of many riders because it performs well, doesn’t break the bank, and for some, Union is a bit of an underdog brand. Redesigned for ’16-17, the latest iteration is lighter and more comfortable than previous generations and includes an upgraded toe strap. The “Contact Pro” moniker is derived from how little contact the binding makes with the board—just 5%.This minimizes the interference on the flex pattern on the board. 

DURABILITY 
With an aluminum heel cup and high-tech nylon, AKA Duraflex, highback, the Union Contact Pro is pretty burly and is backed with a lifetime guarantee. The foam footbed showed some wear after a few weeks of riding, which would have been less noticeable if the foam wasn’t orange. Black would have made it less noticeable. 

PERFORMANCE
With a medium flex on the high back and base plate, the Union Contact Pro is for the all mountain freestyle rider. There’s plenty of flex for butters and the bushing does an admirable job cushioning landings. 

BUILD QUALITY
Out of the box, the Union Contact Pro is impressive with a mix of materials that are solid, but in hand are lightweight. Not something easy to do. 

WEIGHT/RESPONSE 
Just 715 grams, 5 grams lighter than last year’s model, the Union Contact Pro is one of the lightest bindings we tested. With medium baseplate stiffness and high back stiffness, response is predictable but fast. 

COMFORT
See above: with medium stiffness on all fronts, the Union Contact Pro is one of the most comfortable bindings in the test. 

EASE OF USE 
Set-up of the Union Contact Pro is easy. First up, the disk that you use to bolt down the bindings to the board works for both Burton’s Channel system and the ubiquitous four bolt system. Adjusting the cant of the highback is also easy and tool free.