2025 Union Falcor Bindings Review: Upgrade or Skip?

The new Union Falcor Bindings just got a complete redesign for the upcoming 2025 winter season. I had the opportunity to review these bindings at a Union Bindings demo event in Stratton, Vermont, in January, and here are my notes on how well they felt to me.

The Overall Review Rating

Review Score Breakdown of the New Falcor

Our Rating: After calculating the weighted score, my rating for the 2025 Union Falcor Bindings earned an 90.01 out of a possible 100 or 4.505 out of a possible 5 stars.

Pros

1. It is a versatile binding that can carve well while still performing exceptionally well in the park, too.
2. It is incredibly comfortable. It’s one of those bindings that you will forget you are strapped into.
3. It offers an extraordinary level of shock absorption.
4. It’s constructed to help your board float in powder.
5. There are a ton of customization adjustments you can make.

Cons

1. The current price is $399 which is 16% more expensive (or costs $56 USD more) than the average across Union’s lineup.
2. There are limited colors available and no truly all black option. (The darkest one still has a pop of color with a red ankle ratchet and red FLAD.)
3. The cover of the mini disc is difficult to pop off. You will need a flathead screwdriver to get to your mounting screws.

Short Video Review of the 2025 Falcor

Here is a quick review summary of what I thought of the upgraded Union Falcor bindings.

Overview of the New Falcor Bindings

Weight

1.88 lbs (855 grams) for both bindings with the screws and mounting discs, or .94 lbs (426 grams) per binding. To my feet, these felt noticeably light compared to other bindings.

Sizes

Small (US Men’s 6 – 7.5), Medium (US Men’s 8 – 10), Large (US Men’s 10.5 – 13)

These are the standard sizes for Union. However, the new Falcor will not be available in the XL (US Men’s 13 – 15) size.

Flex Rating

Union rated them at a 7/10 (1=Soft,10=Stiff) – They’re rated as a high performance freeride/freestyle binding. (These are the bindings that Travis Rice uses in the Natural Selection Tour.)

• Actual Flex Rating – 6.5/10 (1=Soft,10=Stiff) – To me, it felt around .5 to 1 flex rating point less than its marked rating.
  
• The Benefit: The benefit of the flex is that it blends the responsiveness needed for carving with the tweakable play for pressing your board for freestyle riding.

Suggested Board to Binding Flex

I’d suggest pairing the new Union Falcor with a medium to stiff board. It would pair best with a board with a flex rating between 5 – 9.

Out of the new Capita boards I got to try it out with, they felt like they paired best with the new Capita Super DOA.

Photo Gallery From the 2025 Union Falcor Bindings Review

Details of the Review

Where I Rode These Bindings

In Stratton, VT, during the 2024 EWSRA On Snow Demo

Board I Used to Review These Bindings

1. The 2025 Capita Spring Break Resort Twin
2. The 2025 Capita DOA
3. The 2025 Capita Super DOA

Out of these three boards, I felt like the Super DOA’s flex and power paired with the new Union Falcor Bindings the best. I liked it so much, that I put it first on my all mountain freestyle snowboards buying guide.

Retail Price of these Bindings

$399, and I don’t expect the price to go on sale until the summer of 2025.

Release Date of the Bindings

The new Union Flacor bindings are expected to be released in early September of 2024. To ensure your size is available, you can preorder them now from Blauer Boardshop here.

How the Upgraded Union Falcor Compares to Other Union Bindings (Where It Sits in the Lineup)

While the Falcor now shares many of the same features as the Ultra, it’s very comparable to the Force in its overall performance. It’s as if the Force was made to be ever so slightly softer and had features to make it lighter and more freestyle-friendly while adding carbon into its highback for some drive to its carving abilities. That would be the most accurate description of how the new Falcor felt to me.

I’d rank it in the new Falcor in the Union lineup like this:

Compared to the 2025 Union Force

• The Falcor is slightly less stiff, but more comfortable.

The new Falcor felt slightly softer than the Force by a .5 flex rating point. The Falcor is the noticeably more comfortable option while both bindings feel on par with one another in terms of their quality and features. The shock absorption in the Falcor makes it a slightly more attractive option for hitting jumps.

Ultimately, they’re both similar in their performance and versatility. I prefer the new Falcor due to it being the more comfortable option. (That said, I do like the look of the new Force a bit more than the look of the new Falcor.)

Compared to the 2025 Strata

• The Falcor has a higher end feeling, is more responsive, and more comfortable.

The new Falcor felt moderately stiffer by around 1 flex rating point than the Union Strata, while the tech features of the new Falcor felt noticeably more higher end. I found the new Falcor to be a hair more damp, but they both have very similar levels that it’s difficult to tell. The Falcor is by far the more comfortable option than the Strata and I never had issues with the ratchets occasionally coming loose on landings like I did with the Strata.

Compared to the 2025 Ultra

• The Falcor has a very similar comfortable feel, but the Falcor offers more response making it the more versatile binding.

Both of these bindings feel so similar in their comfort and overall feel. The main difference is their flex and responsiveness. The new Falcor felt noticeably stiffer than the Union Ultra by 1.5 to 2 full flex rating points while still offering the same comfortable feel.

I think of the new Falcor is the more mature older brother to the Union Ultra. They’re both cut from the same cloth in terms of lightweight features, dampness (thanks to their shock absorbing bushings), and incredibly comfortable straps. The main difference is that the Falcor has some drive and response to it for carving outside of the park.

How The New Falcor Feels to Ride

• Take the comfort of the Union Ultra and put it in a more responsive all-mountain focused binding, and that is the new Union Falcor.

From the moment I put on the new Falcor, I noticed how similar they felt to the Union Ultra Bindings that I’ve been riding for the past three seasons. They both offer a certain comfortable yet locked-in feel, but the main difference with the upgraded Falcor is that they are noticeably more responsive and offer more carving performance.

This means that if you liked the Union Ultra for its lightweight and comfortable properties but passed on it because it was too soft or park-focused, then the new Falcor should be a binding you’ll want to try out in 2025.

The Flex Profile

The new Falcor had a stiffer flex from toe to heel than it did trying to move from side to side. I’d rate the flex pattern like this.

• 7/10 for the flex from toe to heel – This offered a very quick feeling turn initiation.
• 6/10 for the flex from side to side. This made the binding versatile enough to tweak and press features in the park.

Altogether, I would say this binding feels like it has a 6.5 flex rating or slightly more than a medium flex pattern.

The Board Feel

I’d rate the board feel of the new Falcor at a bit better than middle of the road at a 7 out of 10. It’s the same level of board feel you get with the Union Ultra (they share a very similar bushing system), and it’s slightly more (by one point) than the Union Force.

The Dampness

The 2025 Union Falcor bindings felt noticeably damp underfoot. These bindings have a footbed with a bushing system made from the sole of a running shoe. The material adds an extra level of shock absorption to your board. On a scale of ten, I’d rate the dampness to be an above-average 9 out of 10.

The Carving Performance

The upgraded Falcor was built with its carving performance in mind. This is a highly responsive binding, especially from toe to heel. The response offers a quick edge transition with a powerful, precise feel to it.

That said, there is still a little bit of flex and play from nose-to-tail (which makes these versatile and shines for their freestyle performance, too). While it might not be the absolute stiffest carving binding on the market, I’d still rate the Falcor’s carving performance at a solid 7.5 out of 10.

The Freestyle Performance

For me, this section was the highlight of the new upgraded Falcor. Its versatility and ability to perform as well as it did in the park really surprised me.

The upgraded Falcor baseplate with the Halo bushing feels very reminiscent of the Union Ultra’s footbed and bushing.

However, Travis Rice designed the Falcor’s footbed to have a wider overall footprint. The Halo bushing is curved like a wedge ramp, helping channel deep snow away from your nose (further improving the board’s float).

I’m sure that feature works great for riding powder, but I actually found the wider footprint of the binding helped me with my presses on park features. The running shoe-like rubber of the bushing helped match the flex of my board, and the wider footprint of the binding made for a stable platform to balance my presses from. Additionally, this board adds a nice extra layer of cushioning to help soften your jump landings.

The Comfort of the 2025 Union Falcor Bindings

The level of comfort in the new Falcor binding is one of its main highlights. Out of 10, I’d rate its comfort level at a high 9.5 out of 10. Both the ankle and toe straps offer a soft, plush-feeling foam that molds around your boot to keep you locked in. The highback is lined with a soft rubber that rests against the back of your boot and the footbed feels noticeably soft to step into.

Additionally, the binding offers a lot of customization options, so you can fine tune it to fit your boot.

The Ankle Straps

The Ankle straps are a highlight of the new Falcor. They feel high end.

They are lined with a comfortable, squishy foam (the “Forma Interior”) that molds right around your boot and offers a very locked-in feel without any weird pressure points. They offer a lot of response yet somehow feel like they aren’t even there.

The above image shows you just how much padding there is on the inner side of the ankle and toe straps.

The Toe Straps

The toe straps feel very high end, too. They have a hard plastic perimeter with a flexy rubber mesh in the center. They molded over my toes and kept me locked in with no issues.

The toe straps are quite an upgraded from the previous version of the Falcor. These felt higher end, very comfortable, and molded to my boot perfectly.

Ratchet system

The ratchet system is made out of a lightweight magnesium. They worked exactly as described without any surprises, and offered a very smooth feeling entry and exit. You simply slide the ladder into the ratchet, and it locks itself. Then, you ratchet yourself in once or twice to lock. To get out, you simply lift the back of the ratchet and slide your foot out.

The ratchets on the ankle and toe straps feel equally as smooth to enter and exit. Overall, it feels like the same experience as the other Union Bindings you can get above the $250 price point.

My only real gripe about the ratchets are their color. In every model of the new Falcor they were brightly colored. I never had luck with Union’s brightly colored ankle strap ratchets. Within a few days they always seem to get scratched, and because they are so noticeable in contrast to the rest of the binding, it draws your eyes right to them.

Canted Footbed

Yes, I think it was canted by 3 degrees. However, I didn’t really notice this feature while I rode the bindings to comment on it.

Highback

The highback had some rubber padding along the top and sides, which helped to make it comfortable. The main highlight of the highback is the carbon frame built into it.

This section gives the highback its power. It felt stiff when I leaned my weight back into it, but it never felt aggressively overpowering compared to the rest of the binding. It just felt like a resource I could use to my advantage when I needed to tap into it.

The inside of the highback looks like this.

It’s lined with a soft rubber that helps to keep your boot in place while being incredibly comfortable.

Adjustability

The new Falcor offers many customization adjustments. You can adjust the length of the toe strap and ankle strap, move the heel cup, and adjust the angle of the forward lean. I didn’t need to make any adjustments when I rode it, though. My size nine Thirty-Two boot fit right into the factory settings of a men’s size medium Falcor.

Ankle Support

The level of ankle support felt just right for me without making any adjustments. I felt locked in without any extra play in my heel or ankle.

You can change the position or length of the ankle strap so it rests higher or lower on your ankle. I didn’t need to adjust this setting, though. It felt perfect and offered enough support with the right amount of flex (and freedom of motion) for how I like to ride. 

Shock Absorption

The upgraded Falcor is a noticeably damp binding that absorbs shock very well. The combination of the ASYM Molecular Bushing, which features a running shoe rubber that rests against your board, and the flexible Halo Base’s frame work together to create an incredibly smooth feeling ride at both casual ride speeds. At very high speeds, I did feel some chatter. Especially as I rode across rougher terrain, but that is to be expected here on the East Coast.

Travis Rice widened the Falcor’s overall footprint compared to the Ultra (which shares a similar rubber bushing system), enhancing support and channeling snow away from your nose. So what was the result? Well, he might have just created one of the most comfortable and damp bindings you can ride.

All in all, I’d rate the dampness of the Falcor at a high 9/10.

Who are the Union Falcor Bindings for? 

It’s for the rider who wants to go anywhere, do anything, and have a lightweight and incredibly comfortable binding to support them along the way. This is a binding that is tuned for both Freeriding and Freestyle as well as every type of riding in between.

In 2025, the new Union Force felt about one point stiffer and more responsive than the new Falcor, but it was noticeably less comfortable. The new Falcor will fit in the line up as an all mountain binding for the rider who likes the idea of the Union Ultra being lightweight and comfortable, they just need a more responsive and versatile binding.

The new Falcor bindings are for the all mountain rider who wants a high performance binding that is lightweigh, comfortable, and versatile enough to accel at both carving in all conditions as well as hitting features in the park.

To say it simply, the upgraded 2025 Union Falcor is the most versatile, comfortable binding.

What’s New for the 2025 Model

Travis Rice worked with Union to completely redesign these for the upcoming 2025 season.

Here are the main upgraded features in the new Falcor.

The New Molecular Bushing

The Falcor now have the same running shoe-esque bushing built into their base plate as the Union Ultra.

• The Benefit: It reduces vibrations felt while riding, adds a level of shock absorption for landings, and reduces the binding’s overall weight. Additionally, this allows your binding to better match the flex pattern of your board.

A New Highback That Combines Carbon+Duraflex Material

The high back now combines Eco-Friendly Duraflex Blue (a durable material made by combining fiberglass, plastic, and resin) with a Carbon Fiber spine. The Y-shaped spine in the center of the binding is the Carbon component, while the frame is made with Duraflex.

• The Benefit: This keeps the overall weight down, adds to the response to the binding, and allows for a flex pattern that works for carving aggressively as well as hitting the park. This update reduced the weight of the Falcor’s highback by an additional 10% from previous versions.

A More Responsive Mini Disc Core

The new Duraflex Mini Disk Base Core is stiffer and more responsive than the previous version. This baseplate layer allows for the fastest possible transfer of energy from the rider to the board that Union has ever achieved.

• The Benefit: More response, energy transfer, and precision in a binding that uses a mini disc system.

A New Flexible Base Frame

The frame of the binding is made to be more flexible than any other freeride binding. This is a main reason for what makes these so versatile.

• The Benefit: Increased freestyle flexibility and a unique ride feel made from eco-friendly materials.

Upgraded Ankle and Toe Straps With Magnesium Ratchets

• The Forma Hybrid 1.0 Ankle Strap
• The TS 6.0 Toe Strap
  
• The Benefit: Comfortable straps that mold to your boot to offer a response and reduce pressure points while riding. They are durable, lightweight, and won’t come loose as you ride.

Other Features (That Aren’t Necessarily New)

After that, they have a few features that have been standard for the Falcor:

Adjustable Aluminum Heelcups

The Benefit: It allows you to customize how your boots fit into the binding, adds a level of durability into the build, and adds a stronger level of heel hold for stability while riding.

3 Degree Canted Footbeds

Benefit: Natural foot positioning for better comfort and reduced fatigue during riding.

Classic FLAD (Forward Lean Adjustment)

Benefit: Quick and easy adjustment of forward lean angle to match different terrains.

Tool-less adjustments for Straps

Benefit: Easy customization and adjustments on the go without needing any tools.

So Are the Upgraded Falcor Bindings Worth Getting?

Yes, very much so! The comfort and versatility of these bindings are unmatched in Union’s line up. If you’re looking for an incredibly comfortable binding that is versitile enough to go anywhere on hill, then I highly recommend that you get the new Union Falcor bindings.

Where to Buy the New Union Falcor

The new Falcor is expected to hit shelves in early September of 2024.

You can preorder it from Blauer Board Shop to get your size as soon as it is available.

About the Reviewer

Rider Name: Steve Weber

Where I Rode: Stratton, VT and Montage Mountain, PA

Number of Days Rode: One day during a demo event.

Conditions: It was a mix of hardpack and ice with the occasional soft section from 1″ of fresh snow falling the night before.

Size / Model of Bindings Used: The 2025 Union Force Gen 3 Bindings in size medium and 2021 Union Force Classics (Gen 2) in size medium

Rider Weight: 142lbs

Board Used: I got to ride the new Falcor Bindings with the following boards:

• 2025 Capita DOA
• 2025 Capita Super DOA
• 2025 Capita Resort Twin

Boots Used: Thirty Two STW Boa

Related Articles:

• 2025 Union Bindings Preview
• Union Ultra Vs Strata Bindings
• Union Ultra Bindings Review
• Union Strata Bindings Review
• Union Force Bindings Review

Steve Weber

Steve Weber is the passionate snowboarder, skateboarder, and author behind Board of the World. He understands that most gear reviews focus on having the perfect snow conditions, but his testing methodology is different. Living in Pennsylvania, Steve describes exactly how a board performs when the conditions aren’t perfect. His reviews cover performance on ice, hardpack, and flat-out brick conditions. In other words, he reviews boards for the conditions that East Coast riders actually face.

Bringing 27 years of East Coast snowboarding and 21 years of skateboarding experience, Steve is a 42-year-old intermediate park rider. His recommendations are informed by decades of battling icy conditions, ensuring every review accounts for the board’s performance on the roughest of terrain.

For the last five years, Steve has poured his passion into writing in-depth, unbiased reviews that help riders make informed decisions about the gear they’ll use. He also works part-time at a snowboard shop in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which gives him a direct line to learning about the new gear tech months in advance. When he’s not writing reviews, Steve is often found riding at Montage Mountain and testing out new boards.

Steve’s goal with Board of the World is simple: to help every reader find the right gear so they can have fun outside from the first time they use it.