Union NEO Bindings Review: After 6 Years on Every Union Binding, This Is the One

The NEO is the latest mini disc binding from Union. It’s inspired by the tech and design of the Union Ultra and Falcor, while fitting into the lineup’s price range right near the Union Force.

The highlights of the Union NEO are that it’s comfortable, lightweight (weighing 1.94 lbs for one Men’s size medium binding), and customizable, all with a 6/10 flex and a level of response that’s on par with the Union Force, just built into a mini disc configuration.

That’s the core story here. It’s damper and more responsive than the Union Ultra, cheaper than the Union Falcor, and delivers a level of response that’s on par with the Force.

I like to think of the NEO binding as the more premium and well-rounded older brother of the Union Ultra.

Summary: My Overall Impression of the Union NEO Bindings

Over the last six years, I’ve had the chance to ride every binding in the Union lineup, and I’m happy to report that the new Union NEO is the one that felt best for how I like to ride.

I’m in my 40s, but I still love to hit small to medium jumps and jib everything in sight in the park.

As I get older, though, carving and exploring the rest of the mountain has become a close second priority for me. So now, I need a binding that’s as strong performance-wise outside the park as it is inside of it. I also need a binding that’s as responsive and comfortable as possible for the poor, icy, and chattery, rough conditions we often get here on the East Coast (because I’m based in Pennsylvania).

I’ve been such a fan of the Union Ultra binding’s comfort, but as I’ve spent more time carving, I have grown to appreciate the stiffer flex and response of the Force and Falcor. The NEO is the first binding that gave me all of it at once. I get the comfort, dampening, and board feel of the Ultra, the upgraded straps and tech features of the Falcor, and the Force’s price point and level of response. It takes the Ultra’s feel and turns it up a notch to deliver the versatility, power, and dampness that support you no matter the conditions.

For someone like me who spends time equally in the park and outside of it, this is the binding I’ve been waiting for, and it’s been outstanding to ride. If that sounds like you too, I think you’ll love it.

Who Are the Union NEO Bindings Good For?

The NEO is an excellent binding for the all-mountain rider who wants a light, comfortable binding with the latest tech features all for under $400.

It’s a super damp binding with an emphasis on shock absorption, so it’s perfect for the rider who wants to protect their knees and feet and stay out on the hill longer. The dampening built into the NEO’s bushing absorbs the vibrations from rough terrain and holds off the leg fatigue that usually cuts your day short.

And, if you like to spend time in the park, it’s still a worthwhile upgrade over the Ultra for that shock absorption alone.

Basically, the NEO is a high-tech binding, at an affordable price, with something to offer everyone.

So Who Is the NEO Not For?

• Beginners, or anyone who won’t notice or appreciate the higher-end tech features they’re paying for.
• The NEO is also not for the high-speed carver who has only one speed in mind, and that’s as fast as humanly possible at all times. While the NEO is more responsive than the Union Ultra, it isn’t as responsive as the full disc binding that better supports that kind of speed rider, the Union Atlas Pro.

Review Rating of the Union NEO Bindings

The new Union NEO bindings earned a rating score of a 91.4 out of 100 (or 4.57 out of 5) in the all-mountain binding category.

Considerations	Score Out of 100	Weight (%)
Comfort	100	10
Responsiveness	88	10
Customizations	90	10
Dampness	95	5
Shock Absorption	95	5
Support for Carving	85	10
Stability	90	5
Board Feel	90	5
Jibs	85	5
Jumps	95	10
Presses / Buttering	85	5
Ease of Entry / Exit	90	10
Overall Quality / Build	96	10
Total Weighted Score	91.4	100

Is the NEO a Good Binding for All-Mountain Riding?

Yes, the new Union NEO is an excellent binding choice for all-mountain resort riding.

While Union is marketing the NEO as their latest mini disc “freeride” binding, I think of it more as an excellent resort riding binding. I’d even make the claim that the NEO is the most comfortable resort-ready binding that I’ve had on my feet from Union in the last six years.

For me, the Union NEO worked better than described for the resort conditions I got to ride it in here on the East Coast (in PA, VT, and indoor at Big Snow in NJ). When it was icy, it offered the support I needed to feel like I wasn’t going to slide out. It’s also got the ability to shift and mold from side to side — toward your nose or tail — which helped me lock into presses on rail features. And when I wanted to dig an edge into a carve, I could really drive my weight into the carbon-injected highback.

Overall, it’s a noticeably light, damp, and comfortable resort binding that’s still responsive enough to carve with, and that’s been the real takeaway for me here.

Carving

Carving-wise, the highlights are the response, power, its dampness, and its lighter weight.

There is some power and drive to the NEO, but don’t let its 6/10 flex pattern throw you off. This binding has a carbon-injected highback that offers that little extra oomph of power when you drop your weight into your turns. The new bushing system also works incredibly well to dampen your setup, so if you’re riding in icy or rutted-out conditions, this binding helps your legs from tiring out as quickly. The NEO is also incredibly light, so on a pow day, your setup won’t feel as heavy when snow starts to pile on top of it.

Jumping

Jumping-wise, the highlights are the level of shock absorption and its weight.

The NEO is 5% lighter than the average all-mountain binding while offering a dual-density foam in the front/rubber in the back bushing that absorbs shock when you land. While it isn’t quite as light as the Union Ultra, the extra shock absorption and carbon-injected highback make it the better binding for learning new spins with.

Jibbing

Jibbing-wise, the highlights are its 6/10 medium flex, excellent boardfeel from the toe and heel baseplate cutouts, and its unheard-of level of shock absorption.

Think of the NEO binding as a more responsive, upgraded version of the Union Ultra. It keeps that same pressable, park-friendly flex, but adds some extra power and response thanks to its high-tech baseplate and carbon-infused highback.

The NEO’s blend of pressability mixed with power allows you to lock into presses on rails without sacrificing your edge control on your approach up to features. It’s also got such a lightweight build and a new piece of tech in its baseplate that allows you to more easily nose or tail press. It’s the new 3-piece baseplate, and it works like this.

This means you get a more responsive binding than the Ultra that won’t add any additional resistance to the flex pattern of your board. The NEO also adds in extra shock absorption to help you reduce the initial shock you feel as you slap against features, and that helps you balance your slides a little easier.

What Are the Pros of the Union NEO Binding?

The Union NEO is 5% Lighter Than the Average Binding

I weighed my men’s size medium NEO bindings at 1.94 lbs per binding without hardware. This means it is approximately 5.4% lighter than the industry-average binding for its size. With hardware added, it comes to exactly 2 lbs per binding.

That 5% might not sound like much, but after a day filled with riding the softest, dampest bindings, it winds up saving your legs some fatigue so you can stay out longer and progress faster.

The NEO Offers the Most Shock Absorption in a Mini Disc Binding

The new Union NEO binding is damper than any mini disc binding I’ve ever ridden. It’s built on a similar base plate as the Union Ultra, where the toe and heel are cut out altogether, and the only thing resting against the board is the bushing tech that it’s built on. However, the NEO has a different type of bushing that takes the shock absorption up a few notches.

How Is the NEO Bushing Different from the Ultra?

The Union NEO’s bushing is damper than the Union Ultra’s bushing because it has two different types of dampening agents under your feet that work together like a dual-stage suspension system.

The NEO’s bushing under your heel is made of a thick, yet flexible Thermoplastic Rubber, and then the bushing in the front under your toes is a running-shoe-like Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam. This is a very different configuration from the Union Ultra’s bushing because the Ultra uses the same running-shoe-like EVA foam under both the toe and heel.

What Is the Benefit of Having Two Different Materials in the Binding’s Bushing?

The main benefit of having two different dampening materials in the NEO binding’s bushing is that they work together as a dual-stage suspension system under your feet. The Thermoplastic Rubber under your heels works to resolve the chatter of uneven terrain, while the EVA foam at your toes works to absorb the shock of your heavier landings under your toes and midsole.

The NEO protects your feet, ankles, and knees from getting as tired over long sessions, all without sacrificing the response of an all-mountain binding that’s ready for any condition.

Altogether, they are super damp mini disc bindings that are ready to land hard on jumps and absorb the chatter of an overly rutted-out day of exploring the entire resort.

Comfortable While Still Being Capable to Ride Anywhere

This binding supports all types of riding from resort riding to freeriding to park riding. It’s damp. Very light and incredibly comfortable. It’s the do-it-all binding that you forget you’re strapped into. And that’s what we hope for.

The Smaller Tech Upgrades Make It An Incredible Binding

Beyond the main light and damp tech highlights, the NEO upgrades just about every touchpoint of the bindings that inspired it.

• The Hybrid 3.0 ankle strap has a soft EVA foam core that feels as soft as plush right out of the box, and its new hinge connector keeps the straps out of the way as you’re getting in and out of them. You flip the strap out of the way, drop your boot in, ratchet in, and you’re off.
  
  
• Toe strap-wise, the Dual-Layer UltraGrip toe strap separates its outer frame from its inner rubber grip in a way that wraps to whatever shaped boot you’re running without any slipping.
  
  
• The Magnesium S1 ratchets are the smoothest, most weather-sealed buckles Union has put on a binding yet, so you’re not fighting an iced-up ratchet on a cold morning (like we often do here in Pennsylvania).
  
  
• The S24 Duraflex CB highback is where a lot of the NEO’s carving power comes from. It’s an asymmetrical, four-piece carbon-injected design that puts support exactly where you need it for response without feeling overly stiff.

None of these are going to sell you on the binding by themselves, but together they’re the little things that add up to a setup that feels dialed every time you strap in.

What Are the Cons of the Union NEO Binding?

The NEO is $80 More Expensive Than the Average All-Mountain Binding

At $379.95, the Union NEO is between $80 to $100 above the price of the average men’s binding ($280–$300), and it’s now $30 higher than the best-selling Union all-mountain binding, the Union Force ($349.95).

With that said, the NEO offers some great extras for the additional $30 over the Force.

• 3-Piece Mini-Disk Baseplate: This feature gives you a more natural feeling flex from your board (it’s a binding that has a baseplate that works to flex with your board and not against it). It’s like the side-to-side playfulness of the Union Ultra with the toe-to-heel response that’s comparable to the Force’s flex and full disk footprint.
  
• Dual-Density Damping: The NEO bushing pairs a firm rubber under your heels for high-speed chatter reduction with a softer EVA foam front bushing under your toes and midsole for heavy impact absorption for jumps and jibbing performance.
  
  
• Upgraded Carbon Highback: This adds an asymmetrical carbon-injected highback that gives you immediate toe-to-heel response.
  
  
• Upgraded Hinge Straps: Adds Union’s hinged ankle strap connector for easier entry and exit.

Not A Lot of Customization With Forward Lean Adjustments: There Are Only Two Angle Stage Options

The NEO offers two forward lean adjustments in the way of a spare part you can keep in your pocket as you ride. These are the little Union oval blocks that sit right above your heelcup.

The default one looks to be for the same default 6 degrees that the Union Ultra has built into it, but when you swap it out for the larger stage attachment, it looks to take your forward lean to 11 degrees total. This lets you swap between a more laid-back all-mountain and park default lean or a more big-mountain-focused steeper angle.

While having two stage options is better than none, some resort riders will want to play around with their forward lean with more customization.

In all honesty, though, I rarely mess with my forward lean, so having two options is more than enough, and I’ll probably leave the big mountain attachment in my board bag that stays in my car (like most of you will, too).

After that, there isn’t much you won’t love about these. The color of the teal ones I got looks so sick, and they work exactly as described.

Why Does Union Categorize the NEO as a Freeride Focused Binding?

This one threw me off at first.

When I hear the word “freeride,” I picture a stiffer, hard-charging binding that’s built to bomb steep lines and hold an edge through big-mountain conditions. The NEO isn’t what I would typically picture for that. Instead, it’s actually a 6/10 (slightly stiffer than medium) flex mini disc binding that is more than capable of presses, butters, and feeling playful under your feet (and yes, it does still pack a punch as a carver too).

So why does Union categorize it as a freeride binding when it is honestly their most comfortable new all-mountain binding?

Well, after digging into their product page, it started to make some sense to me. It comes down to how Union defines the word “freeride” as a binding category compared to how most of us actually use the word freeride.

Union splits their bindings into four categories, and the stiffest, hard-charging bindings are actually in what they call their “Performance” category, not their “Freeride.” The Performance Category is where they place the stiffer Union Atlas and Falcor in their lineup.

Union’s “Freeride” category is a different thing than I thought it would be. To Union, a freeride binding blends support, comfort, and response together so you can ride whatever the mountain throws at you with confidence. That means on-piste or off, so when you view the freeride category that way, the NEO fits right into their categorization tee.

Union’s product page also highlights a few specific details of the NEO’s tech to back up their freeride label that I want to share here:

• The aluminum heelcup. A metal heelcup is all about heel hold, stability, and durability, and it’s not something you’d ever find on a soft, surfy park binding like the Ultra. That single piece does the most to earn the freeride name.
  
  
• The carbon-infused highback. Union builds the NEO’s highback with an asymmetrical, carbon-injected design for that extra response and drive when you lean into it, without cranking the flex number up.
  
  
• The baseplate itself. Union literally named the NEO’s three-piece mini disc baseplate around “freeride flex,” so the label is baked into the tech from the ground up.

My Take: The NEO Feels More Like an All-Mountain Focused Ultra

Here’s my honest take, though.

Even with all that freeride tech built into it, the NEO binding still rides like a 6/10 flexing, mini disc binding with its toe and heel sections cut out of its baseplate. The NEO still has that Union Ultra, pressable feel to it, through and through, but now it’s got a more powerful, supportive level of drive to take it up a few notches.

While I completely understand why Union went with the freeride story to differentiate this binding, to me, the NEO feels more like the more all-mountain-focused version of the Union Ultra rather than a true, “carving trenches” type of binding that the freerider might think it is based on its product description.

Call it freeride, or call it an upgraded, all-mountain focused Ultra. Either way, it’s still the most well-rounded, comfortable, and lightweight mini disc binding on the Union lineup.

And it has something to offer you whether you are a freerider, resort rider, or park rider.

Which Union Bindings Inspired the NEO: the NEO vs the Ultra, Falcor, and Force

When I said the NEO borrows from the rest of the Union lineup, I mean there are parts of a few different bindings that helped make the NEO what it is. For me, it helps to see exactly where the parts come from in a side by side comparison chart. Here I lined up the NEO’s tech next to the Ultra, Falcor, and Force’s tech.

The main summary of what this shows is that the NEO rides like the Ultra but is built with the Falcor’s premium straps and a lesser responsive, but still very much capable, carbon injected highback.

Spec	Union NEO	Union Ultra	Union Falcor	Union Force
Price	$379.95	$329.95	$439.95	$349.95
Flex	6/10	6/10	7/10	7/10
Weight per 1 Medium Men’s Binding, w/ disks	1.94 lbs	1.92 lbs	1.98 lbs	2.0 lbs
Disk Type	Mini Disk	Mini Disk	Mini Disk	Full (Camber) Disk
Baseplate	S14 Duraflex CB (carbon, 3-piece)	S11 Duraflex ST (non-carbon)	S12 Halo Duraflex Blue (2-layer)	S9 Duraflex ST (non-carbon)
Highback	S24 Duraflex CB – carbon injected, asym freeride shaped highback	S25 Duraflex ST – non-carbon high back	S20 Asym Forged Hybrid forged carbon highback	S19 Duraflex ST Stiffer non-carbon highback
Bushing	Dual-Density – Rubber Wih EVA Foam	Molecular – EVA Foam	Asym Molecular – EVA Foam	Molecular EVA Foam
Ankle Strap	Hybrid 3.0 w/ HP Core	Hybrid 1.0 w/ PU Core	Hybrid 3.0 w/ HP Core	Exoframe 6.0 w/ PU Core
Toe Strap	TS 6.0 Dual-Layer UltraGrip	TS 5.0 UltraGrip	TS 6.0 Dual-Layer UltraGrip	TS 5.0 UltraGrip
Canting	No (0°)	No (0°)	Yes (3°)	Yes

The pattern of similarities jumps right out. The NEO closely matches the Ultra on the performance categories that you’ll actually feel under your feet. It’s got the mini disk config, the 6/10 flex, and no canting with some extra dampening added in.

The NEO then matches the Falcor‘s on the hardware’s straps with similar high back capabilities.

The Union Force is the odd one out here where its a full disc configuration. However, it was included in the comparison because the rider of the NEO is a similar rider of the Force. They cater to the same person and share a similar price point.

So while the Union NEO lives in the Force’s do-it-all category and price range, it’s got the Falcor’s tech worked into the Ultra’s soft, comfortable chassis.

Note: The weights listed in the table above were with the mounting disc and coverage plates, but they didn’t include the mounting hardware. Add .6lbs for mounting hardware and washers.

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Are the Union NEO Good for Riding in the Park?

Definitely. Thanks to the new dual-suspension NEO Bushing of having rubber under your heel and EVA foam under your toes, you get a binding that is built to absorb the heavy impacts. It also adds some extra dampening without sacrificing board feel, so a day filled with landing flatfooted on jib features won’t tire you out as quickly.

Sizes Available

The NEO is available in Union’s usual Men’s Small, Medium, and Large sizes. This means there is an offering for anyone with a men’s shoe size US 5.5 through a 13.

	SMALL	MEDIUM	LARGE
US Men	5.5 – 7.5	8 – 10	10.5 – 13
US Women		6.5 – 8.5	9 – 11

Where to Buy the Union NEO Bindings

You can buy the NEO Bindings at EVO here.

About The Reviewer

Rider Name: Steve Weber

Where I Rode These Bindings: Stratton, VT and East Rutherford NJ (Indoors)

Number of Days Rode: 2 so far, but I own these bindings and they will be my primary set for my reviews over the 2026 / 2027 winter season.

Conditions: So far, I’ve ridden these bindings on conditions consisting of hard pack, ice, groomers, and the indoor dry powder at Big Snow.

Size / Model of Bindings Used: The 2027 Union NEO in a men’s size medium.

Rider Weight: 142lbs

Board Used: I’ve been riding the NEO with the Nidecker Tape Deck and Capita DOA.

Boots Used: Thirty Two STW Boa

Image Gallery of the Union NEO Bindings Review

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