Nidecker Is Now Licensing Its Supermatic Binding Technology To Other Brands

Originally posted on SNOWBOARDER | By Josh Sullivan | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 4:13 PM ET

The convenience binding has made its way into Salomon’s lineup for 2025-2026.

Salomon has introduced the XA Supermatic binding to its lineup this year, and it’s using the technology that Nidecker has nearly perfected for the last few years.

The Supermatic is a rear-entry binding that is extremely similar to the Flow bindings of the early 2000s. The highback folds back, which allows riders to get off of the chair, step on their bindings, and lock everything into place. “No fiddling with buckles, just kick, click, and go,” the website says.

Nidecker has also licensed out its Supermatic technology to Bent Metal Binding Works, which is owned by Mervin Manufacturing. The Bent Metal Lightning Supermatic is an all mountain binding that is on the stiffer side of things. It features a slip plate with a canted footbed, heel shock pad, and solid power high-backs. The Lightning will be available in medium, large, and extra large size offerings. This is a unisex binding.

Both the Bent Metal and Salomon offering retail for $480.

The biggest differences between the Nidecker, Bent Metal, and Salomon offerings is in the high backs and the forward lean feature. The high back is shortest on the Bent Metal Lightning, and tallest on the Salomon XA. The Angry Snowboarder, aka Avran LeFeber, published a video back in June 2025 comparing the three options. You can check that video out below.

“If you’re thinking of going Supermatic, the biggest thing I want you to know is a bigger base tray, bigger dead spot underfoot, and these do come with more weight,” he said in the review. “Now the cool thing is if you’re in an area that only sells Bent Metal or Salomon and you’ve got the Nidecker and something goes wrong, and they sell these, the parts are interchangeable. You’ve got that going for you.”

This comes at a time in which the technology behind easy-entry bindings is rapidly improving, and more brands are getting in on what once was a very niche market. Burton has of course been pushing its Step On boots and bindings more by offering higher quality boots, splitboard options, and licensing its technology to brands like Union and Nitro.

Then last year, plans for FASE bindings were announced. The company is an ingredient technology, similar to BOA or Gore-Tex, and has released bindings through Rome, ThirtyTwo, Jones, and Bataleon. The FASE offers users a way to enter the binding similar to the Supermatic, but then offers maximum customization before dropping in. That is a feature that its creators believe has kept the core snowboarding crowd away from convenience bindings in the past.

This article first appeared on SNOWBOARDER and was syndicated with permission.

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