Expert Review: 2021 Burton Malavita
Published on 07/13/2022 · 5 min readThis review is my own honest opinion of the snowboard bindings, which I bought with my own money in April 2020.
Photo credit to Alex Porterfield
About this review This review is my own honest opinion of the snowboard bindings, which I bought with my own money in April 2020.
My take
Burton Malavitas are good for any conditions that can be found on the mountain. Whether you are riding East Coast park laps or untouched Alaskan backcountry the Malavitas will exceed your expectations for performance and responsiveness. Ideally, they are for more experienced riders, but that doesn’t mean beginners can’t strap on a pair to channel their inner pro snowboarder.
Photo credit to Alex Porterfield
About this gear
- Binding model: Burton Malavita
- Riding level: Intermediate/Expert
- Burton channel compatible: Yes
- Mini disc: No
- Flex: Medium
About me
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 170 lbs
- Binding size: Medium
- Board: Burton Kilroy Twin
- Boot: Burton Imperials
- Experience: 7 years
Test conditions
- When I bought these: April 2020
- Days tested: 30
- Where I’ve used it: Bear Creek Mountain Resort, Killington Ski Resort
- Terrain: Groomers, Trees, and Jumps
How it performs
What I was looking for
I needed new bindings that would be able to crush the entire mountain. I wanted bindings that would allow me to lap the park with my friends, take into the backcountry, and slash powder with ease.
Why I chose this gear
The Malavita is a perennial choice for Burton Team Riders in all conditions which means it will handle anything I can throw at it. I test rode a few other models of bindings that I considered buying, but nothing matched the flexibility and response of the Malavita.
Photo credit to Alex Porterfield
What I love about it
- Binding adjustability in boots: Malavitas come with toolless adjustability on both the ankle and toe straps, allowing for me to dial in my straps to my boot size.
- Stance adjustability: Adjusting your stance is super easy and when paired with the Channel System, found on all Burton boards, allows for almost infinite ways to change your stance.
- Comfort: Some bindings constrict your foot and make riding throughout the day extremely uncomfortable. The Malavita comes with a toe strap sent from heaven. It makes me feel like I don’t even have bindings on, as if am attached directly to the board.
- Responsiveness: The main reason that I bought the Malavita is for its smooth responsiveness. There is no other binding on the market that can match its performance.
- Carving: The smooth responsiveness of the Malavitas allows me to initiate effortless turns and linking super tight turns through the trickiest of terrain.
- Buttering: Buttering on with these bindings is insane! The extreme level of response and flexibility give me the freedom to press all over the mountain.
- Buckles: One of my favorites features of the Vitas are the Double Take buckles that make strapping in super quick and never get caught up like traditional buckles.
- Durability: These bindings are super lightweight and pack a punch so I know they will last a lifetime. Burton has a lifetime warranty on the baseplate of the binding so if it ever can’t handle the terrain I throw at it, they’ll get me a brand new pair no questions asked.
- Weight: The Malavitas are not too heavy that it bogs me down, but sturdy enough so that I know they’ll never break on me.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Shock absorption: Personally, the shock absorption is not the best I have ever felt on a pair of bindings, but that is the only downfall of these bindings.
- Responsiveness: The Malavitas are not the most responsive binding from Burton. However, like the Burton Cartel X, that is not a disadvantage of the Malavita, just a preference that any rider should be aware of before purchasing.
Favorite moment with this gear
Over the course of the previous season of bad weather, pow days, untracked powder, and dirt patch spring laps there has not been one problem with these bindings. When my friends and I lap the park we routinely swap boards so that everyone can ride new gear. Two of my friends took a lap on my Kilroy Twin with Malavitas and immediately went to the local board shop and bought Malavitas. All it takes is one lap on a pair of Malavitas to see why they are trusted by so many riders from beginners to seasoned pros.
Photo credit to Alex Porterfield
Value for the money vs. other options
The price is worth it when it comes to the Malavitas. I get all the bells and whistles that Burton offers that all other companies can’t. Going with more inexpensive options, although may be helpful to the wallet, are not helpful for riding and you will wish you had invested in the Malavitas. Buying a more expensive pair of bindings than the Malavitas would just be a waste of money. Why buy a more expensive model when the Malavita has literally everything you could ask for?
Final verdict
All it takes is one lap on a pair of Malavitas to see why they are trusted by so many riders from beginners to seasoned pros. I don’t think there is another binding on this planet I am interested in riding after spending a season on the Malavitas. With a lifetime guarantee and the performance to handle anything I throw at it, the Burton Malavita is a steal!
