Snowboard Binding Hole Patterns

Updated 2/13/23

It’s important to be able to distinguish snowboard hole patterns apart. There are 3 main mounting patterns and 1 minor one that will each one will mount to a board slightly different. When you go buy your equipment you’re going to want to know what kind of hole pattern your board has and if your snowboard bindings actually have the correct disc to go onto your snowboard. It is also good to note that with the advancement of bindings some require the 4×2 hole pattern and will not fit on older or less expensive boards with only a 4×4 option.

Types of Inserts

• 4×2
• 4×4
• Channel
• 3D (Old Burton pattern still used on 2 kids boards)

4×4 Hole Pattern

The 4×4 hole pattern has been the most used over the years and was widely recognized as the standard mounting pattern for years. It allows bindings to be adjusted forward and backward and/or side to side so you can fine-tune you stance to perfectly get the stance that you feel most comfortable riding.

4×2 Hole Pattern

The most common pattern nowadays is the 4×2 pattern. The 4×2 is just the standard 4×4 pattern with extra inserts in between, offering more stance options and more adjustability. You still get the same options as you did with the 4×4 but now there are extra options to fine tune your stance side-to-side for bindings that have non-adjustable heel loops and need to be adjusted toe-to-heel to properly center your foot. Also with the growing number of bindings with mini-discs (for increased board flex with your bindings) you NEED to have the 4×2 pattern to be able to mount the bindings properly.

Channel System

While the Channel system is most commonly found on the majority of Burton boards, a few other companies are starting to use it as well. Most binding companies nowadays come with or offer a channel compatible disk that allows for their bindings to attach to boards with the Channel system. Burton introduced this system over 15 years ago to not only offer a stronger board construction and offer unlimited binding width adjustments, but also to accept their EST versions of their bindings.  The EST bindings have 80%-90% more flexibility and board feel compared to most solid baseplate bindings.

3D Hole Pattern

Around the same time the 4×4 hole pattern was developed Burton came up with the 3D pattern in which bindings are mounted with  3 screws in a triangle formation. It is only used on 2 of Burton’s youth boards now but is slowly dying out but there are still a handful of companies that make discs compatible with this hole pattern to ride older adult Burton boards.

Check out the video below for a GREAT visual explanation of these mounting systems