Spark R&D Arc ST Splitboard Binding | Green | 2026
Light, Surfy, and Built for the Long Way Up.
The Spark R&D Arc ST is Spark's most popular splitboard binding for a reason. It's the binding that makes a long skin track feel manageable, a pow day feel effortless, and a tree run feel like surfing — a medium-flex, lightweight setup that prioritises agility, board feel, and touring efficiency over maximum stiffness and raw edge drive. The Arc is the choice for riders who spend more time thinking about the quality of the line than the steepness of the consequence: backcountry powder chasers, creative all-mountain explorers, and splitboarders who want a binding that doesn't punish them on the way up and rewards them on the way down. It sits on the same Tesla T1 platform with the same ST Tech touring components as the Surge ST — but built lighter, with a softer highback character and a smaller ankle strap that gives your foot room to move and your ride a surfy, playful feel. Made in Bozeman, Montana, USA — every component built in-house.
The foundation is a CNC-machined aluminium baseplate with maximum cutouts — strategically placed to remove material where it isn't structurally needed, while partially filling the side windows to maintain strength at the points that matter. Those cutouts aren't just for weight; they also allow for puck adjustment with the bindings mounted, so you can fine-tune your stance without dismounting anything. The Arc ST Asym Rip 'N' Flip Highback uses a moderate glass fibre fill for medium flex — stiff enough for toe-to-heel edge control, torsionally flexible enough for the lateral mobility that makes tree runs and creative lines feel natural. Individual left and right highbacks fit the ergonomics of each leg properly, with a flattened upper section that prevents the highback from locking your calf and restricting lateral movement when you're flowing through variable terrain. The tool-free FLAD toggles the forward lean from -13° touring position to up to +22° in ride mode, and everything in between, without tools.
The smaller Pillow Line ankle strap — with its flex window — is the detail that most sets the Arc apart from the Surge. The flex window is a cutout in the strap body that reduces strap rigidity and lets the ankle move more naturally through turns, producing the surfy, feel-oriented character that Arc riders come back to season after season. All straps are one-piece moulded construction, waterproof, made entirely in-house. The ST Whammy Bar climbing wire is built into the baseplate — 12° and 18° positions, side-arm lever, overmoulded plastic contact point for smooth, gloved-hand adjustment on steep skin tracks. ST Tech touring brackets overmould Spark's proprietary thermoplastic blend over the aluminium base forming bushings that last four times longer than the previous brass version. The Tesla T1 snap ramp locks the binding into the offset bracket in ride mode — no pins, no cables, no tools. Ibex crampon mounting claws are integrated into the ST brackets, ready for the Ibex ST Crampons when the skin track gets firm.
Why Ride the Spark R&D Arc ST?
✅ Tesla T1 Binding System — Slide sideways into the ST bracket, lock with the Snap Ramp; no pins, no cables, no tools; the fastest, most reliable splitboard transition system available
✅ ST Tech Touring Brackets — Overmoulded thermoplastic over aluminium; self-lubricating; 4x more durable than brass bushings; smooth and efficient in any temperature
✅ ST Whammy Bar Climbing Wire — Built into the baseplate; 12° and 18° positions; side-arm lever for gloved-hand position changes; overmoulded plastic contact point for smooth adjustment on steep terrain
✅ CNC-Machined Aluminium Baseplate with Maximum Cutouts — Weight removed where it isn't structurally needed; partially filled side windows maintain integrity at load points; puck adjustment possible with bindings mounted
✅ Arc ST Asym Rip 'N' Flip Highbacks — Moderate glass fibre fill for medium flex and a surfy, playful ride feel; individual L/R highbacks for natural ergonomics; flattened upper for lateral mobility; tool-free FLAD from -13° to +22°
✅ Smaller Pillow Line Ankle Strap with Flex Window — Compact strap with a cutout that allows natural ankle flex through turns; delivers the agile, board-feel-forward character that defines Arc riding
✅ Pillow Line Toe Strap — Designed as a toe cap for full-boot security, or fits as a traditional strap across the top of the boot
✅ Standard Thermoplastic Ladders and Adjusters — Made in-house; maintains flex over a wide temperature range from cold dawn starts to warm spring corn tours
✅ Integrated Ibex Crampon Mounting Claws — Ibex ST crampons snap on and off the ST brackets without tools (crampons sold separately)
✅ Burton Buckles — Time-tested buckle technology on all straps
✅ Made in Bozeman, Montana, USA — Every binding component built in-house since 2006
Tech Specs
Binding Style: Splitboard — tour and ride mode
Touring System: Tesla T1 — offset ST bracket, Snap Ramp lock; no pins, no cables
ST Tech: Overmoulded thermoplastic on touring brackets, whammy bars, and crampon axles
Baseplate: CNC-machined aluminium — maximum cutouts; partially filled side windows; puck adjustment with bindings mounted
Highback: Arc ST Asym Rip 'N' Flip — moderate glass fibre fill; medium flex; individual L/R; tool-free FLAD; range -13° to +22°; flattened upper for lateral mobility
Ankle Strap: Pillow Line — standard thermoplastic; smaller around the boot; flex window for agility; one-piece moulded; made in-house
Toe Strap: Pillow Line — toe cap or traditional fit
Ladders/Adjusters: Standard thermoplastic — wide temperature range performance
Hardware: Stainless steel
Buckles: Burton — time-tested, field-proven
Climbing Wire: ST Whammy Bar — built into baseplate; 12° and 18° positions; side-arm lever; overmoulded contact point
Crampon Mount: Integrated Ibex claws on ST brackets (crampons sold separately)
Forward Lean: Tool-free FLAD — -13° tour / 0° to +22° ride
Compatibility: All puck-compatible splitboards (Spark Flat Pucks or Canted Pucks required — sold separately)
In the Box: Bindings, ST Brackets, T1 Heel Rests, mounting screws, Spark Pocket Tool
Weight: 1.38 lbs / 628g per binding | 2.77 lbs / 1,256g per pair (Medium)
Made in: Bozeman, Montana, USA
Binding Size Guide
Spark R&D uses unisex sizing based on boot length and bulk — not men's or women's specific. When in doubt, consider sizing up with bulkier or stiffer-soled boots.
| Size | US Men's Boot | US Women's Boot | EU | Mondo |
| XS | <7.0 | <8.0 | <39 | <24.5 |
| S | 7.0 – 8.5 | 8.0 – 9.5 | 39 – 41 | 24.5 – 26.0 |
| M | 8.5 – 10.5 | 9.5 – 11.5 | 41 – 43 | 26.0 – 27.5 |
| L | 10.5+ | 11.5+ | 43+ | 27.5+ |
Boot bulk matters as much as boot size with Spark sizing. A bulkier boot at US 10 may fit better in a Large than a Medium. If you're between sizes or unsure, call us on 03 9421 2293 and we'll help you work it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm new to splitboarding — what else do I need beyond these bindings?
The Arc ST comes with ST Brackets, T1 Heel Rests, mounting screws, and Spark's Pocket Tool. What's not included — and essential — is a set of pucks to mount the bindings to your splitboard in ride mode. Spark offers Flat Pucks (neutral stance) and Canted Pucks (angled for more natural ankle alignment and reduced knee fatigue on long tours); canted pucks are the more popular choice. Both sold separately. You'll also want Ibex ST Crampons for any serious skin track — they snap onto the integrated mounting claws on the ST brackets and are the difference between a sketchy traverse and a confident one on firm or icy approaches. Your splitboard also needs split-specific inserts and interface hardware if it doesn't already have them. Call us on 03 9421 2293 and we can walk through exactly what your specific board and setup needs.
How does the Tesla T1 system work — and how fast are the transitions?
The Tesla T1 is Spark's proprietary transition system. In tour mode, the binding slides sideways into the offset ST touring bracket and locks with the Tesla Snap Ramp. No pins to thread, no cables to pull, no tools required. To transition to ride mode: snap the ramp up, slide the binding out, rotate it 90°, slide it into the puck channel, snap the ramp down. Most riders dial their transitions under two minutes, and the system is designed to work when everything is covered in snow and ice — the ST Tech overmoulding on the brackets and whammy bars makes every moving part smoother and more durable than any previous version. The Arc and Surge ST share the same T1 system and ST brackets, which means your pucks and touring hardware are interchangeable if you ever upgrade between the two.
Arc ST vs Surge ST — which is right for me?
The Arc and Surge are Spark's two core splitboard binding families on the same T1 platform. The Arc is the lighter, more playful binding — maximum baseplate cutouts, smaller ankle strap with a flex window, moderate glass fibre highback. It's the binding for riders who prioritise board feel, agility, and tour efficiency: pow days, tree lines, mellower alpine terrain, and anyone who wants the descent to feel surfy and free rather than locked-down and driving. The Surge is heavier, stiffer, and more supportive — solid baseplate, wider ankle strap, higher glass fibre highback — for bigger or more aggressive riders charging steep, consequential terrain where maximum edge drive and control matter more than feel and weight. If your backcountry sessions lean toward flow and exploration, the Arc ST is your binding. If you're regularly committing to no-fall-zone steeps and demanding lines, the Surge ST is worth the extra weight. Not sure? Call us on 03 9421 2293 for an honest call based on how you ride.
Arc ST vs Arc ST Pro — is the Pro upgrade worth it?
Both bindings share the same baseplate geometry, T1 system, ST Tech brackets, and Rip 'N' Flip highback shape. The Pro upgrades the materials at every touch point: carbon-reinforced nylon highbacks (stiffer and lighter than glass-reinforced), full Pebax® straps, ladders, and adjusters (20% lighter, cold-stable, more consistent in sub-zero temperatures), and 7075-T6 aluminium hardware throughout instead of stainless steel. The weight saving per pair in Medium is meaningful — around 122g lighter than the standard Arc ST — and Pebax® strap performance in cold is genuinely better than standard thermoplastic. For riders doing long, multi-hour approaches where every gram accumulates, or those chasing the best cold-weather strap feel available, the Pro is worth the investment. For weekend touring on moderate objectives, the standard Arc ST performs at the same fundamental level at a lower price. Call us and we'll give you an honest answer for your specific touring habits.
About Spark R&D
Spark R&D was founded in 2006 in Bozeman, Montana — at the base of the Bridger Mountains, with a direct view of the terrain that informs every design decision they make. They manufacture and assemble every binding component in-house at their Bozeman shop, with the exception of a handful of screws and the buckles. That level of manufacturing control is rare in the industry and is why Spark's designs iterate with precision — when they identify a problem, they fix it themselves. The Arc ST is consistently Spark's most popular binding and has won Backcountry Magazine's Editors' Choice Award. Twenty years of focused innovation on splitboard bindings, and nothing else, has made Spark the benchmark against which every other splitboard binding system is measured.
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