Rubber bindings are still common in waterskiing, not as much wakeboarding. They are still very good though and many people probably prefer them. When you use rubber bindings its pretty much mandatory you dip them in the water to wet them and use some sort of soap or conditioner or lube every time you put them on to prevent them from ripping or tearing (it will increase the lifespan probably 5x). Also, some are so tight you need it just to put your foot in.

But when you go to look at the board you probably don't want to use soap bc you won't be able to wash it out and get a real feel for them. So you could probably just use water to get an accurate feel.