If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
noob questions
I've gone snowboarding 3 times now and I am officially hooked. I'm in the
process of researching gear and would appreciate suggestions. Obviously a noob so freestyle isn't in my vocabulary yet and may never be so I'm thinking an all mountain board would suit me best. My first choice would be a Burton Custom as it seems that my abilities could grow with this board for a long time to come. I'm 6' 2", 175 lbs, shoe size is 10 - 10.5. Would a 160 board be long enough? The rental gear I've used all had step in bindings and I love the convenience but I've read they don't offer the same control as the traditional strap bindings. Flow bindings look like a very nice alternative - are they as advertised? (control of strap bindings, convenience of step ins) TIA |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
noob questions
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
noob questions
"cipher" asked
some questions about gear Hi Cipher, let me quote Tom who posted a few concerns about Flow Bindings a while back: schrieb im Newsbeitrag om... let me begin by saying i'm a huge fan of the flow binding, but with a asterisk. I'm a fan of the old design, not the new one. I wore my old ones until the base plate literaly fell apart, so this year i went out and bought a new pair. I really splurged and bought the carbon fiber hi-back model and was excited about getting on the mountain with it, until i actually got on the mountain. On the old design the cable was attached a little higher on the high back so when you flipped it up the pressure would keep the highback up. on the new one they lowered where the cable connects and added a slot on the high back that the plastic piece fits into and then is held in place with two small strips of metal. When you go to the shop take a good look at those strips of metal, push them in and imagine how much force it would take to bend either one or both of them. On my first day out on a black diamond run on an icy east coast hill, i suddenly felt my back foot go loose when i looked down my back highback had flopped down, my foot was out of the binding and i was getting ready for a spill of epic proportions. At first I didn't realize what was going on, but i couldn't get the highback to stay up. luckily i was snowboarding with my friend who is a lot like Mcguyver and he immedietly saw why the highback wasn't staying up took his car keys out and bent the metal strips out enough so they caught the highback. that worked for a run or two, but again the force from turning (I'm no pro, but I do like to go hard, fast and steep) made the metal strips bend and my highback dropped down again. Now I was scared, I didn't want to get hurt, so I bent it out again with my keys and carefully made my way to the lodge where i rented a pair of convential bindings. Looking back at the design it's striking to think that Flow would put such cheap elements into such an important part of the binding. I don't know what they were thinking, and yes i'm sure they tested the hell out of this thing before they put it on the market, but still, these skinny, cheap, pieces of metal are not what i want standing between me and a bad fall. The one really intresting thing is that on Flow's most expensive, hardest to find binding, the pro model, they are still using the old design and not those metal strips. And to add injury to insult, the new cable is not long enough, so the highback doens't flop down when you release the highback, which is the whole point of the flow design. if it doesn't flop down when you release you can't step in or step out, so what exactly is the point in having a step-in binding that you can't step into? tom and now on to Todd: "toddjb" schrieb im Newsbeitrag om... If you buy flow bindings, strongly consider flow boots as well. I rode a pair of Pro-S flows for 10 days with my "32" boots. First off, the bindings fit awful with those boots and I could never get them snug without foot pain...however, since I sold the flows I also noticed a lot of damage to my rear boot at the heel. The friction of the flow highback coming up and scraping the side of the boot each time broke through some seams on the boot and scraped the heel up pretty good. If you can wait a year I heard a rumor that Ride is coming out with a very cool flow like system next year. I haven't seen it but it is supposed to have straps, but a highback that drops down. So, you get the quick easy-in/easy-out, but the on-slope adjustments of straps... and the top strap would rise up when you drop the highback so it is easy to get your foot in and out. That's what i heard, who knows if its true. Since I didn't like the flows, i think its worth waiting to see what's out next season. If you don't like anything, you can always buy a 03/04 model cheap on ebay. -t HtH and HF, Simon |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
noob questions
Thanks for the info. As you know, there are so many brands of boards
available, so I gravitated to something I recognized. What other names would you recommend? "Edmunde Lee" wrote in message om... (cipher) wrote in message . com... I've gone snowboarding 3 times now and I am officially hooked. I'm in the process of researching gear and would appreciate suggestions. Obviously a noob so freestyle isn't in my vocabulary yet and may never be so I'm thinking an all mountain board would suit me best. My first choice would be a Burton Custom as it seems that my abilities could grow with this board for a long time to come. I'm 6' 2", 175 lbs, shoe size is 10 - 10.5. Would a 160 board be long enough? The rental gear I've used all had step in bindings and I love the convenience but I've read they don't offer the same control as the traditional strap bindings. Flow bindings look like a very nice alternative - are they as advertised? (control of strap bindings, convenience of step ins) TIA Flows are a good thing. I personally use a Burton step-in system.. but mainly because I scored a really good deal on boots and bindings. Problem with most (all) step in systems is that you need to buy the boot specifically for the binding. Flows, and strap bindings, you can use a multitude of different boots. Do they have less control? Perhaps... but probably nothing you're going to notice until your skill level increases. I ride pretty hard with my setup, focusing more on carving, and high speed turns, and I do ok. Mind you, I have made a few subtle improvements, using a few straps on my boots to make them stiffer. A Burton Custom is not a bad choice for you, and 160 sounds about right as well... just don't be so quick to jump on the popular brand name bandwagon without considering the other fine makers out there... not to say anything bad against Burton.. Break a leg... |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
noob questions
thinking an all mountain board would suit me best. My first choice would be
a Burton Custom as it seems that my abilities could grow with this board for a long time to come. I'm 6' 2", 175 lbs, shoe size is 10 - 10.5. Would a 160 board be long enough? The rental gear I've used all had step in I think the burton custom is a great beginner board. If you're still trying to get totally comfortable linking turns, it'll be great. It makes tight slow turns pretty easy. But, I do think it might be a little soft for aggressive all mountain riding once you get past the beginner days. Something a little stiffer may require a bit more effort to ride, but it'll reward you with a higher speed limit and better stability through crap snow. On the other hand, if you do think you're gonna end up in the park on rails, a slightly soft board should be what you want (or so I'm told, I don't ride rails, and do little else in the park). So, in my opinion, when you're starting out boarding, you really don't know what kind of riding you want. So there's no way to chose the "right" board. I'd suggest going a little on the cheap, or just be prepared to buy a new board for your 2nd season. Don't buy something so crap you can't learn... but just think "this is my board to learn on and for my first year" rather than "this is my board for the next 4 years". That's all. For your weight, 160 should be fine. bindings and I love the convenience but I've read they don't offer the same control as the traditional strap bindings. Flow bindings look like a very nice alternative - are they as advertised? (control of strap bindings, convenience of step ins) TIA I tried flows for the first time this last weekend. I'm sold. I personally do not think they're easier than straps to step into... but I only had a couple runs of messing with them. One problem I'd see with flows for a total beginner is that you can't sit on your but and strap into them... you have to be on toeside. Some folks might not like that. The flow's are also harder to adjust... so again, as a beginner you'll probibly be changing your stance settings pretty often as you try stuff... that'll be a little more annoying with the flows. I thought they were *fantastic* for riding though. Very comfortable, very firm hold on your foot, no pressure points like with some strap bindings. I tried the Pro C Extreme, and it's definately the best binding I've used so far. I'd reccomend it to anyone that wants a stiff solid binding. I like my current bindings a lot, so I'm surprised how much better the flow are. Unforetunately, finding flow in stock can be hard, and when you do, they won't be a bargin :/. I use salomon bindings where the two halfs of the toe strap don't totally seperate when you loosen it up all the way. It makes strapping in pretty dang quick. I'm definately faster strapping than my friends because of them. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
noob questions
Jason Watkins wrote:
bindings and I love the convenience but I've read they don't offer the same control as the traditional strap bindings. Flow bindings look like a very nice alternative - are they as advertised? (control of strap bindings, convenience of step ins) TIA I tried flows for the first time this last weekend. I'm sold. I personally do not think they're easier than straps to step into... but I only had a couple runs of messing with them. One problem I'd see with flows for a total beginner is that you can't sit on your but and strap into them... you have to be on toeside. Some folks might not like that. Best time to learn to strap into the binding while standing. No big deal, really. Looks damn stupid if you fall while trying to flip the highback up though.. And it's always faster than sitting down. The flow's are also harder to adjust... so again, as a beginner you'll probibly be changing your stance settings pretty often as you try stuff... that'll be a little more annoying with the flows. I have marked the positions of the 4 ratchets on each binding with a silver marker pen. I thought they were *fantastic* for riding though. Very comfortable, very firm hold on your foot, no pressure points like with some strap bindings. I tried the Pro C Extreme, and it's definately the best binding I've used so far. I'd reccomend it to anyone that wants a stiff solid binding. I like my current bindings a lot, so I'm surprised how much better the flow are. I had to change boots to get full benefit from the flow binding. Now I have a pair of Burton Moto's. Best boot/binding combo for me. YMMV, though. Unforetunately, finding flow in stock can be hard, and when you do, they won't be a bargin :/. Same in Germany. I dread the day my flows break. Won't be cheap to replace.. -- Werner Jacobi nichtrauscherzone studio http://www.nichtrauscherzone.de |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Grasshopper technique questions! | Tom | Snowboarding | 16 | February 5th 04 05:23 PM |
Wax shelf-life and other tuning questions | msegal | Snowboarding | 3 | January 30th 04 06:35 AM |
Couple of questions (pants, gloves, wrist injury, half pipe). | MP | Snowboarding | 7 | January 25th 04 09:17 AM |
burton binding questions | Johnny K | Snowboarding | 2 | January 16th 04 08:36 PM |
Noob clothing question.. | Calz | Snowboarding | 5 | December 2nd 03 10:08 PM |