Why any board I ride has a leash

[dmc]

Probably have and I have been living off the remnants on Ebay ..

I have friends that face kinda the same thing with race decks..
Burton stopped making them.. A couple guys I know have to either graze off EBay or get them custom made..

 

[tcharron]

Probably have and I have been living off the remnants on Ebay ..

Sorry, just found it a bit surprising. Most people seem to have an 'exceptional dislike' for click in bindings.

If you're actually interested, the Nashua, NH area Sports Exchange store typically has quite a few boots/bindings that no one buys because everyone says not to. Sometime this week I'll take a quick note of what they actually have there. Pretty sure they had a bunch of click in boots/bindings that where new/nearly new.

 

[Method9455]

People have a strong disdain for the K2 Clicker bindings, those things SUCK. The Burton SI are equal to mid level strap in bindings FROM THEIR TIME. Had K2 not soiled the whole idea with their garbage Burton probably could have continued to improve the SI line. They might even be equal at this point. Give me a SI system on a Burton Hail boot with the CO2 and it might be sweet. Obviously there is a need for a binding that is quick to get into, look at Flow, the Burton Fusion, the K2 ones that open up. The problem wit the SI though is that they can get ice jammed in sometimes, but they where miles better than the clicker.

 

[dmc]

Once you pull out of a Flow on a high speed carve... You'll never strap into one again..

Maybe it was "operator error" - but it scared the livin crap out of me...

 

[Method9455]

What model? We just picked up flow at my shop this season, the higher end stuff is very nice but I don't like the lower end stuff, and the higher end stuff is VERY expensive. I'm not sure if I would like it, I like my stuff really stiff and responsive, I'm one step short of ski boots on plate bindings on my freeride setup, I guess it comes from being a skier first.

Last season I was teaching some new people how to ride and the shop we went to (near mount snow, forgot the name) had Flow bindings with quick adjust angle plates for their rental stuff, it was really slick. Easy to get into and out of for beginners, adjust the angles without a screw driver on the mountain in case they change their mind on goofy vs regular, perfect for rentals.

 

[RENO]

What model? We just picked up flow at my shop this season, the higher end stuff is very nice but I don't like the lower end stuff, and the higher end stuff is VERY expensive. I'm not sure if I would like it, I like my stuff really stiff and responsive, I'm one step short of ski boots on plate bindings on my freeride setup, I guess it comes from being a skier first.

Last season I was teaching some new people how to ride and the shop we went to (near mount snow, forgot the name) had Flow bindings with quick adjust angle plates for their rental stuff, it was really slick. Easy to get into and out of for beginners, adjust the angles without a screw driver on the mountain in case they change their mind on goofy vs regular, perfect for rentals.

The new Flow NXT Line is great. Very light and easier to adjust than their older models. I have the Flow NXT-FX for freeriding. The problem is you have to spend more time adjusting them at first than a traditional strap binding. The NXT's are a lot easier to adjust though. After the first day and a few runs of fine tuning I was done and haven't messed with them since early last season. I've heard of people popping out of them, but I've been using them for 5 years and it's never happened to me. Just gotta spend a little time at first adjusting them...

 

[spooner]

Jerry,

I think you're the first proponent of step-ins I've come across. To each his own.

Some people mentioned no problems without leashes, I was stopped last year at Bretton woods and told I could not use the lift until I had a leash. Since then I've kept the leash in my pocket and not returned to Bretton Woods.

So, my question, how many other people with strap-ins use a leash? I've felt it unnecessary.

 

[chfriend]

As a second year rider, this thread made me go and take a look at the SI bindings (which can be had very cheaply on eBay). I bought a pair of Flow NXT bindings last year to the tune of $249.

Simply put, I almost killed myself when one of the plastic toeside nut assemblies broke midrun and made my foot go loose. I managed to get the "upgrade" to metal nut assemblies that they released for free (*COUGH* recall *COUGH) to fix that problem.

However, I also noticed that no matter what I did to adjust the things, they kill my toe-side turn ability. I also had a hard time getting into them compared to the strap-ins. I've gone back to my $120 Ride LX strap-in's and will probably be selling the NXT's, which are hardly used. I can get into the strap-in's standing up, and I'm not exactly in the best of shape right now. I'm currently having my own "battle of the bulge" (and unfortunately the bulge is currently winning!)

 

[Method9455]

I find coming off a chairlift with one foot strapped in I can do the back one while standing (usually moving too) but coming off a gondola if I have to do both I sit.

 

[chfriend]

I find coming off a chairlift with one foot strapped in I can do the back one while standing (usually moving too) but coming off a gondola if I have to do both I sit.

I think for me it's because the instructor I was with strapped in standing up and I just followed suit. Kind of weird when everyone else around me is sitting though (and I can't do it while moving yet, I have to stop)

 

[twinplanx]

1. Ski under control and in such a manner so that you can stop at any time or avoid other skiers or objects.
2. When passing or overtaking another skier you must avoid the skier below you.
3. You should not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.
4. When entering a trail or starting a descent yield to other skiers.
5. Check your equipment daily - particulary your release bindings. All skiers/riders must use devices while skiing/riding to help prevent runaway skis/snowboards. Runaway skis/snowboards can be lethal whether on the trial of from falling from an aerial lift. You have a responsibility to your fellow skiers to prevent injury to them.
6. You shall keep off posted trails and posted areas and observe all posted signs.
7. Follow instructions carefully when using ski lifts.
8. Please observe all posted "slow skiing areas".
9. Do not ski slopes too difficult for your ability.
10. Do not jump or perform "aerial" maneuvers.

Yeah kinda surprised no one else touched on this but all those who don't are in violation of the code :x

 

[chfriend]

5. Check your equipment daily - particulary your release bindings. All skiers/riders must use devices while skiing/riding to help prevent runaway skis/snowboards. Runaway skis/snowboards can be lethal whether on the trial of from falling from an aerial lift. You have a responsibility to your fellow skiers to prevent injury to them.

Not really, my boots have no place to put a leash except around the laces, so if I were to use one (and both straps on my front bindings were to release or break) the weight of the board would just untie my boots and away he'd go (my snowboard is a male ;-))

Instead I just have the leash attached to the bindings on both ends, one end to the highback and the other end to the ankle strap.

 

[dmc]

.
5. Check your equipment daily - particulary your release bindings. All skiers/riders must use devices while skiing/riding to help prevent runaway skis/snowboards. Runaway skis/snowboards can be lethal whether on the trial of from falling from an aerial lift. You have a responsibility to your fellow skiers to prevent injury to them.

As said.. We rely on the fact that we have 2 feet strapped in to prevent our boards from slipping away... Works pretty well... Don't see too as many snowboards escaping as you do skis.. See more skis falling from lifts then boards too...

On steep groomed terrain there's really nothing to stop a ski from running away.. Ski brakes don't work all that well.. If you were really serious about posting that statement - you should wear straps like we did before the days of ski breaks..

 

[dmc]

My leash is attached to my swivler ( a rotational device which allows me to turn my front foot forward for ease of skating ) The leash is long enough that I can fasten it around my leg above the calf. I pull on the leash when I want to move the swivler to change my front foot angle( the binding sits on top of the swivler plate ). Having the front foot more forward comes in Handy on the lift too. I can carry my board and still have the leash attached to me.

You use one of those swivlers? wow..

I'd be seriously afraid to use that AND a stepin binding.. For real... That's a lot of stuff to depend on to not fail.. I'm way too paranoid...

I prefer suffering for simplicity...

 

[dmc]

As you can see I am on the other end of that spectrum ..

No doubt...

If something fails on me - I tend to never trust it again.. It's my safety strap...

I've had friends have binding failures in the headwall at Tucks..
As I said - I had a Flow release on a high speed toeside turn that sent me spinning into oblivion...

It's the cheapest part of my setup so I tend to make sure what I use is bombproof... Even if it means sacrificing some ease of use...

 

[dmc]

Any gear failure I have experienced was my own inattention to details at the time .. If I had visually tried to place my board on the foot rest last Friday .. the board would not have come out of the binding..

Any failure I've had can be attributed to bad design for hard use... Not bombproof..

Less technology... Less chance of failure...

 

[wintersyndrome]

hey twinplanx you follow these rules too?

honestly I think the situation of both of my bindings blowing out are pretty slim, I don't like having another device on my board, I feel like its just something else that can get caught on something in the woods. The only time i feel vulnerable about my board running away is when I remove it for an office visit.

 

[dmc]

When it comes to technology .. I love it and always have been an early adopter. Technology doesn't have to mean it's complicated or prone to failure..

No doubt.. I love gadgets and tech... As I load my helmet cam footage onto my Mac...

BUT - when it comes to riding and my connection to the deck.. I prefer stuff that has less moving parts and stuff.. I even replaced the hardware on my splitboard to something with less parts... (Burton to Voile')..

I personally find the only thing you gain from stepins and spiny plate thingies.. is conveinience.. And not performance and bombproof reliability..

To me thats super important due to the way I ride and the types of terrain I ride... There may come a day when I start to switch over to more comfort.. But for now.. I need to trust what I have and be able to deal with it in remote locations in any condition on any angle..

 

[redalienx11]

DMC, in a situation like Tucks, I can't decide whether or not I'd want to clip my leashes to my skis, for a few reasons.

- The few times I've been to Tucks, the avy conditions have been very low so I did not need to worry about that as much, but I still can't help but wonder about the effect of having ejected from my bindings in an avy, yet having them still leashed to my boots...Idk what to make of that

- We both know how steep the headwall is, and there is a good likelihood of a fall resulting in cartwheeling or tomahawking. I might prefer NOT having skis flopping wildly around on leashes as I tumble past lunch rocks. It just seems like such a risk of sharp edges going into my brain.

So i was just wondering how this all fit into the picture for you and hoping you could give me some insight and perspective? Thanks!

 

[dmc]

On a snowboard - I clip in immediately.. Only for safety reasons while I'm putting my bindings on..
After that it doesn't matter...

On skis - I certainly wouldn't want my skis leashed to my feet on a bad fall... I guess it depends on what kind of skier you are... I've never seen any of my tele friends fall at TUX... I never noticed if they leash...