@wild-cherry I just watched your video about bindings. I totally agree that the industry isn't providing the market products that would benefit the users as they did 20 years ago. And the designs are lacking for being 25% already into the 21st century...
This is a reason why we end up with Frankenboots and Frankenbindings. We start out getting equipment marketed as "performance" only to be the opposite. And we slowly buy additional aftermarket parts for $50 here or $100 there and it all quickly adds up.
The snow board marketeers have us by the balls knowing we can't do anything about it.
Take the UPZ AT8 at $550 US and the F2 Titanium binding at $315 US. The boot has numerous manufacturer supported customization options (springs, tongues, etc). Similarly, the Deeluxe 325 for $619 US and F2 Carve RS at $229 US.
Compare to the Flow NX2 binding and the Ride Insano boot, both retail at $449 US each.
The "softer" hard boot options are less expensive and more customizable/adjustable than their soft boot rivals.
Burton now has new Highshot Step In "performance" boot that will retail at $700 US. My local board shop says they won't carry them simply because they are too expensive and don't think they can sell them. The performance Burton Step on X is $439.
Personally, I think the core of the problem is generational. The current "industry" product managers are those who seemingly first learned snow boarding in the park. Canting and other such mechanisms have no value for today's North American Millennial aged product manager. The park rider doesn't want it, need it or know about it. And therefore, only the Euro brands seem to understand.
Until the Millennial PMs change their perspective, Frankenboots and Frankenbindings will live long and prosper for those seeking carving performance.
The stiffest "soft boot" brand I've used is the K2 Clicker in 2021. That lasted one whole day. That setup was awesome. Boots were properly stiff all around. I was like a God every where on the mountain with 100% on edge the whole time. It was fun until both binding clips catastrophically broke at the same time ejecting me from the board while doing a front side carve. K2 Clickers are dangerous carving bindings.
I rode Clickers for a while but never had an issue. They were the style without the highbacks, and were great for teaching but lacked performance. Those cleats look like cast metal pieces- maybe forged or machined might be better, but as you mentioned in your well thought out post, what is being produced is for the average rider, designed by marketers. I'm 60 and weigh 165 with bad knees and a ruined back, and there is no reason I should be able to turn new boots and bindings into mush in a season. The flip side is the feel that I get vs. hardboots just can't be imitated and because I have more passion for snowboarding than any other physical activity I have in my life, it just becomes and accepted cost.
I know that the Nidecker Supermatics are not the favored binding of many carvers out there due to the huge heel cup. On the other hand, the Flow/Nidecker NX-2's are among those bindings that many praise due to its smaller footprint. I have both and decided to measure the length of each with my 25.0 mondo boots. The results were a little surprising. The difference was not pronounced as I thought.
I measured the boots alone first and then I measured the boots enclosed in each binding. The Lasso Pro Wide 25.0 mondo boots measured at 27.5 from heel to toe. Next I measured the boots set in the bindings. The boots set in the Supermatics measured 29.0 while the boots set in the NX-2's measured 27.5. (For reference, my 25.0 mondo boots were about the middle of the range for these bindings: 23.0-26.0) I still plan to use the NX-2's for carving and the Supermatic's for powder days but the difference does not seem to be as large as one might expect when looking at that large heel cup.
The boots set in the Supermatics measured 29.0 while the boots set in the NX-2's measured 27.5.
I suspect there's an error here... 1.5cm additional length is among the lowest profile heelcup bindings available. Pretty sure the Supermatic is not one of these. Try that again, but this time put the heel side of the binding (with boot) against a wall or a vertical block and mark the toe with a pencil, then measure the pencil line to the wall. When I did this with Supermatics I got 3.2cm, more than double your findings. Double check?
I know that the Nidecker Supermatics are not the favored binding of many carvers out there due to the huge heel cup. On the other hand, the Flow/Nidecker NX-2's are among those bindings that many praise due to its smaller footprint. I have both and decided to measure the length of each with my 25.0 mondo boots. The results were a little surprising. The difference was not pronounced as I thought.
I measured the boots alone first and then I measured the boots enclosed in each binding. The Lasso Pro Wide 25.0 mondo boots measured at 27.5 from heel to toe. Next I measured the boots set in the bindings. The boots set in the Supermatics measured 29.0 while the boots set in the NX-2's measured 27.5. (For reference, my 25.0 mondo boots were about the middle of the range for these bindings: 23.0-26.0) I still plan to use the NX-2's for carving and the Supermatic's for powder days but the difference does not seem to be as large as one might expect when looking at that large heel cup.
The Supermatic is a bear trap. That's all I can say about it.
I actually don't have much complaints about supermatic. in terms of ease of use, between me an a few of my friends we agreed it's easy to use. in all fairness that's what they designed it as and I believe they hit their target. as far as carving goes, unless you got small boots and use them on wider boards, otherwise it'll start to get in the way a little when you really set that edge.
I have supermatics as well as NX2 carbon. I use the bindings on different boards for different purposes. there's always a place for most bindings. there are really death trap bindings out there tho, I've seen a few. especially some of those interface modification accessories that's been sold on kickstarter and stuff. seen a guy started tumbling down a slope, then I realize his bindings were rotating on the board. not trying to name names like quicksett...
anyway, had anyone tried swapping the high back on the NX2? I've seen someone done it before, was not able to get a full on feedback about it tho.
The Supermatic is a bear trap. That's all I can say about it.
Sounds like that is a good thing, wouldn't want to come out of a snowboard binding for any reason. I have a friend I recommended them too before I saw the JC video, two things, he does struggle getting in and he hasn't had enough Powder experience to know they need to be cleared of all snow and ice before they'll lock down. I'm as efficient at the top as he is. I was thinking hard about these for a resort / Lift serve only board but due to its bulk I found some Union Atlas Bindings which are pretty good for what I want no complaints other than they are not as adjustable as Cartels. I store flexed Atlas and Cartels and could determine which is stiffer. The NX2 carbon will be on my next board.
This post was modified 3 days ago 2 times by Highliner
quick release from your preset angle so you can skate like a skateboard. personally I don't think it's a safe idea. I would like my interface to be as secure as possible.
also another one is Clew bindings. have you or anyone on here had experience with those? I've tried to study the mechanism, and find the locking claws are one point of failure when it's used in high load situations like high speed carving on wider boards.
The boots set in the Supermatics measured 29.0 while the boots set in the NX-2's measured 27.5.
I suspect there's an error here... 1.5cm additional length is among the lowest profile heelcup bindings available. Pretty sure the Supermatic is not one of these. Try that again, but this time put the heel side of the binding (with boot) against a wall or a vertical block and mark the toe with a pencil, then measure the pencil line to the wall. When I did this with Supermatics I got 3.2cm, more than double your findings. Double check?
Measured twice (cut once)...my figures correspond exactly to my previous measurement.
Measured twice (cut once)...my figures correspond exactly to my previous measurement.
Yeah... but did you add back the width of the baseboard to your Supermatic measurement? It's hitting the wall, so you have to measure from the wall, right?
Also, add some forward lean to that NX2 and it'll back up a ways too. Before the Trenched Canted Risers I was always riding my NX2s with max forward lean on both feet, it maxes out at a much lower angle than the Flux XVs I was accustomed to, so it's fair to measure them at their max. (With the risers I'm at about 75% in both feet, go figure.).
You gotta compare apples to apples. Even without forward lean the NX2 hits 9" up the wall versus the Supermatic which hits the wall closer to 3". That's also a huge difference because the heelcup on the Supermatic will drag for sure, but the tip of the lever on top of the high back on the NX2 rarely does. (Though I have sometimes seen a faint line where the the tip of the lever does touch the snow on the best deep heelside carves. You'll never get close to that angulation with the Supermatic because, well, the heelcup will push your edge out of the snow long before you can get anywhere close to dragging your calf.)
So describing these two setups as a 1.5cm length difference is misleading. (And also still mismeasured, I think.)
Watch how I measured these two bindings at 6:20 in this video and tell me the difference is not 3.2cm?
Measured twice (cut once)...my figures correspond exactly to my previous measurement.
Yeah... but did you add back the width of the baseboard to your Supermatic measurement? It's hitting the wall, so you have to measure from the wall, right?
Also, add some forward lean to that NX2 and it'll back up a ways too. Before the Trenched Canted Risers I was always riding my NX2s with max forward lean on both feet, it maxes out at a much lower angle than the Flux XVs I was accustomed to, so it's fair to measure them at their max. (With the risers I'm at about 75% in both feet, go figure.).
You gotta compare apples to apples. Even without forward lean the NX2 hits 9" up the wall versus the Supermatic which hits the wall closer to 3". That's also a huge difference because the heelcup on the Supermatic will drag for sure, but the tip of the lever on top of the high back on the NX2 rarely does. (Though I have sometimes seen a faint line where the the tip of the lever does touch the snow on the best deep heelside carves. You'll never get close to that angulation with the Supermatic because, well, the heelcup will push your edge out of the snow long before you can get anywhere close to dragging your calf.)
So describing these two setups as a 1.5cm length difference is misleading. (And also still mismeasured, I think.)
Watch how I measured these two bindings at 6:20 in this video and tell me the difference is not 3.2cm?
