 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have a related question about bindings, I am new to boarding and have the regular straps which I'm getting on with OK but reading this thread it was interesting to see others mention cramping across the foot which I have experienced. My son, 8, is also on a board and his has flow bindings. To start with he found it really difficult to use them because he was having to shoehorn his foot in, I eased the toestraps a bit and that problem was cured.
However there is still one problem that he is having and that is releasing the bindings. It seems that the spring clip that holds the 'lock' in place is too stiff for his fingers. Is it possible to compress that clip or possibly lubricate it without introducing any danger? I assume that after continued use it would naturally ease a bit, but it is really frustrating for him at the moment because he has to get someone to help him every time he comes to a stop. Other than this he loves his bindings and doesn't want to have the swapped for ones like mine, that would be even more embarassing for him than the fact that he has to teach me how to board!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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solarfish, this is the major thing with Flows.
You need to take some extra time to set them up but adjusting the angle on the highback can lessen the pressure and make it easier for him to unclip them.
If the rear buckle that is around the middle of the foot is too tight, it tends to push the boot back into the highback and this too increases the pressure on it and makes it harder to lock/unlock. This also puts extra pressure on the clips in the back and speeds up wear so eventually, the highback will spring open - this happened to me on rentals and scared the hell out of me when carving at speed!!
I think by altering the cable position underneath the binding (when you take the bindings off the board) you can alter the pressure generated on the highback when you lock everything in place.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Capstraps all the way.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Specialman, yip, set the high back to lean away from the leg a little and it is easier to pop open, but it does become easier in time to pop open.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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solarfish, my daughter cant use the flows because she is disabled and has only use of one hand, she litterally can not undo the clip. the guy in the shop tried and tried to help her and suggested she lean forward when trying to open them. It might be worth trying with your son.
the new flows esp the small ones are particularly stiff.
I'm a bit gutted cos i thought it might make it easier for her to get the bindings on and off, maybe next year when she's a bit older (she's 7) and stronger
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you'd have thought that the small sizes and the kiddies Flows would take their lack of strength into account.
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hey all -- slightly off topic but just a quick one to wish you all a good couple of days -- me and miss S are off to VT, but will see you all back on here come Monday (apart from Shallimus of course, who we'll hopefully see over the weekend!)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snojito, have fun
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I've been boarding for 11 years & have used both Flows & straps. I have ridden powder, crud & icy blacks in Flows with no problems whatsoever. I like the convenience of either doing them up on the lift or as you ride away from the lift, I can't be bothered to sit down & do up straps.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ssnowman, agree completely. That is one of the coolest things about Flows...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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and the only thing 
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I can do mine up without sitting on my back bottom.
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You know it makes sense.
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It's more difficult to sit on your back bottom and do them up!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I am not happy with all this thread hi-jacking and smugness about holidays when I am not going anywhere this month ....boo hoo ...hoo...
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Poster: A snowHead
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are you guys still talking about bindings or your flies ? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rayscoops, how many times have you been away already this season?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Specialman, rayscoops, snowangel., Thanks for the advice, I'll have another look at the bindings when he next brings his board home and see what I can adjust. It does seem though that it is the spring metal in the clip itself that is very stiff because I'm reasonably sure he would have trouble undoing them even if he was not standing in them at all. Maybe I just need to spend a couple of hours one night in front of the TV clipping and unclipping them until they ease off a bit. I'm sure that won't be remotely annoying for the rest of the family in the room 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Swirly, you really are anti- flow aren't you !
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DebbiDoesSnow, any 'pre first trip of the season' injuries yet 
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rayscoops, nope not yet ! Went to Xscape last nite for a little warm up, elected not to do any jumps or rails just to be safe !
Just rec'd my RED HiFi helmet at work and can't work out why its classed as a HiFi helmet at all !! You have to buy the Audex earpads which basically means replacing the whole earpad section for new ones.
It also alledgely has 'Quick Clip earpads' which I nor a work mate can fathom out how to unclip the little blighters !
Oh well, it has pretty flowers & blobs on it so I am happy 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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DebbiDoesSnow, not anti-flow just pro everything else.
btw I'm deliberately not making a move in Scrabble cos when I do I'll lose 
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Swirly, c'm on - take it on the chin ! Its only 1 ickle loss
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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DebbiDoesSnow, I had a cunning plan to make a move just before we go to Tignes and then after a week with you not moving force the win
But I can't do that now anyway you've only won because it's the American dictionary and it doesn't have many words in it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Swirly, Do I sense a little bitterness
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only a simdge. I've lost but started one with the uk dictionary.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just thought I'd say that I ride both, and I love my Flows, but I'm taking them off my powder board and buying some straps for it because I find them difficult to get on when on very steep slopes and/ or in powder.
The other day I was having real problems getting the board on - we'd been traversing round a bowl and had to sort everything out on a very steep and icy bit. With straps, you can make a seat and get in at your leisure, but I had to kneel facing the mountain and balance very precariously to get my second foot in - pretty scary with a massive drop behind you!
So, whilst I'm definitely still a fan, I think they do have disadvantages if you're going to be doing steep off-piste.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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firebug, just a thought but, just this once, couldn't you have kept the high-backs in the upright position and opened one side of the the foot straps and used them in a similar manner as strap bindings?
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Poster: A snowHead
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I have used straps and flows.
Straps are positively medieval compared to modern (2006/2007/2008) flows.
Basically all the arguments are gone with the most recent flows.
You need to compare like for like... not £400 straps with £100 flows.
Once setup correctly ( and that is the important bit) they are excellent.
Had a private lesson in last week. I could see the instructor look at my flows and i'm sure he thought "beginner , here we go".
Well my riding did the talking, apart from some posture tips, most of the lesson was on offpiste.
After about the 5th time Im waiting for HIM on the end of the lift, he asked me how i got on with the flows. I replied "wouldn't change them for the world!".
He nodded reassuringly.
The best snowboarder Ive been out with ( i stay in hostels , so been with quite a few) is a burton stepin user. They are completely worn and clanky as anything but She is an Awesome off piste boarder.
She does take a small sheet of tarporline in here backpack incase things freeze up in deep powder. But thats stepins not flows.
My opinion is, unless you are in the top 1% boarders in the world, you really wont benefit from bellyaching over straps vs flows vs stepins vs capstraps vs whatever.
GO with the flow.
Tux
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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andybabes,
Andy, I bought my Flow FL-5's in 2003 and have had them ever since. Im not a park freak, too old and too busy having fun off-piste to bother. My flow bindings have been a blessing. my friend rides with standard dakines which he swears by, but i can sprap in without sitting down or stopping from the chair and i have to wait for him to fanny about for 2 mins getting all his stuff sorted out (gloves off, sit down, clean snow, boot in, gloves on). the other step in options are not that good, dakine did some but they relied on the stiffness of he boot and never felt secure. I think the strap in bindings are good if you spend your days in the park. but if you hop on and off lifts and do back country, and of course you like how they feel, then go for the flows....... the comments on them feeling insecure and slipping.... they are valid, it happened to me, but once I adjusted them a little they were fine.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've used Flows for 6 years, I find them supremely comfortable and so easy to clip in even as you are sliding down the exit from the chair or tow, no-stopping at all! (takes a bit of practice mind). I've just bought a pair of NXT's and they certainly look the part. On a bad point I have to say Flows attention to the mini-ratchets on this model did not impress me. They appear a bit flimsy but a couple of weeks thrashing in Feb in Zillertal will soon test them!
K2 do something similar called the 'cinch', however better get pumping those guns before you try to lift those off the shelf!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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F@cking hire boards, facking straps. Had one break on me today. Also hate them. Give me my Flows now
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Shallimus, I had a real problem with my hire bindings on my last long weekend trip, first day the lower strap snapped, and the second day (different resort) the bindings were too small really and the padded bit hardly covered the top of my foot and the straps only went in to the ratchet by about about three grooves. I know I should have changed them, but it was only for a day, and I tried them on in the shop and I thought I could get away with it, but putting them on sitting down was a real pain. With the step-ins, just like shoes, they either fit or they don't.
Inghams have late availability trips to Soll and Seefeld (30km piste) at the moment, hope you do not get Igls (on the list) because that is really for a days boarding or a long weekend, unless you are shuttled to the other resorts that are part of the Innsbruck ski pass.
I am off on Friday (to monday) to the Stubai glacier just outside Innsbruck so hopefully no problems with snow coverage. Good luck with your resort.
Oh yeh, I am sure a well fitted good set of strap bindings are fine though too
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rayscoops, I am hoping the XL Amp9s I ordered will be a fine fit for my stomping shoes of choice, a pair of black size 12 Northwave Decade SL2s (very comfortable and my toes didn't get cold even on the coldest day at the top of Val Thorens). The bindings should be plenty adjustable, but I'll report back once I've tried them. 'Packing in progress' at the moment so I hope to receive them tomorrow - excited as hell (as I always am when getting new toys and/or about to go boarding).
If we do get stuck somewhere small, we will be making use of linked resorts for sure even if it costs us. How did you find out about the late availability? When I try to search Inghams for available stuff in Austria I get nothing. If we end up anywhere near Stubai I'll let you know!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
| I nor a work mate can fathom out how to unclip the little blighters ! |
Just pull. Hard. If necessary, jiggle a bit.
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I said I was going to order some Amp9 Flows... well I did.
Bad news: Amp9 was out of stock (apparently someone ordered the last pair like 2 seconds before I did and the e-commerce thing didn't update).
Good news: for only a few more pennies (well, call it £25 extra) I am now the proud owner of a pair of Flow M9 bindings, the 2008 equivalent of the Amp 9... and I get to try them out on Sunday at a random location in the Austrian Alps! They're 25% lighter than the Amp9 and quite a bit more adjustable. Hell, I just couldn't downgrade my expectations after setting my heart on the Amp 9s.
I'll report back once I've tried 'em on for size in the wild (i.e. not in the office with no snow or snowboard in sight, wearing office shoes instead of Northwave boots, while co-workers wonder what the hell I'm doing )
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FAQ
which explains why I have thought that some of the posting has been somewhat random - especially a one word post like 'yes' when viewed on my phone adds the signature at the bottom immediately after it 
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