Are rental boards available with 'step in ' bindings?

A snowHead

Hi all,

Am off to Tignes next week and not sure whether to take my own board, which has Apo step in bindings ( which I love); don't want to be faffing with traditional bindings as am travelling with skier. Is it possible to rent a board with flow , or other type, step in bindings?
Thanks in advance

Mitch

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Black Cats and Bazoom are probably good places to call ahead and ask.

I'd avoid the usual SkiSet/Sport 2000 type chains - such a request will probably just get you abuse and waste your time. The majority of shops run on a simple rental-specific board and binding set-up that allows them to swap different sized bindings onto different sized boards very quickly. It's basic, breaks often and looks awful but it's simple to use (which pleases beginners) and allows for easy storage and servicing of the kit (which pleases the shop).

You need to Login to know who's really who.

We got an ex-rental board for the missus, which had some kind of rear entry bindings on it - complete with little grommets for spinning them round without tools, so they definitely exist... but it's going to be a bit of a crapshoot!

Simply take your own board. Bindings aside, rental boards are often a bit crap as well.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Piehole is describing a fairly standard rental binding there, one that normally has a dual strap and ratchet design over the toes and the instep but also a heel plate that can be unlocked and pulled down. You shouldn't have any bother finding these in resort, and they'll normally be branded Salomon or Burton.

Burton example:

However, I thought you meant proper step-ins, which would be harder to find.

K2 example:

Just noticed you mention Flow, so it's probably the first set you're after. Just set the ratchets, leave them in place and then use the heel plate to enter and exit. There's normally (certainly on the Burtons) a small clip on the side of the instep strap which gives you an inch or so of play to facilitate this.

If you go to a specialist board shop instead of a large ski shop which happens to have some boards, you'll probably find a decent board too, but I would agree that taking your own is the best bet.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Yeah I'm describing the 'collapsible heel thingy on wires' type. I still reckon it's a lottery though. Sure, rental ones exist, but in all the weeks I rented boards before buying my own, I never encountered any...

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

If you've got your own board and you love it why aren't you taking it with you? Or do you just fancy a bit of rough on the side?

After all it is free

philwig, rental boards in French resorts are pants, trust me.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

philwig, boarding is a bit of a minority activity in France. In yer average rental shop there are 900 pairs of skis of every dimensions and standard imaginable. And over in a corner marked 'tossers' there are 9 snowboards. All of which are Burton Cruzers. None of which are the right size.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Mitchell, Take your own. Wouldn't particularly trust a Flow rental binding, as Mr Piehole and others have said, snowboard rental equipment is in the minority in France, and Flow bindings are in the minority for snowboarding, so at the very least your selection will be limited or non-existant... (not that I'd personally use a Flow binding anyway, but they are the Marmite of snowboarding...)

That said, havn't checked the snow reports from Tignes, so if the coverave is a bit sparse, rental kit MAY be an option if your adverse to bouncing your beloved board off rocks/stumps/carparks etc.

snow reports

Philwig from post above.
When you have ridden a few powder boards from this season put a thread up here and update it as you try them.
Those that are interested will check it out and I am sure some will .

As no one does this except review sites yet they do so many in such a short ride time its like wash rince and dry.
I would look forward too it if you have time and I am certain others would too.

You know it makes sense.

As long as your powder board reviews aren't as vomit-inducingly smug and insufferably superior as your previous contributions to this thread!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

hi everyone ,
Thanks for the replies, some very amusing comments although unfortunately probably all to true;
Will take my own kit so at least I wont end up with crap kit!
Many thanks all
Mitch

A snowHead

A snowHead

Help!!

Are rental boards available with 'step in ' bindings?

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