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The Step On thread
Re: The Step On thread
The fact is you might not notice your pants aren't clipped in and this happens. When it does, it sucks. But you know........ THE PERFORMANCE
Re: The Step On thread
Some folks zip their dick in their pants too, or shut their fingers in the car door...AyAyRon wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:35 pm The fact is you might not notice your pants aren't clipped in and this happens. When it does, it sucks. But you know........ THE PERFORMANCE
Some folks don't.
Some folks have a ladder break, or have the little screw come out of their straps and lose it, or have dings on their board from the ratchet hitting it
Some folks don't.
Some folks think a person's worth is only equal to the worst thing you can say about them, and others look for the good knowing none of us are perfect...
If performance isn't a criteria by which we can evaluate a binding, what are we left with?
jadhevou
Re: The Step On thread
As this is the Step On thread, I'm assuming some people care about the tech.
For those of you that care -- the Burton Waverange Step On X Pro boots (4-7 flex) will be going on sale for a limited early release in select stores on February 7th and online on February 11th.
I've been riding my Photons more than my Ions this season, so I may give them a shot if I can find them (and they come in wides during this limited release).
For those of you that care -- the Burton Waverange Step On X Pro boots (4-7 flex) will be going on sale for a limited early release in select stores on February 7th and online on February 11th.
I've been riding my Photons more than my Ions this season, so I may give them a shot if I can find them (and they come in wides during this limited release).
Re: The Step On thread
So is the Step On heel clip basically a modified strap buckle?
Re: The Step On thread
More of a highback buckle, but sure. Don't think there are any parts from a strap and the spring should be bigger.
Re: The Step On thread
Yeah, I was referring to the overall principle. Obviously it's built with the parts specific to the highback and the purpose.
Re: The Step On thread
I ve taken a current Photon at price 350 euros.. i think for this price is a good deal.. i like the Stiff boots but i don t like Speedlace Ion.. some people say me that the Ion is too stiff and better Photon flex.. anyway i think to get the new boots Highshot x pro triple boa next year that must be the new Ion stifness
Gentemstick//Sandy Shapes/UNION
Re: The Step On thread
Things have been feeling a bit too chummy around here lately. So I'm here to fan the flames of rage and give an update on my SO experiment.
Now in part because of my early season shoulder separation and the limited mobility I had while healing, I kept on riding SOs most of the season. I probably have 20 days on them so far. I did finally get back into my Nows for a few runs though, for the comparison.
And... *drumroll*... I'm not going to say anything that others haven't said.
The connection of the heel cleat and toe cleats to the binding have a more direct response and are faster edge to edge, easier to tortional flex a board (Ie pedaling or paddling ) and just have different energy transfer over that of traditional bindings. The knock on effect of that is that instead of stiffer boots and more surfy style bindings, I keep my boots a little looser. (with this in mind the waveranger begins to make more sense).
Also no strap pressure points or fitment issues...bc no straps. So no buckles. ratchets. ladders. Padding. slippage. blah blah blah. I will say before I tried them the lack of straps wasn't in my mind at all, like... of course SOs don't have straps, but I wasn't thinking that I had any issues with straps themselves, it was a non-issue to me.
But SOs have a feng shui to them and now straps seem fiddley to me (and I don't mind being fiddly). It's like this: You have a room with furniture and the way it's set up has always been the way it is, and you walk around the furniture to get where you're going and think nothing of it. Then you move something and suddenly the room feels more spacious and there's an easier path through the room, and while before there was nothing wrong with the set up before, the new convenience has a sense of relief to it.
They seem to feel lighter bc no straps too. Though I haven't weighed them. That could just be a perception thing though.
The ingress, the "stepping on", while moving is nice. Less penguin walking to get going. less kicking a little shelf to stand in and buckle.
I still don't love the egress. But Its getting easier.
The downsides (imo): Less flexibility or universality to the system in the sense that you can't swap boards with folks very easily or lend gear as easily, unless they have the same system and the right size. Trad bindings are more adjustable.
The B liners don't fit my feet. I had to swap them out for my northwave liners. Of course, other brands are coming online so more options and fits will be available.
Those are the main ones for me.
I know others talk about lateral flex for tweaking grabs and such, and those are probably valid for them. And although in my whispy imaginings while laying in a bubble bath, I'm Nico... launching off pillows and soaring sprawled out like an eagle with the most majestic method anyone has ever seen... In reality my airs and grabs are much more age appropriate. My tweaks are more in my neck and they hurt later on.
TLDR: There's no overwhelming thing that make SO better, but I do think there are marginal benefits. The feng shui of them to me is the main one. There's also no performance downside for me either. Since I have them I will likely keep riding them.
I think the biggest resistance to SOs in snowboarding remains the stigma of them, and the prevalence of a cultural undertone that 'straps are for real snowboarders'. If I remove that from my reasoning and ignore the din of opinions from those being paid to promote the product they ride, the biggest barrier in my mind is just past investments and the cost of starting on a new system.
Now in part because of my early season shoulder separation and the limited mobility I had while healing, I kept on riding SOs most of the season. I probably have 20 days on them so far. I did finally get back into my Nows for a few runs though, for the comparison.
And... *drumroll*... I'm not going to say anything that others haven't said.
The connection of the heel cleat and toe cleats to the binding have a more direct response and are faster edge to edge, easier to tortional flex a board (Ie pedaling or paddling ) and just have different energy transfer over that of traditional bindings. The knock on effect of that is that instead of stiffer boots and more surfy style bindings, I keep my boots a little looser. (with this in mind the waveranger begins to make more sense).
Also no strap pressure points or fitment issues...bc no straps. So no buckles. ratchets. ladders. Padding. slippage. blah blah blah. I will say before I tried them the lack of straps wasn't in my mind at all, like... of course SOs don't have straps, but I wasn't thinking that I had any issues with straps themselves, it was a non-issue to me.
But SOs have a feng shui to them and now straps seem fiddley to me (and I don't mind being fiddly). It's like this: You have a room with furniture and the way it's set up has always been the way it is, and you walk around the furniture to get where you're going and think nothing of it. Then you move something and suddenly the room feels more spacious and there's an easier path through the room, and while before there was nothing wrong with the set up before, the new convenience has a sense of relief to it.
They seem to feel lighter bc no straps too. Though I haven't weighed them. That could just be a perception thing though.
The ingress, the "stepping on", while moving is nice. Less penguin walking to get going. less kicking a little shelf to stand in and buckle.
I still don't love the egress. But Its getting easier.
The downsides (imo): Less flexibility or universality to the system in the sense that you can't swap boards with folks very easily or lend gear as easily, unless they have the same system and the right size. Trad bindings are more adjustable.
The B liners don't fit my feet. I had to swap them out for my northwave liners. Of course, other brands are coming online so more options and fits will be available.
Those are the main ones for me.
I know others talk about lateral flex for tweaking grabs and such, and those are probably valid for them. And although in my whispy imaginings while laying in a bubble bath, I'm Nico... launching off pillows and soaring sprawled out like an eagle with the most majestic method anyone has ever seen... In reality my airs and grabs are much more age appropriate. My tweaks are more in my neck and they hurt later on.
TLDR: There's no overwhelming thing that make SO better, but I do think there are marginal benefits. The feng shui of them to me is the main one. There's also no performance downside for me either. Since I have them I will likely keep riding them.
I think the biggest resistance to SOs in snowboarding remains the stigma of them, and the prevalence of a cultural undertone that 'straps are for real snowboarders'. If I remove that from my reasoning and ignore the din of opinions from those being paid to promote the product they ride, the biggest barrier in my mind is just past investments and the cost of starting on a new system.
jadhevou
Re: The Step On thread
I would run stepons if it worked as well as straps for me. Not enough snowboarders around to care, and the skiers would probably just be stoked on it. They just need to improve it.