BINDINGS

[Spenser]

For me it’s not the “speed“ of the response, it’s just the feeling of being connected, and the dampness in general and on edge. It’s significantly better for me, 100%, and confirmed by going back to what I used to love. Others may not notice or care - really depends on the person, but there’s a reason so many love them. And yeah they’re not as adjustable - that was one of the reasons I was apprehensive, but I forced myself to try my friend’s, and like I said I was simply blown away. Also, I’m lucky and don’t need any extra adjustments with my size 9s. As far as tweakability, I’m on the other end of things. I like the taller heelcup and more lateral support. Straps don’t matter since you can easily replace them, but I get it.. I definitely do not like the drive straps. I also still don’t quite buy into the “board flex“ thing due to the baseplate, personally. But regardless, I don’t want more board flex, and I ride stiff boards, so again for me it’s probably a good thing if it’s a thing at all.

All fair questions and apprehensions. Again, I had plenty of my own, and really the reason I finally tried them was to get it out of the way.. but look at me now

That’s what I would say to anyone… don’t feel like you “need” to have them or like what you currently have isn’t good, but just give them an honest try and see how it feels for you.

[pow_hnd]

Honest question: is the heel/toe initiation in Nows really worth sacrificing adjustability, lateral tweakability, good straps, board flex, etc? I've never felt like I needed a more hair-trigger feeling edge-to-edge response from my bindings (Rome, Union), but I've definitely returned bindings for not being able to adjust them to fit my boot properly.

It’s subjective. I’ve only ever, in my 36 years of snowboarding, ridden unibody bindings and I’ve never had issues with my boots fitting my bindings properly.

I was given a pair of Unions years ago and they were the biggest piles of shit I’ve ever ridden. After 4 days I was like fuck these things and they went on the shelf.

I would say with me it’s not that I think that the kingpin makes the deck quicker edge to edge, but that the kingpin and much higher heel cup make my feet so much more fucking comfortable. I don’t need to crank my straps nearly as tight for the same response and the higher heel cup makes the ankle strap sit differently on your boot/foot.

They are worlds more comfortable.

They’re also crazy damp.

But like I said, that may not appeal to all. Like I don’t think NOW bindings would be the best park bindings, even their “softest” set. The kingpin makes them stiff laterally no matter what binding they are. There’s no way around it.

But there’s a reason why people switch and never go back. Also, there are some people with tree stumps for feet/ankles that their boots and bindings always keep them locked down, so to them they may not notice as much of a benefit, but those of us that boot fit/heel hold/comfort is an issue, NOWs are a marvelous wonder to behold.

[eleveneightnate]

I definitely understand both of those takes. I'm in a 10.5 boot which is right on the size bubble for every damn pair of bindings out there. 10.5 is *allegedly* the average male foot size in 2022, so I don't understand why companies won't build their bindings around that. I can't get centered in Burtons, K2s, or Salomons in either mediums or larges no matter what trickery I do with the discs, so I guess that's why I've always stayed away from Now/Jones bindings.

I'm super hyped on my Rome Katanas, though: heel-to-toe adjustment, ankle strap angle adjustment, adidas boost cushioning for the entire baseplate, asymwrap heelcup that allows for tweaking/buttering while still driving stiff boards, a disc that's between mini and full size, etc.

Agree on Union, just kind of over them. I'm sure I'll try Nows at some point, though.

[Spenser]

I do recall romes being crazy adjustable.

I wonder if the 10.5 result was based on worn shoe size or actual foot measurement. I think sample size is still 9 (?)

Just rambling here, but I assume with snowboard boots, since they are fit to actual foot size, the common size is a bit lower than a shoe. In my 10 years at the boardshop where I sold many thousands of shoes & fit many boots, I’d wager the average difference between worn shoe size & physical measurement was something like 1.5.... 10.5-11 or 12 was the most common shoe for us, while boots were more like 9-10.5 after I fit them. On that note, some people amazed me with how much bigger their preferred shoe size was than foot measurement. Worn size is always slightly longer, but I regularly saw as much as 3 sizes different.. mostly with highschool age kids, hah

My good friend (who I borrowed the medium drives from) is a 10 or 10.5 depending on boot, and is in average bulk models, nothing super slim. He might be slightly toe heavy without using the disk to adjust, but not outside an acceptable range. I believe I’m dead center with 9s. Heelcup width has been an issue for some when they’re on the larger end of the range, but I believe hanger 3.0 addressed that. I like the little “hug” I get from 2.0

[eleveneightnate]

I do recall romes being crazy adjustable.

I wonder if the 10.5 result was based on worn shoe size or actual foot measurement. I think sample size is still 9 (?)

Just rambling here, but I assume with snowboard boots, since they are fit to actual foot size, the common size is a bit lower than a shoe. In my 10 years at the boardshop where I sold many thousands of shoes & fit many boots, I’d wager the average difference between worn shoe size & physical measurement was something like 1.5.... 10.5-11 or 12 was the most common shoe for us, while boots were more like 9-10.5 after I fit them. On that note, some people amazed me with how much bigger their preferred shoe size was than foot measurement. Worn size is always slightly longer, but I regularly saw as much as 3 sizes different.. mostly with highschool age kids, hah

My good friend (who I borrowed the medium drives from) is a 10 or 10.5 depending on boot, and is in average bulk models, nothing super slim. He might be slightly toe heavy without using the disk to adjust, but not outside an acceptable range. I believe I’m dead center with 9s. Heelcup width has been an issue for some when they’re on the larger end of the range, but I believe hanger 3.0 addressed that. I like the little “hug” I get from 2.0

Yeah, I'm downsized from my street shoes by a full size or so in my boots. That's good to hear about your friend's fit, I'm in adidas tacticals and burton kendos which are both reduced footprint, so maybe I could make Nows work. I'll give them a go at some point.

[kimchi]

For me, bottom line SkateTech lets me ride longer.

I used to get debilitating pain on like 30% of days, bad enough that I'd pop off my boots and just sit on the snow for 20 minutes. Just sporadic pain that didn't pop up most days and would be inescapable on others. These days I face that maybe 10% of the time, usually not until the end of the day when I probably need a break anyway, and I'm usually good after chilling for like ~5 minutes. I like the feel of SkateTech, but that more than anything is the main reason I won't ride anything else.

FWIW I was also a nerd about binding adjustment with Romes, Unions, and Burtons, but don't miss any of it. The ability to swap out bushings also presents some interesting customization opportunities you don't have with any other binding on the market other than K2 Liens.

With size 10 Tacticals I am right smack in the middle of the size range of a medium Hanger 3.0 binding. I am pretty much maxed out on a Hanger 2.0 medium and I don't think I could even fit into a Hanger 1.0 medium.

[eleveneightnate]

FWIW I was also a nerd about binding adjustment with Romes, Unions, and Burtons, but don't miss any of it. The ability to swap out bushings also presents some interesting customization opportunities you don't have with any other binding on the market other than K2 Liens.

With size 10 Tacticals I am right smack in the middle of the size range of a medium Hanger 3.0 binding. I am pretty much maxed out on a Hanger 2.0 medium and I don't think I could even fit into a Hanger 1.0 medium.

Makes sense! What do you think it is about the Nows that relieves your foot paint?

It's not that I necessarily nerd out over adjustability, it's just that I need it. I actually prefer simple/unibody bindings but those usually don't fit my boot well. Sounds like a 10.5 in the medium Hanger 1.0 and 2.0 is a no-go for my boot.

Also, it's quite literally boost in the higher end Rome bindings which is cool. So, with the Tacticals it's two layers of boost between my foot and board and it's niiiiiiice haha.

[Vanni]

Based on all of this and the other responses in here... I'd go Drives and just buy Burton straps. If you hate them the resell value will be high. When I dumped a few pairs last year with all Burton straps I got really good money for them, people were glad to buy them with good straps... I know that Jones straps are better, but still nothing is as good as the Burton Strap game.

Which burton straps are the preferred to upgrade Now Drive?

Burton Double Take Hammock and Burton Double Take Asym seems the best you can find as spare parts.
Size S for an M Now binding, right?

is it the same for the toe straps?

do you need to upgrade even the ladders?

thanks pow_hnd

[pow_hnd]

What do you think it is about the Nows that relieves your foot paint?

I can't say with 100% certainty, but I believe it's two things.

First it's the mechanical advantage of the kingpin, which doesn't require as much force from your foot or strap tension across/over your foot to make your board turn.

Then, it's the heel cup. It's much taller so it encases the back of your boot much more and it places the ankle straps in a different position.

You can see the heel cup height difference here. Burton vs NOW

IMG_0391.JPG (368.91 KiB) Viewed 1186 times

[pow_hnd]

Based on all of this and the other responses in here... I'd go Drives and just buy Burton straps. If you hate them the resell value will be high. When I dumped a few pairs last year with all Burton straps I got really good money for them, people were glad to buy them with good straps... I know that Jones straps are better, but still nothing is as good as the Burton Strap game.

Which burton straps are the preferred to upgrade Now Drive?

Burton Double Take Hammock and Burton Double Take Asym seems the best you can find as spare parts.
Size S for an M Now binding, right?

is it the same for the toe straps?

do you need to upgrade even the ladders?

thanks pow_hnd

Yes, Hammock straps. And yea, Small for NOW Medium, on the ankles, toe straps just do the same size, and yes I upgrade the ladders, because I go Double Take

https://www.burton.com/us/en/p/double-t ... 18391.html

And then I do Supergrip toe straps..

https://www.burton.com/us/en/p/supergri ... 18301.html


THESE ARE THE TOE LADDERS YOU NEED...

Screenshot 2022-10-05 at 7.43.01 AM.png (593.84 KiB) Viewed 1180 times

They are the smile free ones.. The ladders with the smile you have to cut, so don't get them.

DON'T GET THESE

Screenshot 2022-10-05 at 7.43.23 AM.png (194.19 KiB) Viewed 1180 times

https://www.burton.com/us/en/p/double-t ... 15121.html

and then the bindings end up like this..

IMG_4041D.JPG (3.78 MiB) Viewed 1185 times

IMG_4043.jpeg (2.79 MiB) Viewed 1185 times