EzLounging

Just got back from CO. Glad I took a chance and rode my upgraded Pilots the whole time. Binding lift related to the reflex disc prompted the change. The energy transfer to my edges felt different and in a better way. My experience riding these binders aligns with whats been described here on EL; I'm fully converted. Refreshing ladders all around & bushings. Hyperfuse 2 are comfortable & surfy, but will collapse to a degree when getting aggressive toe side. Will add kingpin tool-less when back in stock. Not sure if I'll end up completely swapping over to dt (probably).

I've been riding Unions almost exclusively but am looking to try out a pair of Now's after Todd Richard's endorsement and reading through this thread. I started with Forces, rode the Forged Carbon for a few years and now have primarily been on a 2019 Atlas.

I've been trying to decide between the Now Pilot (not seeing them in the 23/24 catalog), Select Pro or Drive. I'm thinking Pilot's may be "too soft" compared to what I'm used to so was thinking of going for the Select Pro's. Drive's seemed maybe a touch too stiff for my liking. Curious other people's thoughts on what would be most similar to a Union Atlas.

I'm currently riding a Capita Mercury 157 as my DD with 9.5 Ride Fuse boots.

ninja_nate wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:49 pm I've been riding Unions almost exclusively but am looking to try out a pair of Now's after Todd Richard's endorsement and reading through this thread. I started with Forces, rode the Forged Carbon for a few years and now have primarily been on a 2019 Atlas.

I've been trying to decide between the Now Pilot (not seeing them in the 23/24 catalog), Select Pro or Drive. I'm thinking Pilot's may be "too soft" compared to what I'm used to so was thinking of going for the Select Pro's. Drive's seemed maybe a touch too stiff for my liking. Curious other people's thoughts on what would be most similar to a Union Atlas.

I'm currently riding a Capita Mercury 157 as my DD with 9.5 Ride Fuse boots.

Pilots become IPO next year. I’d go Select Pros or Drives, with my personal taste going to the Drives.

ninja_nate wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:49 pm I've been riding Unions almost exclusively but am looking to try out a pair of Now's after Todd Richard's endorsement and reading through this thread. I started with Forces, rode the Forged Carbon for a few years and now have primarily been on a 2019 Atlas.

I've been trying to decide between the Now Pilot (not seeing them in the 23/24 catalog), Select Pro or Drive. I'm thinking Pilot's may be "too soft" compared to what I'm used to so was thinking of going for the Select Pro's. Drive's seemed maybe a touch too stiff for my liking. Curious other people's thoughts on what would be most similar to a Union Atlas.

I'm currently riding a Capita Mercury 157 as my DD with 9.5 Ride Fuse boots.

I switched from Stratas and Katanas to Select Pros this season. I'd say the Stratas and Select Pros are pretty similar in lateral flex but the Select Pros have more heel-toe response, so probably closer to the Atlas in that regard. One thing you'll find lacking is response out of the Hyperfuse 2 straps on the Select Pros. They're kinda flimsy, so I upgraded mine to the Jones straps. If you go back a few pages in this thread you can see some pics/read my thoughts on them.

pow_hnd wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:54 pm

ninja_nate wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:49 pm I've been riding Unions almost exclusively but am looking to try out a pair of Now's after Todd Richard's endorsement and reading through this thread. I started with Forces, rode the Forged Carbon for a few years and now have primarily been on a 2019 Atlas.

I've been trying to decide between the Now Pilot (not seeing them in the 23/24 catalog), Select Pro or Drive. I'm thinking Pilot's may be "too soft" compared to what I'm used to so was thinking of going for the Select Pro's. Drive's seemed maybe a touch too stiff for my liking. Curious other people's thoughts on what would be most similar to a Union Atlas.

I'm currently riding a Capita Mercury 157 as my DD with 9.5 Ride Fuse boots.

Pilots become IPO next year. I’d go Select Pros or Drives, with my personal taste going to the Drives.

+1 for the Drives
I was a Union Force guy, now I'm on the Drive

NOW Drive or Jones Mercury. I tend to prefer 7/10 or 8/10 flex bindings, I found Pilots too soft personally. I think the difference in the nylon/carbon post on the stiffer NOW/Jones, but maybe that's all in my head.

Right now my preference is to the Jones, I like their straps better. I might check out the Drive Pro in 2024, but for now I prefer the Mercury.

Also keep in mind drives aren't responsive purely by being stiff. They don't have a super rigid/sharp feel like some stiffer carbon/etc bindings have, their response is in the overall design. As a long time fan of binders like the force/atlas/etc, the drive is the one for me.

Spenser wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 8:07 pm Also keep in mind drives aren't responsive purely by being stiff. They don't have a super rigid/sharp feel like some stiffer carbon/etc bindings have, their response is in the overall design.

This nails it. A large part of the reason I love NOWs. You don't need to ride some crazy ass stiff carbon binding in order for the binding to be super responsive, and you can adjust the feel to a small degree with the bushings, by going softer or harder.

Yes, the stock straps can leave a little to be desired, but I look at it this way. I change them fully out to Burton straps. I buy all black bindings. There is nothing on the bindings that is gonna wear out, except the straps.... BUT they are Burton straps so their warranty is second to none. Buckle breaks, or ladder cracks, warranty that bitch. If everything starts to wear out you can buy a whole new set of straps/ladders for about $130. So basically, I can make the bindings brand new again for $130.

You also don't have to worry about your base plate getting soft because it doesn't flex like that, it hinges on the kingpin, so that design trait inherently keeps the base plate essentially wear/stress free in comparison to traditional bindings. I honestly feel I will probably be rocking the two sets of Drives that I have for the next decade easily. Will just do a strap/ladder refresh every couple of years.

eleveneightnate wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 2:26 pm

ninja_nate wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:49 pm I've been riding Unions almost exclusively but am looking to try out a pair of Now's after Todd Richard's endorsement and reading through this thread. I started with Forces, rode the Forged Carbon for a few years and now have primarily been on a 2019 Atlas.

I've been trying to decide between the Now Pilot (not seeing them in the 23/24 catalog), Select Pro or Drive. I'm thinking Pilot's may be "too soft" compared to what I'm used to so was thinking of going for the Select Pro's. Drive's seemed maybe a touch too stiff for my liking. Curious other people's thoughts on what would be most similar to a Union Atlas.

I'm currently riding a Capita Mercury 157 as my DD with 9.5 Ride Fuse boots.

I switched from Stratas and Katanas to Select Pros this season. I'd say the Stratas and Select Pros are pretty similar in lateral flex but the Select Pros have more heel-toe response, so probably closer to the Atlas in that regard. One thing you'll find lacking is response out of the Hyperfuse 2 straps on the Select Pros. They're kinda flimsy, so I upgraded mine to the Jones straps. If you go back a few pages in this thread you can see some pics/read my thoughts on them.

I've only ridden the Strata high back on the Forged Carbon base and it felt too flexy. I do like a stiffer base with medium flex high back but maybe that combo was a little too stiff/soft. I'm hoping next years straps are an upgrade and that's why I'm going to wait until next year's models.

I spent part of my weekend reading this entire thread and watching your binding preference transformation is part of why I'm looking to try out Now's next year. Plus, I'm also rocking a Spring Break deck and sounds like you're a big fan of the combo.

kimchi wrote: ↑Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:44 pm NOW Drive or Jones Mercury. I tend to prefer 7/10 or 8/10 flex bindings, I found Pilots too soft personally. I think the difference in the nylon/carbon post on the stiffer NOW/Jones, but maybe that's all in my head.

Right now my preference is to the Jones, I like their straps better. I might check out the Drive Pro in 2024, but for now I prefer the Mercury.

Do the Mercury/Jones bindings come with different bushings? It looked like they offer the hard and soft ones from the Japan 23/34 catalogue so I'm trying to decide if it's better to have better straps right off the bat or be able to try out the medium bushings to find the right feel.