EzLounging

CaptainLurk wrote: ↑Mon Nov 06, 2023 9:58 pm Step ons don’t suck . Kimchi that’s my favorite free thinker graphic. Love the ugly ass cream/brown color scheme. Base is sick too

bboytommy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 18, 2023 2:01 pm Anyone ride the Free Thinker regularly and can lend me your input?

I need to replace a 2017 Process off-axis. I need a daily/all-mtn/freestyle board. Biggest hesitation is stiff flex and playfulness.

I ride mostly all mountain these days with the existing friend group. But I try to spend a few runs each day in the park to maintain my tricks. Love to press, still got a decent boardslide, and always trying to clean up my spins on side hits and medium-sized jumps.

bboytommy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 08, 2023 4:43 pm I've heard the free thinker has gotten softer over the years. I don't mind hearing it feels like a 6/10 though

coleslawed wrote: ↑Mon Nov 06, 2023 9:24 pm

kimchi wrote: ↑Mon Nov 06, 2023 4:09 pm

Spenser wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 2:57 am

I enjoyed this video. Interesting that Fawcett's been on Step Ons for the past 4 years-- that guy is not getting paid by Burton and definitely not compromising on performance. I think he's also said he's relatively heavy at 180 lbs-- still got 30 lbs on him, but that gives me a little more faith I won't eject at high speeds.

Fawcett articulated something about the Step Ons I've been saying since I demoed them 4 years back-- it's not just the convenience, they legitimately turn differently. Not per se better or worse, just differently. That attachment point in the highback makes heel-toe more responsive because the power comes out of pulling the heelcup, not just pushing against the straps.

I liked the security of the heel cleat (probably same reason I like the high heelcups on NOW/Jones bindings), but I couldn't get used to the lack of lateral play from the side cleats locking down the boot. The side cleats also killed my feet, so I never seriously entertained getting a set. I've heard they've made some tweaks and introduced the Photon wide a couple years back.

I am surprisingly intrigued by Step On splitboard bindings. I'll give them a few years to work out kinks, but that lack of lateral play becomes a huge asset while sidehilling, as does an attachment point in the highback. And dealing with straps while transitioning and transporting a split setup is annoying. Maybe I'm just a kook, but the sales pitch theoretically addresses some of my minor pain points while touring-- plus I don't really love my Sparks. They're reliable and get the job done, but I'm always aware I'm riding an all-metal chassis raised off a broken snowboard.

Did you see Tribute just put out a vid on the split ones? Fawcett reiterated your note there in the sidehill benefits.

I don’t remember if I posted this fit theory on here before, but I’m fairly confident that you’re gonna have a different fit experience with Step-On boots depending on where your boot size lands in the binding’s size range. ie, all boots that fit a size medium have the same width at the toe box for the cleats, so a 9 SO boot is probably gonna feel a touch wider than a standard 9, while a 10.5 SO will feel narrower.

I just kept hearing so many stories from people saying they fit wider/narrower than a standard boot, and I know I couldn’t bear to wear the 10.5 demo Ion SO boots for more than a run, but I can wear regular Ions just fine. gonna try some 11’s (albeit the DC Judges instead of B’s) this season to see if it makes a difference being on the smallest end of the range vs the biggest.