EzLounging

My girlfriend finally ditched her skis this season and I'm teaching her to ride. I put her on Step Ons basically as an experiment to see how they work for beginners since we got her a setup dirt cheap from the (now defunct) used Burton site. My takeaway is that beginners have a hell of a time actually getting into them, which defeats the whole point. Being brand new, she needs in and out of them constantly but she doesn't have the balance yet to get into them standing up (she can never get the second heel click without shifting around so much that she falls). But, at the same time, they're incredibly stupid getting into sitting down. She gets real frustrated when she could just be painlessly using straps, so I'm just gonna get her some Unions.

wonder what fase is like sitting down? getting the highback out of the way might be a good thing, but dunno about the whole pushing down and straps ordeal.

This brings up a good point. None of them are really a good system for true beginners… you need to have some degree of "feet under you" to be able to use them to a point of feeling any convenience. That doesn't take away from said convenience for the people who it will benefit, but I hadn't thought about that.

Again kinda feel like Flow has the most advantage here, Supermatics close behind. Each you can just forgo the convenience and just use the straps, and Flow you can get into sort of on your knees. Then as balance comes, you’ve got the convenience ready to use. I think FASE is coming across to me as the convenience option for “true” snowboarders. It’s the least different option of the 4 and Bataleon and Rome at least are just adding it to existing models, again, the least change from a normal binding.

Spenser wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2025 9:13 pm

dpartridge7 wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:23 pm

RadDad801 wrote: Fri Jan 17, 2025 12:27 pm

This system is the most likely for me to use as long as it doesn't add too much weight. Quickly getting in and out on cat tracks when needed would be nice. Also, if the price is the same... why not?

yes, is the same weight and price as regular bindings and great on cat tracks. don't need to ratchet the ankle strap if you are in and out of the bindings a lot to skate. also easier off loading the chair when not stopping to strap in.

Union steps in last, while the other two step in before him at about the same time.

Fase reaches for his ratchet immediately, and moves quickly, while union pauses before reaching down, moves slower, and takes his time ratcheting in comparison.

Union takes the most time standing & lifting the toe edge up, to... stare at the binding?

Fase pops the ratchet & removes strap in a more swift motion. Union pops each ratchet and then removes each strap less quickly.

It's pretty obvious that this video purposely makes the regular binding look slower. Funny, as even if you ignore that, there is still only a ~7 second difference from fase - which of course becomes less when the comparison isn't exaggerated.

I'm not at all saying these bindings can't work well or improve something for certain riders, but that video is silly. If it were simply showing the different mechanisms, fair enough, but...

Exactly. The fact the people who produced this idiotic video think its proving something is pretty hilarious.

C.Fuzzy wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2025 9:12 am A variable that occurred to me recently which may be overlooked by ELers due to relative skill, is that step on-ins et al, allow the unskilled to 'strap in' (binding ingress) without sitting down / noob wet ass / unskilled stand up, that whole undignified process.

I'd say for the majority of buyers, the benefits of an automatic transmission outweigh the performance benefits of a manual, and they can skip the humiliating learning curve.

The unskilled who have to sit down to strap in haven't developed the ability to balance on slippery plastic on a slope with one foot while trying to fuck around holding their pants out of the way and getting the angle of their foot right to step into these goofy things.

eleveneightnate wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2025 11:58 am My girlfriend finally ditched her skis this season and I'm teaching her to ride. I put her on Step Ons basically as an experiment to see how they work for beginners since we got her a setup dirt cheap from the (now defunct) used Burton site. My takeaway is that beginners have a hell of a time actually getting into them, which defeats the whole point. Being brand new, she needs in and out of them constantly but she doesn't have the balance yet to get into them standing up (she can never get the second heel click without shifting around so much that she falls). But, at the same time, they're incredibly stupid getting into sitting down. She gets real frustrated when she could just be painlessly using straps, so I'm just gonna get her some Unions.

The first phase of learning is very hard. There are the bindings and also the stiffness of the boots and the discomfort of the stance since the learners feel blocked and try to get in front… it’s a very hard phase but it’s also short because they quickly find their balance. The advantage that step on gives you is that you can practice at home (with the straps too but after step on maybe it will become faster and it allows you to slide in one foot and then clip in). Even so, I have not known cases of learning with step on. I put my wife's strap bindings and boots a little loose so as not to be overwhelmed by the pressure of boots and bindings at the same time and to reduce the blocking of the stance which for me is the worst. All the pressure from bindings and boots means they can't feel their feet and therefore can't feel the base of the board, get on the edges and keep balance with the soles of their feet. You could try this

I remember one time I went on a trip with a very good surfer. It was a disaster. On the third day he left snowboarding and got on skis. He was constantly fighting against the blocked stance. The worst thing for him was not being able to move on the board. I didn't have enough experience to teach him, but the blocked stance and the stiffness of the boots and bindings combination finished him off.

Anyone seen a k2 catalog 25/26

has big B actually pushed them as being affordable?

Tahoe420 wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2025 2:02 pm Anyone seen a k2 catalog 25/26

you are so close yet so fucking far