# Now Drive, Pilot, or Select for Jones Ultra Mountain Twin?



## dseet (Feb 26, 2016)

Hey all, I just pulled the trigger on a 157 Jones Ultra Mountain Twin with a too good to pass up late season sale at $365 shipped! Super stoked about the new board and am looking for new bindings to go with it. I have not bought new gear for over 10 years, so can definitely use some help!

Current setup: 2005 Ride Timeless 156 + Large Technine Team 1 bindings from around the same time + size 11 Ride Amp boots from also 10 years ago

New setup: 2016 Jones Ultra Mountain Twin + ??? bindings + same old Ride Amp boots for now

I ride mostly ungroomed terrain in Tahoe in the Northern Sierras... usually in the trees in search of better snow. Not a speed demon on the groomers, but do enjoy laying into carves when the ungroomed stuff is too hard and crusty for enjoyment. Will take the occasional lap through the terrain park hitting kickers and doing small spins (limited to 180s and 360s). Am also interested in practicing butters and presses now that I have a more flexible board than my old timeless (I think?), but I think most of my time will still be in the trees or bowls. 

I've read a lot about the Now bindings and their skate tech, and I'm really interested in trying this new technology with the new board. Looking at the Drive, Pilot, and Select, but not sure which to go with given my board, riding style, and boot size. Originally thought the Drive would make the most sense but my concern is whether my old boot will be able to fit properly in the supposedly tight heel cup. Seems like the Pilot would be more comfortable, but I'm wondering whether I would give up too much in responsiveness? Also, what are you guys' thoughts on getting the 2016s now on sale vs. waiting for the 2017s? Thanks in advance for the feedback!


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Did they change the ratchets yet? Those things they use are pathetic.


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## dseet (Feb 26, 2016)

ETM said:


> Did they change the ratchets yet? Those things they use are pathetic.


No idea -- are they really that bad? Was also looking at the Union Atlas and Burton Cartel/Genesis, but thought that the Now technology might be cool to try. Any other thoughts?


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

From what you say, seems like the Pilots are a good match. They changed the ratchets.


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## JTCarver (Dec 27, 2015)

I'm riding the Selects on my Hovercraft. They're very responsive. Using soft bushing on the toe and med. on the heel. Switched from Union Force bindings which I liked, just liked the Now bindings better. Skatetch does make a difference.


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## face (Dec 12, 2010)

Definately need the Drives for that board, or even the o-drives. The Ultra is a serious stiff board - you'll want all the response you can get


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

It's the Ultra Twin, it's stiffer than the regular Twin, but still softer than like the Flagship.

Pilots is what I'd go for.


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## dseet (Feb 26, 2016)

So 2 votes for the pilots, 1 vote for the drives. Should I worry about the responsiveness of the pilots on the ultra twin or will the skate tech take care of that? I just have no experience with any of these bindings and want to make the best decision since I'll probably be sticking with this setup for the next few years... Any comparison with the union atlas or burton Genesis/cartel?


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

dseet said:


> So 2 votes for the pilots, 1 vote for the drives. Should I worry about the responsiveness of the pilots on the ultra twin or will the skate tech take care of that? I just have no experience with any of these bindings and want to make the best decision since I'll probably be sticking with this setup for the next few years... Any comparison with the union atlas or burton Genesis/cartel?


I rode the Ultra with next year's Wildcats which is softer than the IPO with no issues or need fur anything stiffer. Pilots will be fine


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## wren (Apr 1, 2015)

I was using the Pilots with Hard stoppers on the outside and soft stoppers on the inside and they had a really solid response. If one was inclinded pop the mediums on the inside for even more.


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## txb0115 (Sep 20, 2015)

+1 for the Pilots.. I have them on both my decks and they are the perfect binding..

Had the Drives last year and while I like them they were a little too twitchy for my liking, and the highbacks are pretty damn tall...

I see myself on Pilots for a long time as they are responsive, due to skate-tech, but the overall binding still has a little play in it.

Ratchets are fine, 30+ days this year with no issues at all...


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## kimchijajonshim (Aug 19, 2007)

dseet said:


> No idea -- are they really that bad? Was also looking at the Union Atlas and Burton Cartel/Genesis, but thought that the Now technology might be cool to try. Any other thoughts?


I've only ridden my 2015 Drives maybe 10 days, but no issues with the ratchets. They do their job and I haven't noticed them, which is about as good as you can ask for.

I own Genesis Re:flex as well. Prefer the Drives. Tighter heelcup on the Nows makes me feel a lot more secure, stiffer baseplate makes for better response. I maybe feel the Genesis highbacks a little bit more, although that's mitigated a lot by the hammock thing. I like the cored-out ankle strap on the Genesis a little bit more. Overall, I feel more dynamic on the Nows.

I don't really know if I can notice the whole skatetech thing, but I do find my feet get less fatigued riding my Nows compared to any other binding and my toeside carves feel especially delicious.

The Burton Re:flex baseplate limits your stance options. You can have you stance at wherever your inserts are, without microadjustments.

I rode my Burtons a couple weeks ago because I was missing a few washers on my Nows. I had fun on them but felt more comfortable the following week after switching back to my Drives. I think I might prefer Genesis X.


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## dseet (Feb 26, 2016)

Awesome thanks for the input guys. I think the Now Pilots are it!

One follow up questions to those of you that have Now bindings -- does anyone ride with size 10.5 boots? I have 10.5 Ride boots and am looking at potentially upgrading to Burton Imperials (guessing 10.5 too) down the road. Given that that's right on the cut off between large and medium (and burton's shrinkage tech) should I be going for a medium or a large? If I don't end up changing my boots would the medium be too small? and if I do change to burtons, will the large be too big?


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## Trabi75 (Dec 12, 2014)

I have 10.5 thirty twos and large drives. For me they fit good but I'm at the smallest setting on the ankle strap.(I have a set of medium straps I could use but haven't had to) 
Burton boots seemed to have much smaller profile when I was looking for boots last year. I swear i was trying on a full size bigger burtons than iwas in thirty twos. The burtons seemed to be sized completely different. I don't know if anyone else has noticed this or maybe i was just whack that day. 

Would be best If you can go try a few boots and the bindings together. If the boots fit the medium I would go that route. I got lucky if I ever buy new boots and or new bindings I'm going to try them with the bindings first.

The main thing I hear people complain about who have boots on the big side of the scale is the heel cup is tight. My 10.5 in large feels great in the heel cup. It would be good to hear from someone with 10.5 in medium bindings. 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

Ha
I've got 10.5 Focus Boa (ThirtyTwo) also in L Drives. But the Focus Boa are HUGE and the Drive has the older narrower baseplate which its the Focus boa with no problems. 

My feeling is 10.5 with small footprint like Ride or maybe even Burton will be M in Pilots.... BUT at 10.5 you're screwed... you have to try it for fit.


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## kimchijajonshim (Aug 19, 2007)

dseet said:


> Awesome thanks for the input guys. I think the Now Pilots are it!
> 
> One follow up questions to those of you that have Now bindings -- does anyone ride with size 10.5 boots? I have 10.5 Ride boots and am looking at potentially upgrading to Burton Imperials (guessing 10.5 too) down the road. Given that that's right on the cut off between large and medium (and burton's shrinkage tech) should I be going for a medium or a large? If I don't end up changing my boots would the medium be too small? and if I do change to burtons, will the large be too big?


I ride 10.5 Imperials with size Lrg Drives. Definitely don't wish I went down to M's (and I ride size M Burtons).


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## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

Hope I'm not too late. I got the pilots in size medium. I wear a 10.5 salomon F4.0 which has a seriously small footprint, but the mediums fit fine. I could probably fit an 11 f4 in these things. Can't stress enough that the F4 is an extremely narrow boot (doesn't have a removable liner)


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

Go for the Pilots in size Medium. The new chassis allows for a wider boot than the previous design.


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## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

So I spent the weekend with my Now Pilot's on the Dupraz D1 5'5" and I have to say that I'm impressed with what the Now Pilot does, but that I just don't like it.

My other bindings are the Flow Fusion GT w/ Hybrid Strap. It's a stiffer binding for sure, but I was thinking that the Pilot's "skate tech" would make up for it, or at least come close.

But I just don't feel the turning and it drove me insane. Maybe if I spent more time getting used to it...

The flow fusion GT lets me feel the board better during turns. Maybe this tires my feet out faster... but I like feeling the board. But what's strange is that the flows are also damper. Those pilots were noticeably less damp when it comes to going over tiny bumps or crud. I felt every tiny contour in the snow. It's strange... 

In summary, the pilots turn just as easily, but I don't feel connected to the turn. I guess this means less stress on my leg muscles but I prefer the contact. But the pilots drove me insane because they just weren't that damp! I want to feel the turn and not feel the crud, not the other way around.

Maybe if I got the o-drive with the carbon highback I'd like it more. I'm going to give the pilots another chance but unless they really impress me then I'm going to go back to my flows (I never knew how much I loved rear entry until I didn't have it anymore).

To be fair though, I'm comparing a $150 binding to a $250 binding... and they aren't really in the same class in any way (the Fusion GTs are stiff, the pilots are medium, rear entry vs skate tech, etc).


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