# Splitboard bindings on a solid



## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Yeah it works but spark highbacks will chew a hole in the heel of your boot, and keep spares on you. The biggest problem with split bindings is bolts falling out and then shit breaks, especially the heel cup bolts on sparks.


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

ETM said:


> The biggest problem with split bindings is bolts falling out and then shit breaks, especially the heel cup bolts on sparks.



I've never heard of this being a problem. I've never experienced it and none of my buddies with sparks have ever had this problem either. Isolated incident? 

In regards to swapping to different boards there aren't many options for standard snowboards besides 1system, prowder or custom pucks. But with that said the prowder saddles are cheap. And in my opinion they're pretty solid. Nothing is going to be as good as a solid binding connected to your board, but if your determined to switch boards with the same bindings, your on the right track.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

I'm using OneSystem binding plates (a little startup from Bozeman, nice guys!, plates are solid, angles adjustable in 5° steps) with Spark Afterburner on a solid, works well so far, no play, stiff responsive bindings.


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

neni said:


> I'm using OneSystem binding plates (a little startup from Bozeman, nice guys!, plates are solid, angles adjustable in 5° steps) with Spark Afterburner on a solid, works well so far, no play, stiff responsive bindings.


5 degrees as in 0,5,10,15 are your options?

Edit. Checked their site and yes 5 degrees


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

ridinbend said:


> I've never heard of this being a problem. I've never experienced it and none of my buddies with sparks have ever had this problem either. Isolated incident?


I had the same experience with my afterburners. Sparks knows the screws are a problem, they told me when I called them..... They sent me 10 screws and told me to use red locktite instead of the blue that they put on them..... I decided not to and lost 3 more screws last spring/summer..... Sold the bindings and will get karakoram prime or some mtn approach(want to demo them first though).


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Argo said:


> I had the same experience with my afterburners. Sparks knows the screws are a problem, they told me when I called them..... They sent me 10 screws and told me to use red locktite instead of the blue that they put on them..... I decided not to and lost 3 more screws last spring/summer..... Sold the bindings and will get karakoram prime or some mtn approach(want to demo them first though).


Just my opinion, but I wouldn't waste your time with mt approach. They just felt so jenky and cheap. Plus I hate carrying my board. Not to mention the back pack filled with foldable skis with no room for bc gear. Pretty much only good for pow surfers imo. If you come out here I'll grab em and let you try em out. Sucks about the screws.


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

mt approach is a complete joke of a shit-show. not appropriate for bc.


----------



## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

ShredLife said:


> mt approach is a complete joke of a shit-show. not appropriate for bc.


that's what I keep hearing also. I don't have any firsthand experience, but I don't like the extreme duplication of stuff.

I like my Sparks, so far...
seems like I need to pick up some red Locktite


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I will demo them, I don't really care about much other than something that works.... If it works, I will get some, if not......

People rave about splits and sparks, I was not a fan of the sparks..... I could trash talk them but why bother, they definitely have their place just like mtn approach probably do.... I have a different dynamic than most, I am a big fucker.... I will either end up with them or a venture board/karakoram binding combo...


----------



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I took a little 6 mile tour on a burton split with sparks the other day. I really like the channels on it and the adjustability of them.... super nice to set up.


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

Argo said:


> I will demo them, I don't really care about much other than something that works.... If it works, I will get some, if not......
> 
> People rave about splits and sparks, I was not a fan of the sparks..... I could trash talk them but why bother, they definitely *have their place just like mtn approach probably do.... I have a different dynamic than most, I am a big fucker.... * I will either end up with them or a venture board/karakoram binding combo...


in my personal, first-hand experience Mt Approach's place was: broken and stuck on the side of the trail. my buddy who bought them is built like a hobbit. luckily we were only 2 miles out so i just sat there in the snow getting baked and playing with the dogs while he skied my splitboard back to the truck to get my other splitboard that i brought along just in case.

on a serious trip it could have been a pretty real and potentially serious problem. you'd be reduced to bootpacking with a snowboard on your back.


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

ShredLife said:


> in my personal, first-hand experience Mt Approach's place was: broken and stuck on the side of the trail. my buddy who bought them is built like a hobbit. luckily we were only 2 miles out so i just sat there in the snow getting baked and playing with the dogs while he skied my splitboard back to the truck to get my other splitboard that i brought along just in case.
> 
> on a serious trip it could have been a pretty real and potentially serious problem. you'd be reduced to bootpacking with a snowboard on your back.


Same here, my buddy that uses them is a rock solid 225 and broke a hinge out touring. Fortunately he wasn't too far from the rig. My guess is they probably have a weight limit. For little people only. :finger1:


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

ridinbend said:


> Same here, my buddy that uses them is a rock solid 225 and broke a hinge out touring. Fortunately he wasn't too far from the rig. My guess is they probably have a weight limit. For little people only. :finger1:


my buddy is little. like 5'2" 150-160 i'd guess


----------



## kumimajava (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks for all the responses. Wow, I had no idea that there was such an issue with the screws on the Sparks. I'll keep an eye out for that.

Glad to hear that there is no slop on the OneSystem plates - that's encouraging. I don't think the 5degree adjustment is much of a loss - though I would need to duck-out the stance on my twin.

Just one question - does the OneSystem allow for adjustment of the binding position, toe-to-heel (i.e. so I could bias the bindings off-centre)? From what I looked at their website, it looks like you can only put them on centered? 

Would the Prowder system allow for such adjustment? It looks like the way the rails are mounted on their baseplates, there should be some leeway toe-to-heel, but I'm not sure how much space there would be to adjust if you use 4x4 inserts (rather than the wider splitboard holes).

Are there any other bindings, besides the Sparks, that you'd recommend for this purpose? I saw a set of SP Fastec bindings, but the finishing on them didn't look as good as the Sparks.

Thanks again


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Yes, you would be able to center your stance with the prowder system. But that's all I can speak for.


----------



## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

ridinbend said:


> I've never heard of this being a problem. I've never experienced it and none of my buddies with sparks have ever had this problem either. Isolated incident?
> 
> In regards to swapping to different boards there aren't many options for standard snowboards besides 1system, prowder or custom pucks. But with that said the prowder saddles are cheap. And in my opinion they're pretty solid. Nothing is going to be as good as a solid binding connected to your board, but if your determined to switch boards with the same bindings, your on the right track.


mate bolts falling out of splitboard gear is the #1 killer of parts. Everyone who uses them enough finds that out one way or another.


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

ETM said:


> mate bolts falling out of splitboard gear is the #1 killer of parts. Everyone who uses them enough finds that out one way or another.


Never had an issue with my voile lightrails. I've put a shit ton of time on them too. Surprisingly, because everybody talks shit on em.


----------



## kumimajava (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Just one (very ignorant) final question: is it not possible to use the standard Voile mounting pucks on a 4x4 insert pattern? I know that on one of the pucks the 'alignment slots' to the wrong way (parallel to the centre-line of the board, rather than perpendicular) - would this always result in the binding being off centre?


----------



## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

kumimajava said:


> Thanks for the input, everyone.
> 
> Just one (very ignorant) final question: is it not possible to use the standard Voile mounting pucks on a 4x4 insert pattern? I know that on one of the pucks the 'alignment slots' to the wrong way (parallel to the centre-line of the board, rather than perpendicular) - would this always result in the binding being off centre?


No because they're set up to only be long enough to slide the binding/plate and lock it with the pin.


----------



## kumimajava (Oct 11, 2011)

ridinbend said:


> No because they're set up to only be long enough to slide the binding/plate and lock it with the pin.


That's what I was worried about - thanks for confirming it.

I'll probably got with the Prowder system, then. I hope it won't wear down the Sparks too much (due to the metal-metal contact).


----------



## kumimajava (Oct 11, 2011)

One more question: how well do splitboard bindings deal withe the stress of landing jumps? I'm not talking big-air type park stuff, but occasionally I expect i'd hit a small jump and land on hardpack (e.g. cat track, or the slope). does the splitboard interface create a stress-point across the board which could cause issues?


----------



## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

kumimajava said:


> One more question: how well do splitboard bindings deal withe the stress of landing jumps? I'm not talking big-air type park stuff, but occasionally I expect i'd hit a small jump and land on hardpack (e.g. cat track, or the slope). does the splitboard interface create a stress-point across the board which could cause issues?


Well they don't flex at all. I would say they wouldn't cause you to break your board as such but if you do mess it all up they wont be as forgiving as normal bindings.


----------



## kumimajava (Oct 11, 2011)

ETM said:


> Well they don't flex at all. I would say they wouldn't cause you to break your board as such but if you do mess it all up they wont be as forgiving as normal bindings.


Thanks - not so worried about the bindings being forgiving, I'm used to a quite stiff setup (was primarily riding the all-aluminium Phiokka Mix1's until this season). Just wanted to make sure i won't fold the board if i land with them on hardpack


----------



## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

kumimajava said:


> Thanks - not so worried about the bindings being forgiving, I'm used to a quite stiff setup (was primarily riding the all-aluminium Phiokka Mix1's until this season). Just wanted to make sure i won't fold the board if i land with them on hardpack


back seat it hard enough and you will, but that goes for any bindings too.


----------



## kumimajava (Oct 11, 2011)

ETM said:


> back seat it hard enough and you will, but that goes for any bindings too.


Yes, I'd expect so. I was more thinking of the kind of situation where I'd be fine with regular bindings, but fold the board due to the harder interface. Then again, I'll be primarily riding Venture & Unity boards, which are proving quite tough. 

Thanks for all the advice - off to hunt for a pair of Sparks, towards the end of this season


----------



## Boardrigger (Mar 8, 2015)

*One Binding System only for 2x4 pattern*

I've purchased a set of these plates & found they only mount on 2x4 insert patterns which is a major drawback since I have a quiver of boards with 4x4. After contacting OBS about this I was told, "just sell them to someone else or you can return them". Now they won't return my emails & no one I know want's them because of this drawback. Prowder's Binding Saddle is a much better product that accommodates 4x4 & 2x4 patterns while the One Binding System does not.


----------



## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Boardrigger said:


> I've purchased a set of these plates & found they only mount on 2x4 insert patterns which is a major drawback since I have a quiver of boards with 4x4. After contacting OBS about this I was told, "just sell them to someone else or you can return them". Now they won't return my emails & no one I know want's them because of this drawback. Prowder's Binding Saddle is a much better product that accommodates 4x4 & 2x4 patterns while the One Binding System does not.


Get them the only way you can. 
Facebook.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Boardrigger said:


> I've purchased a set of these plates & found they only mount on 2x4 insert patterns which is a major drawback since I have a quiver of boards with 4x4. After contacting OBS about this I was told, "just sell them to someone else or you can return them". Now they won't return my emails & no one I know want's them because of this drawback. Prowder's Binding Saddle is a much better product that accommodates 4x4 & 2x4 patterns while the One Binding System does not.


:icon_scratch: I'm bit confused... cos I do have One Binding plates and they do fit my 4x4 boards...


----------



## Boardrigger (Mar 8, 2015)

you have 2x4 pattern, not 4x4, on those Jones boards.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Boardrigger said:


> you have 2x4 pattern, not 4x4, on those Jones boards.


Sorry, my bad, you're right.


----------



## binarypie (Nov 29, 2009)

I have the Karakoram Prime with the quiver connector. 

I love the bindings on my Carbon Flagship but currently still use my IPOs on my aviator. I haven't tried this yet but probably will at some point just to see if I can deal with it.

I do love that I can now travel with both my split and a solid and only have to carry one set of bindings.


----------

