# best quick release bindings?



## Guest

Im gonna be buying 2 sets of bindings for the 2011 season. Ive had "rear entry" bindings like flows and k2 cinch's before. i hated the flows but the cinchs were good just too heavy. Im looking to get reg bindings but ones where i can get out of real quick. what i mean is theres a tab on the rachets that u hit and the ankle and toe straps come loose. A friend recomended union forces which i think look good but i dont see that quick release tab on the toe strap. Ride's have them on both ankle and top straps but the padding seems too thin. Rome bindings have it and look comfortable but are they good bindings? 

Basically i want a strong but light binding that i can get out of quick. I have a board for just the park and another one for bombing the mountian.


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## BoardTheEast

check out the rome 390s. they are an all mountain binding that supposedly you can get in and out real fast and its also one of the lightest bindings on the market.


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## Leo

Rome 390 for park

Rome Targa for bombing

Ride Delta for park (actually can be for both because it is middle of the road stiff)

Ride Alpha for bombing... SPI if you like it real stiff (that's what she said)

Also consider K2's Auto line of bindings.

http://www.snowboards.net/snowboard...tent=Bindings&utm_campaign=www.snowboards.net

I'm curious, which Flows did you have? What year and model? And what did you dislike about them? I have the 2010 NXT-FSE and they are a sick all-around binding. Very light too.


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## Guest

i have the flow m9. M-9

The rachets suck and hard to break loose. So it was a pain to get out of them. The teeth on the straps started to tear and strip after only a few times in and out of them. Also i had a har time getting them really tight. I can sell them cheap if you want them.


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## Leo

Lol, no thanks. You aren't really supposed to be releasing the ratches to get out of them anyway. Also, Flows aren't supposed to fit as tight as traditional bindings.

Take a look at the bindings that I suggested for you.

By the way, my Flow NXT-FSE > Flow M9


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## Donutz

Leo said:


> Also consider K2's Auto line of bindings.


I'd love to get a close-up look at those. The mechanism sounds overly complex.


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## Leo

Donutz said:


> I'd love to get a close-up look at those. The mechanism sounds overly complex.


They are easy to set up. Very easy. I really like those bindings.


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## JeffreyCH

I rode Delta's all last season, and quick release ratchets worked flawlessly. Rode midwest ice, a little park, bombed resorts around breck, and some sweet powder on vail pass in them with no problems. Might be a bit on the heavy side compared to the plastic chassis bindings, dunno, never weighed 'em. IMO the metal chassis seems like it would be more durable, I plan on riding them again this season. I can't wait for this fucking HEAT to go away!!


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## mikez

Aren't they all quick release? Takes less than a second to get out of my Forces. Pull the ankle rachet, push then pull the toe ratchet. Boom. It's getting in that takes that little bit longer.


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## chinds4

JeffreyCH said:


> I can't wait for this fucking HEAT to go away!!


amen man, amen.


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## Nivek

Ride Contraband line or K2 Auto line. The Autos are just cable connected through the binding frame, not all that complicated.


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## Starter

its there on the union bindings just in the front not the top


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## Cavman

SP Fastec Bindings (http://www.sp-united.com/) are rear entry however the ankle strap also has a buckle and the new 2011 models also has a ratchet. So similar to the K2 CTX/CTS bindings but a lot lighter and the high back folds all the way down not just 45 degrees. 

You can set them as tight as you want without compromising entry and exit. I have the SP Fastec Troopa and now as of last night a pair of 2011 SP Fastec Brotherhoods.

Fast in ..high back up and then ankle strap buckle locked.... off you go.

Fast out...high back down and ankle strap automatically unlocks.... out you come.

 Video clip Here


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## Leo

Those fastecs look very nice. I didn't see them anywhere at the test fest though :/

How is the durability? It has a lot of moving parts.


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## lisevolution

SP's presence in the US has dwindled in the last couple of years. I used to rock a pair of the SP Destroid bindings maybe 5-6 years ago, loved those things but couldn't find any more SP stuff in the US after that...


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## Cavman

I have only been using them for a few weeks. Very comfortable, very quick to get in and out of and very light. Lots of support with the troopa model, the high back is very rigid. On the Brotherhood it is asymetrical and provides a different sort of feel, great for freestyle.

My local shop is the importer/dealer for SP Fastec in Australia and they are flying out the door.

Apparently the company has made big om,provements over what they used to be like a few years back. Even the differences between the 2010 and the 2011 models it is easy to see the improvements and development going into them.


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## Cbalke

If you are concerned about weight and quick entry then I would say the Ride Contrabands. All of the other options are typically heavier than the standard style binding. They do take more time to get dialed in when you fit your boot to them, but once you do there are no pressure points and your foot is held in place. Even with the toe strap on my Nitranes ripping last year (ride sent out modified replacements) I still love them. So much so that I am going to pick up another set up this year. I am planning on picking up a set of the Optimo's this year. The improvements that they made on this model should make the setup much easier. 
Another thing that not everyone has is the canted footbeds, If you have not tried them you should stand in a pair. I was able to extend my stance out further and feel more comfortable. 

Here is the standard Contaband setup video
Ride Contraband Binding Setup 2010 on Vimeo

A quick video on the Optimo's from SIA
YouTube - Sneak Preview 2011 Ride Snowboards Optimo Contraband Snowboard Bindings


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## lisevolution

so those SP's are being sold here in the US under the GNU umbrella. The Agro is the top of the line and the next model down is almost identical but not as "Green" or something. I'm going to see if I can find a set somewhere here in NY. The reviews from last season were mixed. Shannon did a test over at Shayboarder.com last season and said the set up time compared to the Flows or K2 Autos was much longer and more complicated but that they were very comfortable and definitely responsive.


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## DC5R

Wow, those sp's look pretty nice. What do they weigh compared to flows/cinch?


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## Cavman

SP's are a lot lighter.

lisevolution, the set up is pretty straight forward and quick. Also it is tool-less

But if you screw it up... the bindings will cause you some grief.

- undo both toe cap and ankle strap.
- place boot in and raise high back
- place top cap over toe and slide adjustments down until it touches boot.
- lower highback and remove boot.
- take the toe strap in one notch on each side and lock down.
- place boot back in binding and raise highback
- close over ankle strap, adjust as necessary to get strap centered over ankle and with the corect amount of tension

Done. From now on nothing more to do. Your bindings are ready to use.

Now, if you adjust your toe strap in too much you will find the heel of the boot will catch on the high back when it is lowered because you have effectively pushed the boot too far to the rear in the binding. The toe strap is not meant to apply lots of pressure to the toe of the boot. Obviously if the toe strap is slipping off then look at adjusting only one side in a notch or half notch.

The other thing you can do wrong is dial in too much highback forward lean. I made this mistake and ended up squashing my boot too much and caused me some foot pain on the ball of my foot. I compouned this by letting out my toe strap and that cause my boot to sit too far forward in the binding. I then started to get toeside drag on turns. A simple adjustment back to something more reasonable in the forward lean and all was right with my world again.

Hope this helps to explain them a bit more.


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## lisevolution

I'm expecting the set-up time to be longer on any of the quick in/out bindings anyway so that doesn't really bother me. I just don't want to deal with a complicated mechanism like the Cinch's which are just overly complicated for something that shouldn't be. So as far as getting in/out of the Fastec's, from what I understand it's not like the Flows where it's just put your foot in and flip the highback up and lock it in. It seems like you also have to undo the ankle strap as well. Am I correct on that?


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## Cavman

No you are not correct. When the high back is lowdered it undoes the ankle buckle but does not open it. It simply releases the quick binding so the ankle strap is loose and your foot can slide all the way in without any resistance. When you raise and lock the highback you simply fold down the ankle buckle. (similar to a ski book buckle) When the ankle buckly folds down it tightens the ankle strap.

Watch the video 
YouTube - SP Fastec Snowboard Bindings Demonstration - www.absolute-snow.co.uk


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## Leo

How are those fastecs in powder situations? Flows used to have a problem with powder situations, but they have since resolved that problem with their mini-ratchets. Can you undo the straps on fastecs so you can strap in while sitting down in powder?


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## Cavman

Did you look at the video? Yes you can undo the ankle strap on the opposite side to the quick release if you have to get out in Deep powder. 

Forgot to mention the bindings are tool-less to set up. The base (on Slab1 models) are Aluminium and the discs are metal too. They have foam on both sides (between foot and binding base and between bapord and binding base). Totally mellow to ride on.


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## Leo

Cavman said:


> Did you look at the video? Yes you can undo the ankle strap on the opposite side to the quick release if you have to get out in Deep powder.
> 
> Forgot to mention the bindings are tool-less to set up. The base (on Slab1 models) are Aluminium and the discs are metal too. They have foam on both sides (between foot and binding base and between bapord and binding base). Totally mellow to ride on.


Awesome. I did watch the video, but without sound. I didn't notice him undoing the straps. I'm at work though so my attention isn't completely focused on the vid :laugh:

I think I'm going to start keeping an eye out for a discounted pair on ebay or something. I'm highly interested in these.


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## lisevolution

Yeah I think I'm going to try and find a pair of these for the upcoming season. I'm always open to new tech and uniqueness on the mountain when possible. The problem Leo is that they aren't that widely available as far as I can tell. I've already spoke to 2 shops that cary Gnu equipment and both told me they would have to special order me a set if I really wanted them. Not sure I want to do that when I can have a hands-on with the Autos or Flows...


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## Cavman

Contact SP Fastec or Gnu and find out who their distributors are.

I am lucky that my favourite boarding shop is also the national importer and distributor in Australia.


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## Leo

lisevolution said:


> Yeah I think I'm going to try and find a pair of these for the upcoming season. I'm always open to new tech and uniqueness on the mountain when possible. The problem Leo is that they aren't that widely available as far as I can tell. I've already spoke to 2 shops that cary Gnu equipment and both told me they would have to special order me a set if I really wanted them. Not sure I want to do that when I can have a hands-on with the Autos or Flows...


Yea, I'm with you. Ever since Flows, I'm fascinated with quick strap bindings. Haven't tried the cinches yet (never interested me since they are like a Flow knock-off), but I have tried and love the Autos. Well, the 2011 Autos and their "Labia Lips."


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## HappyFace

Just wanted to add my 2 cents to the forum as it has been very helpful in me making my first purchases for a board. I have a bataleon Evil twin BTW

Binding: GNU agro ( I wanted flows initially but could never make it out to the vendor who had it) (Flows will be my next bindings)

Tested it out on one day at the mountains: In general - a quick entry binding like the flows or gnu whatever you may choose is worth the money (And if you argue they won't last long. Everything eventually breaks and I figure most boarders here have 2 or 3 boards with 2 or 3 bindings. My local shop has not seen one come back broken so I would assume the issue of breakage is not an issue.)

Getting off the lift and riding off in less than 20 seconds was an awesome feeling while everyone else is on their ass strapping in.

The cushioning was good.

Problems: The bindings do have alot of parts so adjusting is more time consuming. The plastic parts suck.

The toe wrap is very hard and does not conform to the boot and adjustment buckles are 'locks' and do not really slide far enough in to lock the boot in. Lastly the material is very noisy (creaks) against leather.

Lastly (The agro's and mutant are the same binding but costs 30 dollars more. For an environmentally friendly binding, the consumer is stuck paying for their 'green' initiative. Terrible idea in my mind.

Aside from those issues, when set properly the binding is very secure and responsive.


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## KIRKRIDER

lisevolution said:


> I'm expecting the set-up time to be longer on any of the quick in/out bindings anyway so that doesn't really bother me. I just don't want to deal with a complicated mechanism like the Cinch's which are just overly complicated for something that shouldn't be. So as far as getting in/out of the Fastec's, from what I understand it's not like the Flows where it's just put your foot in and flip the highback up and lock it in. It seems like you also have to undo the ankle strap as well. Am I correct on that?


You have to set them up the first time (at home), on the runs you just pull the highback up and go. Total time 6 seconds.
They are not heavier than a pair of Cartel. 
In powder you use them as a traditional strap binding.


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## HappyFace

Just went bunny hill riding for 6 hours testing out my new evil twin 157 with the same agro bindings. Just to repeat the toe wraps on these things still suck. It came un done once and no matter how hard I try to push it in it won't. My foot is not locked in with the toe straps and likely 90 percent with the ankle strap. I hope they replace them with bukles and can replace mine as well. I still have pretty good control but for the price I paid they should be perfect. Retail for 320 Canadian.


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## phile00

I've found that most of the people who have problems with flow bindings simply don't know how to set them up properly.

Btw, regarding the Fastec... since there's a button that auto-releases the ankle strap, could that be potentially dangerous if it got depressed in an accident? With traditional bindings, if you were to hit the strap area it would be rare to pop off a strap because you'd have to pull against, and with flows you'd have to fall in a way that pulled the high back downward. With the fastec it looks like if the button got pressed you could come kind of loose and maybe twist your ankle. I guess it would be inconvenient, but it would make more sense for that release to be on the inside of the ankle which would reduce the likeliness of the button to get depressed in a fall. Thoughts?


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## HappyFace

That button is pretty difficult to depress. You have to give it the right pressure to unlock it. Its even more difficult to depress if the strap is on really tight. I found that out with use. I don't see how you could depress that button unless someone hit you and they happen to hit that exact spot on your binding.

that was a nice feature though for long trips up the mountain on chair lifts.


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## phile00

HappyFace said:


> That button is pretty difficult to depress. You have to give it the right pressure to unlock it. Its even more difficult to depress if the strap is on really tight. I found that out with use. I don't see how you could depress that button unless someone hit you and they happen to hit that exact spot on your binding.
> 
> that was a nice feature though for long trips up the mountain on chair lifts.


They look pretty sweet. Does the toe cap move around when you unstrap?


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## agfracing

How is it that this post is looking dealing with ratchets mainly and NO ONE has mentionewd burton yet? In my opinion they have, hands down the smoothest binding systems out there. The ratchets never come loose unless you want them to, and they can be undone in no time flat. Check out the burton custom binding. You cant go wrong


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## phile00

agfracing said:


> How is it that this post is looking dealing with ratchets mainly and NO ONE has mentionewd burton yet? In my opinion they have, hands down the smoothest binding systems out there. The ratchets never come loose unless you want them to, and they can be undone in no time flat. Check out the burton custom binding. You cant go wrong


Gotta agree. Burton ratchets are the smoothest I've ever used.


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