# heel hammock bs or not and tough binding choice...



## scottb7 (Nov 19, 2012)

shopping for binding with more flex or (should i say board feel):

a. malavita
b. cartel
c. rome 390 boss (has vrod)
d. forum shaka

here is my dilema:

a. should i avoid the heel hammock? is it bull and going to break? Some say yes.

c. does the vrod work compared to the hinge disc technology?

d. is it really worth paying the price for forum product? will it be supported for how long? and for the price i could get malavita or cartel, more or less. But the base plate is adjustable so dont have to worry about med vs large.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## tonicusa (Feb 27, 2008)

I love the Forum Republics with the hinge disc. They are almost up there with my EST Genesis with the other hinge. And Burton has been great about supporting them. They just sent me a whole set of new heel loops in size large to use with my medium bases so I could see if I could get more adjustability across the board and it worked great. They have sent me highbacks, straps, just a super high level of support. And quite frankly these bindings are pretty rugged. I have a few pair, they are like Malavitas, but with a hinge disc.


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## scottb7 (Nov 19, 2012)

is there much difference between forum shaka and the forum republic....glad to hear burton standing behind forum stuff.


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## tonicusa (Feb 27, 2008)

Rider Services told me the Republic is a little firmer. But it feels like a fun all mountain freestyle binding to me. Definitely love having pop in my boards (I ride almost only camber) and there's no question that the hinge gives you better feel and access to the tail for that. It's all incremental but I'm always looking for that extra 5-10% in my riding. Boots are where I notice the biggest difference in my riding, more so than the board or the bindings.


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## kvw (Apr 2, 2013)

Lovin my new Malavitas. Although I still have to tighten the ankle straps like a normal pair of bindings unlike their marketing would lead you to believe. But performance and comfort wise, they rock even with the ankle strap tight! :thumbsup: 

You should probably go with one of the other 3 however if you're going for more flex. The malavitas are probably the stiffest out of the ones you listed. Pro tip: if you go with burton and you're right the size limit of medium and large (for me I'm 10.5), go with a medium. The heelcup is not adjustable and I couldn't get the 2013 large Burton Missions I had to center correctly (too much heel hangover) and had to return them. Romes have a lot of adjustability so you wont have to worry about that. 

Don't know bout the Shakas or if Rome v-rod works as well as hinge disk. I have a pair of 2013 390 boss and I can't tell the difference between them and the malavitas so I guess it does work as well perhaps or I just can't tell.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

I always back my ankle straps off a click and let the hammock do its thang. comfy too.


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## scottb7 (Nov 19, 2012)

That is so interesting, your comment about not telling difference between malavita and 390 boss....v rod might work. but no one talks much about it.


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## kvw (Apr 2, 2013)

snowklinger said:


> I always back my ankle straps off a click and let the hammock do its thang. comfy too.


Definitely comfy. Strange. For me I can feel the difference between that last click.



scottb7 said:


> That is so interesting, your comment about not telling difference between malavita and 390 boss....v rod might work. but no one talks much about it.


I guess I should really clarify my perspective. I hardly ride park. I can't feel the difference in my style of riding which is mostly just hard carving, charging and jumping natural features. Maybe if trying to butter a lot would reveal the difference. It was suggested in my last thread about the rome disk cracking that perhaps the V-rod was working well enough to put enough stress on the disk to break it. http://www.snowboardingforum.com/bindings/108177-2013-vs-2014-rome-390-boss.html Don't know if that's the case or the disks are just weaker.


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## scottb7 (Nov 19, 2012)

thanks that is helpful. i am in the park/hitting jumps like 90% of the time. so want the flex in the board.

but the challenge is if i get the vita's from ebay it will be pain in the ass to return if they don't fit. i am an 11 boot. although i did call burton and they said get the large. if i get the forum they adjust.

damn it...if i knew for absolute sure the large vita would work i would get it...but the forum stuff is probably just as good.

i do think the rome are probably not built as well as the burton or forum stuff. maybe i should rule out the rome. but also, the auto open strap looks pretty cool. and no one says it doesn't work...ugggg, i don't know what to do. someone, please tell me they compared vrod to a hinge disc......

Forum 2013 Shaka Black Ceremony Snowboard Bindings Large | eBay

New 2013 Burton Mens Demo Malavita re Flex Snowboard Bindings Large Boot US 10 | eBay


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## kvw (Apr 2, 2013)

I dunno man, that's a tough one. Does your boot have any "shrinkage tech" in them? If that's the case, they could be as small as my 2013 10.5 DC Gizmos (which have no shrinkage tech at all... on the bigger side if anything). If your size 11 boot is the same size as my 10.5 Gizmo's or smaller then I would recommend the medium based off my experience.

Are you near a cool board shop? After my incident with my Large Burton Missions not fitting, Any Mountain let me bring in my board and boots and mount up a pair of the medium Malavitas to see if they center with no obligation to buy. Not like you're doing any damage or wear to their product. Then you'd have your answer for sure and you can make your decision. Or just get the Shakas.  

Don't take my experience with the v-rod vs hinge base plates. Hinge base plates probably are better for board flex.


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## scottb7 (Nov 19, 2012)

I don't have the nerve to go to a board shop and then go elsewhere and buy. thank god for this forum. 

my size 11 boots are nothing special. no shrink tech.


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## tonicusa (Feb 27, 2008)

You are going to be a large in these bindings. There was a pair of hinge disc Forum Republics on Geartrade but someone grabbed them. 

There is a fresh pair of Malavitas. Whoops they are EST. 

Burton - Malavita EST Snowboard Binding Blacksmith, L - Exc

That's a good price on the Shakas. Grab them. You are a large in that binding. I lap the jump line all day too, they're a great binding for that.


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

I have the medium Genesis with a size 10 Nike. I wouldn't go with a medium if I were any larger, my 10 is right at the limits of medium. Genesis and Mavita are very similar except the highback.


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

These guys have previous season Forum Shaka and Republic in various colors and sizes on sale: http://www.martiniskateandsnow.com/products.cfm?CatID=38&Brand=Forum


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## scottb7 (Nov 19, 2012)

Ok, here is what happened...Burton guy on the phone said get a large, burton email guy told me to get the medium...decided no way can i buy burton bindings unless I can return them. Not sure I am convinced of longevity of the heel hammock. 

Someone here mentioned how great burton has been at supporting the forum stuff so I thought I would go that direction. 

So I snagged this. Yes I paid $84 delivered for 2013 republics, brand new. Would have preferred black but oh well. Hinge disk, canted foot bed, movable heel cup. Would have preferred shaka but not for another $80 bucks or more.

Thanks for all the help. I just couldn't convince myself to get the rome bindings although the autostrap would have been sweet. Most people thought the hinge discs work better. I would love to compare the rome vrod technology to the hinge disk. But guess it aint gonna happen.

Forum Republic Snowboard Bindings Large Our Blood New | eBay


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## scotty100 (Apr 3, 2012)

Hope they work for you:thumbsup: 

For future reference, if you're a size 11 boot, any boot, you need a large in a burton binding.


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## scottb7 (Nov 19, 2012)

The forum republics with hinge disc arrived today. Yes forum has adjustable base plate. So scooted it on back. Got perfect heal / toe placement. Large binding with flow size 11 boots.


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