# what do asym highbacks do?



## CheeseForSteeze (May 11, 2011)

They conform to your calves/ankles better since your leg will angle in toward your hips. This angle will depend on your height, stance width and style. Rotating them typically is still done so as to compensate for the angle the feet which is mostly independent from those other factors.


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## doron (Nov 14, 2010)

I think almost all modern bindings have asym highbacks. Even if they look symmetrical, the flex pattern usually gives more in one direction than the other. I've heard people saying that you don't need to rotate (ex union mounting guide video), but I still do it because I think its the best of both world's; tip to tail movement for buttering and stiff heelside response.

Edit: Hmm, now that I thought about it some more, perhaps I'll rotate less on my back foot to see if it gives me better ollie response. Edit: nevermind, that makes no sense for duck stance.


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## GreatScott (Jan 5, 2011)

Snowolf said:


> I am not a fan or rotating my highbacks and do not do so.


Why not?

.......


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

Asymmetrical means there is a left and right binding. They are not the same for each side. In the past you could just rotate to goofy from reg without taking them off, the highbacks were the same. Now they are not the same, one left and one right. Travis Rice is famous for having his old green mismatch cartel bindings on opposite sides ( or he had some super one off magic).

I like to rotate, but I don't make it perfect, just flush with the heel cup.


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## zk0ot (Nov 9, 2009)

theyre a-symetrical to offer support where is needed and to offer relief where that rigidity is not needed. if the bindings offer a roational adjustment than you should. its proper setup technique.

think about it. 
to manipulate a snowboard to make it turn you lean on your toeside edge and heelside edge. 
Your heelside turn depend on your highbacks to put that pressure to the edge. If the high backs are angled they arent efficiently directing pressure to the edge. 

see attatchment


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

GreatScott said:


> Why not?
> 
> .......


I don't either. It is because my stance is wider than my hips (as most people's are) which makes a "A" shape. Rotating the highbacks parallel to the heelside edge of the board takes a decent amount of the upper cuff of the boot out of the highback, even more with a wide stance or with a canted footbed (it is the footbed that is canted and not the entire binding). To get all of the performance that you can out of a highback, you would need you boot's upper cuff as centered in the highback as possible (until my hips are 25" wide my leg will never be straight up from my bindings). Is this making sense?


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## doron (Nov 14, 2010)

Just to add to the confusion, I figure if you add forward lean to the equation it gets more complicated. I realize these are small adjustments that may take a very discerning rider to notice, but if you have high angles (say 15 -12) and aggressive forward lean, a high-back parallel with the board edge may squeeze your boot down at an uncomfortable angle, making your knees point further inwards than your toes.

I'll definitely play around with my angles this season, will leave them on the default setting for now.


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

Forward lean is for hard-booters.


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## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

jgsqueak said:


> Forward lean is for hard-booters.


I keep unscrewing the glad on my burton chick binders because I imagine there is some forward lean out to get me. They will break at some point i imagine.


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## GreatScott (Jan 5, 2011)

Snowolf said:


> With highback rotation, the highback does not fit squarely on my calf and causes discomfort. In addition, as jg mentioned, a large portion of the upper boot no longer rests on the highback. In my opinion based on my riding, any advantage for heelside edging by rotating is lost from compromised leverage. Highback rotation in my experience is barely noticeable and it certainly is not necessary for good board control for heelside. In the day of step ins there were no highbacks and riders were able to control boards well. I personally find that the use of proper movement concepts, I do not the slight advantage this provides. Not saying there is a right or a wrong way here; it is a matter of personal preference and I do not prefer rotated highbacks.


Thanky for the explanation. I'll still rotate mine but the next time I see someone who hasn't I won't necessarily give them shit for it, lol.


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

I had my highbacks rotated parallel to my edge because it said so on setting up binding info vids. It felt awkward to me. I also felt it wasn't good having it out of sync with my boots in terms of transferring pressure from my legs to my board.
Now I have the highbacks aligned with my boots and thats how I like them.


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

dreampow said:


> I had my highbacks rotated parallel to my edge because it said so on setting up binding info vids. It felt awkward to me. I also felt it wasn't good having it out of sync with my boots in terms of transferring pressure from my legs to my board.
> Now I have the highbacks aligned with my boots and thats how I like them.


so in the end it comes down to what ever you are comfortable with ? highbacks aligned to the edge or not ? cause i did the same thing alining my high back to the edge cause it said so int he binding tutorial... but it looks weird as its not centered on my binding... (duck stance)


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Think of it this way. If you're riding duck, and you go heel side, do you apply pressure in a V pattern (the duck stance) or still perpendicular to the board?

That said I rotated my highbacks and it got all out of whack so I put them back. I just leave them be.


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

i rotate mine for more tweak-ability and still find it distributes power pretty well to my heel edge.


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