# Highback doesn't touch boot at the top



## SushiLover (Sep 17, 2020)

The spine of your new boot has a different angle than your old ones. I'm guessing not all boots have the same spine angle. I don't think it's an issue.


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

when you're in a riding position and flexed into your boots likely arent contacting the highbacks anyway. If it bothers you adjust the forward lean and then adjust the straps to compensate if you have to.


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## Coffee Drinker (Mar 20, 2021)

SushiLover said:


> The spine of your new boot has a different angle than your old ones. I'm guessing not all boots have the same spine angle. I don't think it's an issue.


Thanks for the response. I understand the difference in the boots, I'm wondering if the gap is an issue.


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## Coffee Drinker (Mar 20, 2021)

MrDavey2Shoes said:


> when you're in a riding position and flexed into your boots likely arent contacting the highbacks anyway. If it bothers you adjust the forward lean and then adjust the straps to compensate if you have to.


Right now it only bothers me aesthetically. I am concerned it may hinder my riding by being less responsive. Although I believe most of the response comes from the straps, not the contact at the top of the highback?


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## SushiLover (Sep 17, 2020)

I have the same gap with my burton ruler inside my strata's and no issues as far as response.


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## drblast (Feb 28, 2017)

It won't be less responsive once you close that gap. Whether you do that with forward lean or just through riding is up to you. I prefer to match the forward lean of the highback to my boot - I feel like it's less stress on my boots and feet that way. Flexing into the heel side of your boot usually shifts your toes forward slightly so my thought is that the boot will pack out and lose stiffness just a bit faster if it's "free" like that.


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## Coffee Drinker (Mar 20, 2021)

drblast said:


> It won't be less responsive once you close that gap. Whether you do that with forward lean or just through riding is up to you. I prefer to match the forward lean of the highback to my boot - I feel like it's less stress on my boots and feet that way. Flexing into the heel side of your boot usually shifts your toes forward slightly so my thought is that the boot will pack out and lose stiffness just a bit faster if it's "free" like that.


Sounds reasonable! 
So a vote for forward lean and a vote for a gap! Any other thoughts? Some pics of you guys boots in bindings?


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## Craig64 (Jul 16, 2015)

You adjust forward lean for how you ride. If you're a Park Rat F0 will be sweet ie zero adjustment. If you're an aggressive carver increase forward lean. I ride F5 - F6. This gives you a more instant response to heelside engagement. Rotating highbacks parallel to side edge is also a positive adjustment as well.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

I like to match forward lean with the boot. But it’s all personal preference. 


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

Some boots have more forward lean. You can always match the high back to the new one.
Also, you are cranking the binding down an empty boot, it will compress and bend more forward vs when there is a foot in it.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

Craig64 said:


> You adjust forward lean for how you ride. If you're a Park Rat F0 will be sweet ie zero adjustment. If you're an aggressive carver increase forward lean. I ride F5 - F6. This gives you a more instant response to heelside engagement. Rotating highbacks parallel to side edge is also a positive adjustment as well.


I’m interested in the highback rotation. Not all bindings adjust that way. Seems like it would help with ++ stance. 


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

I disagree that forward lean is needed for aggressive carving


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## Craig64 (Jul 16, 2015)

MrDavey2Shoes said:


> I disagree that forward lean is needed for aggressive carving


So basically the highback is like a lever connected to the binding. Of course you can ride with no highbacks and you're really just using the ankle as the sole mechanism to set the toeside/heelside edge. But the highback responds to movement from the lower calf area/rear of the boot. No doubt an advanced rider will probably be able to rip carves aggressively with no forward lean but for a lot, it's a useful means to enable a quicker instant response on a heelside turn. That is why practically every binding has the ability of forward lean and highback rotation.

With snowboarding, our legs are the suspension. Most boots are now made with this positive forward angle set into the outer-shell. Standing at 90 degrees is a lot less fatiguing over time but mate, we don't ride like that.


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## Craig64 (Jul 16, 2015)

Scalpelman said:


> I’m interested in the highback rotation. Not all bindings adjust that way. Seems like it would help with ++ stance.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Highback rotation is pretty good. What you are achieving when getting the highback parallel with the side edge is when you enable a heelside turn the higback is basically in the perfect centred position to lever the response directly into the edge.


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

Craig64 said:


> So basically the highback is like a lever connected to the binding. Of course you can ride with no highbacks and you're really just using the ankle as the sole mechanism to set the toeside/heelside edge. But the highback responds to movement from the lower calf area/rear of the boot. No doubt an advanced rider will probably be able to rip carves aggressively with no forward lean but for a lot, it's a useful means to enable a quicker instant response on a heelside turn. That is why practically every binding has the ability of forward lean and highback rotation.
> 
> With snowboarding, our legs are the suspension. Most boots are now made with this positive forward angle set into the outer-shell. Standing at 90 degrees is a lot less fatiguing over time but mate, we don't ride like that.


Try imagining your heelside as a squat more than a lean in that your sinking your heel edge rather than leveraging. 

really a different strokes thing but I find forward lean to throw the timing of my movements off


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## Coffee Drinker (Mar 20, 2021)

speedjason said:


> Some boots have more forward lean. You can always match the high back to the new one.
> Also, you are cranking the binding down an empty boot, it will compress and bend more forward vs when there is a foot in it.


Ok, I set it to plus 1 lean and wore the boot to try the difference. Not touching when static, but much closer. When I lean back it does touch the top, but not instantly. Maybe more forgiving less twitchy...


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

There's many ways to skin this cat. There's no harm in playing around with rotation and forward lean. I personally dislike them both, but I had to play with them to know that. I could rip deep, aggressive carves without highbacks at all. I seriously ride some of the softest highbacks in the game. Boots, baseplates, and straps have all gotten better at transferring energy into the board.

I think having the ability to move your weight freely around the board is extremely important. I dislike highback rotation because I feel it doesn't sit with the boot as well and limits mobility. 

Having control of the board angle to the snow is important to my carving style. I really don't ever want my bindings to dictate my board angle or my riding position. By lining them up with the boot spine, I get power when I drive back into them without them dictating my riding position or board angle.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

WigMar said:


> There's many ways to skin this cat. There's no harm in playing around with rotation and forward lean. I personally dislike them both, but I had to play with them to know that. I could rip deep, aggressive carves without highbacks at all. I seriously ride some of the softest highbacks in the game. Boots, baseplates, and straps have all gotten better at transferring energy into the board.
> 
> I think having the ability to move your weight freely around the board is extremely important. I dislike highback rotation because I feel it doesn't sit with the boot as well and limits mobility.
> 
> Having control of the board angle to the snow is important to my carving style. I really don't ever want my bindings to dictate my board angle or my riding position. By lining them up with the boot spine, I get power when I drive back into them without them dictating my riding position or board angle.


So basically you set your highback to match the boot? Or do you leave a small gap? 

I find that an overly forward lean is detrimental. It also hurts when it digs into the calf. I find the same calf dig on my flow NX2 bindings with forward angles >18. Not horrible but highback rotation helps on my other carving bindings. 


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

Scalpelman said:


> So basically you set your highback to match the boot? Or do you leave a small gap?
> 
> I find that an overly forward lean is detrimental. It also hurts when it digs into the calf. I find the same calf dig on my flow NX2 bindings with forward angles >18. Not horrible but highback rotation helps on my other carving bindings.
> 
> ...


I like lining the forward lean up with my boot spine the best I can without pushing forward into the boot. 

I'll take another look at highback rotation this season- it's been awhile since I played with that. If I can get more freedom of movement, I'm into it.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

WigMar said:


> I like lining the forward lean up with my boot spine the best I can without pushing forward into the boot.
> 
> I'll take another look at highback rotation this season- it's been awhile since I played with that. If I can get more freedom of movement, I'm into it.


It’s more of a comfort thing. Highback rotation matters more for aggressive long and fast carving. At least for me. For that flowy groove, I agree, more freedom of motion is better. If you still have that pentaquark, that’s the deck to try the highback rotation on some stiff bindings. You’ll plow some chunder busting lines with that damp deck. Or what do they call it now? Antiphase? 


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## Coffee Drinker (Mar 20, 2021)

Put them up for sale...My OCD is not allowing me to keep the bindings. Ordered some Salomon Holograms. Hopefully they interface better!

Check the for sale threads!








SOLD - Union Strata Bindings 2021 Orange size medium - New


Brand new, test mounted but never ridden. $250 shipped




www.snowboardingforum.com












SOLD - Union Strata Bindings 2022 White size medium - New


Brand new, test mounted but never ridden. $250 shipped




www.snowboardingforum.com


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## gmow (11 mo ago)

@Coffee Drinker are these still for sale? Saw your other thread, for some reason I couldn’t reply on it. Let me know.


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## Coffee Drinker (Mar 20, 2021)

gmow said:


> @Coffee Drinker are these still for sale? Saw your other thread, for some reason I couldn’t reply on it. Let me know.


Still available


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## gmow (11 mo ago)

Site wont let me pm you, don’t know why, try shooting me on. Am interested.


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## Coffee Drinker (Mar 20, 2021)

gmow said:


> Site wont let me pm you, don’t know why, try shooting me on. Am interested.


I guess you're too new for pm privileges? I can email or text you if you want.


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## gmow (11 mo ago)

email works @[email protected]


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

The forum has been set up so that new users can't PM and can't post to Buy & Sell. It's to discourage the scammers.


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

gmow said:


> email works ****


Don't paste your email address like that, you'll get scraped up by spammers etc.

delta111444 at gmail.com


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