# bindings for ride highlife



## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

hey just picked up a 2011 highlife and wondering what bindings i should get. size 14 feet, will be using it as a powder/freeride board. kinda thinking some nxt-ats, also looked at k2 companies but i don't know much, basically if im not getting flows i want something with canting. thanks in advance.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

The NXT-FSE is a better match for the HighLife. More responsive than the AT/SE.

Flow NXT-FSE Snowboard Bindings 2012

El Hefe are an excellent match as well. 

Ride El Hefe Snowboard Bindings 2012

Maestro is another solid choice. Not as stiff as the Hefe (overall), but still responsive.

Ride Maestro Snowboard Bindings 2012

Rome Targas are sick too if you can find them right now.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

thanks for the suggestions leo, i found a pair of last years frx for a good price, what about the m11?

i will look into the ride bindings. i have an old pair of ex's that fit well so i will definitally consider those.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

The M11 are too soft for the HighLife IMO. You want to find at least mid-stiff bindings for a good match since the HighLife is a stiff board.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

ok, thanks


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

according to rome the arsenals are stiffer would they be better than targas?
also why maestro and not the nxt-at? are the nxts not very stiff?


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

He said NXT-FSE's. That's basically a stiffer AT.

I put Capo's on it when I demoed it. Got the job done just fine and matched well.

Targas are just a better binding than Arsenal's in general. Softer maybe, but I would argue more responsive.

Also check out K2 Evers.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

lol im an idiot. ok i will check those out later tonight. thanks.


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

I have burton cartels on my 11 highlife. They get the job done and feel responsive enough for me and I do some pretty tight runs through the trees. They also have cant this year. 

The capo, maestro and El heffe look sweet too or the flows if you prefer that.
Just wanted to add another option.
I may have gone with the maestro as they look just right, but the cartels were on sale and in my size which is rare in Japan.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

dahhh, you just had to recommend a cheaper binding. i can afford whatever binding is best but it can be hard not to take a good deal.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

everyone wants to put high end stiff bindings on this board, but my buddy just got one and while it seems it will handle everything, it is far from a bomber plank. it was MUCH softer (flex) than i expected. he is happy with his salomon chiefs (all mountain) on it. 

i myself am in the market for new bindings and have decided that for me in the next 2 weeks it will be the k2 (since u mentioned it) auto uprise (all mountain flex, softer than their bomber 'ever' bindings). k2's have the harshmellow damping/cushioning system which i am into cuz i'm old and you maybe into cuz your a big motherfucker (or maybe a midget with cigarette boats for feet). they are also canted.

goodluck!


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

thanks for all the advice so far. Here is what i have to choose from.

capos, seem to be inbetween the el hefe and maestros

Taragas, similar to capos from what i have read.

Raiden Blackhawks.

Cartels, lots of ppl seem to like them, to soft?

k2 uprise, to soft?

last years auto drone, i know nothing about these, they are on sale. I would appreciate some advice narrowing it down.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

if the uprise are too soft for you, the evers are k2's top of the line stiff binding. they have another one..the company?...that is priced between the 2 at 249 but it is my understanding that that particular binding is a top end freestyle binding, softer than the uprise.

i suggested the uprise only because of my initial reaction to seeing/feeling/bending/riding the board. imho an all mountain binding of medium stiffness would be better suited to this board than something super stiff.

its not like i'm right or anything, u can do w/e and get away with it!


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

ya i get what your saying, the only thing im worried about is im gonna be using this for steeps and powder, maybe some jumps also i weigh in the 200lbs neighborhood. not sure if that really matters or not.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Justin said:


> ya i get what your saying, the only thing im worried about is im gonna be using this for steeps and powder, maybe some jumps also i weigh in the 200lbs neighborhood. not sure if that really matters or not.


i can't believe i see people putting sf45's on the proto...don't worry there are no rules!

hell get some bombers then. remember 15 years ago when bindings were little better than a chopped up mac donalds tray and some climbing gear all tied together, people still bombed the steeps 

don't listen to me i'm a rookie (rank bestowed by BA himself), but a little xp with this board just chiming in.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

meh, im sure you know more than i do. i just started a little while ago im just lucky to have a job that lets me ride a lot so i get to improve fast, but it doesn't really help me know about gear.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

word man, u can read every page on this forum and still encounter the error part of trial and error with gear. i sure have (i'm special dumb tho).

edit. the $100 difference between the evers and the uprise is as significant to me as any other comparison between the 2. however after riding my new proto, its obvious to me that it is way too playful to put super stiff bindings on, making saving 100 bucks even easier. i'm taking this bitch in the steeps and pow too if it would just fucking dump all ready. been having ice coast conditions here for a month...not complaining!


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

snowklinger said:


> everyone wants to put high end stiff bindings on this board, but my buddy just got one and while it seems it will handle everything, it is far from a bomber plank. it was MUCH softer (flex) than i expected. he is happy with his salomon chiefs (all mountain) on it.
> 
> i myself am in the market for new bindings and have decided that for me in the next 2 weeks it will be the k2 (since u mentioned it) auto uprise (all mountain flex, softer than their bomber 'ever' bindings). k2's have the harshmellow damping/cushioning system which i am into cuz i'm old and you maybe into cuz your a big motherfucker (or maybe a midget with cigarette boats for feet). they are also canted.
> 
> goodluck!


Saying "High end stiff" is a bit redundant. With boots or bindings, the stiffer the product, the higher the price. That's the general norm for bindings and boots. This is why you won't find a BOA focus on a park boot. There are exceptions though which is why I said "general norm".

So yes, if we recommend stiff bindings, they will most likely be "high end".

Both the 2011 and 2012 Highlife are rated 9 on Ride's flex scale. I'm sure most of us reviewers can agree that Ride boards generally ride noticeably stiffer than they let off. Take the Machete. Ride will have you believe it's a mid-flex board. It's definitely at least mid-stiff from all accounts I have heard including my own experience. Even the Big Boy All Black Shredder said it was stiff.

If your buddy thinks the Highlife is anything less than stiff, he's either on steroids or a board that's too small for him. That or he's been riding some major tanks.

The Highlife is an all-mountain board that is designed to perform well on groomers or powder. I don't know what you consider to be a bomber plank, but bombing for sure is what I did on this thing. The Highlife is not a cruiser board. If all you are doing is cruising blue groomers on this thing, you are doing it an injustice.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

snowklinger said:


> word man, u can read every page on this forum and still encounter the error part of trial and error with gear. i sure have (i'm special dumb tho).
> 
> edit. the $100 difference between the evers and the uprise is as significant to me as any other comparison between the 2. however after riding my new proto, its obvious to me that it is way too playful to put super stiff bindings on, making saving 100 bucks even easier. i'm taking this bitch in the steeps and pow too if it would just fucking dump all ready. been having ice coast conditions here for a month...not complaining!


Ha... Me too. I know the Proto much to playful to be slapping Targas on, but I'm doing it. My reason is more out of laziness though. I don't want to keep swapping my bosses between the Proto and Evo. At the same time, I didn't want to spend money on another pair of mid flex bindings. The Targas will be good on my Turbo Dream for my big mountain trips. Also for future big mountain boards I might purchase.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Leo said:


> Saying "High end stiff" is a bit redundant. With boots or bindings, the stiffer the product, the higher the price. That's the general norm for bindings and boots. This is why you won't find a BOA focus on a park boot. There are exceptions though which is why I said "general norm".


i know that it is redundant, however in my post relevant because i mention the other, more expensive freestyle bindings by k2 that sit between the uprises and evers in price.

i don't have enough experience with a wide variety of boards to compare the stiffness of this one, but i was told about it being a "9" or whatever, and was expecting something pretty burly (like how i expect the ns premier f1 or raptor or a t.rice, but maybe i'm misleading myself). both myself and my buddy who got the board were suprised at its apparent softness.

cheers.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Yea, some freestyle products are expensive even though they are soft. Those are some of the exceptions I spoke of. Like the Burton Hail boots. Soft as can be, but a bit pricey.

The boards you brought up, Premier, Raptor, and T.Rice are all very different from the Highlife. One major difference being that those are hybrid camber boards. The 2011 Highlife has a LowPro rocker which is a medium rocker in the nose that mellows to near flat camber in the middle and back out to a minimal rocker in the tail. In my own experience, anything with camber is going to feel stiffer and more stable. This is perhaps why you guys think the Highlife is "softer" than expected. The 2012 Highlife has hybrid all-mountain camber which is a camber section underfoot and a little bit of rocker in the nose outside the bindings.

The 2011 Highlife was very damp from what I remember. I don't remember any bit of it being soft except the nose. 2012 Highlife should be even more stable now with the new camber on it. 

By the way, the T.Rice is a heavy board. That can also be deceiving in terms of making it seem stiffer. Lib Tech boards are generally heavy aside form HP topsheet variations.


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

I own this board and though it is stiffer than most I have certainly seen a number of stiffer boards including my old atomic dream raider. That thing was a plank. The highlife can be flexed in the nose and tail but it takes some muscle and good use of your weight.


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## Peaceryder (Nov 21, 2011)

snowklinger said:


> i can't believe i see people putting sf45's on the proto...don't worry there are no rules!
> 
> hell get some bombers then. remember 15 years ago when bindings were little better than a chopped up mac donalds tray and some climbing gear all tied together, people still bombed the steeps
> 
> ...


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

ya i just rode louise today on a 158w flat cambered board (im 200lbs i sunk a lot lol) but i want a stiffer set up. I think im gonna go with the targs to try a brand that i haven't had before and they seem to get good reviews although the capos seem interesting.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

went with the targas thx for all the info.


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

Be nice to hear how they pair up after you have some time on the snow.
Well I expect. Enjoy.


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