# For You Aussies Strewth Bindings



## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

It's actually their second attempt at fundraising the project!!!!!

Launched on Idigogo about 12 months ago!!!!!

While the tech looks pretty good, one major complaint (and has been a real turn off) is the name "Strewth"!!!!!

For us guys Down Under, it's the equivalent of someone in the States callin their new bindings "YeeHaws", or "Shin Digs"!!!!! 

* Disclaimer - Maybe some people like these names?????


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## oldmate (Oct 24, 2011)

Firstly, the name is terrible, but is bending down to strap one binding really all that hard? It generally takes about 5 seconds depending where you are standing.

If someone wants to invent something, it needs to be an engine powered snowboard to take you back up the hill.


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## francium (Jan 12, 2013)

I agree out of all the problems in the world the 10 seconds to strap into your bindings doesn't really need solving, and anyway why do they always say "no more sitting down to strap in"? I skate of a lift if it's steep use the board to cut a flat ledge and strap in standing up.


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## ju87 (Mar 9, 2011)

i didnt look at the proposal in detail, but how are these different from Flow bindings ?


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

francium said:


> I agree out of all the problems in the world the 10 seconds to strap into your bindings doesn't really need solving, and anyway why do they always say "no more sitting down to strap in"? I skate of a lift if it's steep use the board to cut a flat ledge and strap in standing up.


I think you are missing the appeal for many gummers like me. The issue is not the time saving, it is the bending down, getting on our buts and cranking. it starts to hurt when you get old and or out of shape. The appeal to me on these is, that unlike my flows, I would not even have to bend down to lock them in place (though I would have to do so to unlock), This gets especially tiresome, if you live in areas like I do where the hills are smaller so you are strapping in and out many times a day. hope this puts the appeal in perspective


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

They would probably have more returns on licensing there tech to other companies... That is of course if the tech is worth having, in which case they would have no work and returns on every set sold... Surely that would be a better business model for them right now...??? If of course it is tech that works and would be deemed usable by other companies already established...!

Flow took a few years to get it right, K2 never really got it right... So i don't think there is a business case for yet another quick release / step in binding...


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Mizu Kuma said:


> ….one major complaint (and has been a real turn off) is the name "Strewth"!!!!!
> 
> For us guys Down Under, it's the equivalent of someone in the States callin their new bindings "YeeHaws", or "Shin Digs"!!!!!
> 
> * Disclaimer - Maybe some people like these names?????


Can't recall exactly where I heard it used, other than I'm sure it was on TV or a movie or sum shit but, I was under the impression that "Strewth" was actually a sort of drinking toast of sorts. …No? 

Is it _really_ the down under equivalent of some ******* shouting out Yee-Haw???

So if I undertand the usage you're describing,… You're "Gacked" about nailing your run down the triple black or mogul run or sum shit and you'd be shouting "_Strewth_" on your way down???? Somehow, it Just seems like a strange combination of consonants to be shouting out in excitement to me! :dunno: :laugh:


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/bindings/54202-strewth-bindings-new-speed-entry-system.html


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

chomps1211 said:


> Can't recall exactly where I heard it used, other than I'm sure it was on TV or a movie or sum shit but, I was under the impression that "Strewth" was actually a sort of drinking toast of sorts. …No?
> 
> Is it _really_ the down under equivalent of some ******* shouting out Yee-Haw???
> 
> So if I undertand the usage you're describing,… You're "Gacked" about nailing your run down the triple black or mogul run or sum shit and you'd be shouting "_Strewth_" on your way down???? Somehow, it Just seems like a strange combination of consonants to be shouting out in excitement to me! :dunno: :laugh:


:laugh: Nah, it's not the equivalent to my examples!!!!! I just typed the first things that came to mind!!!!! :laugh:

Strewth, is more so used as you'd use the term "Geeze", "Crikey", or "Awe Crap"!!!!!

eg Strewth Chomps, ya back thingamajig is gettin about as low as a red belly's arsehole!!!!! Ya wanna get it sorted before it ends up as useful as a dead dingo's donga, mate!!!!!


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## td.1000 (Mar 26, 2014)

except Flow was an elegant solution. just a hinge and a wire really. with this I don't even want to know what's going on in that baseplate. plus they will have to beef up the materials like crazy to lock in that highback properly. it's like most of the things we see on kickstarter. engineers overengineering to solve problems that don't really exist.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

To be fair, i would NOT be going near this...

They sold 25 sets on Indeigogo, and it would appear they never got delivered, so the hope of getting them for me is, well non existent...

No way would i risk my money on someone who has not even got the decency to reply to people that backed and paid on there funding campaign...


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

UGH these guys emailed me to promote them.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Wow, never saw this!!!!!

Very poor form!!!!!

Imagine a warranty issue?????


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

Looks like a nightmare to me when if it gets all iced over from something on the lift.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

f00bar said:


> Looks like a nightmare to me when if it gets all iced over from something on the lift.


I go through the fingers on my gloves every season from just brushing the snow on the base before i strap in with my flows, otherwise i end up with packed ice in there and straps that are too tight or uncomfortable...

Imagine getting that lot out from UNDER the foot base before putting your foot down to lock in, or even if you could lock it in...


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

You won't see a Kiwi buying Strewth bindings


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Manicmouse said:


> You won't see a Kiwi buying Strewth bindings


Not unless there's a lambs wool covered highback!!!!! :blink:


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## Steezus Christ (Jul 29, 2013)

larrytbull said:


> I think you are missing the appeal for many gummers like me. The issue is not the time saving, *it is the bending down, getting on our buts and cranking. it starts to hurt when you get old and or out of shape.* The appeal to me on these is, that unlike my flows, I would not even have to bend down to lock them in place (though I would have to do so to unlock), *This gets especially tiresome*, if you live in areas like I do where the hills are smaller so you are strapping in and out many times a day. hope this puts the appeal in perspective


cmon man, seriously?!? the amount of effort to strap into the binding doesnt even compare to the amount of effort needed to get down the hill once ur strapped in. i dont mean to be rude or anything but maybe if you cant strap in to bindings, dont. :dunno: try skiing?

heck, what do you do when you fall over?


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

Steezus Christ said:


> cmon man, seriously?!? the amount of effort to strap into the binding doesnt even compare to the amount of effort needed to get down the hill once ur strapped in. i dont mean to be rude or anything but maybe if you cant strap in to bindings, dont. :dunno: try skiing?
> 
> heck, what do you do when you fall over?



I roll over on my belly, as my knees can't bend far enough back to get up on my back. 


Laugh now, wait till you get to your 40's and 50's and the discretions of your youth start to catch up with you. 

look if you like getting on your ass bending over and ratcheting great for you.
I don't want to flame but Obviously there is a market for easy entry binding, as there are 3 Major Companies that offer a variety. 

Different strokes for different folks
don't be a hater

I hear that argument every time, and doesn't really make sense
as it is not about the time it takes, it is about ease of use.

just like having a car with a stick shift verses an automatic
each gets the job done, just done differently.

Things evolve and as far as I am concerned the tech for the bindings have not really evolved much. Each year I see a new model of the same basic binding, what did they change?
a different base material , a different color, the texture on the toe cap? The tech is still the same

the Now Bindings and the flows and fastec's are the only ones that seem
to have really innovated, and yes a few of these kickstarter companies are trying. Doesn't mean I am buying what they are selling, but I am interested in things that make my life easier 


Sorry for the rant, but painkillers have started to wear off after the surgery:thumbsdown:


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Mizu Kuma said:


> Not unless there's a lambs wool covered highback!!!!! :blink:


You'd have to rename the bindings to dags or something else appropriate


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## Strewth (Sep 18, 2012)

Kevin137 said:


> To be fair, i would NOT be going near this...
> 
> They sold 25 sets on Indeigogo, and it would appear they never got delivered, so the hope of getting them for me is, well non existent...
> 
> No way would i risk my money on someone who has not even got the decency to reply to people that backed and paid on there funding campaign...


Kevin137. The Indiegogo campaign last year did not succeed. At the end of the Indiegogo campaign we had $5K, which is clearly not enough to get a new binding manufactured. We offered the Indiegogo backers a refund and they all chose to wait rather than receive a refund. We haven't been monitoring that page, which we probably should have, but we have been in contact directly via email with all the Indiegogo backers on the current status.

These bindings are not intended to appeal to everyone, but there are a lot of guys out there like larrytbull (and us) an a bunch of other people who've been in contact who like the concept. 

The reality is most people are lucky to get a few days on snow a year, and if you're from somewhere like Australia where a long run is 2 minutes, a bit of a saving here and there can make a difference.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

Oh i am not complaining, i have waited 18 months for crowd funded products, i know it can be slow...

But if you are funded on something, you have to understand how it looks when you see comments like this on a funding platform that was funded by backers regardless of meeting the target...

Now you are finding the situation is that people are doing there homework... And this is the result, i have researched what i can, and to me, it looks like you took money and delivered no product with no communication...

A simple 1 time post on there answering when someone replies, would of left you in a far better place, now we see that you have failed, and people are still waiting and you are trying to fund again...

I also understand that funding is time sensitive... And by that, what will fail 1 year, may well not fail the following year... And i will give you a very simple example...

The 1st project...

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryangrepper/the-coolest-cooler-with-blender-music-and-so-much?ref=users

Now this is a very cool cooler, and wanted $125,000... What it got was $102,188 and it failed... No one was charged, no one paid anything, but the company stuck with it...!!!

The 2nd Project...

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryangrepper/coolest-cooler-21st-century-cooler-thats-actually?ref=users

Wanted $50,000 in backing, is still running, and is by the same company with a few minor tweaks, and guess what, even though they only wanted $50,000 this time around, and with 2 days to go, they are funded to the tune of $11,000,000 yes 11 million...!!!

Things do change, and things can improve, and the only difference i can see in yours currently is a re-edited video, pretty much everything else is the same... And the problems from your 1st project still sit as the problems on the 2nd project...

The prototype example with different materials, bigger base plate etc, are still there, are still not allowing you to show what is possible and still putting people off... And Snowboarding is a small enough community already where people talk, and people do share there feelings...

You will sell some, wether you will get enough to make this a reality, is very unlikely right now... I use Flow, and the whole not bending down etc, well there are a few on here like me, with back issues (i broke mine 5 years ago) and this is the least of my concerns, my concerns are they are not gonna break while riding... And for that, there needs a whole heap more testing in the hands of people that will abuse them properly...!!!


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

+ 1 to what kevin137 says... 
I definitely will watch companies but won't purchase till I know the product is what is says it is, and of course tested well, and perhaps a few expert reviews from trusted individuals


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

I don't trust 99% of shit I see on Kickstarter because I view it as people trying to make a cash grab at snowboarding. Yeah, I'm that guy. Could be a legit idea if you personally don't sell me on you having snowboarding's best intentions at heart I will shit on you.


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## Strewth (Sep 18, 2012)

Kevin137 you are 100% correct.

We did actually include a note about the Indiegogo campaign in the Kickstarter campaign. I just went to cut & paste it here but see it didn't make the final edit. You do and redo these things so many times before they go live. Will update and get that back in shortly.

It is also true about timing etc. The main video is the original video from last year with an old prototype. The middle video is a newer prototype. 

We've been working with a few different designers and one thing became clear, to design a binding you need a specialist binding designer (might be obvious to some). So we have now done that and are waiting for the samples of the finished binding. Much better than what is in the video, but may not get here in time for the end of the Kickstarter. Either way we will post them up and see what people think, and decide whether to redo a Kickstarter if this one doesn't reach it's goal.

At the end of the day, only riding them will show if they are good or not. I know there's a few people on the forum here who know how to test a binding . We'll put them out there and see what people think.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Manicmouse said:


> You'd have to rename the bindings to dags or something else appropriate


Hahahaaa!!!!!


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## Strewth (Sep 18, 2012)

Hey Mizzu. The name isn't a play on the occer/slang. It doesn't mean anything outside Aus/NZ. Just a short easy to remember word.


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Strewth said:


> Hey Mizzu. The name isn't a play on the occer/slang. It doesn't mean anything outside Aus/NZ. Just a short easy to remember word.


You're based in Sydney so using aussie slang as a brand name seems like an inside joke to us antipodeans


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Strewth said:


> Hey Mizzu. The name isn't a play on the occer/slang. It doesn't mean anything outside Aus/NZ. Just a short easy to remember word.


It still has a meaning though????? 

I could call my new product "Bum Nuts", say it has nothin to do with its original meanin, but people are gonna associate it with what they're familiar with!!!!!

I remember the first time ya posted you're bindings on another forum, and there was similar feedback in regards to the name as is on here (and other public forums), in regards to the name!!!!!

Yet you still kept the name????? 

I've been in business before, and I don't want to tell anyone how to suck eggs, but it might be a good time to listen to things that people are sayin to you?????

After all, these people are gonna be your target audience!!!!!


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Not everything is marmite (love or hate it).

You can have a name that is generally likeable 

Like Mizzzzzzzuuuuu :bowdown:

Mizu Bindings. You heard it here first.


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## Strewth (Sep 18, 2012)

Yes. Deciding on a name is in some ways harder than designing the bindings. At some point you need to make a decision and go with it. "Something else" isn't actually that easy to come by.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Manicmouse said:


> Not everything is marmite (love or hate it).
> 
> You can have a name that is generally likeable
> 
> ...


I'll PM my PayPay account for you to put money into it!!!!! :laugh:


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Strewth said:


> Yes. Deciding on a name is in some ways harder than designing the bindings. At some point you need to make a decision and go with it. "Something else" isn't actually that easy to come by.


I totally agree that ya have to eventually make a call on everythin you do, but you also have to listen to your audience after you've made that call!!!!!

If a chef keeps tryin to push a menu that nobody (or an overwhelming majority) likes the sound of, his restaurant won't keep it's doors open for long!!!!!

Even big corporations make mistakes/bad calls, but the ones that survive are the ones that swallow their pride, listen, and make the changes that are needed in order to be viable!!!!! 

I wish you luck in your venture though, as I do understand how difficult a task you're facin!!!!!


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

strewth
An Australian, or "Aussie", exclaimation, similar to the somewhat more popular "Crikey!"
Strewth, that was a hard day, toss me a Fosters mate! 

Origin

late 19th century: contraction of God's truth.

strewth
Line breaks: strewth
Pronunciation: /struːθ

/
(also struth)
exclamation
British informal
Used to express surprise or dismay.

Corruption of God′s truth. Compare zounds, blimey.

Interjection

strewth

(UK, Australia, New Zealand) A mild oath expressing surprise or generally adding emphasis.  [quotations ▼]

Strewth! I guess I′ve been too trigger happy!


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Cor blimey, Guvna!!!!!

Yoo takin the piss outta the old chap?????


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Maybe the dingo ate your wallaby!


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Stone the crows, that's the third time this week!!!!!


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

Strewth said:


> Kevin137 you are 100% correct.
> 
> We did actually include a note about the Indiegogo campaign in the Kickstarter campaign. I just went to cut & paste it here but see it didn't make the final edit. You do and redo these things so many times before they go live. Will update and get that back in shortly.
> 
> ...


I am glad you took my comments in the context they where meant, i am not saying your product is crap, i am saying that it is going to be a hard sell...!

I am in Norway, ride with a few pros, and loads of instructors, we have one of the best teaching systems in Norway for bringing through the youth here, and everyone i have shown this 2 has said, no way would i buy them...

This is not because they look crap, but simply because they don't believe they can work in the real world... We have lots of powder and the biggest deal here is clogging up the under tray before pushing down... If that happens, then you have a binding you cannot lock in...!

Biggest failing point in my eyes, which then puts the whole project in doubt as if they don't lock down, or have issues due to conditions, then people will very quickly slate it...!

Get them out, the finished units, to as many people who can test in different conditions, including temps, as well as snow, and revisit next year is my suggestion, you may well end up not getting anywhere with this though...

Talking about temps, have you thought about moving parts and the testing it requires where for us, we have loads of the season at -20 and days as low as -30 Just curious, as everything works differently...!!! Even something as simple as using a go pro becomes hard work...!!! Batteries last a few minutes only... I have actually had boas freeze on me where it has been so cold they would not release... Only once, but was funny sitting in the car with the heater on to defrost them...!!!


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## Strewth (Sep 18, 2012)

Kevin137 said:


> I am glad you took my comments in the context they where meant, i am not saying your product is crap, i am saying that it is going to be a hard sell...!
> 
> I am in Norway, ride with a few pros, and loads of instructors, we have one of the best teaching systems in Norway for bringing through the youth here, and everyone i have shown this 2 has said, no way would i buy them...
> 
> ...


Hey Kevin. Yes, they are all valid concerns and probably the same as many people may have. The only way to prove it will be through demoing, so that's what we'll be doing. We've spent a long time on just that type of issue, and the solution is actually pretty simple, but a very valid concern.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Why do bindings work so well? LESS MOVING PARTS! Every time a company integrates more complex parts to it they have more issues and more failures. There's a reason meat and potato bindings are the life bread of bindings.


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Why do bindings work so well? LESS MOVING PARTS! Every time a company integrates more complex parts to it they have more issues and more failures. There's a reason meat and potato bindings are the life bread of bindings.


But the question to be asked is whether that is for the benefit of the rider or the manufacturers wallets. Meaning, if the profit on a better product isn't as much as the profit on the lesser, why would you bother developing the better? But that still doesn't change the fact that you could do better.


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

f00bar said:


> But the question to be asked is whether that is for the benefit of the rider or the manufacturers wallets. Meaning, if the profit on a better product isn't as much as the profit on the lesser, why would you bother developing the better? But that still doesn't change the fact that you could do better.


Not to hijack the thread but BA. You had a really good article not long ago abut stagnation and why the industry is losing rider not gaining. There are many reasons for that, but just like when rocker hit the streets it gave a whole bunch of new potential riders a way to learn easier with less risk, same way the shaped skis helped to save skiing. I think that ideas such as the above bindings help to bring the sport to people who would otherwise not go boarding. Is the above tech the holy grail, I don't really think so, but they address some of the concerns of the older riders who may not have the range of motion of the younger ones. The old guys are the ones with the money, and they have the potential to help revive the industry. Sole reason I ride is because my son wanted to, and the newer tech made it easier for me to ride, till I could progress further. The flows, the rocker... they convinced me it was viable even at my age. (that and mid life crisis)
If the rest of the industry would start to market to the older rider along with coming up with some new tech to support the aging rider. I think it is a winning solution..... just my .02 cents. 
Its a win win for every one sport gets more popular and the niche players can make some money along the way. But to reiterate, I don't support just any dumb idea it needs to make sense and more moving parts yes are more complex, but as long as the company puts time in to make a proper product it will sell. A horse and buggy can get you down the road and it is simple, but a car does it better. Just took a while for car to really get to this status.


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## td.1000 (Mar 26, 2014)

larrytbull said:


> A horse and buggy can get you down the road and it is simple, but a car does it better. Just took a while for car to really get to this status.


nobody is against developping better bindings. its just that putting more hinges and gears and levers into them is not the right way to go. research materials, geometry, fabrication technologies etc. instead.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

While I fully agree that snowboarding keeps marketing to what has worked and doesn't believe that the biggest age group that made snowboarding huge has gotten older, I don't necessarily agree with what you're saying about this binding. 

NO ONE has tested this. Right now it's still a concept binding and that shows. I know for a fact more moving parts = more failures. If you can think of a part on a binding, I or someone I know have broken it. 

Truth be told it's not that hard to bend down and strap in, it's not that hard to slide in from the back of a binding and flip up the highback. If my bad knees, mangled back, broken body can do it 200 plus days a year, thousands of times a season I would like to believe other people can to. This argument that it's easier/faster doesn't fly it's not any less easier to reach down and flick a highback open than it is to reach down and pull a lever. Your body is still moving the same and bending down to do the same. 

I've watched this binding come and go once on a crowd funded project and seeing it return yet again without any change in what they're doing except a slightly more aesthetically pleasing look doesn't build my confidence in the product. I've seen bindings with release levers come and go before. There's a reason they're not here anymore.


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

I think you miss the point this binding is not what I give a crap about. It is about innovative solutions. I tend to agree there are flaws in the design but flaws can be solved. Provided that the people want to solve them. 
BA. I am a huge fan of your site and am happy you spend the time to really call things out as you see them. Just pointing out that other people have different needs. And innovation doesnt alway get right first 100 or so times. Look at edison and lightbulb. The market will ultimately judge as to whether it works or not


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

I'm not missing the point. I get you can't bend down and strap in for whatever reason. Doesn't mean that is what the market is dictating. Is there a minor fragment of the market place that could use this? Probably, but making a whole binding around speed entry and ease when realistically it's not any easier nor is it any faster than other options is a lie. 

The cold hard honest truth is 99% of people if given a high end, medium end, and low end binding in a blind test wouldn't notice the difference of getting in and out of it. Some might feel the flex difference, but that percentage would be at most 10%. As long as it A) Worked like it should and B) Got them to the bottom of the run in normal comfort they wouldn't care. 

Moving parts always = a fatal design flaw. Step ins where are they now? Dead. Strap in step out bindings where are they? Dead. These two concepts had the most moving parts and the highest failure rate. 

Foobar to answer your question. More companies sell mid to low level bindings than high end ones. The high end ones are show pieces for the gear whores more or less while the rest are what the people need. Marketing has a lot to do with this. If more people would think for themselves and not for what the product description is telling them the world would be a far better place, but alas we live in a society where complacency is rewarded and if you're not going with the status quo then there's something wrong. 

To go back to my original point these things need serious long term testing.


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