# Flow Bindings - Are they an injury risk



## Guest (Feb 9, 2008)

I bought new flow bindings 2 weeks ago and used them last week in Vail. After using them for 2 days, I completely tore my left (front foot) achilese tendon on Saturday. The injury has raised concerns with respect to the bindings for 2 reasons:
- I didn't fall: The injury occured in the middle of a turn on a fairly straightforward blue run.
- A colleague at work came up to me and asked me out of nowhere if I was using flow bindings. He reported that he knows of 4 other cases where people had sustained ankle injuries on flows. He would have had absolutely no way of knowing that I had recently purchased the bindings.


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## rgrwilco (Oct 15, 2007)

judging from what ive seen scotty lago do in flow bindings, id say its a cawinkydink.
im sure the same shit happens in other bindings too.


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## Grimdog (Oct 13, 2007)

I've used Flows for 2 years and that is the first I've heard of that before.


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## sedition (Feb 8, 2007)

heh. do some research. see how wide spread the issue is. then, find a lawyer.


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## Grimdog (Oct 13, 2007)

sedition said:


> heh. do some research. see how wide spread the issue is. then, find a lawyer.


Ah yes. The great American way. When in doubt, try to sue someone.


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## sedition (Feb 8, 2007)

Grimdog said:


> Ah yes. The great American way. When in doubt, try to sue someone.


You almost had it right. Sue EVERYONE, and then you go it. 

Tort reformin'
-sedition


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2008)

sedition said:


> heh. do some research. see how wide spread the issue is. then, find a lawyer.


Quite true, a torn ACL could occur with any bindings. 

Snowboarding Injuries - www.ski-injury.com


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2008)

i have never rode flows, but one of the ski patrol guys on one of my local slopes was using them on his board. I talked to him about it, and he didn't say anything about injury, but he did tell me that they don't quite give you as much control as regular bindings. if this is true, then maybe you have to put more pressure on your ankles to actually turn or carve. I don't know, this is all theoretical here.


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2008)

i had flow amp 5's . they were perfectly fine. and to be honest , they felt more sturdy and durable then regular bindings. I liked them alot and now im finally trying regular bindings. my 2 cents.


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

I never really understood the facination with flows. Two of my friends who use flows love them, but I can strap into my Burton Customs with clumsy ratchets before they get their boot in their binding. I find myself usually waiting for them. If you like flows because they work well aside from the strapping in aspect, then sure, go flow. But I don't understand the people who by them to strap in faster. Maybe my friends are just slow? :dunno:

Kind of had nothing to do with the OP's topic, so let me just say, no, I've never heard of such an injury happening with flow bindings.


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2008)

Phenom said:


> I never really understood the facination with flows. Two of my friends who use flows love them, but I can strap into my Burton Customs with clumsy ratchets before they get their boot in their binding. I find myself usually waiting for them. If you like flows because they work well aside from the strapping in aspect, then sure, go flow. But I don't understand the people who by them to strap in faster. Maybe my friends are just slow? :dunno:
> 
> Kind of had nothing to do with the OP's topic, so let me just say, no, I've never heard of such an injury happening with flow bindings.



thats sounds retarted. i used to put my boot in and snap in. quickest shit in the world. makes no sense why they took longer then you. that sounds like a user error. lol


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2008)

NewYorkJoKeR said:


> thats sounds retarted. i used to put my boot in and snap in. quickest shit in the world. makes no sense why they took longer then you. that sounds like a user error. lol


not trying to be a dick or anything man, but i get his point. is it really worht making a whole line of bindings, when regular bindings might take 3 seconds more to strap in? all it is is pull both of them over and clamp down. and now you have bindings that cant be put down like regular bindings for a car rack. well yea you can, but it will mess up all the exact adjustments you made to them.


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

NewYorkJoKeR said:


> thats sounds retarted. i used to put my boot in and snap in. quickest shit in the world. makes no sense why they took longer then you. that sounds like a user error. lol


They have their bindings set so tight that they really have to kick their foot in with a good amount of force in order to get their boot far enough forward to clamp the high back.

Look at the big picture. Chances are you drove over an hour to the mountain, you're thousands of feet above sea level about to ride down to the bottom, it's cold and windy...tightening two ratchets shouldn't seem like such a big deal.


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2008)

I have never heard of anything like this with Flows. I have heard some stories that were most likely made up about the steel binding cables snapping on them while riding but thats about it.


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2008)

I rented flow bindings at a recent mountain I went to. They were very difficult to adjust and kicking my foot in was a real pain. I admit, it saved a lot of time and I didn't have to sit in snow but I felt like I had to do more work to go into turns or stops.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Wow, for those who have problems getting their foot in the binding. Here is a hint, you have the strap cranked down too tight. 
I've been riding the NXT AT's for a couple of seasons in the resort now. The performance is every bit as good as strap in's and they are super quick and easy to get into. As far as injuries go, I don't see any injury happening that I wouldn't get with a regular strap set up. 
I've had other issues with the Flow's but they are not injury related. Or performance. It's been a couple of minor durability or (loose) screw issues.
I still use straps for backcountry riding. They are more suitable to the variety of situations I can find myself in out in the bc. As far as resort riding, Flows are such much less of a hassle than straps, I rather like 'em.


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