# Malavita EST or Cartel Re:Flex for Flight Attendant or..



## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

I'd happily put EST Malavitas on it, they're responsive enough for sure. I'm also in the 'if you're on a channel board, ride it with EST bindings' camp. I love me the hinge in some EST models.


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## basser (Sep 18, 2015)

i've heard nothing but good things about malavita's. Going to be my next pair


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## ridethecliche (Feb 27, 2019)

Of the two you suggested, definitely go EST Malas because EST is super nice on the channel.

I'm going to go against the grain and say that my preference is for the cartel x over the malavitas. There are a few boards I kinda want to try the malas on but burton is honoring a sale price on the cartel x in exchange for a return of the malas. Good enough for me.

I have a set of EST mala's on the yup that I'm planning on keeping there, but I have a feeling the cartel x would probably feel better.

Truth be told, if you put both bindings on the same board and i had to ride them without looking, I'd probably be hard pressed to tell the difference. I haven't yet tried them back to back on the same board so that could be part of it.


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## Jack87 (Jan 9, 2021)

Get the Cartel Reflex. They would have never even made EST if they made ReFlex first. Reflex gives you the option to use the bindings on any board. I have several burton boards and est and reflex cartels i like the reflex better.


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## justin_c (Dec 30, 2020)

What others have said: if you're on a channel board, EST is the way to go.


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

The big difference here are the ankle straps. Cartels are hella stiff, Vitas are perfect.


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## milutinho (Jan 10, 2011)

Malavitas feel dead to me. Cartels all the way. I'm torn between EST and ReFlex. I'm currently riding ReFlex cartels on my 3d Kilroy and it feels good. The best part of EST is the easy adjustability. Other than that, ReFlex is the same.


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## fzst (Jan 3, 2019)

EST bindings are noticeably more responsive than their Re:Flex conterpart. I would say, the EST Malavitas are more repsonsive (and more damp) than the Re:flex Cartels. I bought a pair of EST- Malavitas this season and I really like them. Honestly, after I tested them back to back with my EST Diodes, I didn't really notice a difference in response. The EST-Malavita has plenty response for riding it with my Custom X...


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## Luxxer (Nov 14, 2019)

I run Re-Flex mala's on my Deep Thinker, works like a charm and responsive as hell. plus the added bonus of not being stuck with channel boards for that set of bindings is a + for me personally


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

Since it hasn’t been mentioned reflex limits some of the adjustability to center your boot on the board. Since the reflex frame isn’t adjustable to help center, this may be a consideration depending on how your boot fits in the binding


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## fzst (Jan 3, 2019)

milutinho said:


> Malavitas feel dead to me. Cartels all the way. I'm torn between EST and ReFlex. I'm currently riding ReFlex cartels on my 3d Kilroy and it feels good. The best part of EST is the easy adjustability. Other than that, ReFlex is the same.


Sorry but no, it's not. It feels pretty different. The EST is more damp and more responsive.


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## fzst (Jan 3, 2019)

bseracka said:


> Since it hasn’t been mentioned reflex limits some of the adjustability to center your boot on the board. Since the reflex frame isn’t adjustable to help center, this may be a consideration depending on how your boot fits in the binding


That's actually one of the biggest plus of the EST-system in my book. I don't really care about stance-width adjuastability - I don't notice much of a difference there but being able to position my boot exactly in the middle over the heel- and toeside is huge!


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

Malavitas would work. But Cartel EST would be a lot better on that board.

Find Cartel EST on sale and go with that.


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

milutinho said:


> Malavitas feel dead to me. Cartels all the way. I'm torn between EST and ReFlex. I'm currently riding ReFlex cartels on my 3d Kilroy and it feels good. The best part of EST is the easy adjustability. Other than that, ReFlex is the same.


Yep Cartel are much more responsive.

But EST is also more responsive and just... better than Reflex. I won't bother going over the differences; they are not a huge deal, but they make est the way to go for sure.


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## iamok (Jan 25, 2020)

I have two pairs of cartels (one pretty old) and one vitas, all reflex. Current models are basically interchangeable and have near the same response and everything, Malavitas are a bit comfier. Cartels use stiff base and straps, but soft highback, Vitas have medium base, medium straps and stiff highback.

So if you want to use this set on other than burton board - get reflex. Otherwise EST have more adjustability and is simply a different system - its fun to try something new.


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## Jack87 (Jan 9, 2021)

bseracka said:


> Since it hasn’t been mentioned reflex limits some of the adjustability to center your boot on the board. Since the reflex frame isn’t adjustable to help center, this may be a consideration depending on how your boot fits in the binding


That's not really correct. You adjust the heel cup backwards to properly center the boot on the bindings. Reflex baseplate has screws for this adjustment.


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## Jack87 (Jan 9, 2021)

Don't fall for the EST hype. You get a lot more for your money in Re:Flex. Unless you are constantly adjusting your stance which most people are not. That's the real added benefit the rest is just marketing.


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

My comment is 100% correct and accurate. Burton bindings do not have an adjustable heel cup. This means there is limited ability to center your boot in the binding and the binding on the board. This issue is well know and why burton bindings don’t work for everyone one. It’s also one of the big drivers behind adjustable heel cups


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## ridethecliche (Feb 27, 2019)

Jack87 said:


> That's not really correct. You adjust the heel cup backwards to properly center the boot on the bindings. Reflex baseplate has screws for this adjustment.


You can really only adjust the highback angle with burton bindings. That plus the length of the footbed.


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

ridethecliche said:


> You can really only adjust the highback angle with burton bindings. That plus the length of the footbed.


Nein.

On reflex Burton bindings you can adjust:
1. Highback rotation and position 
2. Highback forward lean 
3. Straps and toe strap position
4. Heel to toe board adjustment (3 positions/screws in the reflex baseplate).
5. Footbed length
6. Ankle strap position (a different adjustment than 3)... on Reflex you can adjust where the ankle strap sits on your boot.

There's probably more...

For est, you don't get 6. But you get a lot more room for heel to toe adjustment; any stance width and micro-angle adjustment. You get the hinge. And also springbed on Genesis X and Diodes...


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## ridethecliche (Feb 27, 2019)

F1EA said:


> Nein.
> 
> On reflex Burton bindings you can adjust:
> 1. Highback rotation and position
> ...


Again, my point was regarding the highback/heelcup question. You can't move the heel cup forward and back like you can on some bindings. Of course you can adjust the strap length and placement... This was merely the 'structural' stuff related to the heel cup as I said!

I own multiple sets of EST and reflex bindings. I mess with them often lol. Sorry for my confusing original response!


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## Jack87 (Jan 9, 2021)

ridethecliche said:


> You can really only adjust the highback angle with burton bindings. That plus the length of the footbed.


You're right my mistake.


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