# New technology?



## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Game changed? New tech? Innovation? No. Dave Downing was riding no highbacks like 10 years ago, Dave Lee has been doing it for years, J.O.E. was riding no highbacks and untied boots for hot dawgs....


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Watching the videos looks like there's something else going on with that arched base. He mentioned "skateboard truck technology" The foot pivoting back and forth?


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## oneshot (Oct 8, 2010)

looks like they have highbacks to me. whats the scoop here? what am i missing?


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## Sudden_Death (Mar 23, 2011)

Nivek said:


> Game changed? New tech? Innovation? No. Dave Downing was riding no highbacks like 10 years ago, Dave Lee has been doing it for years, J.O.E. was riding no highbacks and untied boots for hot dawgs....


Gotta be more too it then that. If it rides as well as guys at that level need it to and it has taken years of R&D I am gonna go out on a limb and saying it is more than going early 90s and sawing off the highbacks. Though I could be totally wrong as well.


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

I vow to never buy a pair of these bindings simply because of this annoying hype advertising. Don't show the product. Just show a bunch of pros talking about the product. Of coarse every single product to ever come out has had some type of pro saying it was the best shit ever.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

I'll keep an open mind, but my first reaction is like John Doe. All about how great they are, nothing about WHAT they are. Yawn. Call me back when you have details.


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## ShredTaos (Sep 21, 2011)

LOL, what the fuck is this shit? That video was the biggest load of bullshit i've ever seen. If you have an innovative new product, fucking show it to us. I'm calling bullshit snake oil here.

That video made that company lose so much respect in my book. And i've never even heard of the company ffs.


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## Sudden_Death (Mar 23, 2011)

I know when you bring out something supposedly revolutionary you should likely be a bit more open but some people really don't seem to get tease marketing. This bit is just to get people talking. Looks like they forgot the people who'd be talking are boarders who are used to people claiming huge breakthroughs only to be found out for snake oil salesman.


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## duh (Sep 7, 2011)

The secrecy and tease marketing is no surprise at all. Anytime a good new idea is introduced in our industry it is copied by all the other brands by the next January for SIA. Four hole, step-ins, baseless binders, toe caps, ratchets, highbacks, low-backs and toe ramps are just a few examples of binding related innovations which were whored out by most major companies within one season after introduction. 
The part I find hilarious is how you people are hating on the product without ever having held or ridden one. I will save my opinions until I have actually gotten to see one in person.


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## ShredTaos (Sep 21, 2011)

Eh sure, but I find it even more hilarious that people would buy into the hype for a product they don't even show. Everything is over-hyped in this industry, and this is very likely another over-hyped marketing scheme. Even toe caps, baseless bindings, canted beds, etc are not "revolutionary" by any means. All those mentioned are great improvements of course, and I welcome such things. I just have my doubts that this new "innovation" is any better than any of the above.

I did come of strongly in my above post, but i guess we will wait in see. I just get angry at this kind of marketing. Watching the video at first i thought it was a joke. "NEW REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT, CHANGES EVERYTHING" then shows 3 people talking about how good they are and shows pictures of the product that look exactly like standard bindings. 

:dunno:


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

I'm just curious about it. Looks like there's something pivoting under that arched base, at the center of the foot, parallel to the board itself giving you more angle on the board both ways? You can see the binding in one of the videos.


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

KIRKRIDER said:


> I'm just curious about it. Looks like there's something pivoting under that arched base, at the center of the foot, parallel to the board itself giving you more angle on the board both ways? You can see the binding in one of the videos.


Bumping this thread because I've been reading more about them. I'm a less is more type person, but they recently put up a new video and it's almost definitely a pivoting type binding (toe to heel, not side to side). Here's the video:






You'll see it at around 0:45. This would also explain why the riders who've reviewed it say that there's no heel lift because when the binding pivots your whole foot comes with it.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

looks interesting. 
you would be working on the arch of the boot, relieving toe and heel from pressure. That should feel good. You should have more angle when you turn heel side, which is good as well. I wold think a skate truck-like bushing in the middle is what's duct taped?


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

KIRKRIDER said:


> looks interesting.
> I wold think a skate truck-like bushing in the middle is what's duct taped?


Yeah the photo on the facebook page is probably right along those lines, of the circular/hollow image. It's probably the pivot point. Pardon the beer induced post but I'm guessing there is something underneath the pivot (toe to heel) that will transfer the movement to the board quicker than it would from the time it takes to pivot onto the toe or heels. Hard to explain but I think there's going to be something to bridge the distance from the flat position to the point where you bottom out on the toes, that way there's not such a long (long being relative) delay in the time it would take to go from flat-to-toe or heel-to-toe. The question becomes how would this work on rails/boxes?


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## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

Deviant said:


> =
> You'll see it at around 0:45. This would also explain why the riders who've reviewed it say that there's no heel lift because when the binding pivots your whole foot comes with it.




That is not going to stop heel lift. If you have heel lift you have heel lift.... If your heel lifts before it moves the boot, how can the binding move with the boot if it's not even moving because your heel is lifting first ahhhhh

I'd love to be proved wrong on this one, and maybe I am, but I call b.s. marketing on this one


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## MesKiDcudi (Dec 26, 2011)

There's tape on the binding. After it shows the skateboard. Black tape...?


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## irrballsac (Dec 31, 2011)

MesKiDcudi said:


> There's tape on the binding. After it shows the skateboard. Black tape...?


Yeah. Thats what I was going to say. It looks trashy. I hope that's just there to prevent idea theft or what have you. Is it not possible to patent things like this?


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## SGM (Dec 25, 2011)

If it is a truck-esque bushing in the middle...with normal looking straps, I too call BS here. Heel lift is heel lift. Period.

And it makes it even more fun with all the rave on mixing stiff boots, boards and bindings, well, if the binding flexes like a sob...well, there you go. xD


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

They get rid of heel lift by having no highback. Tried no highbacks on my special Missions and what do ya know, no heel lift at all. Great for jibbing and soft boards, but to really drive a carve you need highbacks. And the couple mm of lift you get don't really matter.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Deviant said:


> Yeah the photo on the facebook page is probably right along those lines, of the circular/hollow image. It's probably the pivot point. Pardon the beer induced post but I'm guessing there is something underneath the pivot (toe to heel) that will transfer the movement to the board quicker than it would from the time it takes to pivot onto the toe or heels. Hard to explain but I think there's going to be something to bridge the distance from the flat position to the point where you bottom out on the toes, that way there's not such a long (long being relative) delay in the time it would take to go from flat-to-toe or heel-to-toe. The question becomes how would this work on rails/boxes?


Still I'm curious. I imagine a long board like bushing under and a plate around it that amplifies the foot movements giving more angle to the ankle, with maybe some return springs or additional bushings to push it back horizontal. But yes, why that would make a better carve?


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## duh (Sep 7, 2011)

Nivek said:


> They get rid of heel lift by having no highback. Tried no highbacks on my special Missions and what do ya know, no heel lift at all. Great for jibbing and soft boards, but to really drive a carve you need highbacks. And the couple mm of lift you get don't really matter.


Are you stupid or just drunk? If you watch the latest post at the 0:42 mark the rider is strapping into a binding that quite obviously has a back. Save your bashing for products you actually know something about. You wont come off as such an idiot.


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

Now why would you put someone on video to promote your product when they can't even buy gear correctly. He had heel lift and his feet hurt after an easy cruising run. Sounds like one of the newbs that comes on here asking for help.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

duh said:


> Are you stupid or just drunk? If you watch the latest post at the 0:42 mark the rider is strapping into a binding that quite obviously has a back. Save your bashing for products you actually know something about. You wont come off as such an idiot.


Do I now? I guess maybe I should just watch the video. Now that I have. I saw heel lift. Woops. 

Also from what little they're showing us, they're meant to be no highbacks and the shape of what you see in this latest video makes me think these particular ones are a super low back.

Also that pivot makes me think more of binding slop than any benefit to riding. I will do my best if these are at SIA to get in them. But I have very little hope for their magical properties of performance.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

I THINK the point is that you are shifting your COG closer to the edges when you turn, either heel or toe, since the foot is elevated respect to the board, resulting in a more focused weight on the side cut? the rider's weight/COG closer to the center of the turn? 

I do see white high backs in the video, under the pants.


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## Bones (Feb 24, 2008)

Until they print cool graphics on that duct tape, this product is going nowhere


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## madman32120 (Jan 1, 2012)

I can't even tell wtf these are and I can't even figure out how to navigate their darn website. annoying


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## Cruiserdude (Jan 17, 2011)

madman32120 said:


> I can't even tell wtf these are and I can't even figure out how to navigate their darn website. annoying


That's because they don't have anything on their website other than a few pointless videos. As this thread indicates, it appears they don't have a clue how to properly market their product. I understand them wanting to generate hype and interest before revealing the technical details of their product, but this isn't the way to do it. They need to discuss a common issue or annoyance they've overcome, or major design feature that's been changed, if they want to market their product as "revolutionary". So far all they've said is that they removed the highbacks and got rid of heel lift, while showing us a video of a guy explaining how heel lift was in the bindings and not the boots, and then riding with at least some sort of highback.

They suggest some sort of pivoting action with the clip of a skate truck, and they may indeed have a revolutionary product, but the way they've marketed it so far is just sickening. Give us some indication of how the product works, as most people haven't had heel lift issues in their bindings for awhile now. Talk about how response was improved, or some part of binding hardware that has been changed. Granted, we are all talking about it, but what they've done is just annoying, and raises questions about their product design process, if this is how they market.


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## hhaidar (Feb 1, 2011)

Fuel to the fire: Now just posted up a video showing how the binding works. I am reserving judgement on this one until after I ride it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJTP2LLDUpQ&context=C33f917aADOEgsToPDskJZHiVdOpfzclAbtagox7_9


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## bseracka (Nov 14, 2011)

Watched the new vid from Now and all I can say is wow?!? Walsh didn't really know how to express whatever it was he was trying to say. I'm still not sure what the binding is trying to do, all I could tell from the video is that there is a lag between the input to the binding and the binding to the board when going to edge. Hopefully they'll be able to put together something a little more coherent and detailed in the future. I like the idea of innovation, I just wish I knew what they were innovating


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## hhaidar (Feb 1, 2011)

I have a pretty good mental picture of what they're trying to make happen, even have some thoughts as to how it will feel. I imagine they'll be fun in softer snow, not sure how they'll feel on one of our icy east coast days. As soon as I get my hands on a pair (and my collarbone heals up....should be about the same time) I'm going to try testing them out and then writ real world review of them.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

NOW Founder JF Pelchat On New Binding Brand | TransWorld Business


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## NYHC (Sep 27, 2009)

maybe im retarded but isnt this gonna add more heel slop? maybe in 2ft of pow it'd be fun but id bet its gonna go right in the garbage after 1 run on one of the wonderful east coast icicles i ride every week 

i thought the goal was to get the most energy transferred from the bottom of your foot to the edges of the board. i always thought that was the key to getting good snowboard response?


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

They're saying that this increases response. With traditional bindings alot of the energy is transferred (and then lost) to the mounting disc. The owner here is trying to transfer the energy directly from your toes or heel to the edge. We won't know until a bunch of people hop on this in many different conditions but that's what they're trying to say.
Also if you watch the video it does appear they go edge to edge with minimal foot effort, but again, when it hits the snow is when we'll know.

I'm definitely intrigued.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

you should definitely have a better lever having a higher fulcrum, and therefore leaning more into the edge of the board. But what happens when you ride flat? The board should have some lateral torsion play. I see this system work great with TBT?


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

It seems the "kingpin" is the fulcrum which is centered and higher so it seems to make sense being more efficient edge pressure and with less need of leverage from the highbacks and ankle strap. Its like using riser plates to change the angle for more efficient edge pressure and the bushing pads for dampening. I would wonder how twitchy it might be riding flat.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Just saw the new FLOW board with that bump under the base...I'm sure a dedicated board with something like that or an BATALEON with TBT should solve the problem.

While I still ride my trad camber board...lol


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

KIRKRIDER said:


> Just saw the new FLOW board with that bump under the base...I'm sure a dedicated board with something like that or an BATALEON with TBT should solve the problem.
> 
> While I still ride my trad camber board...lol


Love my trad camber its best for blasting groomers and packed pow...so lively, stable, lock on cruise missile, chop busting ride.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Love my trad camber its best for blasting groomers and packed pow...so lively, stable, lock on cruise missile, chop busting ride.



Oh I love it! No issues at all...but noticing all the stuff coming out..I'm just curious. No I'm totally happy with my set up...I just need to ride it!


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

KIRKRIDER said:


> Oh I love it! No issues at all...but noticing all the stuff coming out..I'm just curious. No I'm totally happy with my set up...I just need to ride it!


That's what quivers are for....perhaps a binding quiver


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Looks pretty good to me. It's obvious now how they transfer the weight closer to the edges of the board instead of trying to flex the board from the center. I think it's pretty cool.


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## TheHigherEnd (Nov 8, 2010)

I think the tech looks solid, but I can't help but wonder if that system would just end up being clogged stiff halfway through the day. That and one of the few actual reviews out there mentions that it A. Is nothing mind blowing, and perhaps even unnoticeable to your average rider. Also, B. were starting to show wear and tear after one day of review. I mean, it's a prototype, sure, but really?

I dunno, it's a good idea and all, but I'm still raving about my new Rides I bought this season ('11 SPi). Old Skool for sure, but they have pretty much peaked out a standard binding, imo. The best toe cap in the business, fully stiffness adjustable ankle straps, amazing footbeds with cant, great ratchets, bulletproof construction, lifetime warranty.



















Seriously, I get that innovation and change is good for any industry, but I just don't see giving up the height of one technology (one that has been working for decades) for year one of the new thing.


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## Music Moves (Jan 23, 2009)

So has anyone been able to try these yet? BA? Anyone?


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## irrballsac (Dec 31, 2011)

buummpppssss


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## hhaidar (Feb 1, 2011)

I have about 7 days on the NOW bindings and overall I liked them a lot. I rode them in as many types of conditions and situations I could come up with. There were some issues w/the pre-production demo bindings I was on but I've been assured that those things have been addressed for the production models. I have a full review for Geeks of Shred dropping this summer, but to answer a couple of the basic questions. No, they never jammed up with snow on me. The amount of toe-heel rocking was pretty mellow, and it never felt like a delay in response. More like a smoothing out of the transition between turns and then an increased pressure on the edge. does that help a bit?


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