# need advice on getting out of Flow bindings



## rustydomino (Jan 3, 2008)

I just switched to a set of Flow Trilogy bindings this season. I'm not a huge performance hound, my main motivation is laziness, the rear entry is a godsend in terms of strapping in at the top of the lift. My problem is getting out of the bindings at the bottom of the run. After releasing the latch, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to slide my rear foot out. I either have to hold the highback down, but bending over at the waist then makes removing the foot awkward. Obviously I can't unstrap sitting down, since the highback will just get jammed against the ground. Any suggestions? Perhaps the rear strap is set too tight?


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## Riley212 (Nov 9, 2011)

lol you traded easy at the top for hard at the bottom.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Rusty I think you have the strap to tight. I push down my highback and out slides my foot. 

Try loosening your strap, it may feel loose but you will not fall out, trust me. Or you may just have the toe section to tight, that has happened to me. Just try taking one or two clicks off the ratchet, best part is you can always tighten it if that was not right. 

If they are brand new they do take a few outings to loosen up all the joints and the flex in the cable.

Give that a try...seriously once they are set up and your used to how-to set them up it's not an issue ever again.


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## dasob85 (Dec 28, 2010)

Why do you have to hold the highback down? Mine stay down by themselves but then again, I dont use the trilogy.


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## Ryan_T (Oct 18, 2011)

My highback stays down after I unlatch. Then I can just pull out. 

To help stabilize yourself: unlatch and jam the highback to the ground. The inverted latch and its hook will dig into the snow and immobilize your board.


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## bobthegood (Sep 14, 2011)

Sounds like you need a little more break in time. Mine stay down when I unlatch, until I kick it up to skate.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

I think you may need a bigger binding to give more width around the heel. I use XL nxt at bindings with a size 11 boot and have no problems getting out of them. Also some boots have ribs on the back of the heel to help you stay located in a regular binding, you don't need that with a flow binding as there is no contact with the boot in that area of the highjack but those ribs can hinder you getting in and out. remove the ribs if you find them a problem.


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

i have the new flow 5 and it did that to me the first few times i unlatch but what i did once i have my foot out and im seating on the chairlift i would rest my backfoot in the binding and ride off the chair not buckle up, that help loosen the stiffness of the cable since it was new.since then it stayed down everytime i unlatch. hope that helps.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Yeah, I've owned two sets of Flows and _both_ started out with the highback wanting to stay up. Within a short time that got worked out of them and now they stay down nicely.


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## Danger Mouse (Dec 13, 2011)

I have a pair of Flow Trilogy. I had to hold the high back down to get my foot out. However, they seemed to be getting easier to get in and out of over time. Like the others mentioned. It just needs a little break in time.


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## Hurricane (Jan 5, 2010)

I just got some Flow Trilogys for Christmas and I'm having trouble getting in them and out of them, at the house no snow here yet. I can only assume that they will be easier to kick your foot in when you have some snow for the edge to dig into. On the floor the board wants to move when I try to get my back foot in. Do they straps need to be loose to get the boot in and out easy? When I have the strap loose enough to easily get my foot in and out they feel too loose.


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

yep,they will get easier once you take them out on the snow.it would take some time dialing the power strap,it would feel like its loose but they are not,cuz your highback would shoe horn your boot in and your good.wiredsport had a better explanation on how to ajust your binding


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## Hurricane (Jan 5, 2010)

t21 said:


> yep,they will get easier once you take them out on the snow.it would take some time dialing the power strap,it would feel like its loose but they are not,cuz your highback would shoe horn your boot in and your good.wiredsport had a better explanation on how to ajust your binding


Thanks. Where can I find the wiredsport procedure?


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

hope this helps you out.


Just a not on this. Flow bindings can be used in a number of ways nowadays. You can rear enter, conventional enter, rear enter and then ratchet, etc. Probably the most common way is to set the binding once and then reare enter. In that case you would not leave any extra room. Some think that you should be able to kick all the way into the bindings in one step. That is not how they work and you will be missing the best part of this system if you use them that way.

For this style of entry our suggestion is:

Set each of the 4 strap adjustments to the very last tooth on the ladder strap (largest position). Insert your foot (must be tightly laced in the boot-do not set up with a loosely laced boot). Position your foot so that the highback can clear the heel (but just clear it-as far back as possible). Now rathet the strap down to your boot. The binding is now ready to ride. When you go to kick in again, your boot will not get all the way in. It will be resting on the highback. That is correct. From this position, pull up on the high back, and stand down on your heel. The boot will "shoehorn" into place. As your boot will always be moist from snow when riding, this is very easy when riding, a bit harder when dry.


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## Hurricane (Jan 5, 2010)

Thanks t21. I actually was trying to set them up this way but it was very difficult because it was at home. I kind of figured they would be easier in the snow.:thumbsup:


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

If your highback isn't staying down when you unlatch, leave your board upside down when you're at home with the highback extended. 

The pressure from the boards weight will take the rigidity out of the cable system and allow it to fall easier in the future. Leaving it that way overnight should do the trick. 

T21 was spot on with how to enter. Shoehorn allows for a secure fit every time.
The one thing I do differently is ratchet in with the highback up and locked. The forward lean pushes your boot forward a bit further. I doubt it makes much difference either way. 

Best of luck!


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## rustydomino (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, next trip to the mountain the highback stayed down, and it was easier to get in and out. A few other tricks I figured out, if there are lurkers in the thread:

1. Ryan_T's advice is good, use the highback in the down position to give yourself some traction while strapping in/out.
2. Generally speaking if you are having a hard time getting in and out, the straps are too tight. It's freaky how different Flows are from regular bindings but you really don't need them to be very tight at all. You can adjust the strap on the fly by popping the ratchets into the "unlocked" position and pulling upwards on the strap. Make sure to pull evenly on both sides. You feel really insecure with "loose" straps your first run after the adjustment but Flows work so differently than normal bindings that it won't matter.
3. With normal bindings most people will strap in facing downhill if you do it standing up; with Flows it's easier to do it facing uphill.


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

another trick you can do also as others have mentioned is once you found your sweet spot on the strap of your binding,get a paint stick and mark them(teeth)so if you have to somehow remove the powerstrap to adjust your angles you would know where to put them back to.:thumbsup:


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## Hurricane (Jan 5, 2010)

Well after my first weekend with the Flows I have really become a fan. At first I had them adjusted too tight and had a heck of time getting my feet in and out and the first run down my feet hurt from being held so tight. Each run after I kept loosening them up more and more and they just got better and better. I have them set now where my boots, especially the back boot is almost loose when the I lock the highback up but they feel great when riding. I'm a fan now and will be putting all of my old bindings on ebay so I can get another set of flows for my other board!:thumbsup:


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## GorgeDad (Jan 24, 2011)

Hurricane said:


> Well after my first weekend with the Flows I have really become a fan. At first I had them adjusted too tight and had a heck of time getting my feet in and out and the first run down my feet hurt from being held so tight. Each run after I kept loosening them up more and more and they just got better and better. I have them set now where my boots, especially the back boot is almost loose when the I lock the highback up but they feel great when riding. I'm a fan now and will be putting all of my old bindings on ebay so I can get another set of flows for my other board!:thumbsup:


That's a common error made with newcomers to Flow bindings. Glad you figure it out so quickly. They don't need to be tight for amazing comfort and response.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

This thread is a great example of the rewards that come with patience with Flow bindings. I will never argue that they are quirky, annoying, and just plain frustrating at first.

Take the time to adjust them, let them break in, and to learn proper techniques. The reward is great in my opinion. I miss Flows, but I wish they would do away with the rocker baseplate and pick up canting instead.


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## NYHC (Sep 27, 2009)

I had to buy flow boots for my wife and I because it was so hard to get in and out of them. It was so much easier with the Flow boots. 

I used Flows for years and my wife still does. I stopped using them because of the issues you are having and the fact that the the NXT-AT's that i had didnt give nearly the same control than strap in bindings for park. 

Also, when your in the park you are hardly ever on a flat surface so its hard to get in and out of them on a hill next to a feature. my wife is starting to hate them now and is going to be switching back to straps soon also. 

Im not a fow-hater, i just have a preference for straps now. i see gnu switched there entire line to Flow-a-likes. anybody try em out?


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

NYHC said:


> Im not a fow-hater, i just have a preference for straps now. i see gnu switched there entire line to Flow-a-likes. anybody try em out?


My buddy got the Gnu bindings. Looks ok. Seemed fairly quick in and out... he's still getting used to them I think.

Looks like the new flows have something good going on...

This coming from someone who rides contrabands... and wants to go back to conventional 2 strappers :laugh:


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