# Review: 2008 Flow "The Five" Bindings



## Jenzo

2008 Flow "The Five" Binding

Stance: 22 Wide, +5 Back +15 Front Goofy

Conditions: Early season, snowmaker snow + a few centimetres of natural pow.

Boots: 2008 Thirty-Two Lashed size 9

Board: 2009 Neversummer SL-R 158

Cost: 156 canadian dollars

These Flow bindings are the "upper end of the lower end". These were my first time ever on a pair of Flows.

I bought the large because my boots tend to fit large bindings very well... and the size chart shows 9 as the upper end of medium. This was a minor mistake as the five baseplate in large is quite a bit bigger then I expected. While it didn't affect the overall performance much I would suggest mediums even if you wear chunky boots.

The second problem I had was the bindings shipped with bolts that were too short! One of the bindings I ordered (I ordered 2 pairs) came with replacement bolts, the other didn't so had to buy some slightly longer ones. The binding that had the replacement came with a warning card saying the bolts were too short which then explained why I couldn't get them to screw in :dunno:

I followed the instructions for setup that came with em.

My first time putting these on was difficult. The biggest problem is the highbacks wouldnt stay down.. so I had to balance on one foot while holding the high back down with the foot I was trying to put in the binding.. then slide it in.
Forget it on a hill! Man so much for being faster it took me literally 5x the time to learn to get these on as my normal straps, lol.

I just don't see how you could get these on if you were stuck on a hill in pow.

I did get to the point where I could get my foot in quick, but the highback popping up was HUGE pain in the butt.

Another major problem was the highback latch. It was extremely hard to open, and hurt my hand after a while of getting in and out, it jabs right into the palm of the hand. It seems so stupid that they'd make it this hard to open.. I guess it has to be like that so your foot wont get out.

The bindings felt good once in, no single pressure points... however my first few times I did them up way too tight and cut off the circulation in my foot. Which a regular strap in, this would just be a matter of bending over and clicking the latch.

Unfortunately with the fives the toe strap part is not a quick ratchet latch, it is a plastic snap latch that is literally impossible to loosen when your foot is in and it is jammed with snow.

Being someone who likes to adjust their bindings on the fly this was a problem.

The top have a normal plastic ratchet but it is still hard to open once snow gets around it.The force of the binding being snapped in put pressure on the straps so it was impossible to fine tune once on the hill. Also the latches have to snap back in place, fumbling in the cold with tiny snaps is quite frusterating.

After a while I just settled with the bindings being too loose which felt better than having the circulation cut off.

The overall flex and feel of the bindings was great, no probs there, just everything else together makes me rate these bindings low.

I would suggest if you go for Flows, invest in the higher end models that probably don't have these issues.

Overall: 4/10


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## legallyillegal

Did you go to Sun Peaks?


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## Jenzo

Na did a road trip to marmot basin in Jasper last weekend... was thinking about hitting up Sunpeaks wednesday


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## Grimdog

I agree that there is a definite learning curve to setting up and getting in and out of the Flow bindings. Getting back into them on a hill in powder is a bit of a challenge but doable. I've had the NXT-AT for the couple of years on my all-mountain board and the only problem I have had is the recall they had on the plastic pods. It would be nice to have a ratchet that you could adjust on the fly but I guess Flow probrably feels that this would make them too close to a strap-in binding. Just my 2 cents.


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## Mooz

You have to spend some time dialing flows in to your boots. It's not something you should do right before getting on the lift. That said, once you've got everything set you don't need to touch it again for a long long time.


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## Jenzo

I did dial em in before the lift, followed the instructions. There's no real way to know how they will feel until you ride. I am not hating on flows just found a few things about them that make them not for me, at least this model, namely the difficulty I had undoing the high back, and the erect bouncing highback syndrome.

Did you guys find the back latch very hard to open as well.. and did the high back stay down or was it a similar situation?

I switched back to straps for now though I was considering going for the higher end ones.


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## Alexander

Jenzo said:


> The second problem I had was the bindings shipped with bolts that were too short! One of the bindings I ordered (I ordered 2 pairs) came with replacement bolts, the other didn't so had to buy some slightly longer ones. The binding that had the replacement came with a warning card saying the bolts were too short which then explained why I couldn't get them to screw in :dunno:


Yeah, that kind of pissed me off. I think my replacement screws and the warning were hiding under a piece of cardboard, so I used the screws that came with it which at the time seemed fine. Got out on the hill, was speeding down the mountain and my binding pulled out, stripping all four of the holes it was in, ruining my good setup on my brand-new Anthem, and on top of that causing me endless amounts of pain and shame. Traded those bindings out fast. Now I have to move my binding over a notch to make up for the ruined threads. Not a big problem, but lame nonetheless.

A few months later while cleaning my room, I found the box and was breaking it apart for the trash when a small bag of replacement screws fell out, along with the warning, "Don't use the screws that came with the bindings. USE THESE SCREWS!" Why in god's name would you put the bad screws in to begin with?! Yeah, maybe I should have been more thorough looking through the box, but I wasn't expecting a problem so how would I know to look?

Apart from that, I didn't think they were all that great. I also didn't like how hard it was to put them on on an incline. The highback could be tricky at times to undo and redo as well. I probably won't ever try Flows again, I'm kind of bitter about my experience.


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## Jenzo

Alexander said:


> Yeah, that kind of pissed me off. I think my replacement screws and the warning were hiding under a piece of cardboard, so I used the screws that came with it which at the time seemed fine. Got out on the hill, was speeding down the mountain and my binding pulled out, stripping all four of the holes it was in, ruining my good setup on my brand-new Anthem, and on top of that causing me endless amounts of pain and shame. Traded those bindings out fast. Now I have to move my binding over a notch to make up for the ruined threads. Not a big problem, but lame nonetheless.
> 
> A few months later while cleaning my room, I found the box and was breaking it apart for the trash when a small bag of replacement screws fell out, along with the warning, "Don't use the screws that came with the bindings. USE THESE SCREWS!" Why in god's name would you put the bad screws in to begin with?! Yeah, maybe I should have been more thorough looking through the box, but I wasn't expecting a problem so how would I know to look?
> 
> Apart from that, I didn't think they were all that great. I also didn't like how hard it was to put them on on an incline. The highback could be tricky at times to undo and redo as well. I probably won't ever try Flows again, I'm kind of bitter about my experience.




Yea my friend just happened out of the blue to see the spare bolts crammed in the one box or else I would never have known and would have probably had the same thing happen.


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## Mooz

Jenzo said:


> Did you guys find the back latch very hard to open as well.. and did the high back stay down or was it a similar situation?



Nope I don't have Mr Burn's hands. The latch it tight for sure but nothing hard to pop when you need to. If the high back isn't popping up easy for you to latch it, then you aren't getting your foot far enough into the actual binding. Take them into a shop and have someone set them up with your boots.


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## Jenzo

ha, well I don't need a shop to know what a binding should feel like I've been riding since I was 14 and I am now 29 so yea, I think I know how to set up a binding. My friend said the exact same thing, the bindings are just silly hard to get off at least from a seated position. Even when standing the sharp knobs poked the meat of the hand!


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## Grimdog

I have never tried the lower end Flows but have heard a few times that the higher end products are easier to deal with then the lower end.


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## Jenzo

Grimdog said:


> I have never tried the lower end Flows but have heard a few times that the higher end products are easier to deal with then the lower end.


Yea, that's why I stressed I am not against Flow, I am just against this particular model. If I could go back i would have just bought some of the NXT's


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## bobepfd

This is my first year on Flows and I would definately recomend the NXTs or higher. With that said it sounds like you've had more setup problems than binding problems. It took me really 2 solid days of boarding to get them dialed in. I had them too tight and couldn't get my highback up either. You don't have to have your boot molded into the board though for them to be comfortable. Once I loosened up my bindings the highback went off and on much easier. Also getting your foot in on the hill is just a matter of a new feeling or method. Rather than sitting down to put your bindings on dig the healside of your board into the snow and then step right onto the highback. Then kick your foot into the binding and snap it up. Once you're used to this and have your binding dialed in you'll find you can do it without even stopping.


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## Mooz

Jenzo said:


> ha, well I don't need a shop to know what a binding should feel like I've been riding since I was 14 and I am now 29 so yea, I think I know how to set up a binding. My friend said the exact same thing, the bindings are just silly hard to get off at least from a seated position. Even when standing the sharp knobs poked the meat of the hand!



Good christ you are daft. Your years of riding seem to have stripped you of the ability to reason. If you try to remove flows while seated, you're going to be putting a shitload of pressure up against the back plate which in turn is going to make it damn near impossible to pop the latch free. Part of the reason they stay in place is that pressure on the back plate pulls the latch downward. Hence why their main selling point is the ability to remove them while standing. Also, try using your thumb to pop the latch. Always worked fine for me. 

As for your ability to set up a binding, it's quite clear that you don't know how to set up a pair of flows. That's not a surprise or a big deal. They're radically different. Someone who spent 15 years building motorcycles isn't going to have the slightest idea how to build a laptop. Same idea applies here. Clearly, if you're having a hard time bringing the back plate UP to latch in, they aren't setup right. Someone with more experience using flows will know how to set them up better than you.


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## Grimdog

It is easier to undo flows in a standing or a kneeling position. sitting or your butt to do up or undo Flows is not a good combination.


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## Jenzo

Mooz said:


> Good christ you are daft. Your years of riding seem to have stripped you of the ability to reason. If you try to remove flows while seated, you're going to be putting a shitload of pressure up against the back plate which in turn is going to make it damn near impossible to pop the latch free. Part of the reason they stay in place is that pressure on the back plate pulls the latch downward. Hence why their main selling point is the ability to remove them while standing. Also, try using your thumb to pop the latch. Always worked fine for me.
> 
> As for your ability to set up a binding, it's quite clear that you don't know how to set up a pair of flows. That's not a surprise or a big deal. They're radically different. Someone who spent 15 years building motorcycles isn't going to have the slightest idea how to build a laptop. Same idea applies here. Clearly, if you're having a hard time bringing the back plate UP to latch in, they aren't setup right. Someone with more experience using flows will know how to set them up better than you.



1) Of course I was standing, Duh! 2 of us had these bindings it wasn't just me. The fact that you use the term "daft" says a lot. :laugh:

2) yea like I didn't try 40 different ways to open the latch. It's not bad to open when standing, it is sharp and digs into your hand. I just spent 350 bucks on 2 sets of bindings, you think I wasn't trying everything to get them to work well? Its not like I picked these up for free!

I wrote a post on how I felt with the bindings after 3 days in a row of riding them. 

You may think you are some kind of snowboarding intellectual, but let me break it to you...It is not rocket science to set up a binding. Did you even read what I wrote? I set them up long before we hit the hill.

On the hill they felt too tight.. going down a run and trying to loosen them, is just bad. I like adjust ability. I also wrote that in the end I could get into them quickly from the lift. I still wouldn't use this model again.


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## Mooz

Quoting your post


> the bindings are just silly hard to get off *at least from a seated position*


Tell me where that doesn't lead someone to believe you were trying to remove them while sitting.



> You may think you are some kind of snowboarding intellectual


Now that shit is funny. As for my usage of the word daft, you're just jealous you didn't use it first. Daft is a fucking awesome word. It ranks right up there with douche dripping.


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## Jenzo

I won't resort to name calling over a review, as tempting as it is to combine douche dripping and your mom. :laugh: If you like them that's great for you, enjoy.

Anyways if you read the review, which you obviously didn't you'd see I commented on opening them while sitting and while standing. Sitting these are impossible to get out of. If you want to stop on the hill and remove your binding, its ridiculously hard. 

To say you got these open with your thumb is an outright lie, there's no way in hell you'd get these things open with just your thumb standing or otherwise. Did you even ride a pair of these or are you just arguing for something to do.


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## Mooz

Jenzo said:


> I won't resort to name calling over a review, as tempting as it is to combine douche dripping and your mom. :laugh: If you like them that's great for you, enjoy.
> 
> Anyways if you read the review, which you obviously didn't you'd see I commented on opening them while sitting and while standing. Sitting these are impossible to get out of. If you want to stop on the hill and remove your binding, its ridiculously hard.
> 
> To say you got these open with your thumb is an outright lie, there's no way in hell you'd get these things open with just your thumb standing or otherwise. Did you even ride a pair of these or are you just arguing for something to do.



I've been riding flows for 4 years. And don't be so sensative. I wasn't calling you a douche dripping I was simply pointing out how awesome Daft was. And yes, Ive been using my thumg to pop them open for 4 years. Works just fine.


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## Grimdog

A buddy of mine rides the older Flows and they are noticably easier to open than my newer ones. I think that was a common complaint with the older ones, that they would pop open from time to time. The lever on the back of my NXT's defintiley snap tight when locked. Again, I think is has to do with the quality of the cheaper Flows and that the mechanics on the upper end Flows are a little better and smoother.


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## jmacphee9

Grimdog said:


> A buddy of mine rides the older Flows and they are noticably easier to open than my newer ones. I think that was a common complaint with the older ones, that they would pop open from time to time. The lever on the back of my NXT's defintiley snap tight when locked. Again, I think is has to do with the quality of the cheaper Flows and that the mechanics on the upper end Flows are a little better and smoother.


i can get my brand new ones in and out no problem:dunno: 1 finger easily, and i have the highback forward more..


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## Guest

Grimdog said:


> I agree that there is a definite learning curve to setting up and getting in and out of the Flow bindings. Getting back into them on a hill in powder is a bit of a challenge but doable. I've had the NXT-AT for the couple of years on my all-mountain board and the only problem I have had is the recall they had on the plastic pods. It would be nice to have a ratchet that you could adjust on the fly but I guess Flow probrably feels that this would make them too close to a strap-in binding. Just my 2 cents.


what year are your flows that had the recall? im about to buy some 08 nxt at online here and i wanna make sure they are not included in that recall your talking about.


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## Jenzo

jmacphee9 said:


> i can get my brand new ones in and out no problem:dunno: 1 finger easily, and i have the highback forward more..


I knew there was something wrong, both pairs I had were like that really hard to get open...some old ones my friend had didn't have this prob.

Anyways I just bought a pair of K2 Autos and rode em today, freaking awesome so far... I'll write a review after a few more days in em


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## Guest

*Just my .02*

This is not specific to "The Five" bindings, more to flows in general. I have a pair of Flow Pro 11 that I rode for 2-3 seasons. I think they were 05 models. 

Pros:

You can get into them fast once you got over the learning curve
They stay tight. You don't have to worry about them getting loose during a run like some bindings
I thought the response felt good for freeriding. I can't comment on freestyle.

Cons:

I think they are actually harder to get out of when it is time to get into the lift line. I found it difficult to get your back foot out without going to your knees. You have to hold the highback down and try to yank your foot out...without turning the board in the process. It can be done...but it is a little tricky.
I didn't find them comfortable. They advertise "no pressure points" but I found them to hurt worse than traditional bindings, especially riding the lift. The joint where the top of my foot meets my ankle would scream by the end of the day. Note this could just be that I didn't have the proper boots for flows.


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## Grimdog

07 green and white NXT-AT.


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## agoodwin727

I personaly havnt' had any problems with these - in fact, i definetely prefer them over my 08 simms carbon links, which fell apart on me. I find getting in and out faster, especially considering you almost never have to sit down to do it. On the other hand, you can't sit down to do it. You have to be on your knees, which can be quite the bummer. I'd give these a 5/10 i think.


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## Guest

my brother had last years flows and the idea is great but needs alota work.. there heavy and somewhat unreliable because my brothers foot pooped out a couple times and im pretty sure he was locked in tight. unless they improved a good amount i dont think these are worth it...


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