svr Posted February 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 This is the new binding, you can see the upper portion of the highback has been removed from the right binding and placed on the left Slopestar, Thanks for the advice, I have done this and am looking forward to getting on snow with the setup. If you don't mind sharing, I was curious what kind of boots you are using with the NX2's? Cheers, Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thanks for the advice, I have done this and am looking forward to getting on snow with the setup. I did the same, and shifted the highbacks toward the nose to align more with the heelside edge. We'll see how that works out, since heelsides are my weaker turns. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slopestar Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I'm using Flow Talon Focus. I am not a fan of the BOA system and each boot has two. One for the upper cuff and one for the foot. I am constantly popping the cuff BOA open. Although the fit is tighter than I might get with traditional laces, I like the reliability of a standard knot over the cable system. The Flow Talon is the stiffest boot in their line up. Hope you like them as much as I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcousticBoarder Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 Glad I'm not the only one who switched the Highbacks on the flows haha. I like my flow and power plate setup, but I do have some complaints... They are heavy combined. I try to avoid slow or long chairs. Just glad boots are light. I have had the issue before of the straps adjusting. Not a lot, but compaired to my old flows without the ratchet, they were set and forget where the nx2 gt are not. Not sure if it is boot or what, but I feel it's not too solid without tightening down the straps more. But when I tighten the straps more, my feet start to hurt, and it is a bit more difficult to get in and out. Thoughts? May be my boots, they are deeluxe vicious m26, and my hardboot are m25. I do feel I have some heel lift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slopestar Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 (edited) I have no heel lift but there is a bit of movement for sure. Best heel hold I've ever had was using nidecker Carbon bindings. With power plates, yes it's like having bricks attached to your feet. But I do love the dampness it provides once on snow. If bomber could make a binding that incorporated the power plate as the base it would be amazing. Of course it would need to be rear entry. The not quite tight enough feeling without ratcheting is the footbed. It doesn't allow your foot to slip in and out as easily. But the top strap for 2016/17 is ridiculously comfortable compared to my other Nx2 straps. A major improvement to say the least Edited February 24, 2016 by slopestar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 You know, the Hybrid strap may be the fly in the ointment here. The rigid toe cap (which I like the feel of, by the way, when I'm locked in) may offer too much positive, forward resistance to actuate the highback as intended. I can see the fusion strap being a better design... So, Flow will offer to sell the Fusion straps to replace the Hybrid straps for a (un)cool $165. Make the right choice the first time out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Brammer aka PSR Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 I'm using Flow Talon Focus. I am not a fan of the BOA system and each boot has two. One for the upper cuff and one for the foot. I am constantly popping the cuff BOA open. Although the fit is tighter than I might get with traditional laces, I like the reliability of a standard knot over the cable system. The Flow Talon is the stiffest boot in their line up. Hope you like them as much as I do. My 9 yr. old son has the same issue, as he's carving hard enough to pop open his boots on toesides! (At-a-boy! Nice Turns!) We're going to put a velcro strap around the boot that physically holds the Boa knob down and in place. Meanwhile, I'm sticking with laces for myself (Dee-Lux Sparks; 32 Bradshaws). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted March 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) So I finally got to put a day on the NX2-GT's with one of my tankers. I will post a much more detailed report later, but my initial impression of the bindings is very positive. There are some small nuances with getting in and out of them (that to me could be solved by eliminating the stupid half inch of useless padding on the foot beds) but after a few tweaks of the fusion strap, I was able to pretty much click and go for most of the day. I am glad I waited to give Flow another chance as their old bindings did not perform or fit to my liking (with the exception of the composite Flow Team bindings, but the ratchets and strap on them were not very good). Still more testing and tinkering, but my first ride results with the NX2-GT's was positive. I am not happy with my new Burton Driver X's and will go ride the Flow's with my old boots within the next week. More to follow... Cheers, Sandy Edited March 6, 2016 by svr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted March 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 (edited) So had a couple more days on the NX2-GT bindings and made some modifications to my Driver X's, so I thought I would share some more info... First, boot fit and heel hold are super important to the way these bindings feel and perform, so if you are thinking of getting Flow's, make sure that your boot setup is dialed in. On to the bindings. Simply put, I am very impressed. After fiddling with the locking ratchets and trying different ways to adjust the fusion strap to fit my boots, I was able to narrow my process down to the following: 1. As Slopestar mentioned, definitely switch the highbacks from left to right as you can get a lot more response out of them by doing so. 2. Completely agree with Lordmetroland and Slopestar that the carbon in the highback is a joke, but I wanted the metal heel piece on the highbacks for less flex, so there really is no other choice for me than the NX2-GT. 3. For setting up the fusion strap perfectly everytime, I found that leaving the highback up in the locked position and entering the binding like a traditional binding and setting the strap to my comfort zone actually was perfect for the single click and go rear entry use as the active strap loosened just enough to for me to consistently get in and out of the binding much quicker than a traditional binding when unlocking the active strap, even in varying snow conditions from spring corn, cascade concrate and some powder. I also tried the bindings on both a cambered tanker and a rockered tanker and my next adjustment that I made that works for both boards was to max out the forward lean on both my front foot and rear. My next test will be using the Bomber Power Plates with the NX2-GTs and hopefully getting a pair of the Apex Gecko Stealth plates to test. cheers, sandy Edited March 12, 2016 by svr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Great reports SVR!! Great content for those seeking an excellent soft boot set up on big boards!! Personally, I am just hoping you are having a great time up North!! BIG SNOW on the way my brother!! Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmetroland Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 For setting up the fusion strap perfectly everytime, I found that leaving the highback up in the locked position and entering the binding like a traditional binding and setting the strap to my comfort zone actually was perfect for the single click and go rear entry use as the active strap loosened just enough to for me to consistently get in and out of the binding much quicker than a traditional binding when unlocking the active strap, even in varying snow conditions from spring corn, cascade concrate and some powder. Thanks for the continued review Sandy! What was your impression of the Fusion strap, especially giving you leverage at the tips of your toes to get the board more angulated on heelsides? I love the concept of the toe cap on the Hybrid - especially for this purpose - but the reality is that it prevents the one-click entry, which is one of the main advantages of the Flows. If the difference on heelsides is negligible (or possibly psychological) I'd happily move to the Fusion straps. I suspect you can't do a side-by-side comparo, but your thoughts would be most appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted March 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Lordmetroland, so I think that this is a personal preference as I do not like toe caps and prefer the old school over the top toe strap on regular bindings. I found that the fusion strap works great with no performance/response loss compared to say the straps on the Burton Diode or Now O-drives. So for my style and comfort, the fusion strap was a perfect fit. I also saw a lot of reviews that addressed the problem of step-click-go with the hybrid straps. So short answer in a long response is the fusion strap provides a very responsive hold on your boot, both heel and toe, and I would recommend it over the hybrid. Cheers, Sandy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted March 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 Great reports SVR!! Great content for those seeking an excellent soft boot set up on big boards!! Personally, I am just hoping you are having a great time up North!! BIG SNOW on the way my brother!! Bryan Things are good up here. A little warm but otherwise good spring snow and good carving conditions. Big Snow days sound Awesome Bryan, wish I could be there to enjoy the pow with you guys. Cheers, Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Ready for round two with a new pair of NX2-GT fusion bindings. I was very impressed last year with them and the new fusion strap looks and feels even better than last years version. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Nice!! Sandy, did you know that Danny "Kiwi" moved to Portland?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I had heard that he moved from Biarritz for his work, but did not know that it was to Portland until I saw that you and Jim met him at the EVO event. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slopestar Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Svr. I rode the binding you have pictured all last season. I know a few people at flow that have me testing them out. Absolutely fantastic. you will not be disappointed in these as they are so comfy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted October 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Slopestar, after your feedback from last year and advice on the high back swap, I have high expectations for these and so far they seem to be right at the sweet spot. carpet surfing with them on a board right next to a board with last years NX-2 GTs showed me just how much more comfortable the new straps are;-) Cannot wait to get them on snow! cheers and thanks again for the feedback, sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCrobar Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Hi Slopestar, SVR I have a two questions about Flow bindings that I am hoping you guys may be able to help out with. 1) Would using an Extra Large Flow binding, with a Large boot, make it easier to get in and out of a pair of Flow bindings when the straps are adjusted on the tighter side? The idea being there would be a bit more play or room over all to get the boot in and out. The reason I ask this is I have a size 11 foot-Mondo 29, use a K2 M29 boot, and purchased a pair of large Flow NX bindings. The Flow binding size chart says that a large binding will accept a size 29, but it is at the very upper limits of what will fit; I had to adjust the Flow heel cup bolts/setting to the largest setting. The K2 boots fit the Flow binding perfectly, meaning there was maybe a skinny 1/8" side to side in the heel cup. Add to this that K2 boots tend to be bigger overall volume when compared to other manufactures of the same size, perhaps this contributed to my in-out troubles? 2) Slopestar, you mentioned that the 2017-2018 Flow Eva foot beds addresses the in-out issues. Could you explain what will change to address the in-out issues that some riders experience? Are the foot beds hard, softer, have a slippery surface, etc? Thank you for your feedback. Cheers Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted October 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Rob, I have size 10.5-11 (depending on company) boots and went for the XL NX2-GTs. I found that they actually fit very well and I have no slop when riding and a little more wiggle room when getting out of and into the bindings. I was using size 11 D.C. T-Rice boots and they seemed to work fine with last years NX2s. About mid-season I switched to size 10 Burton Driver X boots that were a full size smaller and way less volume than the DCs. It was a tremendous difference in that the driver x has a lot more of a side to side gap with the binding foot rails, but I didn't notice any negative play when I set up the bindings to fit the boots for the last half of my season. So short answer in a long reply, I think that, for me, the XLs are a better fit as I am not a fan of having only a small amount of tolerance to play around with. cheers and hope that helps, sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted October 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 (edited) Rob, Here are some pics...while it looks like there would be a lot of play, I was able to strap down very tight and have almost no movement within the bindings. I was was also able to pretty much just push the locking mechanism open and step out with no catches as well as step in and lock without having to adjust the bindings every time. cheers, sandy Edited October 28, 2016 by svr Typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCrobar Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Hi Sandy Thank you very much for your excellent reply and perfect pictures, super helpful and informative. The clearances with my boot-Flow set up are WAY tighter than yours, but I also don't think that mine set up needs to be that tight. Perhaps an XL Flow with the 2017-2018 foot bed will make it worth another try at the Flow bindings as they really are a cool design with great materials and construction. Thank you again for your time and effort in responding. Cheers Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted October 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 No problem Rob. I am curious as to how you thought the gecko plates worked with the Flows on your Swoard as I am looking at the gecko plates or maybe the donek riders so that I don't get so much overhang on my older tankers. I have power plates, but the weight is just too much for me for consecutive days of riding. cheers, sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCrobar Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Hi Sandy The timing of your question could not be better! Yesterday a new pair of XL Ride Ele Hefes and a set of the Gecko Stealth's arrived in the mail. I am hoping to use the Geckos for the exact reason you mentioned, no boot out with either a narrower board or a flat back foot stance angle. I also have a variety pack of the urethane Gecko bumpers and two different lengths of the insert extensions. This will give me the testing option of having the Stealth's low (1cm overall) and super hard Delrin bumpers or the Stealth's set higher (1.5cm overall) with the softer or medium hard bumpers. I still have to set up and adjust the bindings, fit the boots, install the Gecko bumpers, etc, etc. As soon as I have this completed, I'll take a bunch of pictures to show you how it works. I'll try to get this done over the weekend and post ASAP:) My gut feeling is that the Stealth's set up with the higher and softer bumpers will be PERFECT for smoothing out the ride and helping to eliminate boot out and be a great combo with your Flows and narrower Tankers:) Too much fun! Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted October 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 Rob, So I took the plunge as well and my Gecko Stealths are on the way. I look forward to seeing your setup and hearing your thoughts on how it performs as well as comparing notes. Hope it starts snowing ? soon. cheers, sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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