SunSurfer

The older F2 Intec binding toe pieces were height adjustable but didn't rock backwards and forwards. An option may be to take a small round file and file the groove in the plastic toe bail retainer to allow the toepiece to move forward and down enough to engage the toe of your boot.

Heel side turns need front heel pressure but you cannot neglect the rear foot. To continue to run in the groove you create as you come down the fall line and then turn across the slope the edge angle needs to be pretty consistent along the length of the board. Your track is consistent with the rear part of your board being at a shallower angle than the front part. To stop the rear part of the edge twisting out of the groove and slipping either a) ensure you feel the balance on that edge through the inside edge of your rear foot. Or b) make sure the inside of your rear knee is pushing towards your heel edge. And keep your overall balance between the bindings, and look towards where you want to end up. The key is ensuring your edge angle remains relatively consistent. Board twist is the enemy of a cleanly carved turn.

@emptypieYou're a newbie to this? How have you setup your F2 bindings in terms of toe and heel lift? How have you set the cuff relative to shell position in your front and rear boots? Do you have a spring system in your boots? Boot shell design and technique are critical. But all of these things may also contribute to or help improve your rear heel lift problem.

@Jack M Thanks Jack, that almost certainly answers my question. And the Tech Articles are a valuable resource. knee separation we agree on - http://alpinesnowboarder.com/separate-the-knees/ outward cant on the rear binding - http://alpinesnowboarder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/canting-and-lift.pdf we have different views and reasons on where it will be useful. Both of us agree if the canting applied makes the rider uncomfortable that's not good. Looking at a video still of you (Jack) riding at Montucky CC, you have no obvious outward cant on your rear boot in the stance you ride (Johnasmo YouTube Day 2 MCC 2022 @ 12:42).

@Lurch That's new board porn, for sure!

That's Riceball, his stance and style is distinctive, even without the camera pack on his back.

@knightscape"did some reading on the modern stances with outward rear cant" I have an interest in stance setup. Where did you read the above? Outward rear cant is likely to place signficant strain on the ligaments that support the sides of your rear knee unless you are riding at very high angles, 65 degrees and upwards. Modern stances tend to be longer than previously, naturally separating the knees. Erik Beckmann has written a series of articles on boot and binding setup that many people find helpful. https://beckmannag.com/hardboot-snowboarding I've produced a YouTube video that lays out the interrelationship between your physique, stance distance and binding angles, and why you might therefore benefit from binding lift and possibly canting. https://youtu.be/mBTTJMo6Me4 Hope you get your gear sorted.

@slabberccheck you weren't riding in walk mode in your UPZs. As well as the spring system there is also a 4 position lever to select one of the four. If you don't engage the lever you get free fore and back flex.

@johnasmo Your videos are making my "wish I was there"ness go off the scale.

Progression technique shifts. 1/ gradual change to line of shoulders more across the length of the board, especially on heelside. 2/ turn transitions go from on snow to almost entirely airborne and back to smooth and on snow when you are shooting with the polecam. 3/ midperiod there are quite a few turns where you seem to not be sure of your balance on the new edge and some arm flailing and balance adjustment occurs as the turn is being initiated. Your feel for balance on the new edge seems better in the polecam section. And with that your knees are doing more of the shock absorption, and possibly your rear knee is being pushed down towards the snow less on your toeside turns. In that last segment I get the impression you are more aware of the edge engagement and feeling balanced on the edge strip of the board that is tracking along the lateral wall of your carving groove. As you say yourself "I know where the edges are finally."

Could try the For Sale column here rather than buying new. I own all of these recommendations. Coiler Nirvana 174, Energy variant. Thirst Superconductor 174 (comes in core variants for left foot forward or right foot forward riders) Kessler KST 162 (slalom race board) rides beautifully. You might want more length but the mid length (high 160s to low 170s) alpine Kesslers are prized and don't turn up often as second hand for sale. I ride groomed NZ snow exclusively now. Thaw then refreeze cycles are common. Powder in short and contested supply here. Lots of riders will recommend Sean Martin's Donek boards. I've tried some in the past but not loved them. The Nirvana and Superconductor were love from the first turn.

Have a GREAT time! Wish I was with you all!

Short answer: Yes Long answer: Without a spring kit boot shell flex will determine how easy it is to flex your ankle(s). You may find you want different amounts of flex between front and rear, and even toe and heelside in the same boot.

Look for threads from new carvers requesting advice. Quite a few since the beginning of the Northern winter. Jack M(ichaud) has ridden lots of gear and has no particular axe to grind.

Insane jealousy doesn't convey my feelings watching the video and reading this post. Glad you are making good use of it!

The pins go through the plate so they do not move. Rather the straight line distance between the pieces attached to the board shortens as the board bends in the turn. The straight line is the chord of the arc the board makes. The slide moves. If you understand how the plate works then correct assembly is relatively straightforward.

With a hinge & sliding hinge plate fitted the board experiences the riders inputs only at the two axle points. The physics of plate axle position in relation to board flex mean that for a given rider mass the board will flex more when the axles are closer together, and less when the axles are farther apart. Consider the 2 extremes, all the riders mass concentrated at the middle of the board versus a plate the same length as the board itself with the axles at the tip and tail and the riders mass now effectively applied equally only to tip and tail. Think about what will cause the board to flex as a turn is carved in those 2 scenarios. As for board torsion, the farther apart the axles are the greater the length of board in the mid-section that can now flex freely but have its tendency to twist reduced. The importance of the long interaxle distance in the AllFlex plate design is underappreciated.

@TimVYou will likely benefit from a modest amount of outward canting on each foot. Front foot toe lift and rear foot heel lift will also help if you don't use these already. The video linked below explains why I say that.

Same thinking as @dredman Been wearing a bright red jacket and trousers for the last 10 years. Photographers and artists know that red catches the eye. Will replace both this year and will choose bright colours again.

@barryjYou may have got your helmet back in one piece but it has done its' duty. Time for a new helmet before you ride again. Hope you recover quickly and fully from your concussion.

Checked my archives and I don't have an instruction leaflet for this plate. Lots of pictures though, and found a piece from AllBoardSports with how to use the washers in the kit to reduce slop in the system, plus a review from Daveo (an Aussie) in the archives here. Apex V2 plate designed to be mounted with the sliding axle unit (alloy winged piece with slot in the vertical rather than a hole) at the front of the board. Fixed axle unit is mounted to the rear. A plate of this design concept works as follows. Axles go through the holes in the reinforced part of the plate and attach the carbon fibre plate to the base units through the slots at the front and the hole at the rear. Split pins through the cross holes prevent the axles from falling out in use. The washers should go between, certainly the split pins and the alloy mounting units and probably also between the axle head and the mounting unit. Under bending loads on the board, the straight line distance between the hole and slot will shorten as the board curves underneath. So in the at rest position the front axle should have at least 1-1.5cm of slot length between it and the end of the slot closest to the nose of the board. Aim to have the axles as far apart as the system and your binding insert pattern will allow. Longer interaxle distances give you greater torsion control over your board. This also means your bindings should sit well within the axles which is good. Binding centre close to the axle position leads to an unsteady "diving board" type feeling under foot. Mount the plate with as little bias to one end of the board or the other as possible. Mount your bindings centred between the axles' position, because it's these that determine the plates performance. This may or may not match the centre of the binding inserts on the plate. I have lots of experience with isolation plates, but I have not assembled an Apex V2 plate. It may be that final assembly will involve an intial estimation of what will be the possible positions, then putting the alloy mounting units in place, verticals with hole/slot towards the ends, and gently tightening screws. Check that plate and axles fit together with slot as described, then finally tightening up the mounting screws to the board. Then slot in axles/washers, then place split pins to finally secure in place. From the photos I've got I can't see a way to assemble the plate fully then screw the assembled plate straight to the board. Once you've got it assembled, test flex the board while it is supported on risers at tip and tail to make sure that the axles slide properly and allow the board to freely bend. https://allboardssports.com/sg-and-apex-plate-testing-a-review/ Someone else with actual experience of the Apex V2 plate model assembly may contribute. I hope for your sake they do. @daveo Are you able to help Pew make the most of his new-to him toy?

So paraphrasing, good snow makes you look like you're a hero. Ice shows if you're a hero. When it comes to the technique of feeling balanced over the carving edge/base strip on hard snow, smoothness and precision win over flailing arms and contorted bodies. Solid technique seems almost effortless and invisible to the observer. Thanks,on reflection I always get useful insights from your writing. @Beckmann AG

I ride with UPZ boots set like Phil. Front as far upright as it will go, springs on stiffer side but not as tight as possible. Rear as far forward as possible with springs set soft to allow easier rear knee movement When I move my centre of mass up and down to absorb bumps and to unweight my edge for edge transition, my rear hip/knee/ and ankle need to move through a greater range of movement than my front leg. If you doubt me, get someone to video you from the side as you stand in riding position and move your COM up and down without your boots on. Look at the angles of your front and rear lower legs at the start and end of the movements.

Imitate riders in this thread of excellent softboot carving videos. Pause the videos to checkout the range of binding settings and body positions.

A major difference between AllFlex mount pattern plates and UPM mount plates is the inter axle distance. AllFlex is significantly longer so that the board twist/torsion +/- flex control created by the AllFlex plate is produced over a greater length of edge.