Erik J Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I will most likely never ride standard bails again. I rode Intec's on older F2's, then standard bails on TD1's, then back to Intec's on TD1's. -Just cruising off of the lift to step right in is a joy. Weaving on one foot through a crowd of kids plopped down in the snow and then clicking in without even a thought is worth every penny. -I love being able to release the heel while gliding through a flat spot, kick a few times, and then step right back in while the board glides straight as an arrow. Maintaining speed and continuity is worth a lot to me. -Riding plates in deep powder with step-in's is really convenient (if you ever find yourself in that situation). If you ever find yourself stopped and need to get going again, step-in's (for me) are a HELL of a lot easier to use. (my own rule of thumb in the deep and fluffy is "never get off the board" in my best voice of "chef" from Apocolypse Now as he gets off of the boat looking for mangoes only to be attacked by a tiger) Anyway, step-in's ruled for backcountry. -I did notice a subtle difference in stiffness going from standard to step-in but that was neither a negative or positive - just a little different. -I've broken two toe bails with my step-in's so far. My foot never released from the binding because my heel reciever kept me put. I finished the run like that with my toes able to lift freely. (Sorry for making Fin cringe with that) Thank you Intec's for saving my knees. -I ride no less than 60 days per season, my intec's see serious abuse as I am not a mellow carving kind of guy. I am nothing but happy with them. If I had to sum up my intec's it would be smooth, continuous, convenient gliding. Dejavu - I think I post this same thing every year. Just an opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 I don't get all this talk about Intecs being stiffer. I have not noticed it one bit. I think if you have your standard bails adjusted properly, the stiffness difference is insignificant. That is, it should require some muscle to latch/unlatch a standard bail with one hand. In fact they should be tight enough that using two hands is helpful when latching in......PS - I'll never go back to standards. The convenience of SI's is so great. I notice extra stiffness in the intecs, and I have my bails set "toyt like a toyger". Oh, I should say I HAD my bails set tight. My last set of standards are on ebay right now. Of course, Jack, I have about 60 pounds or so on you so the stiffness issue is a little more noticable under my big dopey self. It is strange, I break just about everything that I ever touch having to do with snowboarding, but I have never broken Bomber bindings in any way, shape, or form. I have, however, released from the bails 3 or 4 times in the last 10+ years since I have been riding Bombers. Two of those times were on landings in the halfpipe, which is a really inopportune time to do so. Three or four times in around 1000 days on snow is not bad, though. I have broken a whole lot of other equipment in that time while the Bombers held up. I have never popped out of intecs in any way. I feel much safer in them. I'm with your Post Script - I will never go back to standards either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 then I'd be very surprised if they were adjusted properly. I don't suppose you're talking about a guy with a name like a pry-bar?Not surprising. Cyclic loading is a death sentence to metal parts. The tighter your bindings are, the less cyclic loading. This is similar to preloading screws. You tighten a screw to the point where the screw is under a constant tension greater than whatever tension is trying to pull your two parts apart. I've never snapped a Bomber bail. Ya, that's the guy. He and I have the same boot size so I tried his Swoard and he tried my Coiler. I snapped into his bindings just fine with the same amount of lever force that I use on my TD2s. So I think the adjustment is fine. I just think with the high degree of inclination during EC riding and the way he whips his board around at the apex, he puts a tremendous amount of force on the bindings. Thus, the flex. And I'm sure weight is an issue. He's around 190-200lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Ya, that's the guy. He and I have the same boot size so I tried his Swoard and he tried my Coiler. I snapped into his bindings just fine with the same amount of lever force that I use on my TD2s. So I think the adjustment is fine. Haha... no. He is a known quantity. This is a conversation for email. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taiga Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Intecs are the only way to go especially if you are an old geezer like me! No fuss whatsoever, and besides, when you slide into the lift line and do that quick release thing without barely bending, it freeks out the softies! I have been on them for three years now and have only once had a miss fire on the step in due to ice. I will be on them tonight for the first runs of the season. From Michigan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverchick Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Well since I normally don't post a lot, here is a subject that peaked my interest. To intec or not the intec, it's basically a riders preference. For me personally, I like the intec heels. Not for the reason of not liking to bend over to clip in, but for safety purposes. When I used the toe bails, and perhaps this was user error, I found that while riding the toe clips would sometimes shift. I had to always wonder if one of boots would become disengaged from my bindings. So when I would get off of the chair lift instead of clipping one toe bail, I would have to reclip both. I also like the ability when getting out on the first snow to get first tracks. With the intec heels you just click and go. Yes it only takes a few seconds to clip in but those are valuable seconds that could be spend riding and enjoy those first tracks of the day . But then again it's based on the riders preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnshapiro Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Ok, I'm sold now. Hopefully my wife is getting me a set (with heels) for my birthday (today :rolleyes:). I've been working on her. Especially since she's on skis and won't have to wait for me to clip in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Last comment on this - one minor advantage of step-ins - there's no front bail to flop around and dig into the snow causing you to wipe out in the lift line. One minor disadvantage of step-ins - if you happen to fall on the heel receiver, it hurts like hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateW Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 I had a bunch of trouble with toe-lever bindings (bomber and others) releasing when landing big jumps (only the too-hard landings that come from overshooting or undershooting the sweet spot - proper landings were never a problem). I tried various amounts of tension on the toe-lever, from too much to too little, even tried sending bindings and boots to Fin for professional calibration. Eventually gave up, switched to SIs, and have been very happy ever since. My best guess is that the problem stems from the heel bail being shaped to fit many boots and not precisely matching the contour of my own boots. Under extreme loads (on the axis that you'd call pronation or supination if it was just your foot), the heel ledge pries itself out from the heel bail. That's speculation - you'd have to watch a release happen with a high-speed video camera or something to really know - but I think that's what was happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Um, well, I'm not sure how many hundred days I've got on the bindings, but I weigh 170 and carve hard. I think it means I know how to adjust my bindings properly. I weigh 175 and carve hard. So? I don't care how many days you got on the bindings. There are many ppl in this forum who carve HARDER. I guess you think I don't know how to adjust my bindings but I do. That's why I'm still alive isn't it? Jack, I know you have a lot of knowledge when it comes to snowboarding but, you should know that there are people who rides different way and put more stress on the bails. I wish I can show you how much difference it makes when I ride but I'm in Japan now and I'm going to be all over the world for the next couple years. I'll stop making comments now since this thread is going like Crave-- I challenge you to a clip in duel! We'll call it the BINDING MASTER CHALLENGE! Oh, and it has to be at Stratton and will be judged by my mom. ;) Hmmm......interesting offer.....I'll be pleased to meet you mom. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 I would say being that Jack is the moderator and has probably used bomber bindings, in all their stages of development, longer than almost anyone on this forum, his observations and opinions mean EVERYTHING.Not Cool! Wow.... Sucky Sucky Sucky..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Houghton Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Wow, I guess we've been told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglez Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Isn't it amazing what someone will say when it isn't face-to-face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dano Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Somebody sic Divebomber on this guy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedzilla Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Back to Intecs.... I'm sure I could figure this out with a couple minutes of looking around...but I figured I would try and get this thread back on track..... With Intec heels fitted, I can still use standard bindings....correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 I have. There may be certain bails that would interfere, but I have not had any problems with any of the bindings I have tried that with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Works OK with Burton race plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Jack, I know you have a lot of knowledge when it comes to snowboarding but, you should know that there are people who rides different way and put more stress on the bails. If by "different", you mean adjusting your bindings so loose that it only takes a finger or two to close them (I have video of an EC'er demonstrating this and the way they flex the crap out of their bails) then, well..... "wrong" is a strong word when talking about snowboarding technique or equipment usage, but in this case it fits. These people cyclically over-stress their bails and work harden them to failure, and then complain that the bails aren't designed properly. It's not smart. These people would be better served by Flows or Catek Freerides with a 3rd strap rigged up. They're certainly not using their hardboots for anything. If Phil, one of our known experts, at 230lbs has never broken a Bomber bail, then nobody should have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Buggs Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 How about a reason NOT to have Intecs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 I am officially resigning as resident prick (others will have to resign as well) and passing the torch to Linus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 WOW, what a cool threat! Totally missed it… Anyway, and this is just my opinion and personal experience. A couple season ago I switched to Intec and first did not like it at all. I lost to much lateral flex in my new set-up. I enjoyed the ease and convenience of getting in & out of the bindings, so I told myself it is just a matter of time until I get used to the more rigid set-up. I did this for another full season until I finally had it and went back to regular bail bindings. And for me, it was the best move I could have done. I ride pretty stiff boots Virus UPZ today, Indy’s back than and with my weight (165lbs) I defiantly loose to much lateral flex with step-ins. So for me, I will not go back to step-ins. It comes down (again) to testing testing & testing and decide what it the best set up for YOU !!! Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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