F2 bindings

[digger jr]

Have a friend whose getting some size 27 UPZ boots and F2 Intec Titanium. 

Which size binder to get M or L? I know UPZ are a little harder to center up. Does the large size binding give you more fore/ aft adjustability?

Thanks

[pow4ever]

How heavy/aggressive is your friend?

Was told to avoid the medium if you are on the edge of the size.
Not much a concern for the lighter rider.

F2 large binding can be converted to F2 small binding.
F2 small binding can be converted to F2 large binding.

F2 recommend size:
S: 21,5 - 26,5
M: 24,5 - 27,5
L: 28,0 - 31,0

Since UPZ does have smaller foot print.  Measured the sole length make sense.

The following are from SG binding (based on F2):

Mostly to avoid overhang of the "sled"

 

[digger jr]

He’s 180 lbs and in his 20s so he’ll get aggressive. 

[jburk]

F2 Intecs have only ever been offered in two sizes, M and L, and the L doesn’t convert to a S unless this year’s model has a different base with two sets of holes for heel and toe.  But I don’t think that’s the case, as the F2 site just lists this as the avail sizes for Intec Ti:

SIZES
M: 21,5 - 27,5
L: 28,0 - 31,0

I have UPZ 26, and tried the M Intec but found it was still too large, couldn’t get quite centered between the edges. Had to dump the stepins and switch over to Race Ti toe bail style in the the S size, it still has plenty of room for adjustment. 

Your friend with UPZ 27 may be able to  get centered on Intec M size. But why not just get him in std toe bail instead?  I’d say the S Race Ti would do the trick, and while the M Race would work as well, it doesn’t look like Donek stocks the M size. 

[rjnakata]

2 hours ago, jburk said:

I have UPZ 26, and tried the M Intec but found it was still too large, couldn’t get quite centered between the edges. Had to dump the stepins and switch over to Race Ti toe bail style in the the S size, it still has plenty of room for adjustment. 

I thought you were able to modify the baseplates of the Medium intecs to accommodate for centering...no?  I was going to do the same thing, but if in the end it didn't work out let me know! So the size small standards allowed you to center?

[Haus]

I have size 26 upz and the large titanium Intec.

I am at the minimum adjustment of both heel and toe blocks to fit the boot. Not ideal as I am not centered on my front foot.  

Medium should fit fine

Edited January 15, 2019 by Haus

[jburk]

7 hours ago, rjnakata said:

I thought you were able to modify the baseplates of the Medium intecs to accommodate for centering...no?

I was able to do that, it did work out. But in the end it wasn’t something I was willing to do to every pair of bindings I’d buy in the future, when I could use unmodified small toe lever Race Tis out if the box instead. And it just barely worked; I could center on some boards, but not others   

Stepins weren’t worth the hassle to me, not along with the other drawback: heel cables that can break, heel icing up making stepping in difficult,  And there were a few times where it felt line both pins had engaged, only to find out two turns later that it was only one pin and my rear foot released mid turn. Pilot error on my part, but never happens with tie levers. 

[philw]

I have 27.5 HSP and the M works fine. Previously I've used Raichle and DeLuxe boots in the Mondo point also with size M.

[jburk]

It’s the way that the heel on the UPZ boots is tucked under the boot that make the bail to bail spacing so much closer than for other manufacturer’s boots of the same mondo point size. IMHO, it’s a huge design flaw for the UPZ smaller sizes’ shells, and if any other mfr’s boots fit my foot I wouldn’t be wearing UPZs. 

MP 26 UPZs fit my feet, they’re just a pita to fit into bindings. And don’t get me started about the amount of boot ramp caused by the heel being tucked under, and the amount of toe lift necessary to counteract it…

rant mode off

[rjnakata]

13 minutes ago, jburk said:

It’s the way that the heel on the UPZ boots is tucked under the boot that make the bail to bail spacing so much closer than for other manufacturer’s boots of the same mondo point size. IMHO, it’s a huge design flaw for the UPZ smaller sizes’ shells, and if any other mfr’s boots fit my foot I wouldn’t be wearing UPZs. 

MP 26 UPZs fit my feet, they’re just a pita to fit into bindings. And don’t get me started about the amount of boot ramp caused by the heel being tucked under, and the amount of toe lift necessary to counteract it…

rant mode off

Let me say that I've tried most of them and Cateks (short plate SI and Standard) are the only bindings I can comfortably center my MP26 UPZ's. 

TD3SWSI, F2 intec were the worst.  TD3SI are doable but not ideal.  The UPZ's are just so comfortable tho!

[digger jr]

Maybe I’ll steer him towards the F2 bails.

[fuzzmac]

On 1/15/2019 at 9:37 AM, jburk said:

I was able to do that, it did work out. But in the end it wasn’t something I was willing to do to every pair of bindings I’d buy in the future, when I could use unmodified small toe lever Race Tis out if the box instead. And it just barely worked; I could center on some boards, but not others   

Hey jburk, came across this thread.  what was the modification you did to ceter the binder?  had the same issue with intec for several seasons. I got UPZ 26 (RC10). 

[jburk]

I had to drill an extra set of holes in the heel section of each plate. 

I used the heel plate as a guide to mark the pilot holes:

The end result with the heel moved much closer to the toe. 

All in all, I ended up using the smaller size F2 Race Ti, but now just go with the SG bindings. Those are adjustable between small and large with no parts needed, are the same fit as the Race Ti, but are just better built. I'll own those bindings for 20 years, so the extra $150 seems cheap (I'll never break a T-nut on the SGs). 

[piusthedrcarve]

In addition, I noticed that F2 RS Carve bindings is supposed to be fit 22.5 - 31.5,  the shortest distance between bails barely works on UPZ 24 boots.  I use M for UPZ 28 boots. Centering the UPZ boots always resulted as front bail all the ways extended and back bails toward center.  That is only way to center (as close as I can) them.