radbadoli Posted October 30, 2020 Report Share Posted October 30, 2020 Getting old! 48 Years old been carving for about 20 years using old school burton clip race bindings with risers but get frustrated getting in them. I am an ex Canadian ski patroller, rugby & football player 6 ft 2 in / 187 cm tall & 230-235 lbs /110-114 kg. Move to Florida so my riding is down to a sad 1 week a year Normal angles 60F / 45R...would like to know how to adjust to carve more horizontally to the snow on the heel side as wash out if I am not careful. I am interested in purchasing step in hard plate bindings that will fit with a UPZ RC11 boot preferably without any fit kit like intek & would need both sets of plates 4 hole pattern for GS BURTON Ultra-Prime & a O2 slalom board - no model just a sick locking Doberman showing teeth on the top deck. they got to be durable to support my weight & hard carves on eastern groomed runs & of course ice! i saw the O2 long step ins poster for sale for $250 but don’t know if I have to buy a fit kit & which one. Like they’re made of Aircraft aluminum & are can adjustable canter without any riser Also some guy online is selling NOS RAICHLE X BONE INTEC HEEL PLATE BINDING used from $90 he now nothing about & bought at an estate sale but turned off by the fact I will need an intek fit kit for the UPZ RC11 boots (already confirmed with UPZ they’re intek compatible) but also seen online these are not so durable Any recommendations for an old man like me would be greatly appreciated as on a tight budget due to 3 small boys & a frugal wife. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted October 30, 2020 Report Share Posted October 30, 2020 Nobody makes stepins that don’t need modifications to the boot anymore. Burton built them decades ago but they were finicky and fragile as I understand it. Really the only game in town these days is Intec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjnakata Posted October 30, 2020 Report Share Posted October 30, 2020 33 minutes ago, Neil Gendzwill said: Nobody makes stepins that don’t need modifications to the boot anymore. Burton built them decades ago but they were finicky and fragile as I understand it. Really the only game in town these days is Intec. Even when new the old Burton step-ins (that didn't need special heels) were not suitable for your weight. For step-ins you'll need an adaptive heel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVR Posted October 30, 2020 Report Share Posted October 30, 2020 I run RC10 UPZs I use step-ins I use TD2's as my step-ins with intecs.... No issues for me at all (well, except for keeping snow from under my heel or whatever...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kneel Posted October 30, 2020 Report Share Posted October 30, 2020 It's a brave new world out there, @radbadoli. Frugal wife might want to consider that you are a big boy at 230 and the epoxy in both the Ultra Prime and Oxygen Dangerous(I think?) you're riding has a combined age as old or perhaps OLDER than your tender 48 years of time, unless you've already paid the life insurance premium, then well she may not care. I would also probably steer clear of the X-Bones as well for the same big-boned reason. TD2's all day, every day. You can usually find them at a frugal-approved price. You could also probably find them with someone unloading additional long-since-abandoned 3D disks to boot if you like to roll the dice with the Ultra Prime, as I too am guilty of once a year, mostly to remind me of how much old boards suck compared to new(er) boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted October 30, 2020 Report Share Posted October 30, 2020 As others have indicated: old plastic bindings are dangerous, especially for heavier riders like you (and I). Fintec/Intec is the only game in town really, unless you are down with risking your well-being. As others have stated: the TD bindings are very popular and many people really like them. I am a fan of the Virus Powerlock bindings, for their relative simplicity and extremely low profile—these are also very durable metal bindings like the TDs. F2 also makes a binding with a metal baseplate that is very well regarded — the F2 Intec titanium. With UPZ and intec, there is sometimes a bit of adjustment requred to get your boots centered over the board and a positive slop-free lock that slips in correctly — unless your feet are HUGE because the heel piece is slightly closer to the center of the board on UPZ (this is the setup I ride). cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted October 31, 2020 Report Share Posted October 31, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjnakata Posted October 31, 2020 Report Share Posted October 31, 2020 For reference only, here are the(?) two outdated "step in hardplate" bindings that do not require an adaptive heel. Both are Burton and if they were secure would be pretty interesting designs. Again if you find them the plastic would likely be compromised from age and even when they were new (late 90's early 2000's) would NOT be recommended for a person of your weight. For step in convenience go with Intec or Fintec heels for safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radbadoli Posted November 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 (edited) Thanks for the advice on the TD2 intek compatible bindings. Will check that out. can someone advise on the Cantek O2 long step ins for sale on this site? Would you recommend them? 23 hours ago, rjnakata said: For reference only, here are the(?) two outdated "step in hardplate" bindings that do not require an adaptive heel. Both are Burton and if they were secure would be pretty interesting designs. Again if you find them the plastic would likely be compromised from age and even when they were new (late 90's early 2000's) would NOT be recommended for a person of your weight. For step in convenience go with Intec or Fintec heels for safety. That’s interesting. I have exactly these burton race bindings but without the step in & using them for +20 years with no signs of plastic fatigue...watch now they’ll break! likely impossible to find so will keep shopping for some intek compatible step ins. Edited November 1, 2020 by radbadoli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radbadoli Posted November 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 On 10/30/2020 at 7:43 PM, queequeg said: As others have indicated: old plastic bindings are dangerous, especially for heavier riders like you (and I). Fintec/Intec is the only game in town really, unless you are down with risking your well-being. As others have stated: the TD bindings are very popular and many people really like them. I am a fan of the Virus Powerlock bindings, for their relative simplicity and extremely low profile—these are also very durable metal bindings like the TDs. F2 also makes a binding with a metal baseplate that is very well regarded — the F2 Intec titanium. With UPZ and intec, there is sometimes a bit of adjustment requred to get your boots centered over the board and a positive slop-free lock that slips in correctly — unless your feet are HUGE because the heel piece is slightly closer to the center of the board on UPZ (this is the setup I ride). cheers! Thanks will check out the virus power lock. I do have big feet. I believe my UPZ RC11 are a mondo 29.5 or 30.0. Will check when I pull them out of our storage closet. will I still have fit up centerline issues with the virus power lock like the F2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radbadoli Posted November 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 On 10/30/2020 at 5:28 PM, Kneel said: It's a brave new world out there, @radbadoli. Frugal wife might want to consider that you are a big boy at 230 and the epoxy in both the Ultra Prime and Oxygen Dangerous(I think?) you're riding has a combined age as old or perhaps OLDER than your tender 48 years of time, unless you've already paid the life insurance premium, then well she may not care. I would also probably steer clear of the X-Bones as well for the same big-boned reason. TD2's all day, every day. You can usually find them at a frugal-approved price. You could also probably find them with someone unloading additional long-since-abandoned 3D disks to boot if you like to roll the dice with the Ultra Prime, as I too am guilty of once a year, mostly to remind me of how much old boards suck compared to new(er) boards. I worked for 5 years in a ski shop full time as a binding tech before I started boarding & sold skis have to say the Qualty both the O2 & the Burton Ultra Prime is bar none. No signs of any failing Epoxy on either deck & they do hav significant miles & age on them. I do enjoy them & sure would love to demo some newer boards but the USA doesn’t have much of a carving scene like Europe so tough to find a shop to try & compare. We do the 15 hr drive from Orlando to Snowshoe, WV & I get a lot of folks asking me what is that I am riding. Some insulting me ask if it’s those gay mono skis from the 80s...usually skiers. Most boarders know what I am on & get a lot of “that’s sick” comments from the younger crowd. wife let me buy last year the $580 UPZ RC11 to replace the Salomon SX91 rear entry ski boots I was using since age 14 to age 46 on the Carve boards. I stored them in a utility shed in Florida exposing them to heat & the themo plastic literally fell apart walking back to the car the season prior. Not a bad life for 34 years of use. love these UPZ RC11s. No more shin bang & way more flex. Money well spent. keep them indoors &’climate controlled. Won’t make the same mistake. Beloved Easton hockey skates & Nike Roller blades had the same fate! Dumb Canuck in Florida! BYTW got great insurance so not too worried & nothing holds me back from ripping up some 1-2 in. Furrows on the slopes. Been on the snow all my life so it like riding a bike & I never forget & rarely fall. On 10/30/2020 at 11:22 PM, SunSurfer said: Would these F2 intek hard adapters work with the other binding step ins that are intek? Cantek, TD2 & Virus Powerdecks? thanks for the link to that other string. As the guy was a lightweight at 150 lbs wet I figured I’d ask what a 230 lb guy like me should buy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radbadoli Posted November 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 On 10/30/2020 at 9:49 AM, TVR said: I run RC10 UPZs I use step-ins I use TD2's as my step-ins with intecs.... No issues for me at all (well, except for keeping snow from under my heel or whatever...) Are they easier then clamping in with the old school race bindings? I have problems with the snow under the heal with them too o. Days where the snow’s wet. Sometimes swear & curse taking 5 min to get clamped in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVR Posted November 1, 2020 Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 I must be lucky as my TD2's don't block up too bad for me... yes, when it is the wintery mix and such, it is glove off to clean them, but otherwise, not too bad.. My key thing is, I always do a heel stomp on the middle of the board to clear my rear step in, and try to now come out of the front unless I am done for a bit... Like others have said though, the step-ins as TDs and the UPZs make a stiff connection to the board without flex, so all my flex is in and from my boots.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted November 1, 2020 Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 (edited) UPZ boot toe fits the F2 step in front bail better than the Bomber step in front bail, so that the load on the boot toe is better spread. Intec setups have inherently less lateral flex than a bail binding. If you want lots of lateral flex and a step in then you want the Bomber Sidewinder variant. All fore and aft flex in bail and stepin binding types really comes from boot shell, tongue and spring system. Manufacturers will usually state if their step in heel is Intec compatible. If it looks like an Intec it probably is. No binding is unbreakable. Even Bombers can fail from metal fatigue after long and intense use (personal experience @ 180 lbs rider). F2 widely used for top level racing. Both F2 and Bomber still in production and spares available. I use both F2 and Bomber Intec bindings. Like TVR I use a stomp pad and/or the Intec heel unit on my rear binding to clear snow/ice buildup before clicking in. Edited November 1, 2020 by SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Buggs Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 Used to feel guilty for saying it but I have been on F2 intec for 15 years and love them. They work fine with my UPZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rst Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 F2 intec ti - I believe Alexey still has nice deal (nice price + no shipping cost)... I assume he ships heels for free with bindings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plankton Posted November 10, 2020 Report Share Posted November 10, 2020 A chain is only as strong as its' weakest link, so no matter what bindings and heels you end up getting, check your hardware on a regular basis. I'm ~250lbs and have been riding F2 titanium step-ins for about 6 years. I love the functionality but have had some issues. My Deelux hardboots had bolts fail at the intec heel, and after I fixed them, the bolts failed on the heel of the binding. That was probably after 4 seasons of riding ~15 days per, but I was beating them up on bumps when the stuff broke. (There's a nice long bank on the side of Superstar at Killington that lends itself to surfing up toeside to get air and then landing on heelside to carve back down again. Old fat guys probably shouldn't be hammering like that) I replaced all the bolts (stainless steel from the hardware store) and rode the rest of the season without issue. Being cautious, I then bought new UPZ RC10s, Fintec heels and a new set of titanium F2s that I rode for about 1.5 seasons. I had a crash last year that broke a T-nut that holds the heel in place. I'm not sure if the bolt failed and that caused the crash, or if the crash made the bolt break. It resulted in an ankle injury that ended my season (along with COVID) so I haven't ridden them since. I bought all new "official" hardware from Sean at Donek and will probably ride the F2s some more, but will be very cautious about checking all the bolts, but am also planning on borrowing a set of TD Sidewinders from a friend for a bit to see how they feel. Bombers are supposed to be bomb-proof, but afaik they still have to just use the same bolts as any other binding and based on my experience, that's where the weakness is. If you just carve like a normal human hardbooter and are only getting out 5-10 times a season, you'll be fine and they will last for years. Good luck and THINK SNOW!!! Mike T PS - Good to see Bobby Buggs back on the forum!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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