Bindings advice needed - Catek need replacement - Pogo Overdose

[HolgerK]

After 20 years my Catek WorldCup broke (material fatigue). What a great binding that was! Apparently Catek is no more. 

I ride a Pogo Overdose with Deeluxe boots. Currently not step-in, but that could be a consideration. 

I do like the stiffness of Cateks and I am wondering how step-ins would compare or if I should stick to conventional bindings. 

Are they any suggestions of modern bindings that compare with Catek?

Thanks!

Holger

[lafcadio]

If you want to stick with Catek, I think I still have my old OS2s in storage and would let them go for a great price. These were my first hardboot bindings used for one season back in 2009-2010. PM me if interested.

Given the complexities of the Catek bindings I haven't wanted to list them for sale or feel comfortable sending them to anyone who was't already familiar with them.  

After Catek, I switched to TD3s to try step-ins. I didn't like the step-ins because they felt too stiff. I ended up swapping parts with another carver to convert the TD3 step-ins to standards but they still felt too stiff for me. I ended up with F2s, which gave me good performance, comfort, and the flex I was looking for.

[lafcadio]

On 2/24/2023 at 5:56 PM, HolgerK said:

I do like the stiffness of Cateks and I am wondering how step-ins would compare or if I should stick to conventional bindings. 

For what it's worth, I found TD3 step-ins to be much stiffer than my Catek OS2 standards. I believe the general consensus is that most of the step-in hardboot bindings are stiffer than their standard counterparts. Most likely this is due to how the heel is locked into place (assuming Intec/Fintec) with step-ins, vs the bail holding the boot with some play for standards. 

[jl1]

There are plenty of used Cateks around.  If you like them someone recently posted a set in Vintage for sale

[VSR-Alex]

On 2/28/2023 at 8:34 AM, lafcadio said:

For what it's worth, I found TD3 step-ins to be much stiffer than my Catek OS2 standards.

If you have the extra cash, the TD3 Sidewinders are softer than TD3 standard, and can be configured with softer durometer elastomer pads to get a much softer feeling flex.
The lateral flex can be changed individually on each binding and be made asymmetric by using different pads right to left.

[HolgerK]

Thank you all for the advice. I'd like to get new bindings to avoid material fatigue and hopefully have them last for a long time. Luckily my CATEKs failed while stopped, but this could have been real bad while riding. 

The part I am not sure about is the stiffness. Reading about the TD3 Sidewinders on Bomber they say that "people used to think that stiffer is better". I thought the same, but after reading the comments this may not be the case any more. 

I am interested in the convenience of step-ins, but not tied to it if it's not a good choice for the riding experience. So I need to figure out of I like the "additional stiffness" that comes with step-ins or if I want to mitigate that with the options the TD3 Sidewinders have to offer. 

So, from your experience does less stiffness not take away the control? 

[lafcadio]

7 hours ago, HolgerK said:

So, from your experience does less stiffness not take away the control? 

I think it’s really personal preference and individual riding style. For me, I needed the additional flexibility in the binding interface to carve well and had more control, even in hard snow and ice. I tend to adjust the stiffness by how tightly I buckle my boots. In powder and soft snow I leave the top buckles very loose and sometimes leave the top buckle undone. On harder snow I tighten the buckles which stiffens up my UPZ XC boots, which are among the softer hardboots out there.

It really depends on your riding style and what works for you.

Btw, I didn’t even realize I didn’t like stiff bindings until I tried them.  Even then I didn’t realize why I didn’t like them until I borrowed a friend’s bindings and they felt so much better. 

 

 

[VSR-Alex]

I don't have nearly as much experience as you do, but I will throw in my 2 cents.
Binding flex affects edge-to-edge response and your ability to flex the board fore and aft, not necessarily edge-hold when you are in the middle of a turn.

If you really liked the Catek, the Bomber TD3 standard is the most similar.
TD3 sidewinder with step-in and stiff elastomer pads might feel similar to TD3 standard.

I would recommend trying to ride F2 bindings (a lot more flexible than TD3), and see if you like it or not.

Edited March 3, 2023 by VSR-Alex

[HolgerK]

I've ordered the F2 Intec Titanium and will report back once I had a chance. Hope March will continue to offer great snow here in the Northeast. 

[pow4ever]

FWIW - my preference is circular.

When i first started:
I don't like stiff binding because 
It amplify mistake/input; any unintended input result in instability and negative feed back loop (akin to speed wobble).

As i progress:
"softer" binding F2/SW become more preferred - the extra "delay" or filtering out noise is great.

As i progress more:
preferred stiffer binding.  We ride "hard boot" for a reason.  We want that instant feed back.

regress - i now like softer binding.

ice/hard pack condition - i like stiffer binding

currently - binding doesn't seems to make much difference.
SG performance binder seems to be the best of both world for me.

when it's soft/snow - get on the F2
when it's NE hard pack - get the TD3 STD out. (more edge pressure)