Flux bindings

[dhamann]

does anyone have experience carving with the cv, cv ltd or xv model bindings? the xv has a carbon highback where the cv and cv ltd do not. xv is "stiff" flex where cv/cv ltd are "medium". however, what intrigues me is that the heel cup on cv and cv ltd is 15mm higher than xv and appears to be a lot beefier. looks like the higher heel cup puts ankle strap higher on foot. my assumption is that these combinations provide greater support, hold and response, especially laterally. ie also somewhat restrictive? unfortunately, with the higher heel cup on cv/cv ltd it doesn't appear one could swap an xv carbon highback onto the cv or cv ltd, given different molds. feedback appreciated. (not a fan of flow, broken too many odrives, have a set of odrive backups and brand new in box jones apollo; looking for more without going metal) i see a bit of surplus with these bindings towards the end of the season so if they fall apart somehow, i should be covered. are they worth a try?

[crackaddict]

@dhamann  I have two sets of XVs, these are the bindings I use for testing boards (that's why two identical sets).  I have ridden the CVs too though not a lot (they were borrowed).

The XV is hands down the stiffest and highest performing soft boot carving binding I have ever tried; very stiff, boot-crushing ratchets, low profile, good adjustability, fast in and out, lightweight...  However, I do develop some pain in the outsides of my lower legs when I ride them too much and I've heard this from other Flux riders also.  When the pain comes on, I just switch to softer more comfortable bindings for a few days and then back to the XVs as soon as possible!  Love the feel and the ride.

The highback on the CV is way softer and the extra flex is noticeable for sure.  To me it's weird that they put the higher heelcup on the softer binding.  I would love to ride that CV heelcup with the XV highback.

[dhamann]

thanks for the feedback @crackaddict. i see that the cv ltd has the same base plate composite make up (nylon/carbon) as the xv but beefed up and higher by 15mm at heelcup and the high back is essentially the only different component between these bindings. ankle straps look more reinforced than apollo or odrive too so those'r good. my thinking is that... would a more forgiving high back allow for a little more margin for error at high speeds or just create more rebound (ie bounce/chatter)? curious if this balance actually jives in practice while carving both soft or hard groomed or chunder conditions (ie a tracked out race track)? the regular cv has a nylon/fiberglass blend base and the same highback as the cv ltd but the higher heel cup. i'm sure the xv performs very good (seen your riding. ), even without having to put a soccer shin pad in the boot but the slightly softer high back may balance this out (to a degree). i think it's a sleeper binding and might just have to try em out. carbon high back on cv ltd would be the jam, but doesn't exist. thanks again. any other experiences with any of these models, keep em coming.

[crackaddict]

Yeah... 

I think the bindings should match the boots should match the board should match conditions...  No sense coupling the stiffest bindings with a too soft boot for example, you'll just have to ride the binding loose to keep from crushing your feet and then you might as well have the higher heelcup too.  The stiffer your interface the better your board will carve in great conditions; I'll loosen the boots and bindings for very soft or icy surfaces though. 

There's no such thing as too stiff in the soft boot carving world (unless you want to throw in some Knapton style flatland tricks).  Hardboot stiffness might be too much some boards sure, but I just order stiffer boards and it's not a problem.  I'll take some of the stiffeners out of my boots and ride Drake Podium bindings on my production NeverSummers (mid-wide West Bound DFs) for example.

I like the O-Drives for poor conditions, slow speeds, and high comfort; the Podiums are fine for all mountain riding on production boards; the Flux XV is for high performance direct responsiveness on my fastest boards.

 

[protocarver]

Current Flux quiver: 3x XV, 2x XF, 1x CV.

I ride the XVs on my primary boards and the XFs are on a powder deck. I love XVs – phenomenal buckles; functional, burly mounting discs; I like the straps a ton; and the best boot control I've found (comparing to Catek FR1/FR2, Union Atlas, and Burton Cartels).

My kiddo has a size 12 boot and needed to migrate away from a failing pair of FR1s, so I thought the newly minted CVs would be perfect. And everything but the highbacks fell right into line with my expectations of excellence. The CV and XV baseplates feel, to hand, similarly stiff. The straps and buckles are identical. The heelcup is higher (about 11-12mm) and protrudes less heelward due to profiling. So...minimized heelcup drag that might net a few millimeters saved board width requirement. 

But...back to the highbacks. Take a 100% pass on Gen1 CVs. Massive fail rate. Far too soft a material. My kiddo killed the first in 5 days, the second 7 days after that, the third is faring a bit better. Gen 2 highbacks are a stronger opaque material (original Gen1s were semi-translucent). If you're set on trying CVs, I'd recommend the 23-24 models, which look great and are supposed to have solved the highback issue entirely.  

FWIW #1: I know from experience that you can, in fact use a carbon XV highback on the CV chassis – as long as you use at least moderate forward lean. If you like your highbacks very upright, no go because of the positioning block location on the highback (lower on VX/XF, higher on CV).

FWIW #2: Although the sidewalls and heelcup of the CV chassis are taller (and provide a stiffer chassis than the XF, and similar to XV), the highback and ankle strap mounting points are not significantly higher on the sidewall. Like <5mm. Not a massive thing. And, as mentioned, the boot hold of the XV/XF chassis is peerless.

I'm pretty sold on the XVs.

[Odd Job]

The raised heelcups on the CV are for better clearance on heelside turns.

That said, I broke my CV highbacks in under 60 riding days, not good. Got a return.

I'm currently on Union Atlas FC bindings.

^ yeah, I was on Gen 1 highbacks for the CV. Wow.

[dhamann]

I got a pair of xv to see how they comp to Odrive and apollo. High hopes and keeping an eye on cv highback material (“new materials that keep their properties in cold temps.”). Reviews of 2024 cv welcomed. 

[ShortcutToMoncton]

On 4/3/2023 at 6:03 PM, protocarver said:

FWIW #1: I know from experience that you can, in fact use a carbon XV highback on the CV chassis – as long as you use at least moderate forward lean. If you like your highbacks very upright, no go because of the positioning block location on the highback (lower on VX/XF, higher on CV).

Yup, I played around with this as well a while back to try and get the higher CV heelcup. I didn’t like as much forward lean on my front leg and I ended up with CV front, XV rear. It worked but I’d be a bit curious about longer-term highback torque stress from the alternate positioning.

 

[Board Doctor]

I’ve had the Flux TM since 2018 and really liked the support… somewhat locked it feel, but still somewhat flexible.  Essentially no dampening though.  Currently on my Stranda Shorty for fresh pow & fresh groomers.

They’re getting old and I wanted a bit more response, so I got the ‘24 CV.  But then I got a Freecarver 6000, so they went on that.  I like a softer highback and the raised heel cup still has some serious heel side response (more than the toe).  Although the footbed is all plastic, it is thicker now and doesn’t seen as harsh.  
 

The chassis does flex though, so the CV-ltd might be worthwhile if you’re looking for the most precision/response.  Assuming you can actually find them!

[Board Doctor]

I had not heard of foot pain with Flux, but I did get some peroneus pain when using Ride Insano.  No problem with DC Travis Rice or K2 Thraxis though.  

[crackaddict]

23 hours ago, Board Doctor said:

I had not heard of foot pain with Flux

Good to know.  I can only ride them hard two or three days in a row before I have to "change into something more comfortable".  Any other opinions on this?

 

@Board Doctor Welcome to the forum.  You're in Kelowna eh?  Ever make it to Revelstoke?  Let's ride!

[dhamann]

8 hours ago, crackaddict said:

Any other opinions on this?

run stiffer in front and 'softer' in rear. xv front, apollo rear. going on three days and fine. sore and beat up as usual after five days of riding. maybe i've hit my 'winter shape' threshold though? maybe it's the oven molded intuition liner and aftermarket foot bed helping? it may be common for weekend warriors to have more sensitivities than those who ride more on a regular basis. however, when xv are paired i'm right with ya. i think the gap in support, stiffness, flex whatever the heck you want to call may be statistically significant to run xv and cv, but i have never ridden the cv to be sure. just based on what i see others saying. cv is no apollo/odrive i'm pretty sure. flux foot beds could be better. some dampening at baseplate chasis kind of obvious.

Edited February 6 by dhamann

[Board Doctor]

I picked up a Korua Trench Digger and now I've got the CV's on that... It's also a great combo. 

@crackaddict I've been to Revy a few times, but only once in the last 5 years (since we got a place at Big White).  I enjoyed your secrets of carving vid... I'm looking forward to part 2!  And yeah, it'd be cool to shred.

[crackaddict]

4 hours ago, Board Doctor said:

it'd be cool to shred.

Definitely!  The upper mountain is in excellent condition right now.  Cold and sunny for two more days before the next storm...

[Board Doctor]

I may have spoke to soon... 10 laps today and my lead leg was hurting.  The CV are very heel biased though, so I moved the front binding 5mm closer to the toe.  It worked a lot better and the pain disappeared.  I left the rear binding more centred though so that I don't get toe drag.  Do people ever stagger their binding position like this or is this really weird?  It's not wrong if it works right? Initiates the toe side better and holds that edge better.  With all the leverage of the highback it doesn't seem to affect the heel much.

I've resisted skate tech until now... I've always thought that they engineered the flex in the wrong direction, but they actually work.  I've got the Mercury on the Freecarver 6000 now and it drives the toe side much better than the flux did.  Heel is almost as good.

 

Edited February 10 by Board Doctor

[dhamann]

15 hours ago, Board Doctor said:

It's not wrong if it works right?

amen. we all have our preferences. some folks set bindings bias the opposite way you are. the rear binding is slid more towards the toe and the front binding slid more towards the heel. the theory here is to position the body/hips/shoulders/etc. in a more forward position for directional focused riding. some common settings are to center the boot while in the binding in relation to the edges of the board. all bindings are not treated equal. some folks can be hard in their ways, but as you say it's not wrong if it works. run whatchya brung.

[Pigbrogg]

On 4/1/2023 at 3:39 PM, crackaddict said:

@dhamann However, I do develop some pain in the outsides of my lower legs when I ride them too much and I've heard this from other Flux riders also.  When the pain comes on, I just switch to softer more comfortable bindings for a few days and then back to the XVs as soon as possible!  Love the feel and the ride.

I have the same issue as you do; the XV really crushes the boots, making it painful to ride all day.

However, I use the CV for my front foot and the XV for my back foot, which seems to work quite well for me. I'm not certain if mixing up the bindings is the best approach, but I love the setup, and it's quite comfortable for riding.

[crackaddict]

3 hours ago, Pigbrogg said:

Nice board.  What are the black stripes?  Is that some kind of plate or riser?  

[dhamann]

there's no wrong way to eat a reece's. beautiful board.

Edited February 16 by dhamann
that color is hot

[Pigbrogg]

13 hours ago, crackaddict said:

Nice board.  What are the black stripes?  Is that some kind of plate or riser?  

The black stripe you see is a carbon plate from Japan. The company claims that it will help reduce vibration and stiffen the torsional flex under the binding, giving you a more stable ride.

‐----------------------------------------

I only had two days on the mountain with this plate, both days on the Oxess CX. It is a very stiff titanium construction board.

The reduced vibration claims appear to be true at high speeds, with less shudder under the binding. However, it does not stiffen the torsional flex as much, so it may only work well for softer boards. I will try to get my Virus X Carve out for testing and then post a more precise review.

 

In my opinion, metal boards are not lacking in torsional stability, but they are not as lively as regular or carbon construction boards. The reason I imported this plate to the US is to find the sweet spot on regular construction boards.  Boards are just getting stiffer and heavier, don't get me wrong I do see the benefits of titanium construction, but not everyone is a world cup level rider crushing gate at 80 miles an hour. 

Edited February 16 by Pigbrogg

[Board Doctor]

Well this is interesting, in Japan they offer a combination of bindings.

MF-01:

https://wx2shop.jp/?pid=174364354

 

Quote

The first installment of the FLUX Manufacturing Program, which aims to create bindings tailored to each type of sliding.

This model is a binding that is especially effective for regular riding, and was created to suit the gliding style of FLUX rider Kazunori Hirama. In order to achieve "balance of response and range of motion," which is his theme for gear making, he selected bindings with optimal functions for each side.

The left binding, which is the front foot, uses CV, which was developed by himself in order to enable delicate and quick steering. On the other hand, the right binding, which is the hind leg, is made from a combination of parts from various models in order to expand the range of motion while also ensuring that force is transmitted to the board. We used the DS base, which is easy to move, and attached the XF footbed, which is 4mm thicker than before, to expand the range of motion and improve the speed of turning. By equipping this with the XF highback, forward lean adjustment, which is an absolutely essential function for him, is also possible.

The binding MF-01 achieves both response and range of motion by combining parts from three models into one model. This binding is a must-try or riders who want to take the shortest route to reach his level of carving.

 

MF-02

This is the second edition of the FLUX Manufacturing Program, which started with the aim of creating bindings tailored to each type of sliding. This model is a binding that is especially effective for regular riding, and was created to suit the gliding style of Lead Osaka manager Takumi Nakajima. It was created with the advice of rider Mr. Hirama from the original binding that started as a You Tube project at the store. For his riding style, which involves gripping the snow surface with the surface rather than edge-to-edge gliding, such as powder or ski slope cruising, the MF-01 is based on the concept of operating with the front foot and allowing ease of movement with the rear foot, just like the MF-01. The key point was a more playful finish with a combination of parts different from 01.

The left binding, which is the forefoot, uses CV, but the high back uses soft flexible SR material. This is a new part set for the MF-02, and CV's unique high heel cup maintains high maneuverability underfoot, while providing freedom around the calf for ease of movement. did. The right binding of the hind leg uses a DS base + XF footbed like the MF-01, achieving both ease of movement and speed of turning. For this reason, the MF-02 has adopted an SR highback for even greater ease of movement.

This left and right combination achieves the highest level of operability, support, and range of motion during powder riding. This model has high maneuverability at low speeds and does not have the pressure of a high back, reducing stress when traversing during powder hunting or passing through dense tree runs. This binding is perfect for him, as he often has the opportunity to skate in various fields with other riders, such as through the store's You Tube project.

MF-03 is the CV-LTD

MF-04 is the SR-LTD

 

Edited February 22 by Board Doctor

[slabber]

This asymmetrical binding combos means you'd need to purchase a regular or goofy version too?  I think that may prove difficult to manage at production/sales level in the longer term.  Niche product then further split between L and R versions.  Won't be high volume...

[Board Doctor]

Oddly they only seem to offer them in regular.  If they offered both I could see stores not wanting to stock them, but direct from Flux should be manageable (well, maybe not for North America).

[Board Doctor]

BTW, if you like the lateral drive of the XV, you might want to grab a pair while you still can.  Next year their moving to the XF chassis design (with the side bushings), though it’ll be carbon.

24/25 catalogue:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j5qvWORy5OuE9hpRYw065Fbp079ZKt_0/view?pli=1

Edited February 26 by Board Doctor

[Board Doctor]

So I did actually pick up some Flux CV-LTD towards the end of last season and rode them on my Stranda Shorty.  I absolutely love that binding.  The carbon chassis is noticably more responsive than the CV (which feels quite surfy in comparison), but the corner bushings do allow a little more mobility that the old TM & XV (I did meet up with James and tried his).  Moreover, the softer highback is just more my style, and it has A LOT of adjustment holes for highback rotation.  It's definitely my favourite carving binding.