Q's: F2 Beamer WC and Sims bindings

[RDY_2_Carve]

Would like to get some history on these items. I picked up the F2 at last years ski swap as my first alpine board and have never rode it. Has some sentimental value as it sparked interest into hardbooting for me...Is this board even worth riding or will the asym totally throw my technique off? Was this board a high end board in it's production year?

Also picked up these Sims "Stepin" bindings off Ebay. They were advertised as ski bindings. :D Only one binding has a cant. Not sure if the other is suppost to have one or not. the bottom of the bindings don't have any padding to protect your topsheet. I'm wondering if there is some pads (like the ones that come with Burton race plates) that are missing? Just doesn't seem right as the teeth from the 4x4 discs would definately rub on your topsheet...

Anybody ever use these before? This stuff bring back memories for anybody? :)

F2 Beamer World Cup Edition

Sims "Steppin'" Bindings

Appreciate your responses!

[bobdea]

do leave some marks on your board but not any worse than bombers

I don't remember those having any pads, I have ridden on those bindings a little but only for a couple days when I was barrowing a board.

[nils]

that board kicks ass :) I really love it! I hope to find one some day!! Pretty hard to find in good shape thu!

Not sure i'll rely on the bindings for power carving thu

N.

[trikerdad]

I used those bindings for about 5 years, very durable but hard on top sheets. They came with only one cant and no pads. I cut some pads out of inflatable boat material after marring a couple of boards. Actually, I had two pair and used the cant off the second pair on the ones I was riding so I had cants under both bindings. You'll notice they have a little lift built in and you can swap toe and heel pieces to change which end has the lift. I still have one pair as a back up to my Bombers, though I'll probably never need to use them.

[skategoat]

Wow, I would buy that board just for the beauty of it. If you don't like it, I'll take it off your hands.

Those Sims bindings looks suspiciously like a pair of Oxygens I have. They are mostly plastic but one year I loaned them to a friend who weighs 225 and he didn't break them. The only thing I didn't like about them is the lack of cant options.

Edit: Forgot to mention - I think you're missing a part on the bindings. The teeth on the bottom of the plate engage on the canting plate that is attached to the board. I will try to dig up my Oxygens and take photos for you.

[Mr.E]

I remeber the cant on the bottom of those. Similar, i guess, to the Phiokka rotating disc (sort of). In lieu of a base plate, I'd get some fit foam to stick under there. It distorts enough to fill the voids between the teeth, and provides enough extra traction to help them from rotating.

[Allee]

I have a pair of Oxygens that are the same as the Sims. I've ridden them for years, and they're pretty tough.

That's how they're supposed to be. Mine actually have the teensiest bit of cant, they have a board centre mark and when you point them the right way they are actually canted a bit, and the lift is on the right end. But they bolt right to the board.

That Beemer is pretty. Make a great wall ornament if you never ride it.

[Jack M]

Asym is obsolete.

http://www.bomberonline.com//articles/asymetric.cfm

[D-Sub]

dude. ride it. have fun! check out the "ONE" board. Its asym, and those dudes ride pretty damn well.

yes, its obsolete, but...its not going to destroy your technique. I learned on an asym for years, then scored a killer loop 180 standard board, and only needed a few runs to get used to the board (more likely because it was my first day on hill that season)

[mikemcse]

I had one of those world cups as my first snowboard which I loved and still have the flame. Very fun to ride for quick edge to edge short radius carving. Very well made as well. Edge hold not too good though. I still have a set of those bindings but mine are oxygen step ins with the spring loaded toe bail. I believe they are made by fristchi (SP) kind of scary if you ask me but amazingly, I never broke them. (I weigh over two bills). Those are the same bindings as oxygen just different color! There are two sets of two bottom rings that you are missing that will allow you to change the canting and one of them is a rubber washer.

[JoelP]

Here is a photo of the top sheet on mine. It's a F2 Beamer 160 Carbon Limited Edition. It may be obsolete is some minds but it's still a Classic all the same. If I can find a great 1948 Pick up truck you bet I'll buy it....It too may be obsolete but it's a classic.

Ride that board just to see what you think. I ride mine just a few times a year to mix it up and everytime I do I still have fun. Mine has the full Carbon top sheet and it packs a wallop. Sometimes I lay it over and wind up enough energy in it that it pops a good couple of feet off the ground at the end of the turn. I am sure many other boards can do that but something about this board just makes it really fun to toy around with.

Anyway.....It's a fun board and yes you do ride it differently but so don't we all when we jump on our freeride boards. mix it up and your talents will expand.

Joel

[timinor]

That F2 Beamer WC is from around 1993 or 1994. I had one but from the year before and the cosmetics are different. I also had the F2 Beamer. It was a softer version of the WC. Both boards were awesome and I developed my carving technique on them. I remember my first turn on the WC and thinking, "WOW!" It was way better than the Burton PJ's I had been using and immediately sold the PJ's. A year later Nitro came out with their symetrical racing board, the Scorpion. The Scorpion surpassed the F2...IMHO...and I moved on. I still have one of those Scorpions in my closet.

[JoelP]

I think there are enough of us that have Asym's laying around that a day or at least a 1/2 day this year at SES it may be fun to pull out the old gilrs and give them a ride. I bet we can still all lay out some awesome carves on the old girls.

Any takers?????

Joel

[RDY_2_Carve]

Wow thanks for all the replies!

Sounds like I should give the F2 a shot on a sub-par day for grins. Or Asym day at SES sounds fun!

Doubt I'll be selling the F2 anytime soon...sowwy! Unless Nils wants to trade for a Swoard ;)

Bindings will probablly go on the classifieds for cheap. I was kinda hoping they were something a bit older/rare that Brian could use for his collection. No biggie somebody will put them to use as I will be using my Bombers and nothing else!

[Sean]

Better yet- take it out on an above par day, stand over the top of the sucker and don't even think about the shape. You'll have plenty of fun, not to mention lots of amused looks, even from alpine types. Those Sims were my first plate bindings- unfortunately I broke the step in spring mechanism right quick (OK- did it in the condo at Whistler trying to open a beer...) then went for normal bail types. Fortunately, Fin addressed that obvious shortcoming by designing a bottle opener right into the TD2 standard. :D

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Great comments guys. I think Joel has a great idea! We have bounced around the idea of an "Oldschool" day several times This would fit right in. I have actually had people ask me why I cut the tail off !! :p Seriously. Many of our youth don't even know asym ever existed let alone held podiums in world class competitions.

Happy to add the bindings to the collection. I have a Sims MF that they would fit perfectly on .

I have to aggree with those that said "Ride It". I am a firm believer that the ability to adjust to different boards is in itself a learned skill. I will not argue that it is reasonable to focus on your favorite board to get it "Down". However , my quest to ride just about everything I can get my hands on has inadvertantly made it easier to adapt quickly to most any board. You learn something from each board and they make you better. Great way to find that "Magic" board too!! Ride anything, ride often, ride smiling

[Daneille]

I still have a Burton Asym Air that I rode with plates

Daneille

[Jack M]

I agree it's a cool board for a collection, and that an experienced carver could have a gas riding it just for grins. But it's simply a bad board for <b>learning</b>. What is going to happen after the guy learns how to carve on it, then decides he wants a new board? You can't buy a new asym, so he's going to have to unlearn a lot of things when he gets on a modern board. For example, I believe asym technique promotes bending over at the waist towards the snow on toeside. Bad bad bad.

This is all pointless and unnecessary, regardless of your misdirected nostalgia for the good ol' days when P&J made carving cool.

[Slow Eddie]

...You can't buy a new asym,...

Except for when you can.

[Jack M]

That wasn't really the point.

[Slow Eddie]

That wasn't really the point.

My first hardbooting experiences, like those of several other members, were on asym boards. When I made the switch to a symmetrical board, my riding improved, but I didn't feel like I had to "unlearn" a lot of things, merely adapt them to a higher-angled stance. In fact, coming from snowboards of the late 80's and early 90's, an asym alpine board seemed like the perfect transition between my Sims Blade and the first FP I got. While I agree that the OP will probably learn faster and "cleaner" if he rode a symmetrical setup from the get-go, what if the asym is the only alpine deck in the stable? What would be the lesser of evils to learn on - an outdated alpine design, or a freestyle/freeride-type deck? Lots of us made the transition from asym to symmetrical without lasting ill effect.

To be clear, I much prefer riding modern symmetrical designs. Large-radius turns, harder snow conditions, and steeper pitches are all made easier for me with symmetrical boards. But if you are used to really shallow angles, maybe coming from a freestyle background, or just don't have anything else to ride, don't make a park bench out of your asym just yet.

[D-Sub]

I agree it's a cool board for a collection, and that an experienced carver could have a gas riding it just for grins. But it's simply a bad board for learning. What is going to happen after the guy learns how to carve on it, then decides he wants a new board? You can't buy a new asym, so he's going to have to unlearn a lot of things when he gets on a modern board. For example, I believe asym technique promotes bending over at the waist towards the snow on toeside. Bad bad bad.

This is all pointless and unnecessary, regardless of your misdirected nostalgia for the good ol' days when P&J made carving cool.

Jack

your spite for asyms borders on obsessive.

cant remember if OP said he can already ride fine...and even if not...I cant see how you can say that a slightly shifted sidecut would promote bending at the waist

also...snowboard "driving" isnt like a golf swing. its a lot easier to change body positioning on a snowboard.

I think Jack was sexually assaulted by an asym board and now harbors a deep resentment toward them

:)

[D-Sub]

However , my quest to ride just about everything I can get my hands on

understatement of the YEAR!

how's that Nidecker Tornado?

might grab that one for fun when you turn it over;)

[skategoat]

I'm with you guys. I've learned not to be a board snob and also not to blame my equipment for any bad riding. I threw plates on my Volkl freeride board and I had an absolute blast. Then last year, someone loaned me an old Burton Factory Prime and I had a better time on that than on my Prior. Still like the Prior but it's different. My challenge now is trying to decide what boards to bring on a trip. My quiver is up to 9 boards now. I had 1 board until late last season.

I would love to try an asym, btw. And a vintage board like a Performer.

[timinor]

My first board was a Burton Air 6. I loved it. Then I got an M6 and was in heaven so the Air 6 started gathering dust. Then I got a PJ 6 and thought it was the ultimate. Then an F2 Beamer, then a World Cup, then a Nitro Scorpion, then a Hooger Comp 6. Each board seemed better than the one before. I would like to ride an asym now and see how...or if...they are that much different.

I will say that the one board I really wish I still had and would use a lot is that Burton Air 6. That is a great powder board. The tip was longer than the tips today and it rode powder fantastically. I sold that thing for like $50...dumb, dumb, dumb . Hey Bryan, what can you put me into an Air 6 for?