Flow Amp 9 Binding: Should I?
 

Hello Folks,

I'm a relatively experienced rider, 4 seasons under my belt. I'm a big
guy (210lbs) with big feet (12-13) that easily get uncomfortable. I'm a
Freerider (?), don't venture into the park... just like to carve up the
slope, picking up a bit speed here and there and just plain cruize. So
shopping around the local shops and net I've picked out a few boards:
- Salomon Transfer, 163cm
- Burton Triumph
- Atomic Endless
- Atomic Radon, 169cm (I think I like this one best)
Any suggestion on these is much appreciated...

.... but, let's get to the topic of my post: bindings. I want something
comfy and easy to strap into. Would You guys/girls recommend the
unconventional Flow bindings? Specifically (as I found these at a local
retailer), the Amp 9 bindings? These are "labeled" as Freestyle and
"offer more flexibility" -- I have a feeling that as a Freerider with
an all-mountain (Radon) board, this is actually something I DON'T want.

Again, any suggestions on a package (in particular the Flow binding)
are much appreciate.

Thanks,
Mike

Big guy, get freeride bindings.
Be sure waist width is more than 26 cms, so your toes and highback
don't drag on turns or pow.....
I normally ride with two guys who use Flows. About the same speed in
and out, I use CFX Burtons straps.
Pow, we all gotta clear it out.....
Don't step on your arch strap.
Watch your hiback when you are out of the rear binding...it drags
perilously close to anything near the snow.....

wrote:
Hello Folks,

I'm a relatively experienced rider, 4 seasons under my belt. I'm a big
guy (210lbs) with big feet (12-13) that easily get uncomfortable. I'm a
Freerider (?), don't venture into the park... just like to carve up the
slope, picking up a bit speed here and there and just plain cruize. So
shopping around the local shops and net I've picked out a few boards:
- Salomon Transfer, 163cm
- Burton Triumph
- Atomic Endless
- Atomic Radon, 169cm (I think I like this one best)
Any suggestion on these is much appreciated...

Hi, I'm not a big rider myself, but I can offer some thoughts that
hopefully will help.

The Salomon Transfer 163W looks good on specs (9M sidecut, 26.8 cm
waist) as well *BUT* it is definitely an entry-level board that is
probably not worth the savings in money for you (I do really like
Salomon boards though).
Burton Triumph... well I just don't like the shorter sidecuts that
Burton has for freeride (they can be nice for freestyle). The waist is
narrow at 25.8 and I find Burton boards to be somewhat soft and I'm
only 150 lbs. Finally the price of the board ($500 USD) make it
overrated I think (if you can get it for 50% off, that's a different
story).
Do you mean the Elan Endless? The 166 and 171 models look good as well
(they have a mid 8 meter range or high sidecut). The 26.4+ waist width
is pretty good for your foot size as well.
The Radon 169, the longer (over 8.5m) sidecut is much better from
cruising big fast line down the slope. The waist width might be a
problem as it's only 25.8cm, which is a little small for your feet in
my opinion (not that it can't be done).

About the waist widths, the wider you go, slower edge to edge board
tend to get and if the board isn't torsionally stiff, the steering gets
a little mushy as the board twists a lot instead of bending. Of course,
if you go too narrow, you get boot drag which will *ruin* your day as
you will be getting deep into a turn and suddenly your board will lose
its edgehold completely and you end up on your butt/face. If you tend
not to get the board up high on edge, this is less of an issue. So if
you tend to take straighter, bombing lines down the slopes I would go
with the Atomic Radon... but if you carve tighter turns with more board
angle, I would suggeset the Elan Endless 166/171 purely on the specs.

... but, let's get to the topic of my post: bindings. I want something
comfy and easy to strap into. Would You guys/girls recommend the
unconventional Flow bindings? Specifically (as I found these at a local
retailer), the Amp 9 bindings? These are "labeled" as Freestyle and
"offer more flexibility" -- I have a feeling that as a Freerider with
an all-mountain (Radon) board, this is actually something I DON'T want.

I know a lot of people who really like the Flow bindings. One thing to
note that the Flows do sit higher and the riser effect will help you
with your potential boot drag issues. I would agree with your gut
feeling and not recommend the Freestyle version of the Flows as "more
flexilbilty" isn't exactly what you are looking for in a binding - look
for the Carbon Freeride, XFR, etc... models. I don't have big feet so I
can't tell you how they fit, but be SURE to try them on your boots in
the shop. The cuffs and the highback should have a lot of contact area
for the bindings to work well.

Good luck

Lonerider, do you work at a shop currently?.
You know lots, hope your customers appreciate your knowledge.

LeeD wrote:
Lonerider, do you work at a shop currently?.
You know lots, hope your customers appreciate your knowledge.

I used to help run a snowboard club in Boston and so I'm used to
helping people pick out boards as I rarely trusted the "store
recommendations." Aside from a decent discount and free board tunings
at your sponsor shop, I didn't get paid for it though. I really just
can't stand it when a incompetent salesman pushes the wrong product on
someone.

I second LeeD's comment: that's some very insightful recommendations!
Thanks a LOT Lonerider.

Bit dissapointed about the Radon... here is a question: for a given
shoe size of a boot, are all boots made approximately equal size, or
would some boots be shorter or have a different tip that would somehow
offset the fact the Radon is relatively narrow?

Thanks Again All,
Mike

Mike wrote:
I second LeeD's comment: that's some very insightful recommendations!
Thanks a LOT Lonerider.

Bit dissapointed about the Radon... here is a question: for a given
shoe size of a boot, are all boots made approximately equal size, or
would some boots be shorter or have a different tip that would somehow
offset the fact the Radon is relatively narrow?

Thanks Again All,
Mike


Some boots have a smaller footprint than others. For example, the DC
Park Boot is said to have a footprint at least 1 size smaller than boots
of the same size of other models. I've been seriously considering a
pair like this, because my size 13 boots are awfully big.

Rick

Mike wrote:
I second LeeD's comment: that's some very insightful recommendations!
Thanks a LOT Lonerider.

Bit dissapointed about the Radon... here is a question: for a given
shoe size of a boot, are all boots made approximately equal size, or
would some boots be shorter or have a different tip that would somehow
offset the fact the Radon is relatively narrow?

Thanks Again All,
Mike

There are a few brands that make boots with smaller profile boots. The
first one that comes to mind is the Salomon F22 (I picked it over the
similar F24 because it is more for an intermediate rider and cheaper)
check it out here
(http://www.backcountry.com/store/SAL...oard-Boot.html).

So getting a shorter boot is one thing, another is getting riser pads
like the the Palmer Link system
http://www.backcountry.com/store/PAL...ml?id=Ez9WboPj).
That will stiffen up the board flex, which many heavier riders like
anyways. You can also get bindings that have built in risers like the
Catek Freeride (www.catek.com) or Nideckers
(http://www.sfosnow.com/cgi-local/sfo...talogno=nid301)
I thin the the Flows will actually do this a little as well. Finally,
you can also start increasing your binding angles up to like 36/33.

With the riser plate and smaller profile boots you probably could get
away with it if the snow isn't super soft where you ride, but I won't
guarantee it will work.

Good luck

Lonerider,

Cool, I'm really interested in the F22... the only thing is, I keep
seeing the keyword "flex" in the product description. Is this the kind
of "flex" I want to avoid as a big Freerider? And how will these boots
work in Flow bindings.

BTW, I think I've narrowed down my pick of a flow binding: the Pro 11.
I was told that flow will go with any boot, and that in fact the Flow
boots are not entirely too good. So, how would the Salomon F22's pair
up with the Flow Pro 11's.

Thanks Again for Your Help,
Mike