Guys,
Have you seen these things yet...interested in your thoughts!
http://flow.com/Products/mens-binding/f ... 3M3FRFRBLK
My initial thought was that these things were straight up made for snow kiting. After some further thought I am curious if the total lack of a high back would be hard on the top of the foot and/or shin muscles.
Chad
Flow Freeballer
Moderator: MK
Re: Flow Freeballer
Looks cool. It has been done before by people modifying their strap in's.
http://www.lakawa.com/post56586.html?hi ... CKS#p56586
Go about half way down in this post for the banter about the "if's and when's" of the no high back thing. Many have said it works great. I have not tried it on my strap in's and it is not feasible to do with flows as the high backs cannot be removed.
To not answer your question:
Total assumption and guessing, but I think that these would make binding placement across the board (toeside to heelside) critical. If you have your toes sticking off of the board too much, then you would work your shin's too much. If you have your heel back hanging off the board too much, you would be working your calf's too much. Get it just right, and it could be the best thing since the Ozone "SB harness". I do think that they would work just like those guys that rip off or cut down their highbacks.
The one thing that I could say for 99% sure is that all of the stiffness in the system would be dictated by the boot stiffness.
http://www.lakawa.com/post56586.html?hi ... CKS#p56586
Go about half way down in this post for the banter about the "if's and when's" of the no high back thing. Many have said it works great. I have not tried it on my strap in's and it is not feasible to do with flows as the high backs cannot be removed.
To not answer your question:
Total assumption and guessing, but I think that these would make binding placement across the board (toeside to heelside) critical. If you have your toes sticking off of the board too much, then you would work your shin's too much. If you have your heel back hanging off the board too much, you would be working your calf's too much. Get it just right, and it could be the best thing since the Ozone "SB harness". I do think that they would work just like those guys that rip off or cut down their highbacks.
The one thing that I could say for 99% sure is that all of the stiffness in the system would be dictated by the boot stiffness.
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Futahaguro
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 2:32 pm
- Location: Minnetonka, MN
Re: Flow Freeballer
My first thought is that in the water you can always edge hard on your heel side and the board will dig into the water so there will be more underneath your foot to push off of. This may be possible, and similar, in deep enough powder but on hard pack I would imagine your shin muscles will be super sore from trying to keep an edge. And like Matt said you could always find some snowboard bindings with a deep heel cup and take off the high back to see what it is like.
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speedsailor93
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:24 pm
- Location: Waconia, MN
Re: Flow Freeballer
Lots of discussions on the web about no high backs for kiting. This is one i read before I experimented…..
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000 ... e-ranquet/
Seems very much down to personal preference but for hardback, thin snow & ice I use a beater snowboard w/switchblade and modified bindings with no high backs. I find it much more comfortable to ride and easier to use - trying to fasten binding while flying kite & standing on ice was entertaining! For decent snow I currently use my nice board and unmodified Flow bindings as this is the same setup I use downhill and I did not want to modify my bindings, however, I use an old pair of soft boots for kiting as I find that helps extend the session.
Unless you need new bindings I would suggest just removing the existing high back first to see which you prefer.
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000 ... e-ranquet/
Seems very much down to personal preference but for hardback, thin snow & ice I use a beater snowboard w/switchblade and modified bindings with no high backs. I find it much more comfortable to ride and easier to use - trying to fasten binding while flying kite & standing on ice was entertaining! For decent snow I currently use my nice board and unmodified Flow bindings as this is the same setup I use downhill and I did not want to modify my bindings, however, I use an old pair of soft boots for kiting as I find that helps extend the session.
Unless you need new bindings I would suggest just removing the existing high back first to see which you prefer.
Re: Flow Freeballer
Before I was convinced NOT to try the "no highback" thing by this thread circa 2005-2009. It is long, but funny and really shows the psychology of the issue.
http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2322846
But the pro backless binding evidence is mounting well beyond just a few crackpots that I was making sure to never emulate. It appears that I may have been wroaaa......wronnnnn.....misssss......mist.....mistaaaaaa.......well, maybe I will try it to see for sure before I admit to anything.
Wait, hacksaw to my bindings?
http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2322846
But the pro backless binding evidence is mounting well beyond just a few crackpots that I was making sure to never emulate. It appears that I may have been wroaaa......wronnnnn.....misssss......mist.....mistaaaaaa.......well, maybe I will try it to see for sure before I admit to anything.
Wait, hacksaw to my bindings?