Howdy All, first time caller, long time listener...
Sorry to start a new thread on this, but I wanted to get some insight on 13/14/15 bindings....
Just put my first day in on a new Skunk Ape and it was fucking awesome. I was using '14 missions on the thing and it was fine, but I figured, why not splurge on some kick ass bindings for the thing, eh? (And also take advantage of end o' season deals...)
Been boarding on and off since my Kemper Rampage 150 in 1988. I rarely leave the ground anymore, been looking at the Genesis but I'm worried its too soft, worried the diode is too stiff... Don't want to F around with NOW or Flux as it appears they don't fit my US 14 Imperials...
I'm 6'4" 240, with a 165 Skunky, and just wondering what binding any of you similar freeriders are using on your Skunk Apes, or comparable boards...
I have large Flux DMs and I'd be surprised if they wouldn't fit 14s. They're adjusted almost as small as possible to fit my 10.5s and there's a ton of adjustment left in them.
Got a '14 Skunk Ape 165 HP in the mail... should arrive this week. I rode a 2015 165 Ape HP with my Now Drives and loved it.
I ride size L 2014 Now Drive's with size 13 2014 DC T Rice boots. I've still got some room left on the straps and could definitely fit a larger boot in. More room that my size L 2013 Burton bindings. I also strap my shit down absolutely as tight as it goes.
I'd highly reccomend the 2015 Selects or the Drives from Now on the board. They're fantastic and all the good things anyone says about them is true. They work together very well.
I'm not sure how wide a boot the Imperial is though. Burton generally doesn't make any really wide boots, and their boots are really small profile wise with the "shrinkage tech" they use. So you should be able to fit...
Herd others talking up the Now Drive's, My boots are Van's Acura 11.5 has a reduced footprint. Solomons 12 which are huge have been reduced to backup and will probably never see the slopes again. How do you like the SkunkApe HP .
Info that is not well known at least never mentioned by the freaks at TheGoodRide or any other reviews on the SkunkApe HP,
TRS pro TRS HP = Both have Extruded Bases
SkunkApe = Extruded Base
SkunkApe HP = Sintered Base
Timmytard is no doubt by far the biggest hoarder boarder on this board! It's crazy what that dude has.
All of mine are in my sig except the new Ape. In order of purchase: 07 GNU 11up 162w (trad camber with magnetraction!), 12 GNU Carbon Credit 162w, 13 Lib Banana Magic 158w, 13 GNU Eco Genetics 162, 13 Lib Birdman 180 (prob my fave board, very cool), 13 Lib T Rice Banana Hammock 164, 14 Lib Skunk Ape HP 165w. I'd like a 169 Ape HP along with the 169 Ape split coming out next year. I'd also like a short Skate Banana for parkin' and maybe a Riders Choice or something with asym.
I've been out 1 day on my NOW Drives on my Lib Darker Series. All I can say is after the first run I was changed forever. Believe the hype. It really is subtle but then it adds up, run after run.
Let me try and explain...
I'm an advanced free rider, 210+, high speed carving trying to keep up with skier friends, popping every roller, or in the powder/trees if the snow's right.
First run was hardback groomed at Heavenly, maybe slightly icy (no new snow in a week +) and I was immediately carving at 40+ very comfortably vs maybe 30 mph the last day out with old bindings. It just felt like I strapped a couple Cadillacs to the bottom of my feet. The weird thing is that it feels so smooth, yet always in complete control. As soon as you think about being on edge, you're there. And they really do pressure the edge, if you start to really lean into a carve like before you'll just lay a trench.
Lastly, after a few runs in the morning...zero foot strain (usually I get a bit of burn or cramping after the first few hard runs). And at the end of the day, feet and legs felt fresh! Like I could keep going no problem, and at the end of the day ski tracks app said we logged the most vertical of the season, heh!
Union chargers for bombing down the mtn got em on my T.Rice pro HP and they R some bad add bindings super responsive with myboard rides amazing doesn't hurt my legs or feet since u got a skunk ape look into the chargers !
Well I drank a quarter bottle of scotch and 7 beers the other night and pulled the trigger on some Genesi(i? s'?). Doesn't mean I'm going to keep them. The more I look into the NOWS, the more I'm interested.
Does anyone have a positive ID on a size 14 boot fitting into a NOW?
Also, I've seen a couple allusions to stiffness upgrades for the 2015 drives, was thinking about downsizing to a size 13 Insano next year if I can handle it. Maybe I'll wait and go that route...
OK, just mounted the Genes(i? is'?) up on the Skunk Apes, non-horsepower. Mystery Van, blue and green....not too bad looking with it... Not impressed with the build quality of the Genesis, same as Mission. Assuming we're paying for new fangled ratchets and 2 piece high back. Two piece high back appears to be connected with pop-rivets, apparently everyone thought this would break last year, but no reports of actual breakage...looks, feels cheap... Ratchet system feels awesome, I can completely distort toe box and ankle area of my Imperials by tightening down, makes my boots feel too big, could not do this with Missions...
Have two days in on the Genesii. Ankle strap fastened to top-most holes. Highbacks rotated so far as to be difficult to fold down. Unimpressed with response, there's a definite, unsettling "no-mans-land" on edge transitions. Also, the footbeds keep bunching up. I've got them extended to the maximum, and the front piece keeps sliding back into the binding from kicking my heel back while strapping in...
Diodes have dropped to $260, I got drunk and ordered some of those last night. Kind of afraid they're going to kill me... If any of you are in Minneapolis area and want some Burton bindings keep an eye on CL...
thread revival. So im actually looking at picking up the 2014/15 Skunk Apes HP and was also looking to get a new set of bindings as well and seems like you guys have been mentioning NOW quite a bit. Currently I ride a 2014 Lib Tech T.Rice Pro HP 164.5 with 2014 Union Contact Pros and love how it rides and feels, im 230 lbs 73in size 12 boots btw so looking at picking up probably a 169 skunk apes HP, good choice? How will those NOW drives feel compared to Union Contact Pros?
I know you had a very specific question. But as the OP I just wanted to say I wound up getting some Diodes at the tail end of last season and put about 8 days on them with the Skunky and they kicked ass...but I like IT stiff as fuck...
Now O-Drives. Thinking about grabbing some of those here in a bit... With the hard duro bushings of course...
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