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Contact pro's on Ripsaw???

7K views 44 replies 16 participants last post by  ekb18c 
#1 ·
First board I'm gonna try this year is the NS ripsaw.

I'm not a super hard charger, but I'd like to get there some day.

I'm interested in the 2015 union Contact pros. I'll be honest, I want them because I like union bindings, and they come in a color that matches the NS ripsaw perfectly.

Are they too soft a bindings for charging and carving?
 
#3 ·
I rode factory bindings last year. They were great. Maybe a bit too aggressive for me as it was my first year riding. Thinking a softer binding might be better for my skill level.

I just don't want to get something that feel sloppy on a stiffer board like the Ripsaw.
 
#39 ·
I agree. The Ripsaw is built to be stiff w/ aggressive camber zones... Not sure it will be very fun trying to reign in that kind of ride with a soft binding. I'd think a medium, med-stiff, to maybe even a just plain stiff binding would be the look.

Think the color-way is the last thing you should be concerned with: fugley's that ride dope will beat out ones that might look fresh but ride crappy...

Since it seems like you've had some issues with a couple "off the beaten path" binding models falling apart and being designed weird, have you thought about just going w/ a safe bet like a pair of Cartels or the Forces' if you're sold on Union (seems those 2 are pretty much the "industry standard" w/ beginners to pros riding them)?
 
#5 ·
Well I got out 60 times last year. So I'm decent. And I'm definetly getting better still. So I'm sure I'll be on on the ripsaw. I was mostly just seeing if getting the contact pro because of the color was stuoid or not.

My first choice of binding was the new trice binding for this board.
 
#21 ·
Has something steered you away from the Trice binding? It's the Factory baseplate with tweaked highback and straps. I can't imagine it riding all that different than the Factory. I had Factories on my Ripsaw all last year, and loved that set up. I personally wouldn't want something as soft as the Contact Pros supposedly are on that board, though I don't have any actual experience with that binding.
 
#7 ·
I rode factory bindings last year. They were great. Maybe a bit too aggressive for me as it was my first year riding. Thinking a softer binding might be better for my skill level.

I just don't want to get something that feel sloppy on a stiffer board like the Ripsaw.
On such an aggressive board, softer bindings will actually hinder you as you will struggle getting the board to react...

If you dont wanna go too stiff, then maybe Atlas, Ride Capo or Burton Genesis. Other good options could be Ride Hefe, Now Drive, etc.

Check out the colorways and see which one looks best.
 
#15 ·
It wasn't even the build quality that bothered me the most. It was the design flaws. It was like I got a prototype binding that they are going to release two years later.

When I went back to the store, I looked at the display model to make sure they mine weren't just lemons. The display had the same design over sights.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Yeah Ride bindings don't have the apparent quality of Burton. Burton not only look the part but are also pretty solid.

Did anything break or got damaged on the Hefe's you had? If a binding is the worst binding ever, something must have broken, otherwise you just sound like Paris Hilton.

I have Capos and nothing has broken or malfunctioned. The aluminum baseplate lets me manhandle a stiff board and the highback is really nice and non-restrictive.
 
#27 ·
High back adjustment and toe strap basically dissolving. Is that enough not to sound like paris hilton?

They were like buying a car with a 6 speed transmission but if you go past 2nd gear the transmission didn't work. Nothing is broken per say...... Just stupid to have 6 gears if you can only use 2.

Maybe "worst binding ever" was a bit harsh. I've only been riding for a couple years and only tried union force, burton cartel, union factory, and Ride El hefe.

I did but a set of Ride bindings for my wife. While she had the same issue with the webbing on the toe falling to pieces after 1-2 days, they were much better designed than the el hefe that I had.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Lol guess i should have put a smilie at the end of that post :hehe:

Ah well, so if nothing broke then i guess they're not that bad. Mine have been solid, and i got them used and cheap. I would have prob not bought them full price back then, but i've been pleasantly surprised both in quality and performance.....

That said, the important part wasnt El Jefe's, it's that you'd be better off with stiffer bindings, or a milder board.

Union makes some nice pink bindings :hehe:
 
#31 ·
What is this "Forward Lean" you speak of? It sounds pretty useless to me...


Also, you'll never get highback rotation out of a pure carbon highback. Incidently, highback rotation is pretty pointless, so whatever.

Ride should generally give up on the webbing in the toe strap. It doesn't do anything except break.

OP: You can absolutely ride C.Pros on a Ripsaw. I felt comfortable with them on both the YES Basic and Slash Straight. It just depends on the way you ride your snowboard and stuff. The concept is in the past bindings have been a part of your board, and now they are getting closer to being a part of your boot instead. So, do you want to throw your weight around the board, or throw your weight into your bindings. NOW CHOOSE.

If you want a more traditional feel look into the Force, Formula, Cartel, Defenders, or Katana's.
 
#33 ·
I don't. But I spent a lot of money on those bindings, it just bothered me that I wasn't able to go past level 2. I was playing around with my stance a lot at that time (being new) and I wanted to try level 3 only to find that the adjuster would slip between the heel cup and highback.
 
#40 ·
Solid advice from Nivek and CK. Yes it is dumb to pick a binding entirely based on color and yes contact pros are probably not going to be the recommended binding to pair with a Ripsaw. That said, it seems like you have developed enough perspective in one season to know what you are getting with that set up. At this point it's simply preference.

When you rode the factory last year, what board did you have it on? I could absolutely see those being overkill for a first season rider, especially if it was on a mellower board, but with 60 days under your belt and a more aggressive deck you might feel differently. On the other hand, if you're worried about the c pros being too soft and the factory being too stiff then you simply can't go wrong with cartels, forces, or atlases.
 
#44 ·
To those that say I'm dumb for picking a bindings based on color I would agree with you.

But be a little more specific before cutting me down. Picking the WRONG binding based on color is dumb.

if I wasn't clear that's my fault. If the contact pros were a good fit. Then yes I wouldn't mind having them to match the board. If they aren't, I'd look into something that is a better fit. Even if they didn't March color wise.

This thread has definitely steered me away from the contact pros.

I'm looking into the union ultra. They are much stiffer and have the same tech that I was interested in.
 
#45 ·
Wait hold up. Since you like new stuff, why not just go demo the contact pros or buy them and try them? Who knows, you might like it or might not. If you don't like them throw them on the for sale section and i'm sure someone will buy them off you. I got first dibs... Called it..
 
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