Fastec & Flow rearentry bindings - fitting & comparing - help soft boot riders!

Various topics, technical questions, announcements, events, resorts, ...

Moderators: fivat, rilliet, Arnaud, nils

Locked
meeee
Rank 2
Rank 2
Posts: 12
Joined: Wednesday 13 February 2019, 16:02

Fastec & Flow rearentry bindings - fitting & comparing - help soft boot riders!

Post by meeee » Monday 9 December 2019, 18:36

Hi guys,

I made use of black friday and ordered a Flow NX2 and a F2 Eliminator Fastec rear entry bindings.
Haven't shopped for gear since ages - and don't have much to compare with.
I'm coming from K2 Cinch which were too soft anyways - and even softer given how long I was beating them.
What I loved about them was the ease and speed of getting in and out of them, standing, already riding, whatever.

Though I'm doubting both for different reasons - but maybe I'm just too hypocritical or clueless how to judge if the binding is doing well. We don't have any snow yet - and I want to return either one of them or both, so living room testing will have to do.

The Eliminators:
  • The Highback is relatively soft plastic. It therefore flexes considerably. I can even see the plastic in the bottom that leads to the mount screws and the chassis deform. Though it's not necessarily at a point where it feels much too soft, I'm just worried that it will become softer and softer rather quick - or even prone to damage.
    Is that a fair concern?
  • The chassis also lifts noticeably a bit here and there when really leaning in, though is stiff in itself. Is that okay?
  • They are more uncomfortable than the FLOWs, once tightened to the max - and when not, the heel lift becomes relatively noticeable
The NX2s
  • If I set it loose enough to properly get in far enough and not get stuck with heel&highback, it feels too lose once ready to ride. They're saying it's less tight than traditional straps, though when on the rear or front edge, I can put a finger under the opposite boot sole part, that's how much the boot lifts. I don't think that's what they mean by it's not as tight...
  • Also, the ratchets have an extra lock mechanism to prevent loosening, though I feel when the straps are fully tightened, this locking mechanism is no really locking in place anymore. It's just one of those tech details where I'm already doubting upon purchase how long it'll really last. Any experience with that?
How does that sound for you guys? Maybe someone even has had one of them and can chme in with experience?

Are there any typical bindings tests to check how they're performing, just like with boot fitting?

Thanks a lot!

Locked