This time of year, I love this discussion.

It doesn't need saying, there are a ton of bindings available. Every single boot is appropriate for someone, but not everyone is appropriate for every boot. They have to pass your smell test first. If they don't look right to  you, if they don't make sense, if you can't do the price, "X" it off your list.

With rubber, you have your traditional wrap and front lace. It's worth noting that Wiley's are closed toe and they have a distinctly different feel from an open toe boot like an Animal. Front lace will generally offer more lateral support, but these boots are also notorious for holding onto your foot a little to well. In either style, support is closely related to how tight the boot is.

There are several different release mechanisms for hard-shell boots. Each one has it's own release characteristics and all have their positives and negatives. There is also a wide variation in ease of set-up. Reflex just screws on to your existing inserts. Fogmans require additional plates or new inserts and pin-gap settings are critical. Stiffness of the shells can be changed to some degree by using softer or stiffer liners.

There is a third class of boots. You can call them friction release hard-shells. I just think of them as liner out of shell. This would be your RS-1/Strada, FM E-series, and Obrien Elite (release still pending). Again, each of these boots will have their own characteristic fit, feel, and performance. What they have in common is that they separate support from release tension: you can run the release quite loose without loosing the lateral support you want.


If you can get a chance to try before you buy, do it. I know this is even harder to pull off than with a ski, but lest be honest, it feels good to know you can exchange your $130 running shoes if they jack up your gait in the last mile.



Also worth adding, RS-1 boots are old equipment and should be priced accordingly. I think I payed about $120 a boot plus the plate when I bought a pair in August.

I've been on Animals for a couple summers & I really like them.  They offer good support and responsiveness for a rubber binding and I come out of them (usually) when I need to.

Steve & Brady thanks! :]

has anyone used Radar Rails or Source bindings?? how do they compare to the RS-1s

Pl0tz,

If you can plan a trip to Virginia Beach, before you make your boots decision, there is a Radar dealer in Chesapeake. At the very least you could get a chance to dry fit before you plunk down the cash.

http://radarskis.com/dealer_locator.html

Ski Boats Unlimited
757-547-2337
143 Tilden Avenue, Chesapeake, VA 23320

Pl0tz wrote:

Steve & Brady thanks! :]

has anyone used Radar Rails or Source bindings?? how do they compare to the RS-1s

I have both.

There is no comparison between Rails and RS-1's. The rails are Bigger, bulkier, and open toe'd. and w/o the liners... Some people swear by their comfort and I guess compared to Hard rubbers they are cushy and a lot more comfortable. But, the RS-1's are Waaaaaay More comfortable, no soap and easier in/out as well! RS-1's are about like the feel and fit of custom shoes, while Hard shells/rubbers are about like the feel and fit of wearing your shoes on the wrong feet! (more so, the longer you are out on the water...)

Plotz, under that scenario I would recommend the Approach in the front and Animal in the rear.  I used to ski on double Approach bindings but have since switched to the RS-1s.  The front Approach has a nice feel and is fairly stiff with an exaggerated forward lean.  The rear has the same forward lean which really aggravated my rear ankle when I tightened up the laces.  Right before I gave them up for the RS-1s I was on a D3 rear with the Approach front and that felt MUCH better.

Last edited by tjo (Thu, Feb 11, 2010 5:09 AM)

I thought I was unique to cramping feet in Animals. But now with access to water ski forums it appears that a lot of people get cramps from Animals. They feel cozy for a few passes then the pain becomes excruciating. I’ve hear that the RS-1 and Stradas are comfortable after they are molded.

Last summer was my summer for triying out hardshells.  I typically ski 22 to 28 off at 34 MPH, and have an Annex and A1.  I tried Fluid Motion, Fogman, and RS1s.  I picked up the FMs and Fogmans lightly used on ski-it-again.com, so it was fairly cheap to try them.  Of the three I liked the RS1s the most for comfort and performance, finding the FMs and Fogmans just too bulk for my tastes.  In the end, I preferred my Wiley's the most, switched back to them at the end of the season, and sold all the hardshells.  It was like finding an old friend.  Foot cramping on the rear boot was a problem with the Wiley's but I sent it in for a wider plate and bigger wraps, and that's made a good improvement fo rme.  I also like the Wiley simplicity.  I did see the HO EXO last fall, and that looks like a well designed binding / release system, so if you're looking to go hardshell and make that kind of investment, I thiink you'd want to take a look at those too.  I'd try as many out as possible if you can find a way to do it.  Good luck!

H0410, -Exactly! Not to mention, never having to "MESS" around with slimey, soapy, bottles of Gook!
I've even gotten comments of envy because I can put them on SO Fast and Effortlessly.

Last edited by h20dawg79 (Mon, May 17, 2010 8:50 PM)

StevenHaines wrote:

That new Obrien Prodigy Binding looks pretty nice! I'd be interested in seeing some demo/release video of it

Cale Burdick posted a video or someone posted a video of Cale showing the release on the Prodigy bindings.  I saw it through twitter.  Looks very similar to how the RS-1/Strada boots release.