so, i'm watching the irvine pro tour on fuel. some rider (sorry, i missed who it was...an aussie) was talking about his setup. the board sounded cool...described like other boards from other manufacturers. but the boots, i thought, is the exact boot as the era (old highbacks). seems like the only differences are the colors and how high the upper strap is. (i know, i know...jobe/jstar's hype's stepchild, right?) <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/202816.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/202817.jpg" alt="">

the era is more like the old 30/60's just lower. <BR>the Jobe insights are pretty much the same as the 3ds/highback bindings.

those bindings looks just as my highbacks.

Yeah, those bindings are definitely the old highbacks. They're great bindings. I guess if you could get them even cheaper with the jobe name on them it would be a killer deal. I noticed for '05 that jobe change the baseplates away from the claw system. <BR> <BR>I guess I don't totally understand why jobe exists (other than HO picking up more market share), but I do think some of their products are pretty cool. I'd like to be able to demo some of their stuff and see how it works.

Jobe has always had that plate, never has used the claw system ever. Check it. Those plates are a bit heavier even than the <a href="mailto:heavy-@ss">heavy-@ss</a> Hyperlite plates, but they also seem to be a bit stiffer. <BR>I know nothing of the current business relationship, but I know that Herb O'Brien and Jeff(?) Jobe (Scott Jobe's father) go way back, those guys were friends and pioneered cutting edge water sports designs more then 30 years ago. When Herb went to prison in the 80s, Jeff may have helped keep the business going, but I'm not sure I have my facts entirely straight on that aspect of their long history together.

why did herb o'brien go to jail?

from what i understand, he was smuggling coke in with the skis, or somethin' like that.

Yeah Herb served time for drug smuggling, then his sister served for the way HO is run financially just a few years ago. <BR> <BR>

Ja! I knew I was getting really "High" with my "highbacks". <BR>So... what then on my "Fluid"??????

aluminum honeycomb skis that had coke in them

I would say it's more comparison of these two: <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/203358.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/203359.jpg" alt="">