Harfs Ronix Board & LF Bindings

OOPS, I mean Ronix Bindings. HAHAHA

They sure look like LF bindings though.

Found this on the Alliance website



(Message edited by jjakober on August 07, 2006)

I seen a big Ronix sign at the Reno tour stop but didn't pay too much attention to it because I didn't know who or what it was. Now in the past week or two, it seems like the name is popping up a lot more. Can someone give us some insight as to who Ronix really is?

wow, more closed toe gayness. I just don't get it. At least those don't look like clown boots like the Shane's.

It looks like shoe laces on them. I don't get the close toe stuff either. Close toes should be for the snow.

huh, interesting ot see Danny go away from the molded fins his shapes have always had. Two removeable fins per end, interesante.

Have you tried on a pair of closed toe boots? I mean actually tried them on and taken a set or two in them? If you did you might see why so many people are into it. I was super skeptical at first, until I rode the murrays, I can tell you I will never own an open toed boot ever again.The difference is amazing.

I've ridden both. I prefer open toes.

-Steve

I've ridden both. I prefer open toes as well.

Zeus over 3DS to be exact.

Like the two before me, I, as well, have ridden both open and closed toe bindings.

open-toe.

I haven't ridden both, but I've tried both on, and I'm really not opposed to the closed-toe idea. I don't care either way. I think closed-toe looks cool though. carry-on.

Murrays over Zeus

when are ronix boards going to be on the market?

I tried both and like both!


Kind of hard to beat the Transits but the Murray's come close if not even.........?

I like both.

I know this comparison has been made but those look so much like snowboard boots with the laces and tongue. Maybe super comfy but I don't like the looks.

let's assume for a minute that you tried 'em and found 'em to be the most comfortable bindings you've ever ridden. would you still not get 'em because you don't like the looks?

i personally like how they look, based on the pic above. we'll see how they are on my feet though.

I am pretty much closed tow from here on. I got the 3DS boots.....yeah not too sexy appearance wise, but control and comfort far out-weigh the looks!

Also sort of interesting in the tip and tail hyperlite's thing was "wide for more pop" but on that board there is a very distinct point where it gets alot narrower. They seem to be going a really different way with everything. Those boots look like snowboard boots to me as well.

I bought the 06 Murrays. I have the 05s as well.

I prefer the 05s to the 06. The open toe 05s have a superior support system and heel lock down. I love how the 06 closed toes look and feel but from a riding aspect the 05s are superior IMO. So I am riding the 05s and the 06s are sitting there looking pretty on my other board. Anyone want to buy a set of large 06 Murray bindings?

They look way too funny to rock on the water. Someone said it best when they referred to them as clown shoes.

im so lost with this whole ronix thing... so hyperlites contracts ran out so when they did harf ran to ronix? that sounds like hyperlite wasnt very helpfull with his needs or hes going for the bigger paycheck... or is ronix a Hyperlite Sub company...

ronix isn't part of hyperlite at all. i'm not sure about the money, but i know a lot of the riders are pretty loyal to paul o'brien, so that could be why they jumped ship.

but if you are a staple rider to hyperlite shouldnt you stay.. i mean its loyaly.. and i know that the riders input for new board is taken first... harf has been with hype since 01 or 02? doesnt seem like hes has his priorities right or is that just me?

maybe im over thinking all of it and he needed some change...

well on another note, more board companies can only help the sport and its good to see more flavor out there

Harf and the others left because Hyperlite without the O'Briens isn't Hyperlite!! They are being loyal to the people that gave them there chance back in the day. That was the O'Briens, not Uncle Bob that is running the show know.

Later,
jjakober

PS: This is not an indorsement of Hyperlite or Ronix.....For me it's O'Brien(The Company not the People) all the way!!!!

(Message edited by jjakober on August 08, 2006)

Rumor on the street is that Harf and Parks get stock in the company instead of lots of cash. Doubtful whether the company would ever go public, but maybe they get a chunk of the profits as a result.

Can you blame Harf and Parks for leaving? I mean Hyperlite gave Harf super lame green 80's graphics on his board and the only update he got was some plastic pieces to screw onto the bottom of the board. Parks didn't even get an update, it's the exact same graphics and board as last year. Meanwhile Watson and Shane get whole new board shapes and designs and fancy new boots to match. Hahaha.

parks has the same board, but no, the graphics are different.

OK, the alien looks slightly different. But you know what I mean.

JPK, you can be a shareholder of a non-public company, the difference is that the profits can flowthrough to them as a percentage, instead of to Bob as a large chunk (depending on how it is set up...LLC, LLP, Corporation and their company by-laws).

So what if they didn't get a revamped board? The substance has gone unchanged for 3 years now... if they like it (or it ain't broke) why fix it? The companies don't give everyone a new board every year, that would be stupid. Development costs (shaping, molds, ...) to put out new designs for every board every year would kill them.

Parks and Harf, assuming they did get a part in the company, made a business decision which I think was a great move, yeah it's a bit of a gamble, but I think it'll pay off for them. 1st off, without the 3 biggest riders Hyperlite has, and without the O'Briens at the wheel Hyperlite will be going downhill. By going to Ronix, along w/ Sharpe and Copeland, they ensure exposure for the brand that, like it or not, really can't be rivaled by any other pros in the industry. I predict good sales volume for Ronix in the first year, and increasing from then on.

2nd, Parks and Harf, as silly as it sounds, are preparing for retirement. By making this move, this ensures that they can live well the rest of their lives (assuming the company takes off like I think it will) doing what they love, instead of being a washed up "former pro," or being bored. This way, they can end up being partners, having good input, and keeping themselves busy.

Any way you look at this, Ronix is going to be doing better in its first year than Gator is doing in its 4th or 5th (not sure), especially considering boardshops have already jumped at the opportunity to carry Ronix.

And for the record, I really like the simplicity of the graphics. Not a fan of Close-toed btw.

Yep, totally agree with you Daniel. For the record, I was totally joking about them leaving because they didn't like their stale designs. (That's the reason for the Haha at the end of that sentence.) I think the real reason is the potential shares in the new company.

BTW, I've seen 3 of their board designs and think they are all dope. I like what they are doing. If I were into closed toe boots those would be the dopest I've seen. Far better looking than the clown shoes (shanes) or the Murray's.

sorry to be a dumb ass but what is ronix?

I guess the final version of those boots will be all white instead of having the brown lining in them.

Ronix is the new company started by Hyperlite founders and former employees Paul and Herb O'Brien.

JPK, lol I feel like an idiot, I totally didn't get that.

the top three best bindings ive ever riddne are the closed toe 3ds, the belmonts, and the liquid force transits.... they are all close but i love the 3ds the best

"but if you are a staple rider to hyperlite shouldnt you stay.. i mean its loyaly.. and i know that the riders input for new board is taken first... harf has been with hype since 01 or 02? doesnt seem like hes has his priorities right or is that just me?"

For me its far more important to be loyal to people than it is to a name. If the people who made hyperlite what it is have moved on then it would disloyal not to follow.

Is disloyal a word or is it unloyal? Anywho you get the drift.

Is it still Danny's setup, or would it be Park's ?

Looking at the styling of the board, looks more like it could be Park's then Danny's. Who knows, regardless, it looks pretty interesting the base.

Photos from the front page.

Good to see Parks holding a board again. Did he hit the sliders? He was still walking with a pretty bad limp at the Reno stop.

yer would be intresting to know how parks is doing?

is he riding now?

they having a double or nothing contest this year?

pete obvouisly parks did hit the sliders. do you think he would just work around with a board and lid on for no reason?

laters

pete obvouisly he did hit the sliders, do you think he would be working around with a lid and a board in his hand for the sake of it?

(Message edited by toby_yeo on August 10, 2006)

In one of the above pics, is Lyman holding Greenwood's 07 board? Looks like the same board that is in the 07 Liquid Force board thread.

think that the 06 team

SO WHEN IS MURRY JUMPING SHIP OR DOES IT
OPEN THE DOOR MORE FOR HIM TO BE MR HYPERLITE
4 LIFE?

Supposedly Murray and Byerly are staying at Hyperlite. HL will build their brand around those two names, sort of like Nike with Woods and Jordan.

its called contracts, maybe murry's and byrley's are not up...

My understanding is that they are not up(not that I have any inside information I just know what I read on here). But why would they jump ship now. They are the big names with Hyperlite now. Hyperlite can build around them. Good call JPK. And Hyperlite is probably the best selling brand. (Not that I'm saying they're the best, just the best selling.) The O'brien's did have a board company this year called Jstar. I have one of their boards. They didn't even market in most areas. So it will take a while to get Ronix all over like Hyperlite or even LF. IMO murray should stay with Hyper his sales will go way up with no Parks board. Maybe not among the hardcore riders average joe that follows the proshop guys advise. I don't know if Shawn gets paid per board but if he does great for him.

well the boards looks super light... i want to see one in person.. just to check it out...

...cause weight is all that matters, right??

OK!!
look at the big name players in the industry, and who the owner is for a majority of them. the industry will become costco brands and k-mart with the exception of a few (Ronix and a few others) in a couple years. With the exception of Ronix and the few others its all run by one man who is only interested in cash and doesnt care about the future of wakeboarding. Ronix will be the future for the sport. as far as hyperlite, people will still buy it because they dont know the reality of it. The reason everything is the same from last year for them is they have no talent. Because the talent jumped ship as well. for those who could anyways legally. all the know how and experience left with the obriens. the move to get a big name nike face in hyperlite is a mere publicity desprite action. he knows nothing about wakeboarding and didnt even know what wake skate shoes were for. he may be able to head a company, but he has no direction for this sport. he is way over his head. the future for me is in ronix. the obriens started obrien and HO/hyperlite, they will have no problem topping all within a year. the new stuff is the **** and wieght is everyhting!!!

elvis, well said. You definitely made some good points.

I think you would agree with this too...Ronix will cause the other brands to step up in performance and quality.

There will actually be some competition now. And competition in GOOD. cheers for Ronix, I look forward to demoing your gear.

HOLLY COW, I thought I read in wakeboarding mag that Parks lost a good bit of weight!? I guess not.

Its funny because in the past couple of years all the big name/ uncle bob companies have put out some bad quality product(bad quality not bad design). everywhere you look there are pictures of shane and watson and byerly boots ripping apart after a day of riding and boards breaking and splitting, etc, mainly because all the stuff is made in china and made to look good, not last. presonally, i own a gator wakeskate and my friend had a gator wakeboard and those 2 boards have lasted longer and are more durable than any skate or board that i have ever owned. the skate is wood and has berely even chipped paint over a year or so, even after a little slider abuse, and the brisco board has been solid too.

I agree with elvis completely- in the next couple of years, all the uncle bob brands will be kmart crap and companies like gator and ronix, etc will be the quality product in the industry

Yes you get it Doug!
Once you look at the situation, Harf, Sharp, Parks, Coppland-Durham were probably the only ones asked to come over. The others stayed because they had to.

The rest of the industry is turning to crap because mostly of bob, hes washing all his companies together, using the same technology with all of them, hence all of them being crap. Boards fall apart like you said, boots rip out and varnish chips to hell with a few slides, they are one step above band-saw boards. This conglomerate of companies all owned by bob are the same throughout, crappy products. Yes the graphics for hyperlite used to kick ass because i bet you 80% of sales are related to that, with the exception of upper level riders. Now that the best of the industry, “higgy” and “blaze” are designing with ronix, they will have the **** graphics and the best of quality. Gator as well in the great quality. Hyperlites graphics are now being reused and basically crap. There are a bunch of newbees in the art dept. their sale are sure to fall with no graphics to hold them up, because their product doesnt

Why these riders, well there has to be a plan and im excited to see it unfold. They had to have been hand chosen by paul for a new vision or something, to be the faces to head the push in getting away from the watered down garbage being mass produced by bob. I too am excited for the future with ronix as a quality board and skate that is about riding rather than looks. However the looks will kill as well.

intheknow, you should change your name straight away because you haven't a flipping clue what is actually going on.

I mean you are seriously going to sit there and condemn LF and CWB along with HL because of Bob? Do you realize that 2 of those companies would not even exist right now if it weren't for him?

And Danny, I know you know who screwed up HL. HINT HINT the last name is O'Brien.

(Message edited by chavezychavez on August 13, 2006)

that board looks like 3ds and the 03 parks mixed..

Those bindings look comfy!!

and this is just the beginning...FBA

niceee,

were did you get that pic from?

www.ronixwake.com

Dear Chavez reader,
If you weren't going to believe me, then watch the released interviews with the Ronix riders and decipher their language for yourself and see what I am talking about. I watched them and it's all in there for you. I'll keep my name for the time being.

I wasn't condemning LF and CWB, I was just calling them crap. I was condemning Bob however, for his vision of the industry, a place to make cheap stuff for a huge profit. Sure he is good for a business, but he is not good for the industry as a whole. Ronix seems to be heading in a direction to reclaim what wakeboarding is about. The success of HL exploded over a decade and the direction was largely due to the (an) owner from a business standpoint. Obviously this direction was not what Paul and his dad really wanted out of a company so they split. I'm not saying you can't tear it up with one of the “Bob” companies, I just feel there are better choices.

-Mr. Presley

Too funny.

"A place to make cheap stuff for a huge profit"

Priceless!

Herb and Paul killed the goose that layed the golden egg all on their own. Sure, they got the "Hype" right, but they screwed up in the "run a successful business" department. How do you think Bob got control of that brand, along with control of Herb's own namesake (O'brien)????

Paul and Herb could care less about reclaiming what wakeboarding is about. This is all about the $$$$$ make no mistake about it.

Elvis, the fact that you said Hype's graphics have been the best makes me question everything you've said. Hype has had and still has some of the worst graphics for as long as I can remember. I hope they did hire some newbies because the oldbies looked like they were drawing out of their Mom's basement while looking at old X-Men comics for inspiration.

But back to the topic:
It will be fun to see what Ronix does.

check out chads board an boots

http://www.drunkhourphoto.com/uploads/wakestocksaturday143.JPG

Reckon this one's a better shot.

http://www.drunkhourphoto.com/uploads/wakestocksaturday159.JPG

looks like chad has two different kinds of boot liners....wierd

also....these ronix boards freakin wide!

(Message edited by funkytown on August 16, 2006)

his bindings are barely ducked.

They looked ducked quite a bit to me.

His board looks unfinished.

is ronix gonna have any open toe bindings or are the going close toe on everything? All their boots look really comfy.

those bindings look 10x better than my watsons.. with the whole ratchet and everything

"wow, more closed toe gayness. I just don't get it. At least those don't look like clown boots like the Shane's."

I love this reply

From a side perspective it seems like these boards are exceptionally thin. Look at the picture of Danny ollieing out of the pool, from that point of view the board looks about half as thick as my parks board, as well as any other board ive seen

HL boards have always been really thick. If Ronix starts making there boards as thin as O'Brien, LF and some others then I have no problem believing there claims of an almost 2 pound reduction in weight. Check out the O'Brien Cartel or the Natural if you want to see some thin boards.

Later,
jakober

Ronix's first full length movie... looks killer.

Are they taking pre-orders yet?

Guess the guys that did that about Danny are better Photoshop guys than riders or shapers. I have seen the stuff, and Herb, Paul, Brian and everyone else out at Radar are getting ready to kill it once again! The stuff is great, and you wont be disappointed!!! Thanks again Paul!