Who hates closed toe?

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 07-09-2006, 1:45 PM

Alright... I hate closed-toe bindings. I don't want to have to buy a pair of bindings I don't like as much, just because the highest end bindings have a closed toe! GYP! What really is the value to a closed-toe boot?? This is all I could come up with:

**It looks retarded
**I jam my toes
**The water that gets inside heats up my foot while I ride, and IT IS GROSS
**A spider could lay eggs in there
**does anyone else like the feel of water on the toes??

Am I the only one around who likes my old-school, open-toe bindings??

(kel_dub) · (kel_dub) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 07-09-2006, 2:06 PM

I'm am totally for open toes, only thing i really like about closed is that your foot cant slip out the front.

(just_board) · (just_board) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 07-09-2006, 2:07 PM

open toe for me!

p.s. the watson is a high end binding, isn't it?

mendo247 07-09-2006, 2:18 PM

id like to hear your thoughts on shoes??

(ghostrider_2) · (ghostrider_2) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 07-09-2006, 2:43 PM

I also would like to hear your thoughts on shoes...

I love closed toed bindings!
My questions is why the hell did it take so long to get them into the wakeboarding scene?

Keeps feet warmer in colder water...(winter riding)

Feels like I am wearing sneakers..

My foot doesn't slide out anymore..

Never had the jammed toe thing (urban myth)

If you are worried about spiders then you are not boaridng enough...(LOL)

But to each his own, you may like smaller boards as I like bigger, you may like huge fins and I don'•••••••• all good for the most important people....US!

Business competition is good for us, us and us!!!

(yosquire) · (yosquire) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 07-09-2006, 4:00 PM

Try riding a pair.

They don't sit full of water like you aluded to.

I'd rather jam my toes then have my foot slide forward 2 inches. (I had this happen yesterday while riding a pair of Temet bindings)

Good news, spider eggs don't bite.

Most of your comments are unfounded and should be disregarded.

(iamnathanhudson)

its sounds like you haven't even tried riding a pair....i plan on moving to the closed toe soon.

(kristian) · (kristian) **Join Date: Nov 2002** 07-09-2006, 4:22 PM

dude what are you on about. There are loads of high-end bindings that are open toe. Come to think of it, there are only three that are closed toe. So you dont like closed-toe, same as alot of people (it all personal preferance) but there are plenty of other bindings for you. Feel bad for the people that only want closed toe, they only have three choices.

(big_ed_x2) · (big_ed_x2) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 07-09-2006, 7:10 PM

My next binding is going to be closed toe.

(auto) · (auto) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 07-09-2006, 7:16 PM

I really like the TDS that I demoed, but they really cramped my feet badly. I am going to try once again. The thing that I love, you are totally locked in, no sliding forward.

(pittsy) · (pittsy) **Join Date: Apr 2004** 07-09-2006, 7:20 PM

open for me, i tried the shanes and hated them!

(westsidarider) · (westsidarider) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 07-09-2006, 7:41 PM

i will never ride open again. the amount of toe-heel control that i have with closed toe bindings is unreal. first time riding the new murrays this year i had my best run ive had in about 3 years. stomped everything clean and way out in the flats. my heelside edge is harder because i have more leverage, i have way more control on toeside. my toes do not jamb into the front.

(crracer) · (crracer) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 07-09-2006, 7:58 PM

Urban Myth on the jammed toes huh.....i vividly remember the look on Jeff Wheatherall's face when his buddy arrived at our photo shoot a couple months back with a make shift cast on his two lil' toes on his left foot.....those SHANE'S got him good, he was really bummed. For all you "pro closed toe" guys interested in a pair my good buddy is selling his new Shane's. They are brand new Lg's i think. He wore them once out at the river and he couldn't get comfortable in them. Killer deal. Let me know?

(magellan) · (magellan) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 07-09-2006, 11:00 PM

Jason, I can't believe you can still type after being hit several times by the Hyperlite marketing bat.
Now, let's say the closed toe thing does work...stronger heel edge and all. The only legit boot out there is the Shane and it looks like a big bear that ate a bunch of crappy leather and glue, then took a dump on your board. The Murray's and 3DS's are a regular boot, with a THIN rubber sheath over the toes. How does that help when you push against it? There is nothing to push against...

Please advise.

(yosquire) · (yosquire) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 07-09-2006, 11:08 PM

Though I have no explination, my experience has been quite similar to Jason's.

(wakeboardnut) · (wakeboardnut) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 07-09-2006, 11:32 PM

I rode Shanes for the first time this weekend, it was a short run. But so far so good.

(foxrepdc) · (foxrepdc) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 07-10-2006, 6:59 AM

I just had my first experience with a "foot out the front" incident last weekend......hurts like a bugger to back it up!
I'm going to try on some closed toes this week...leaning towards the Murray.

(ripr) · (ripr) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 07-10-2006, 7:11 AM

I'm riding the 3Ds Closed Toe Boots and will never go back to open toe's.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 07-10-2006, 7:39 AM

Magellan.... Jason rides for Hyperlite. He didn't get hit with a Marketing bat.

I have heard several people share Jason's same experience regarding board control.

It kind of sucks for Hyperlite that the broken toes incident is actually happening though. You best not run the cosed toe boots if they are not a tight fit over the top of your foot.

(jhertz27) · (jhertz27) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 07-10-2006, 7:57 AM

I have the Murrays and love them. They give a lot more control edging wise and my feet feel a lot more secure on landings. I have been riding them since April and haven't jammed my toes yet. The Murray's also have this pading over the top of your toes so they fit nice and tight. I demoed the Shanes and did not like them as much, my feet moved around a lot and they kind of felt hollow. If you haven't yet, you should demo a pair and then see if your perspective changes.

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 07-10-2006, 8:23 AM

The response Jason is talking about will be easy to duplicate with the articulated toe pieces in all the CWB boots next year.....

I agree to an extent that you get better response from closed toe and I agree also that they'd be killer during the summer, however I still am not ready to jump on the closed toe bandwagon.

I still think the Shanes look like clown shoes. The Murrays and 3DS' look much better.

Maybe it isn't that hot where everyone else rides, but it's hot as hell at the delta. I was sweating during my ride yesterday. I don't need anything else to keep me warm.

BTW.... during the summer I don't wear closed toe shoes. Flip flops from March till October, so I could be partial to letting the toes breathe.

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 07-10-2006, 10:40 AM

I've been riding the Murrays, and have felt no substantial improvement whatsoever in control/edging/anything. Maybe my feet are just a weird shape??

Call me oldschool, but I think my first-gen Belmonts could slaughter new bindings in the control department... Although, only being able to ride for 7 minutes before my feet go numb is a large drawback to those. Haha

Kristian - I guess that's a good point... I have 10x more bindings available to me than closed-toers!

And am I the only one who wears flips flops year-round (even in the Washington winters?)??

I didn't know people could get so riled up over bindings!

(tallman) · (tallman) **Join Date: May 2004** 07-10-2006, 12:18 PM

I haven't ever put a pair of closed toe boots on before but, my worry is will my huge feet still be comfortable in them. I already have an extremly hard time finding shoes that fit and I'm scared i will have the same problem with bindings. I guess The only way I will know is if I try a pair on but, that was my first thought when I saw closed toe boots for the first time.

(garret_s) · (garret_s) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 07-10-2006, 12:22 PM

Mark: I have size 14 feet. I just got the Murray XL's, and couldnt be happier.

(bassmanjoshis) · (bassmanjoshis) **Join Date: Feb 2005** 07-10-2006, 3:15 PM

I love my closed toe boots! I got a pair of murrays and haven't had a problem with them yet. I didn't buy them because they are closed toe, i bought them because they are comfortable and i love what HL has done with the neo sock in them this season. Haven't jammed my toes yet and i believe there are drain types of holes on the bottom of the boot, but i could totally be wrong, all i know is that I don't even feel uncomfortable at all about water being in the feet. Just thought i'd insert my 2 cents...

wakebmxer 07-10-2006, 3:47 PM

Murrays are where its at. Shane were uncomfortable near the Calf and the boot ran a half size small. I never wear XXL's and the Xl was a little small.

(westsidarider) · (westsidarider) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 07-10-2006, 6:05 PM

my only response to the marketing bat is thank god there are good people in the local shops to give me product out of their pocket.

(madchild1) · (madchild1) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 07-10-2006, 7:04 PM

i just got shane boots and they seem to be pretty sweet. you're just mad because you can't get with the times.

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 07-10-2006, 7:55 PM

It's true Mad Child... it's true.

(iamnathanhudson)

I'm picking up my Shane's tomorrow...they are on hold for me right now at my local boardshop....I'M SO STOKED!! I tried them on and about creamed myself...lol....anyways, i took my board in so i could see what it would look like having the white shane's on the watson. Its Gangsta!!!

(dakid) · (dakid) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 07-11-2006, 4:28 PM

who hates closed toe bindings but have never ridden a pair?

cwbabsolute1080 07-11-2006, 4:37 PM

shanes kick ass!! dont bash wut u havnt ridden...

Also I say that the shanes need more than just a "try on"... you have to ride them and see how much you love them on the water.... I wasnt super excited about them when I tried them on, but as soon as I rode them I loved them... I left my Zeus's for the shane limited

(cawakeboarder12)

I love the new Murrays. They are the best

(lakeguy77) · (lakeguy77) **Join Date: May 2002** 07-11-2006, 5:11 PM

Dunno about the closed toe thing, I think they look goofy. But I just upgraded from a pair of old school '00 Hype Powerboots to some '04 Era's. I can't see closed toe being a big deal though, performance-wise. There is merit to the toe-leverage issue regarding heelside edging. As long as I get out there and I'm more worried about my riding than my feet feel in the bindings, it's all good. If the entire industry switches to closed-toe-only, I guess we'll have no choice, but I can't see the closed-toe issue having that big an impact that it will completely eliminate open-toe bindings from the market.

(bendow) · (bendow) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 07-11-2006, 7:18 PM

I duct tape my feet to the board.

(h2oterroristo) · (h2oterroristo) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 07-11-2006, 7:32 PM

my cat's breath smells like catnip.