Which is a better Binding?? LF or Hyperlite

fishboatwakerider 10-08-2006, 3:19 PM

Ok, so here's my deal. I've been going through alot of equipment this year as I've gotten into wakeboarding. I've ridden ALOT of boards and bindings combos. Thus far I've settled into an '06 Parks with '05 Murray bindings. The board isn't in question... it's my bindings.

These are the best bindings I've demo'd this year. But they have on a couple of occasions let my foot slide forward on hard landings. I've got the BOA cranked down, the option 2 strap thing wrenched, and the laces are the tightest they can be on my foot. But for some reason as I ride... they almost feel like the whole binding losens up on my foot as I ride.

I tried medium/large bindings and they are so tight without even starting to strap stuff down that my feet go numb and white before I even get done winding the BOA's, so I know my Large's are the right size for me... I just don't know?

Also, the Murray's take ALONG time to get strapped in totally, so.....

My question is this..

Should I take my '05 Murray's back and get a set of '06 Shanes?

I have a chance to get a set of '06 Liquid Force Shanes for a good price, but I've never demo'd this type or even brand of bindings. The place I'd be getting the bindings from is off the internet, so... a demo would not be possible. I've heard good things about LF and my riding buddy has 06 alpha's which he likes alot.

Anybody ridin the Shanes, I'd like to know about the heat moldable liner and how good the bindings keep your foot from moving, I'd hate to have my foot slide forward into a closed toe.. OUCH

gotwake123 10-08-2006, 5:59 PM

LIQUID FORCE! definatly

(digger_004) · (digger_004) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 10-08-2006, 7:17 PM

I like my Shane's, they don't really tell you anything about the heat moldable liner and they are so soft you really don't need to them. I love the closed toe boot though. My feet are narrow and slide down on open toed bindings, but now they hit the toe and stop, it can be a little crunch on hard landings, but not bad.

(monroeyd) · (monroeyd) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 10-09-2006, 1:17 AM

Roy, I have the same binding and had the same thing happen for awhile. Only when I first got them. Doesn't happen any more though, don't know why.

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 10-09-2006, 9:40 AM

I ride Liquid Force Transits and I will say that Hyperlite builds a better binding. I've ridden Hyperlite and Liquid Force equally throughout my wakeboarding career (10 years now), and I feel that Hyperlite builds bindings that edge Liquid Force out in Performance, Longevity, and materials. Liquid force claims ease of entry, cushiness, style.

I've had 2 pairs of Transits over the past 2 seasons, and they've both had build issues... while my 2001 Hyperlite Belmonts have had not one problem (all of my gnarliest falls have happened on these guys too). While managing a local pro shop, I had Shane's returned to me because the structure of the boot had broken in half. Only pair of Shane's I sold were returned.

Hyperlites are not as comfortable (in my opinion), but they are more responsive and minimalist. My Transits stretch out considerably every time I ride, the foot overlay is too big (hard to REALLY tighten down your foot), but they are more comfortable than Hyperlites. My next binding: Hyperlite. I'm waiting until the 3DS is released in an open-toe version though.

Both are great bindings, but they each have their individual strengths. My vote: stick with the Murrays. Your laces will wear in eventually and won't stretch nearly as much.

fishboatwakerider 10-09-2006, 9:58 AM

well for some reason, It's happening more often as the bindings break in, I've had them out probably 10 times now for about 4-6 hours at a time, and the last time out it happened twice in the same pull from landing out in the flats. The binding give awesome ankle support, and I don't feel it's the BOA... maybe the lace up section? I'm gonna try the Shanes, and see if they work better for me. If not then I can always sell them, if I don't like them.

(chill720) · (chill720) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 10-09-2006, 10:08 AM

Try some Ronix bindings.

(matt_c) · (matt_c) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 10-09-2006, 10:09 AM

Liquid Force

(malibuboarder75)

If you ride your equipment really hard, dont expect the LF or Hype to last long. All my friends with 05 and 06 bindings from those brands have lasted about a month.

(eubanks01) · (eubanks01) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 10-09-2006, 11:37 AM

I think sliding forward in bindings is due to having a wrong size. I have the 05 Murray bindings and love them. I completely agree about what a pain they are to get into, but I have never heard of anyone sliding forward in them. Maybe this is because I crank my bindings down really tight and buy a smaller size. For reference, I wear a 8.5 show but have a size small bindings which fit 5-7.5.

I say get the smaller size and spend some time working them in. They might be too tight at first but I think once they're broken in that they'll be just right.

(digger_004) · (digger_004) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 10-09-2006, 12:58 PM

My feet slide forward too because they are narrow, that is why I switched to the Shane's. I used to crank my bindings down because of that, but then I bailed hard and my feet did not come out of my bindings and completely tore my meniscus in my knee. They removed about 90% of my meniscus in surgery. So I use the Shane's, tighten the bottom half and leave the top half a little loose so my feet will still come out on hard bails. My toes hit the closed binding a little hard sometimes, but better than sliding out the bottom and having to stop and adjust. Just make sure you cut your toenails so they dont catch and bend.

fishboatwakerider 10-09-2006, 2:16 PM

yeah digger, I'm with you, I have narrow feet, so cranking down has been my only option.

Eubanks, I tried running a med/large and they are simply too tight over the top of my foot. My toes were white and numb before I got 1 binding locked in.

I think it's because my foot is tall, but narrow, so I'm not getting a good fit side to side in a binding that fits me top to bottom. I tried my friends XL Alphas, and it felt like LF had a narrower interior inside the binding.

I'll give the Shanes a try. And post up how they worked out once they show up and I get a couple of sets in on them.

(wakebrdr38) · (wakebrdr38) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 10-09-2006, 2:34 PM

i agree with leo, if you ride your equipment hard it just wont last! which i think is something this industry really needs to work on. i really wish the designers or reps would read this thread and take note

fishboatwakerider 10-09-2006, 3:03 PM

well, I give it another year or 2 before I can say I'm hard on equipment... I just started wakeboarding this year, and just landed my first W2W a week or so ago. But I'm progressing quickly and I want to start charging the wake switch and start getting some 180's down.

I too am worried about the quality of the products out, I read reviews and hear about BOA failures, the sythetic leather used on most of the 05-06 stuff ripping or coming apart at the seams, and about the LF bindings ripping right off the mounting plate. But, I don't think I'm gonna be flying high enough that I will land and rip my bindings off the board.

I just want to feel as comfortable and locked in on my wakeboard as I feel when I'm on my snowboard..... which is starting to seem like it's not goin to be possible.. but I wanna get close.

(jwr) · (jwr) **Join Date: Jan 2006** 10-09-2006, 4:43 PM

here's a question, does your foot sliding forward do anything bad? i rock 06 3ds and like em a lot, and mine slide forward about once every day, all i gotta do it ollie and wiggle it a bit and they are back to normal. It doesn't bother me, do i have someting to worry about?

(jpk) · (jpk) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 10-09-2006, 6:16 PM

My foot slides forward in LF Watsons all the time. I don't think switching to LF will make that problem go away. It gets really annoying having to stop and put the boot back on, but after having this happen a number of times I now think it's a bit of a safety feature. I notice that the foot only slides forward on bad landings and probably prevents me from jamming an ankle or knee.

I also notice that cranking down the laces does not help at all, and might even make it worse. Don't overtighten if it doesn't help the problem.

fishboatwakerider 10-10-2006, 10:20 AM

Justin- when it happens to me, I have to end my pull, go into the water and readjust. I don't understand it either, because the binding is so tight, that I literally have to release the boa and option strap, wiggle my foot back, then re-tighten everything again.

JPK, i figured that the heat moldable liner might help to cradle my foot tighter...

guess I'll just keep running my Murray's till the crap out on me and hope hyperlite will give me something better when they are toast.

(Message edited by fishboatwakerider on October 10, 2006)

(jon_m) · (jon_m) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 10-10-2006, 11:28 AM

have you considered buying narrow bindings? i have transits for narrow feet (but i don't have narrow feet, so i'm selling them - too tight). Also, the HL Era bindings are made for narrow feet.

Typically when your bindings fit correctly you don't slide around in them, believe it or not. Get some narrows.

(jwr) · (jwr) **Join Date: Jan 2006** 10-10-2006, 1:12 PM

try riding them a little looser, then you wont have to drop, just hop around and wiggle your leg and it will be good to go, i promise