I WILL NEVER BUY HYPERLITE BINDINGS AGAIN

I had a pair of '02 Belmont bindings that ripped the overlays about 10 times, and one base plate finally cracked in two. I heard the '03s were better, but about the fourth time I rode them they ripped too. The '03 overlays are a real pain in the ass to replace so I sent them to Hyperlite to repair since I didn't need them for a week or two. WELL, they've had them since June 20th and they have no idea when I will get them back.

How do they expect a customer to go the main part of the summer without their bindings? Why wouldn't they alert me of the situation before I sent my bindings off? Other companies in the area had replacement overlays at the time. That is no way to run a company.

Hyperlite sucks.

get the parks bindings

$500 but worth every penny

you can where them out to da clubs

CWB Zeus

Good hold, light weight, comfy, overlays easy to replace.

What??? $500.00 for Parks Bindings?? Retail is $360.00 or something like that. I paid $260.00 for mine.

I'm going for the CWBs next too. My buddy has the Zeus and they are much nicer.

I can understand and empathize with your frustrations. Hyperlite, get your act together. Yesterday I almost forked over $775 for Parks binding and board. Now, I think I'll look at the Zues/Absolute. So many things have to line up perfect just to get a 30 minute set on clean water. Equipment manufacturers, both gear and boats, have got to understand that down time created by shoddy workmanship drives serious riders to the point of distraction. June 20th to August 7: that should never, ever happen.

(Message edited by stormrider on August 07, 2003)

I've never had any problem with my Belmonts, and I've had em for over a year. I love them. That's so weird. It seems people either love Hyperlite bindings or hate them, no middle ground.

I have also had Belmonts for over a year without problems until last weekend they ripped! Know I have to send them back and wait for a month (my dealer was telling me that it has been taking a month)to get them back. I have ridden six times this year because I have beed out of town on business and know when it looks like I'm going home for a while I will be without my bindings and by the time they get back to me the weather will be starting to turn.

well i almost bought hyperlite splits... instead im getting cwb torqs (which are a cheaper binding) but they are better than my mobes (which never gave me any problems). im not so good that im doing big raleys or anything that would cause me to fall forward and rip them...... so i dont know how the torqs will hold up when i get into that stuff

bottom line is, im not buying the splits because they look •••••• for the money compared to even the torqs which are a hell of a lot cheaper. i think cwb is the way to go for bindings, but thats my opinion!

has anyone had trouble with the zeus bindings ripping?

Can't comment on the Zeus, but I do know that I replaced 2 sets of overlays and a toungue on a pair of 2002 Vibes (by CWB) over one season. I've been riding '01 Belmonts all year without incident....just to say that all bindings can have problems or not; you never can tell.
Back to topic: Hyperlite needs to step it up....it should NEVER take that long to do a 30 minute overlay replacement!

'01 Belmonts are some of the toughest bindings ever made. They had rubber overlays rather than plastic.

I will say that I know 2 girls with torqs that ripped within 10 uses. without doing any major big tricks.

I have been riding on hyperlite highbacks all summer - no probs. Love em!

I have torn some overlays...it happens. I think it comes down to how you put them on that dictates how often they rip. I know people who slam there foot in and yank the •••••••• of the draw strings and break something.....yeah dumbass it's gonna rip...it's rubber not steel.

Every pair of bindings rips for someone......boo hoo.

well i think sam is right... it depends how u put them on..........

i rode mobes for 2 summer, and even tried to do backrolls and 360s (still cant do them, wipe out every time) and they never broke!

the torqs can only be better than the mobes....... as long as you dont yank the •••••••• of the laces.

Sam does have a point, I only would hope that he could make his point in a less harsh manner.

my friends with the torqs did not yank those laces as mentioned.

I have noticed that trend lately with HYPERLITE, even at some of the huge shops in town that sell boards and bindings weekly by the dozens + some seem to be having trouble getting broken equip back in a timely fashion ( warrantied ) . . .

The shops used to swap em out on the spot but HYPES repsonse has been so slow that they aren't doing that anymore. . .

I would say find out when The rep is coming by, Joe and talk to him he is really good abou tthings like that. Also all the bindings above are good but also check out Collective development, who tim parsons is a rep for and also the Obrien Ion bindings, They have a lkot fo cool little things on them like special rubber things on the bottom plus the foam pad which makes it virtually impossible for the base plate to scratch the Board. The bindings are neon green i believe

wasupp Kevin -

How have you been, hopefully well? I have met Tim in the past and he is a cool a$$ cat. Joe is also very cool good with customers if you can catch up wiht him.

Kevin, is Josh Demo'n the CD's or Tim?

I only read the title of this post, and that's a great idea because they suck.

AT first I bought all and only hyperlite then my bindings ripped too (brand new) so I went and bought some LF stuff (balance and exos) and I love LF way more now. I want to try a absolute out too though

Why do they use that crappy plastic for the overlays? the rubber ones were obviously a lot stronger. It doesn't make sense

I wonder that too. My guess is originally the plastic was lighter than the rubber. However, if they have to make the plastic thicker each year like they've been doing, it's going to get heavier and they should just go back to rubber.

By the way, has anybody from Hyperlite EVER hopped on WakeWorld to explain or defend themselves? I can't recall that ever happening.

All bindings break. Durability is the easiest link in the product triangle to remedy. Think of a triangle with each point representing one of the following:

Durable
Light-weight
Cheap

You can only have two of the 3 possible traits. If its cheap and light, its not durable. If its durable and cheap, its not light. if its durable and light, its not cheap. I would rather replace overlays every now and then, instead of ride heavy boots or have to take out a loan to afford them. Besides, overlays are FREE!!

This is my 5th season on my 30/60's. No rips there. Maybe the older models used better materials?

i have 02 belmonts. my right binding ripped and within the month i had two overlays in the mail. good thing to b/c my left on ripped about 3 weeks later. it takes about a half hour to switch em out. i would never send my bingings back to the company to have them do it. you're asking for a long wait with anybody, not just hyperlite.

like jason just said, "I would rather replace overlays every now and then, instead of ride heavy boots or have to take out a loan to afford them. Besides, overlays are FREE!!"

my 02 overlays ripped but my 03's are holding up great

I rode 30/60's for three years with no problems then I bought LF Ultras this year. The ultras tore within 1 month. Will Liquid Force warranty if I call them?

If you rip that many overlays maybe the problem isn't the bindings. Try to use lubrication when you put the bindings on. The lace in front is so that you can loosen the binding so that it is easier to put on.

I've never heard of someone ripping an overlay 10 times, the 02 overlays were prone to ripping but you are obvioiusly doing something out of the ordinary to make the problem worse than it should be.

Historically, Hyperlite is a reputable company and if they replace your overlays 10 times with out question then how could you think differently.

i have the spin bindings and i love them, they are easy to get in and out of and i can stay in them for an hour and htey dont hurt, i have never had a problem with them...

My husband and I have the same bindings (hl splits) and we've had them about a year. His "split" out on both boots. I haven't had any problems...I think it is the reefing on the strings....

Rootc, it was the local shops replacing the overlays, not Hyperlite themselves. You could walk into any Hyperlite dealer last year and say you tore your overlays and they'd just hand you a pair no questions asked. They knew the product sucked. I ride with a bunch of guys and gals and they all had their 02 overlays rip multiple times. A few have had their 03's rip.

I'm complaining a little about the fact that they ripped, but I'm complaining a LOT about the fact that their company is so poorly run that they completely ran out of Belmont overlays and didn't tell my shop that it would be months before they would return my bindings. I expect they knew this when the shop requested the RA #. Also when I called them they told me they would "check into it and call me back." Of course they would never call back.

By the way, the bindings don't rip when putting them on. They rip when you take a bad crash. Maybe the problem is that I crash too much.

Belmont's suck

I just spent $725 on new bindings and a board. Choices: 1.) Parks bindings and board; 2.) Zues bindings/Absolute 140 board.

Let me put it this way. Parks, you're a great guy but Schwenk's gonna get the commission on my sale.

(Message edited by stormrider on August 11, 2003)

I have Parks bindings for both of my boards - they are the best bindings you will ever use. Was never a fan of the Belmont bindings, mine ripped too.

It's almost been two months now and still no bindings. In case somebody from HO is paying attenion it's RA #R479550.

i used 01 hyperlite hibacks for 2 seasons and one only just recently ripped and it was just the little velcro thing. Board shop replaced the overlays on bindings for me for free. I just bought the new 03 byerly's.. i hope i have good luck with them to!

i had the '00 byerly's and one of them ripped at the beginning of this summer. i guess thats just wear and tear. a friend of mine got the 03 byerly's with the plastic base plate and broke through it on his 2nd run the first day he used them. good luck

Another 10 days passed and no word from Hyperlite. What a joke. $350 bindings that they are keeping all summer long.

Gonna forward your post to a friend @ Hyperlite. Maybe he can do somethin' about it. He set me up the same day with another overlay (I live by Hyperlite and picked them up). They are Orange lace tabs right?????

A buddy once said, "It ain't what, but who you know". Let you know. Keep lookin' back.

between me and my friends, we've been through 2 pair of parks bindings this summer but the liquid force bindings seem to be holding up pretty good.

im riding a set of cwb torqs now... love them! i had mobes before and they needed to go. some people say that the torqs rip too... but if zeus and parks bindings rip, that means ALL bindings can be ripped if u put enough pressure on the overlays on a bad landing. im my opinion, cwb makes the best binding! the comps are a waste of time (unless the person using them is not planning on learning tricks)... the mobes are the best beginner bindings u can get for the money, bar none. the torqs are not much more money than the moibes and they step up on the footbed, baseplate, and have a neoprene lining. havent used the higher model bindings, but my friend has a pair of the zeus, and he says they are amazing and worth every penny (even tho they are a bit expensive).

if my torqs ever break, i'd replace them in a second... or step up to the vibes or zeus bindings.

the only thing i do not like about the torqs is that there could be a bit more ankle support. but it is not lacking in ankle support!

[]Deace
~Jesse

hey dominatrix don't werk wit bindings just kidding i m really hard on my bindings and have gone threw like a total of four pairs but love how hyperlite takes care of me so i guess it depends on teh way u deal wit them but they have been very good to me so i have been happy

I'd appreciate any help! Mine were the 2003 yellow lace tabs, although it has been a long time since I've seen them so I could be wrong. I previously had the 2002 orange ones. Hyperlite has my bindings, so they would need to find an overlay and put them back together. Just getting an overlay wouldn't help unless I can convince them to ship me mine back.

On second thought, notidad, since the 2004 stuff is coming out I'm going to see if they will return them with 2004 overlays. That would be a nice gesture.

I sent my my LF (Speed Suction) bindings in 2 weeks ago and got them back yesterday. But I broke down and bought a pair of Parks the day before It was time for a step up. I haven't used them yet but I love them so far from just trying them on. I will find out how I like them this weekend.

In HL defense, my dealer said he has always had good dealing with them. He said he has even had overlays replaced under warranty as old as 3 years. Could be blowing me stuff, but I have no reason not to believe him.

(Message edited by deiselgrover on August 29, 2003)

Hyperlite has had my Highbacks over 4 weeks now to replace overlays. I won't buy Hyperlite again.

I've had 03 Highbacks almost all summer, with 3-5 rides a week, and always at least 3 different people using them every trip. They are still in great shape. The only problem is the stitching for the velcro on one of the wraparound straps, but that's a pretty minor issue.

My 03 highbacks have been at hyperlite for the past 6 week for a ripper overlay, and all of the neopreme was peeling off of all the pieces! I rode on them about 20 times! They were not two 1/2 months old. The whole thing just sucks!!!

It's the middle of the season; of course companies' warranty departments are going to be backed up. This is not a problem exclusive to Hyperlite, it happens to every company, every year. If you're antsy to get your binding back fork over some extra cake and have your dealer ship them express. The company will send them back the same way they were shipped to them. If you send them ground you're looking at two weeks just in shipping (a week there, a week back). Most companies also put priority on items that are shipped express, so you're getting that benefit as well.

Several people have pointed out that it only takes 30 minutes to change overlays. I'd like to point out that your bindings aren't the only ones they have to work on. It seems most of you think this is the case. Also, most of the problems companies have been having with warranty turn around time aren’t because they are slow. It's because the supplier that makes their overlays is slow. As far as I know, everyone is using the same supplier for their molded overlays. Then why are companies using molded overlays, you ask? The old rubber ones worked just fine, why change? They look cool and sell better, that's why.

Yes, Hyperlite has had problems with their 2002 overlays, but I think they’ve handled the situation great. They will send dealers new overlays without ever seeing the broken part. Try that at your car dealer sometime.

There was at least one person who said Liquid Force hasn’t had problems like Hyperlite has. Clearly you weren’t wakeboarding in ’99.

Several of you have also been griping about Hyperlite's customer service. I deal with them, and several other companies, daily and Hyperlite is always on the ball. Triton (Blindside/Double Up) is also great. As for some of the other companies that have been discussed, well, if can’t say anything nice…

Today I blew out my right binding and my right Teva. Belmonts were 13 days old. Tevas 4yrs. old.

I love my high backs there great and i got a great deal to 03 fluid 137 and 03 high backs for 200.00 plus tax ALL NEW....

i have 1999 O'Brien Free Axis they have been holding up perfect i had 2001 morphs but i broke 3 pairs my local dealer gave me 3 pairs they all broke,finally they gave me 1999 free axis they were older but are way better than the morph. I'am still riding with the 1999 free axis that I got in 2001 but next season I may get something new

Uh Oh there is a trend here my Belmonts which are about 4 days shy of a year just ripped. There must be a flaw because I have only ridden them this season(bought them last year). I think they are 02's.

Mike: If it's any consolation, because of this thread I did not buy Parks bindings/Parks board. Instead, I went with the CWB Zues and Absolute. Hopefully Hyperlite will get the message.

Steve - are you back? Give me a call if you are - we'll talk about the river and options.

Jim

Cool Steven. I do feel a little better. It's almost three months and I still don't have them back. I figure they've probably gone down in value about $100 since I sent them in.

I'm getting really pissed off seeing people buying the new Temets while my 03's still sit in their warehouse. It's nice to know that it's more important for them to sell new bindings than to fulfill their obligation to existing customers.

Mike - if it's any consolation the same is happening with my BRAND NEW 03 Parks. Over the Labor Day weekend I reached down to pull on the right binding and came up with a handfull of the entire back of the binding in my hand. They ripped underneath the heel strap. These bindings were all of 2 mos old. This is after ripping the lace straps on my 02 Parks.

I took the 03s to TXMC for repair and was told they didn't have any parts and neither did HL due to their supplier being out and the 04 line coming out. Was told to send them to HL and wait but who knows how long that will take.

In the meantime I broke down and bought the 04 Temets - let me tell you these are a warranty NIGHTMARE waiting to happen. On the 1st set I could already see the stiching on the BOA system where it mounts to the tongue.

It's about time to by some CWB Zeus.

I love my hyperlite stuff, even when it rips!