'07 binding choices

hey guys i was wondering if anybody had any input on which bindings i should look at getting this weekend. i currently ride '05 parks on a liquid force trip. i am looking at hyperlite proofs, to me they seem like updated parks', lf transits, and ot watsons. these are each for sale locally around the same price but i can't demo them so any riding experiences would be great. and if this will help out, i am an advanced rider looking for something that will have good heel hold down, either release good or not at all, i hate it when my feet come half way out. i do a lot of progressive edge tricks, raleys, hootchies, etc. so i want something with a good high back support but i can also tweak and poke grabs in. thanks in advance

if those are the only three you will be choosing from...

proofs suck, my brother tried them and hated everything about them. cheap and uncomfortable.

transits are nice, but watsons are even better. watsons are comfy and perform the best out of these three.

go get some O'brien Xenons they will change your life.

i think i'm going to pass on the xenons, but thanks for input either way. i am looking hard at the watson ot, but i was wondering if anybody knows about any '08 coming out that would be comparable.

Look at the base plate for the Transits if it is composite I wold not go with those. I had a pair with a composite plate and riped the boot off the plate on a backroll crash. The watson ot have an aluminum plate and release a little easier than the transits. If I could get the transits with an aluminum plate that would be the way to go, But i don't think they do that. My final opinion go with the Watsons.

cody, are u wantin' to sell those parks' of urs?

Dont forget to try some zeus on, I love mine passionately =)

I have ridden on many different bindings at the beginning of this year because I had just gotten into wakeboarding and I didn't have my own board yet. After riding just about everything out there I went with the 2007 CWB Zues bindings frankly because they are the best out there. And they look sick with my Byerly board. Although the recoil has broken on me once and I had never been hard on that thing because I was warned by the retailer that I bought them from that they are known to snap. I called CWB and they mailed me out a new one 3 days later. I installed myself. So my recommendation would be to just go ahead and get the CWB Factions you will save some money avoid the recoil snapping problem and have a wonderful binding. Unless you are like me and consider in the looks of everything and just have to have the best.

The first boots I ever wore were the Parks (now proofs), and they were very comfy. Hyperlite still has the proofs in the 08 line.

i think i am going to wait it out for the '08 line of cwb stuff. i have heard all the buzz about the zues' but the new ones and the factions are supposed to be, obviously, better than this years. i didn't buy the '07 because so many people have had problems with the draw strings and recoils. they are supposed to be new setups i guess, the hinge is downward, new neoprene in the high back, and hidden laces. whats the biggest difference between the zues and factions though. i heard just how high up your ankle the high back goes is the biggest difference

The Zues is also a closed toe now. The Factions are still open.

I think the 08 CWB is a good decision. If you were previously riding the Parks boot the new Faction will be similar in flexibility. They will be leaps and bounds more comfortable though. Essentially the main difference is the height of the wrap and the Zeus will be stiffer than the Faction. With the Zeus you also have the option of getting a CT or OT. Another option for 08 is the CWB Answer, looks pretty cool to me.

I second that Stephan. If you can wait it out till the 2008 CWB lines come out do that. The hinge is pointing down and I read in some other posts that people have been being stabbed in the ass by the 2007 hinge style. I hope to god that doesn't happen to me. Also the 2008 should have eliminated the problem with the recoil and laces coming undone. The 2008 line looks really really cool too. Also in the future I might be going closed toe because as you get into more advanced tricks and start riding harder I have read some posts where peoples feet are pushing all the way throught the open toe styles getting sprained and messed up ankles. I think I will be getting the closed toe Zues myself when the come out.

I just caught a deal on some 07 zeus's after loving my factions this whole season. Theyre quite a bit more snug and supportive trying them on. Cant wait to get them in the water this weekend. I do love the hingetech tho...

i think i will stay open toe even if i go with the zues's. the only thing i was worried about with the hinge system is how much added weight there is to the binding, thats one thing i loved about the watson's was that they were probably the lightest binding i have seen. the thing about feet going through ot's is more likely improper fitment or bindings that are about ready to crap out anyway. people have been going big with spins and inverts long before ct and it hasn't been very much of a problem. its more style than function.

Amen.

Also amen to fitment.

In regards to weight its really not a big deal. The whole setup actually weighs very little. In wakeboarding the weight you need to worry about is the weight that is outside of your feet. You would have a hard time noticing a difference in swing weight between your Watson's.

I didnt notice the zeus bindings to be all that heavy. Maybe just a few oz. more than my old sphynx. The metal isnt very heavy at all, nor do I find it cumbersome.

The new hinge system seems to look much more discreet (hidden cables and hardware) than that on my 06's, and with the hinge folding down and the closed toe they look pretty good to me.