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Has anyone given any thought about (or had experience) riding without a highback? There are a couple of solid-board bindings coming out without bindings, or the option to ride without them. I first saw this video and was trying to find out if the Switchback binidings (at the end of the video) were designed for splitboards...

http://vimeo.com/37447119

Turns out they are solid-board bindings, likely designed by the guys behind Bataleon snowboards. I really liked the idea of not having highbacks on the way up though, and then I found an article by Mike Ranquet ( http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000 ... e-ranquet/ ) and some other people chiming in about not wearing highbacks while doing the riding, to pretty normal responses - most reviews are that can't feel any negatives without it, and a few prefer it outright, and some don't like it.

I'm curious, and I'll have to try it out this season on an inbounds day just to see what it's like, but has anyone gone touring without the highback? Or maybe know anyone that has?

cheers

You don't need highbacks to ride but you can't make nearly as powerful of a heel side turn without them. There' s a very good reason for them. Russman could geek out on the dynamics and science behind it. Forward lean is your friend. Highbacks on the way up were a non issue even before all the new ones came out that go back really far. Use highbacks. Trust me.

Highbacks are a joke, they are uncomfortable and unnecessary (at least for me). Nobacks are a little different, because they provide zero support, I use lowbacks w/o any forward lean. Whatever you like you should ride. Comfort is the most important thing. "Do what you like", and dont let the gearheads on here talk you out of anything. Its all about you...

http://splitboard.com/talk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=12307&hilit=lowbacks
http://splitboard.com/talk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8058
http://splitboard.com/talk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=12307&hilit=lowbacks

Cheers...

I never have liked forward lean, coming from a skate and surf background before ever snowboarding. I always take my lean adjusters off to save weight and have my highbacks at 0. No highbacks seems a bit unsupportive, especially in hardpack, crud, and on big airs. They're charging cruiser pow lines in this video without them.

http://vimeo.com/38892449

Several years ago I saw Lucas Debari rip some seriously high consequence lines (skiers left of "Fly on the Wall" for those that know Baker) without highbacks and proclaim that he'd never put them back on.

He put them back on.

thanks for the responses. I ride with them now, and I get the power transition to heelside, but I currently don't ever much forward lean. I'll just have to try it out and see what I like.

How much would the 'negative lean' adjustment have to go on a highback for it not to effect the forward gait when skinning uphill? (that's not supposed to be a dumb question, I'm finishing my first DIY, so I haven't split yet) I think something like the Switchback bindings, where the highback is able to pop out without a screwdriver, for a splitboard binding (or if it had an aluminum base welding it into a split biding).

thanks again

this is exactly how i feel.. ive ridden almost a full season without highbacks, but its hard to argue against them. yes it feels more like surfing, but if you want to go surfing, generally one will do so. also, mike ranquet is another breed entirely; in the movie "lines," he speaks of freeride pioneering in the 90s where he ripped mendenhall towers (or some line of equivalence) in sorrels! soo yeah, he can rip anything!

Ya, the first boots I snowboarded in were steeled toe doc martins and jeans with trashbags underneath for waterproofing while hiking around the lake arrowhead area on my dads friends burton air. Before that we tried screwing a boot to an old skateboard....those were the days.

I'll stick with my high backs, but I think I'm going to turn an old deck to a noboard.

I like stiff highbacks i use the aluminun bent metal ones but the are a pain while skinning so I made a set of removable high backs last year by cutting a knotch in the mounting holes. Found that I prefer touring with out the high backs. On flat ground it allowed you to take a more natural stride. Saved around 100 grams

word upwards, my friend. are u in bozeman right now? love that place more than anywhere. and i think i love the bridgers more than life itself.

yeah im spend most my time in bozeman. all the long approaches here have made me look for ways to skin faster and more comfortable on the flats. i lace my boots with the tongue out to let them flex, along with no highbacks allows you to take a nice stride, closer to leather tele boots. closest i can get to my dream of a dynafit soft boot.

bought a sled instead of a seasons pass this year so i plan to be in the north bridgers finding lines all winter.

picture??? does the notch make it so you can pop it in and out, while it's pretty locked when the highback is vertical for riding?

sick man, i love sledding in the bridgers. lets hope this season is a little safer than last. im still recovering from a fight with an avalanche up at fairy this spring.. N bridgers will spank ya if you let them