Splitboard.com Forums

Okay Frail1 everyone has told you to use your highbacks because its so obvious that they help, and that you must not be experienced enough to know any better. However I have been riding longer than most(before any resorts allowed it in the U.S., my first board was a burton woody w/ waterski bindings, actually it was a skateboard deck w/ innertube and rope through the truck mount holes but anyways) When I lived in Mammoth/June Lake in the late eighties/early nineties... we rode Sorels for boots w/ ski boot bladders in them and GULP..... no highbacks!!! The idea at the time was that we were skaters first and that you coudnt tweak airs(bonelesses, melons, etc.) w/ the highback in the way. It works fine once your muscles in your feet build up alittle and in pow even better... hardpack/speed is where your leverage issue comes in to play... but it is fun and very skate/surfy feeling... I personally liked it ...but I do ride HARDBACKS currently. I say try it and if you like it let YOUR exp. dictate what you like!!!8)

Burton has brought the "lowbacks" back - http://www.burton.com/Gear/Default.aspx ... 3/B8126101 Notice the TB3 mention for those who need a reference.

Highbacks did not exist on the first generation snowboards. Snowboarders were all using Sorel type boots back then with no straps (surf style) or basic footstraps. As the sport started to grow and the limits of what could be done a board were being pushed; boarders found out quickly that in steeper terrain the less leverage they had on their turns... especially on firm snow. This issue is what drove early pioneers to develope a binding that offered the needed leverage and support. The introduction of the highback paired with an independent ankle strap and toe strap achieved this. Come the early 90's the "jib" trend took off and "tweaking out" was in style. Lowbacks allowed way more "tweakability". Some took off their highbacks, but soon found out the drawbacks. Lowbacks were ultimately better than no-backs. With halfpipe and freeriding still popular, many discovered the downsides of lowbacks, so they reverted back to highbacks.

I've seen this topic on snowkite forums... I'm suprised to see it here. Snowkiters are the only ones that can benifit from removing their highbacks. When snowkiting you're on flat or very mellow terrain just holding down an egde to stay upwind. Due to not being on steep terrain, there's no need for the highbacks... just straps and good snowboard boots will surfice. This allows for more comfort on the legs, longer sessions and more flexibility... plus its lighter.

Bottom line - If you ride mellow terrain or deep powder or the snowpark you do not need highbacks! For everything else... highbacks are a must!

WTF????

"Cartel Lo-back - Up the ante and sprock off the twock." I'm pretty sure I clicked on the english website. WTF does this mean?

I really hate mainstream snowboarding.

UB

I don't even think the authors of that odd statement even know what it means, but I'll bet every 16 year old at the resort does.

I think I don't want to know what it means.

Its a play on words that actually derives from the OLD SCHOOL.....

"Up the Ante" and "New kids on the Twock" are old snowboard videos from back in the day when lo-back bindings were popular.

The statement "Up the ante and sprock off the twock" can translate to "push your limits and shred hard".

Thanks for the clearification. You could make millions of $$ translating oldschool and newschool broboarding lingo into english me thinks.

UB

"The statement "Up the ante and sprock off the twock" can translate to "push your limits and shred hard". "

I'm gonna go on record right now and affirm that this is the best quote on the internet. Ever.

as an addition, "sprock" references the early days of Terje Haakonsen ala Standard Films "TB2" when he was know as "the sprocking cat"

You should check out Mike Ranquet's theory on losing the highbacks. Very interesting. It's in the bonus section of Pauporte's film "Lines," perhaps one of the best movies i've seen on boarding. If you're a fan of big mountain riding and Alaska then BUY THE MOVIE. He brings up a lot of interesting points(besides the CIA conspiracy theory) on why to lose the highback. I wouldn't be opposed to riding without them. They were charging lines back then on soo much less. Its all about the operator.

'
Fair enough. But I'm sure you are not comparing the leverage of Sorel's to today's boots. I'm talking about winter touring, going down in powder. If the highback is necessary for leverage on hardpack, fine. Sketchy spring tours, fine. But for powder or corn, the boot seems plenty stiff. In these conditions, the highback seems like an unevolved appendage. Just sayin'.

Mountain plates and plastic mountaineering boots have suited me fine over the last few years. However, when the harder snow starts showing up I want something that will allow me to really dig in an edge. Has anyone, tried "flow " bindings on the split?

Frail1,

Splitfire stole the words right out my mouth. It's also interesting to note the NoBoarding scene. Yes, they are mostly riding pow and fairly melow terrain but I have seen a vid of a guy dropin cliff! NO BINDINGS. And not to mention if it's hardpack or something I'm probably not going bc, I like my speedy groomers then.

Anyway, ever since I saw the film "Lines"(again backing up Splitfire, best snowflick ever imo) I have wanted to try this. And thanks to you, I think I will next time out. Love the post man.

Peace,

Brian

p.s. been riding for 15 years and think it's a good question, surfy pow is an awesome sensation.

Was going to post the same dealie...
Bindings are not required for snowboarding....
http://www.noboard.ca/
I'm not sure I would say noboarding is just for mellow terrain.

Anyways, any way you get down the mtn is great as long as its on a snowboard!

And yes LINES is the best snowboard flick ever...

On my Salomon bindings the forward lean on the high backs can be backed of without a tool. But they have to be adjusted back in the same position again. Can be stressful in cold and windy situations.
Is there any binding on which the high back can be released backwards, and reset without need for careful re-adjustment?

/Gunnar