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(Two cross-post reviews follow here)
This is one configuration (of many) for a factory split mount. Notably, it took a fellow splitter on this forum for me to get a useful picture of a factory split mount.
I mounted saddles on one of my splits. Some thoughts:
1. Many possible configurations
There are many different potential configurations of the parts that one can use. I ended up using one different than the picture above.
The downside of so many configurations is that it’s confusing and difficult to set up–at least for someone as mechanically disinclined as me–this is especially true without directions. The upside is that it’s highly adjustable.
Here is the rear foot configuration I am using (for now, but who knows if I will change it up).
2. Loose fit
Using last year’s light rails, there is a small amount of vertical play between the binding and saddle. Although fore-aft tolerances are tight, the saddle doesn’t hold the binding down firmly. The result is a small but annoying and worrisome rattle. I will keep diddling with it to try to remedy this problem. If I can’t resolve this problem it will probably be a deal killer for me.
3. Nice boot centering
The design allows one to center their rear boot and binding on the board in a way that factory pucks don’t. As a size 12 guy harboring a disdain for boot-out, I like this feature a lot.
4. Design suggestion
By designing the base mounting plates with a bit of board seem overlap on each side this system could facilitate more structural rigidity by preventing one ski from being torqued higher than the other.
@sun_rocket
Slightly overlapping pucks make a very big difference, and don’t add any weight or complexity. Overlapping tourbrackets would be even better. I still don’t understand that nobody’s improved the pucks besides Prowder. We now have $500 bindings, and still have to use the plastic pucks that frankly arent’t that great. I’ve been riding these all season, very happy with them:
http://flatlandsplitfest.com/
Just went up to Kevin’s shop and picked up some Prowder hardware. 2 sets of saddles, 1 set of hooks and 1 set of clips. Setting up a Lib Tech Rice DIY split and putting the saddles on a solid for my Sparks. Pretty impressed with everything so far. Kevin showed me around and explained a lot of the design decisions. Kevin seems like a really smart/talented product designer/engineer and I love his mission to design quality products that push the sport to new areas while trying to keep the cost as low for us dirtbag snowboarders. He also does some amazing DIY splits with inner edge/sidewall. Really made me rethink the quality of my DIY splits 😉
Haven’t seen snow yet, but my impressions from installation mimic some of the previous.
– Everything is very tight out of the box and some minor filing/grinding is needed to get a smooth, snug fit for my Sparks (lt pins, non-tesla) on the saddles. I’d rather have this issue than any slop out of the box. Voile adapter plates slide on like butter, but have a little bit of slop. Kevin showed this to me at the shop with some Light Rails as well. The Voiles tend to sit a little higher off the board than Sparks, so filing down the top of the saddle helps this. I could also see placing some foam rubber between the board and the plates to add a little bit more height and cushion if you needed this.
– The tip hooks blow the plastic voile clips away. You can get a much much tighter and more solid clip on your tips that I never thought was possible.
– Moving from Karakoram clips to cowboy clips. I love that you get the overlap and the clip to lock and in tour mode the clip locks back. The sloppy Karakoram clip on the ups has always been a pet peeve. I also love that you can really adjust the clips if your drilling isn’t 100% spot on.
– The adjustability on the saddles and clips is pretty unbelievable.
– Using the existing 4×4 inserts on the DIY split is the best thing ever! stance options and fewer holes in the core!!!
I’m not too concerned about the metal-metal, but we’ll see how this plays out. After reading recommendations, I’ll be exploring loc-tite for sure. My only real concern right now is how tight everything is and how transitions will be, might be a little tough with gloves on and low temps.
Pretty excited to try this system out. Designed and made in Colorado!
Once I get out on snow with these, in bc and resort, will report back.
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