HO A2 + Exo or Reflex?

[stone88]

Any skier reports yet? I'm debating the strada or the A2. I can get a much better price on the A2 in Europe but I can't try it before buying! Coming off a sixam ss & pb 4 @ 28 58kph

[Horton]

I just got off the phone with someone that is trying the A2. He said that there is something special at the edge change. I did not fully understand but he said that he really liked it. Extra smooth.

[Skihack]

[Roger]

It's one of the few skis I tried that I was able to ski on right out of the box. I liked it and would consider one when my Fischer dies... (also tried Strada, Vice, Z7-ST, and MR).

[Wish]

Roger, what's your take on the Strada vs the Vice??

[stone88]

Tanks for comments guys. Roger what was your take on strada over the A2. For me i would pay 800 euros for A2 or 1100 for strada so I figure if the a2 is as user friendly it's a no-brainer.

[Chef23]

At least they don't make it in the 68.75" size so I don't need to worry about buying one to upgrade my A1.

[stone88]

I'm also gonna change my animal bindings to a either the reflex or the exo. I already ski a double boot so I don't see the problem with the exo but my everyone at my lake says go with the reflex? The problem I see with the double boot hardshells is that I currently ski with the front and rear boot as close together as possible. I even cut a little bit off the front of the rear plate of the animals to get them close enough. Particularly on the reflex, this looks like it could be a problem!

[MattP]

@stone88 Reflex has come up with a solution for that problem. If you want to go with the double Reflex system... I would suggest a rubber rear or a RTP to be used with the Reflex though.

 

"The new Reflex Toe Loop Bar gives the double binding skiers the ability to move the back binding closer to the front foot.

 

Many skiers are adopting our double-release hardshell bindings, and this new toe loop is progress for those who desire to have a shorter distance between the front and the rear shell."

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[Ham_Wallace]

Try the D-3 T-Factor. Rubber Rocks, Stiff laterally, soft forward and back!

[Roger]

@stone88 - I skied better on the A2 than the Strada. Several others at Okeeheelee preferred the Strada though so I think it's a matter of your style.

 

@Wish - I liked the Vice better than the Strada. I think it was just as fast and turned a bit better for me.

 

 

[stone88]

Thanks for that roger.

 

Ham Wallace, I am looking to change for the release safety as well as control over ski which is why I'm looking at reflex or exo

[Deanoski]

more skiers and pros use the reflex system with a rtp or rubber back boot.

 

when set up properly the work great.

 

Deano

[ForrestGump]

Personally, while I love the idea behind the EXO's, I don't feel as if they are a fully developed product. I've seen way too many bent rails and broken rail ends.

[stone88]

@ deanoski, do you think that set up would work with my animal rear. I currently have a medium for the front foot and large for the rear so there is a bit of freedom at the back

[Old MS Accout]

JD uses a Reflex with Animal rear. I have seen lots of skiers with that set up.

 

[Deanoski]

Stone, I have been using a reflex boot with a animal rear for 3 years. It works very well.

Bennetts has complete reflex set ups with the old 404 heel ( thats the heel I use) for 399.00 with ali plate no need for the carbon plate IMO.

 

Deano

[travnews]

I also like the idea of 2 feet in 2 feet out on the exos, but to me the product has not proved itself yet. I purchased the 2011 reflex bindings with the r-style rear and love them. For me they really helped in my edge change. I demoed some exo's last year and really like the performance of them. But my feet cramped a little and they had some bad pressure points, they might have been sized a little small. I had toe room though, they were just really snug accross the top on my foot. There was just to many bad reviews out there about the exos bending bars and what not; that's why I didn't go with them. But I have read in a few places that the problems are fixed for the 2011 bindings. I really like my reflex set-up, I haven't released yet, but I also haven't crashed yet. In due time I'm sure.

[Chef23]

Deano, I don't think those Reflex setups on the Bennets site are the old heel I think they are just old pictures. I called Bennets a couple of months ago looking for an old boot and they didn't have any so I would be surprised if they had complete old setups. There don't appear to be any old boots around. I got lucky and stumbled across one on ski-it-again so I didn't have to buy two new releases for my son right now.

[Deanoski]

 

 

Chef, I bought a new shell for my wife, took the heel block off turned it over and t-nuted it back on. now the block is the height foor the 404 heel. very simple to do. Remi told me this before he left reflex.

 

Deano

[stone88]

Thanks for info guys ordered today!

[Chef23]

Deano thanks for the update. I managed to find a shell but for his next one I might have to go that route.

[travnews]

Just a question on the reflex system. Does anyone store the binding secured to the ski with the release engaged. Or do you store the binding with the release not engaged. I don't engage the binding when not in use. I don't know if it matters or not, just curious really. I just think the more you engage and release the binding the faster it will wear out.

[ral]

@travnews, leaving the binding secured to the ski is not a good idea. Some skiers would do that and then put the foot in the boot while engaged in the ski. Not good,as a key element for safety with the Reflex system is to engage the binding before skiing, and make sure it is engaged properly.

[Chef23]

I generally leave mine secured but I take it off to put it on and then secure it once the boot is on my foot.

[Deanoski]

I leave mine out of the system when not in use.

 

Deano

[stone88]

OK so I went from 67.5 sixam SS with double animal to 66.5 A2 with reflex front and animal rear. Ive been skiing at 15 off 58kph and last weeknd cut to 22off for the 1st time this season and ran 4.

 

This weekend changed the ski and I had 2 sets yesterday and 2 today and it was really very strange. I missed my 1st 2 starts out of the water!! and then couldn't get round 15 off at 52kph at the beginning today I was struggling to get round 15off at 55kph but ran it a couple of times.

 

The ski turns like a rocket and is super stable and even on both sides. My offside has never been so good and I stepped on the front a couple of times and the ski just kept going and sort of rolled me back into position. So turns felt great but having said that, I wasn't getting the ski on edge and I was not getting any speed through the wakes and so was very narrow in the course. A couple of times I really felt like the ski was slapping the wakes rather than cutting through. I'm assuming this is just the learning curve with the reflex but everything just felt quite jumpy and I didn't feel a nice smooth connection between me the ski and the water, more dull and empty, sounds a bit wierd but its the only way I can describe it. I also got very tired quickly and the 2nd set today I had no energy.

 

Any reflex users remember similar problems when switching over. Also I always had my double animal both pointing straight but someone said with the reflex being so stiff I should really cant the rear a bit?

[Ali]

I changed ski and bindings at the same time once. Never again. Took me almost the whole season to adjust. Try the A2 with your double animals. Once you are happy with the ski you can try the reflex with it. IMO of course.

 

cheers

Ali

[Chuck_Dickey]

Same opinion from me. Try one change then the other.

 

I tried the reflex once changing from Powershell's and couldn't run my opener. Same ski, just different boots. Took me a while to figure out that the spacing just was not the same. Moved my front boot forward, then backwards and finally found the right spot. For me it was 1/4" off from the Powershell's.

 

Since then I have switched to EXO Pro's and love them. Second season with out an issue.

[stone88]

Yeah i suppose changing the ski, the size and the binding all in 1 go wasnt so clever! Will try my double animal on saturday.

[Dirt]

I agree with Ali and Chuck. That is a huge change all at once. Use your old bindings and dial the ski in. Once you are really happy with it, try changing bindings and the struggle will start all over again.