2012 Strada bindings - Rear heal won't stay down.

[ski6jones]

A friend of mine bought a set of 2012 Strada bindings and has been skiing on them probably 10 time or so by now.

 

He's complaining that the heal of his rear foot won't stay down on the foot bed. His old bindings were animals and he said he didn't have that problem in the animals.

 

I moved to RS-1's from Wileys a couple of years ago and never had any problems adjusting.

 

Anyone else experience problems with the heal of your rear foot when going to Strada/RS1boots from rubber?

 

Thanks.

[travnews]

I think it's good thing to be able to lift your rear heal a little.

[ski6jones]

Apparently the rubber bindings held his heal down much more and the Stradas don't hold it down near as much.

 

I don't notice my rear heal lifting when I ski, but truthfully I haven't really thought about it.

 

[Horton]

Don't understand why heel would come up ... Why do you need the binding to keep it down? If your heel is coming up you are doing something odd.

[skibug]

erh??? Can you repeat that?

[HO 410]

The boot could be a little big.

 

But even if it is, he's making some kind of up and forward movenent. The old bindings masked this by pushing his feet down onto the ski.

[travnews]

He could try some thicker insoles.

 

[ski6jones]

Do those of you that ski with a rear to loop have heel down when skiing or heel up, or combination of the two??

[Broussard]

I have seen some people wear socks

[Horton]

I was posting from my phone earlier.... So why do you need the binding to keep your heel on the ski. Seems to me that means you are doing some VERY bad things.

[ski6jones]

I'll discuss that with my ski partner. Heel up seems contrary to a balanced stance.

 

Just trying to get some other points of view. I recommended the Strada to him cause I liked my RS1's so much. He's finding the adjustment difficult so I'm trying to help.

[TWB]

I experienced the exact same issue on my T-Factor. The first couple of turns it felt like I couldn't rest my rear foot on the ski at all. It was like I was skiing on only my front foot. I thought it was from the slight forward angle of the binding. I think the Animals (in my case, a Radar Vector) allows me to stand more straight-legged, and the T-Factors force me to have a slight bend in my ankle. I had an ankle injury unrelated to skiing, and I'm very cautious about bending my rear ankle where it doesn't feel natural. I even went to a RTP. The adjustment period isn't going to be easy, but I saw signs that the T-Factor might be just what I need.

[Horton]

RS-1 basically = Strada. Radar has changed the liner thickness here and there but it is really the same binding.

[skierjp]

What level skier is he? I would think the boot is too big or he needs to tighten the drew strings

[MrJones]

Why do you want it down? Powershells by Goode add the springy bit on the back to allow you some rear heel rise. When I went to Stradas I noticed that my heel would come up a bit (only noticed it on the ends/dropping in) for a couple of sets and got used to it. I am now on a Reflex with the R style rear so my heel CAN move some.

 

My rec is to ski with a while and see what happens.

[ski6jones]

@TWB, were you able to adjust to them eventually?

 

@skierjp, skies into 28 off at 34. Boot size is a good thought, I'll check.

 

[teammalibu]

I have been feeling the same thing since switching to a rear Reflex half shell. I can feel my rear heel lift a bit when coming off the second wake. I think it may be a good thing helping me keep softer knees coming to the ball. I had been using a rear wiley high wrap for years and i think it was holding the heel down. I guess i will find out when i get in better ski shape and start cutting the rope.

[TWB]

@ski6jones I tried them for half a set last year and switched back because the season was almost over and I didn't have the time to figure them out. Just tried them again for the first time this year during a free-ski, so it's too soon to tell. They made my ski feel completely different. It completed the turn better (on-side, not off-side) and held angle through the wakes much better, but I also experienced bad cramping in my foot and calf. I'm sticking with them for a while.

[Texas6]

@Carl, I ski'd with a gentlemen in our neighborhood this week (possibly the same guy) who was complaining of the same exact issue on his Strada bindings. I personally believe its a combination of his tendency to bend forward after coming off the second wake & the way his previous bindings clamped his feet to his ski like a vice. I had not trouble adjusting to Strada's either and never had the same issue.

[ski6jones]

@Texas6, same guy.

[Texas6]

If it makes you feel better, I highly recommended the bindings for him as well. I also feel partly responsible for the issues he is seeing. Having said that, he is still adjusting to a new ski and binding set up after being on his old set up for many years. I sent him instructions on heat molding them thinking that may help a bit, but honeslty think he just needs time on them and some minor adjustments in his skiing form

[SkiJay]

The freedom to move of a rear toe loop with the security and feel of a rear boot. I think Radar struck the perfect balance and I love'm. Locking down your rear heal is probably not helpful anyway, and if I was starting over, I'd go rear toe loop.

[londonskier]

I'm having similar trouble on Goode Powershells. If I'm in good shape turning in (my offside lff) then they feel great. but if I dont finish the turn on 2,4, I get popped forward off the second wake. Really scary. I've been on them since December following a rear foot injury. I get a little heel lift but no ankle bend. The boots stop the foot pain, but I'm struggling to get used to them and I dont yet know if they will release. So I dont know hether to perseviere or go back to the reflex / vector rear set up. I tried the Stradas - cant ski in them - I'm used to a hardshell.

[Steven_Haines]

I don't see anything wrong with some heel lift. Isn't that what alot of toe loop guys like about them? If there was a poll on the subject, id be willing to bet that the freedom of movement and the ability to adjust your stance during the pass would be one of the top reasons that some guys still prefer them. I use hard shells but find that at different points of my pass my heel height varies greatly. I would think that this guy just needs to get some more rides on them before he aborts.

[ski6jones]

@Horton, what about a poll on this? When I ski the heal of my back foot is; 'On the footbed', 'Raised from footbed' or 'I ski the course on doubles',

[Horton]

@Ski6Jones Will do

 

I was not thinking (reading) clearly in my earlier posts. It has been a long week.

 

To clarify: I have been told that Nate has his rear heel off the ski from after the edge change, round the ball and almost back to the wakes. What this means is that after he switches edges he moves forward with is center of mass and that he stays forward and light on the way back to the wakes. (no idea how this is done but that is what I have been told)

 

When he is under load at the wakes both feet are on the ski.

 

Few skiers are that far forward on the ski so I assume that when a skiers has heel lift is means that they are not stacked / aligned. If your shoulders are not up tall/ hips not forward and your rear heel is up that seems like a very bad position.

 

For anyone of you guys that are really stacked and bring our heel up you have my admiration. I know there are a few of you out there.

[londonskier]

Hey Horton, that comment above was superb. I read it twice. Clear and concise and on the money. IMO change of bindings is more important than the ski, and will be harder to adjust to. After reading the above, maybe I should stick with the Powershells in the knowledge that if I get popped up, its cos I'm in a bad position, ie bent arms, hips not up. (still nervous about the release though).

[A_B]

If it keeps lifting after 3 hours, call a Doctor. Had to throw that out.

 

Goode used to have a rear binding that had a spring mechanism in the back boot to allow lifting. Is this still the case anyone?

 

I skied some of my best when the toes of my back foot were running up the heel of the front boot. I can't imagine my heel lifting in that position.

 

Are his feet far apart ? Are Nates? I could see if you had more gap between the feet where the back heel may lift as you push your back knee into the rear of the front and drive weight over the ball of front foot.

 

Puzzled, now that I am thinking about it.

 

 

[londonskier]

Hi AB. Goode still use that spring mechanism, seems to work ok.

 

[Mateo_Vargas]

I've often wondered if Goode's spring mechanism is illegal under current USAWS rules?

 

8.03 Skis

 

D. No other devices are permitted, except that devices affixed to the ski intended

to control or adjust the skiing characteristics of the ski are allowed as long as

they are fixed, in that they do not move or change during actual skiing.