Ball of Frustration

[Rico226]

Not to bore you with a long story, but wanting to give background for better understanding. Coming off of a season ending ankle injury last year only skied twice before the injury. 2012 I was at the top of my game over my 14 year ski span, mens 4 skier now, (started skiing at 38 yrs old ) with a tournament PB 2 @ 38. During practice second outing in 2013, hit a high floating 2 ball at full speed with fogman bindings, back foot came out, front was locked and no release occurred with an immediate stop on the buoy. Surgery was needed, repairing torn tissue, dislocated peroneal tendon, along with removing bone fragments to my front angle (LFF skier) and was a very long summer in 2013. Water under the bridge now. Ankle is back 85% now, still some swelling after a year, but I am skiing again, Ya !!!, Decided to make a change and moved to Reflex binding with a rear shoe. Went to the rear shoe, because I never liked the back full boot binding tight on my leg on the fogman as it tended to pull me to the back leg. I have free skied many times on the new Reflex and course skied about 8 times (multiple sets over the last one month). Just can't seem to get anything going. One day at the end of a ski set I feel like I am coming back, completing 28 off passes, then running deep 32, other days can't make a pass at 28 getting 4 or 5 balls. I do not feel "skeered" pushing the ankle, but the reflex seems so much different than the fogmans. In the past, if I got late in a pass on the fogmans I could still scrap out most passes at 28 & 32. The reflex seems super sensitive with zero hacking leeway, requiring better body position. Any separation off of a 1 or 3 hook turn (onside for me LFF) and game is over into 2 & 4. There is no jacking the ski (on a goode 9800) around on these bindings, just end up on the back leg at the end of a turn, getting pulled down course late into the next. Don't get me wrong, I do strive to stay stacked over the ski through the pass, and not to place extra stress on the body, but stuff happens quickly :) Anyone had similar struggle coming off of a injury and a binding change ? Was on the fogmans for 10 years. I am "skeered" to go back to that binding at this point. Grasshopper try to never make same mistake twice. Not sure if this is in someway a norm, and it just takes time the find yourself or at what point do I except the bindings are not going to fit my style and move on. It is great to be back out there, the ski workout still beats the gym, but i want to get back into consistently skiing passes in practice and back into tournaments and find my "man card' again.

[skiep]

If I had to bet, Your front boot is to tight. Try it a little looser and report back.

[skier2788]

@Rico226‌ I didn't have an injury but I did feel the same as you are describing when I went from my strada to reflex. Handle control seems to be far more important with a reflex. I think we get used to some of the looseness of other bindings and that allows us to kinda get away with somethings. Seemed like if I had my edge change in the same place I was turning about a foot inside the bouy or was skiing directly at the bouy. Reflex just seem to react much quicker. It has been about three months and I am still learning to stay on the handle longer and not crank any turns. It takes a bit of time but you will figure them out.

[ForrestGump]

Typically, moving from a rear boot to a rtp or reflex R shoe type rear will have you needing to move the bindings forward 1/8 to 3/16.

[gator1]

@Rico226‌: Buddy. Gatormod would have saved you in your Fogmans, and will again if you want to go back to them. I invented it after I had the same type injury that resulted in peroneal and ruptured Achilles. Two surgeries. I also tried Reflex. Can't ski in the damn thing.

[dtm]

I've used Fogmans for 14+ years. The system only works if both feet stay in the bindings. If one foot comes out, you don't have the correct leverage to create a "safe" release from the pins. It is dangerous to run them with one of the bindings loosened for comfort or performance. I use a shim under the heal of the rear boot to create a little lift for that foot. I would guess that the mistake was a loose rear boot, and not the selection of binding system.

[webbdawg99]

@rico226 Do you still have the Fogman shells? If so, you could mount them to @mmosley899's OB4 system and would probably feel no significant change from your Fogman system. Since you live right down the road, I bet you could come try it out and see what you think. It would be a worthwhile pursuit in my opinon!

[ScarletArrow]

Had a similar experience... ankle injury, surgery, spent 2 years playing catch-up, switched to Reflex from Stradas and felt I was further behind b/c it was so sensitive.

 

Give it time. Reflex is a great system and I believe the snappier edge change exposed some flaws in my form coming off the 2nd wake.

 

I've heard all different kinds of "rule of thumb" on how long it should take to adjust to a new binding... and 8x seems like it's barely enough given your whole story.

 

It took me an entire month of skiing (mostly b/c I'm a terrible skier), but I love the system now and I wouldn't go to anything else.

[Rico226]

Fellows thanks for the suggestions, I ended up feeling the ski was biting in the offside turn and now have moved back the bindings a 1/4 inch, and the ski is performing better. @webbdawg99 it was time for newer bindings the fogmans buckles had become cumbersome when removing, I also went down a size in the Reflex, fogmans were a 10, now in a size 8 Reflex, shoe size is a 9 so I could get my feet closer together. Been doing some more free skiing, along with the course, and it appears I am skiing stronger. Going to commit to the Reflex this season. Hoping to peak for some tournaments in later Aug/Sept. If the Reflex requires better technique, imagine that is a very good thing for me. Remember when Zero off first came out, didn't like it to begin with, but it made me ski better.

[mmosley899]

@Rico226‌ bring me those boots anyway, I have new buckles. And I can show how we can use those boots on the OB4 system even if you don't want to try it...

[Drago]

@Rico226 : been there. 2010 season ran 39 every tournament. Mangled ankle, got in reflex. Skied like crap and trashed my back.Ditch the reflex. Go back to your fogmans, add Gatormod, and realize what. 85% is in reality. 85% is down two passes. Been 4 years for me and I'm finally feeling like I might be able to post some scores later this year.