Reflex, Masterline and Miscellaneous unboxing

[Horton]

[fox197]

Looking toward to the reflex review. Deciding on new bindings for next season. Hopefully I can get abit of insight. @Horton

[John Brooks]

Last year, mid season, I went from double Wiley's to front Reflex and rear Wiley and very happy with the change. In my opinion, the Reflex helped with a noticeable improvement in my form and technique. Also going from rubber to hardshell is a big difference, in positive way, in ski responsiveness. Looking forward to Horton's assessment and review.

[Horton]

@John Brooks black or white cuff Reflex?

[PatM]

90% of the Reflexes I see are the black. On the black myself. Went from the Goode Powershells to the Reflex, no problem switching.

[John Brooks]

@Horton , black.

[drewski32]

How much softer is the white cuff? I've grown out of my current reflrex black cuff and I'm looking at maybe getting a white one for the next. I like the heel strap because it looks like it would help protect the achilles tendon, but I like the way my current cuff feels.

[BRY]

I have both. They seem to be the exact same height. I ran the black cuff buckle a little looser than I run the white upper (white very snug but not tight). I run both bottom buckles tight but not crushing/cramping my foot. I am used to close fitting snow skiing boots and the white feels like that, close with no slop. The white ski's smoother to me but it's really splitting hairs. I think molding/not molding the liners makes a bigger difference. People are missing out with hard shells if they don't mold their liners.

 

Interesting @John Brooks see's mostly black his area, I see mostly white here.

@horton for your test use the thin liner and mold it. I recommend using a very thin sock with a toe cap cut from a couple old cotton sport socks.

[Horton]

@bry mold the thin liner?

[BRY]

@horton Yep, mold it. There are instructions on the Reflex site http://reflexwaterskiusa.com/binding-liner-instructions/

Goode went to the rice bag method and Reflex now says two socks, think that's a CYA so people don't burn themselves which probably happened. I don't think either works as well as the old way, the way it's done for snow ski boots, with thinnest sock you have (I use a silk liner) and toe cap underneath. Been a while but I don't think I heated it that hot, more like 175 for 5-6 min. Anyway, the liner will puff up huge, be hot and a pain in the butt to get into the shell. I put my foot in the boot, then into the shell with an extra pair of hands to help hold the shell open. Buckle just snug, not tight, and stand normal without moving foot/leg for 5 minutes (boring long time). Now the liner will match your foot exactly, fill small voids and won't slide around in the shell. If not good first time it can be redone with no issues. Common sense and you won't burn yourself.

[drewski32]

Another question.... I trick with the same boot I slalom with, but only about 10 times a year. Will the heel strap get in the way?

[MattP]

@horton heat the thin one.

[BRY]

BTW that's for the front, rear R style I go with their low thick liner not molded. I want that to fit looser for movement. Just tight on the front buckle to keep ball of foot planted.

[Nando]

I tried my brother's setup- same ski, different year, and white vs. black cuff- and it seemed that the tightness of the top buckle had as much or more effect on flex than the stiffness of the black vs. white. Do most white shell users set the strap to limit forward flex or just to prevent over-flexing? (His was pretty loose.)

[John Brooks]

Black - top buckle is only tight enough to get the buckle to stay closed. Not tight at all.

[MrJones]

Speaking of liners. Love my R style rear boot, but the liner that comes with it is not great. I use intuition splash liners on both with a Velcro strap around the top of the back liner to keep it tight on my leg. The one that comes with it felt really weird when skiing plus it must weight 2 lbs when wet. The rear splash with the strap made the half she'll feel like a normal rear to me.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@Horton, get a freakin haircut! You're going to look like Marcus' crazy old uncle in the attic before too long.