Reflex Binding Questions

[brettmainer]

I have a couple of questions.

 

First, I have been skiing on my black cuff front with soft rubber rear for 3 years. I like it a lot and it works well, but is there some corrosion or fatigue related maintenance I should do? My biggest fear is pre-releasing when I am not expecting it.

 

Second, and more important. My 12yr old daughter has progressed rapidly this spring and is now skiing at 32mph. She was a 25 - 28 mph skier just a month ago. She is on a low rise lace up radar front binding w rear toe piece. I worry that she has a few big crashes coming, and I want her in the safest set up possible that still allows high performance. She is very talented at several other sports and I don't want to see a leg injury. I was figuring to get her a Reflex black cuff due to my positive experience, but I see there are now 3 binding choices (black, white and super shell) and two release choices (840/750). What has been good for a 180lb double boot skier who rarely crashes may not be the best for a 110lb toe piece skier who is going to take some wrecks.

 

Can I please get some input as to the relative merits of the binding types for a toe piece skier and also the difference and recommended choice between the 840 and 750 releases?

 

Thanks in advance for the input.

[mmosley899]

@brettmainer the safest setup that allows high performance may not be with that type release. The boot itself does not increase safety, how it releases does. There are skiers using my system that have run into and through 39off on it.

[aupatking]

For you first question, you can totally disassemble you release mechanism to visually inspect it for corrosion issues. I believe @skialex has some pretty informative posts somewhere on here, with pictures of his disassembled mechanism. The only pain in putting it back together is making certain the T-nut stays in it’s small slots. I have always greased the snot out of my inner mechanism parts, and never had any corrosion issues.

I gave @mmosley899 one of my boots, and am looking forward to trying that system soon. I do like my Reflex, but the MOB does appear to be the safest setup going.

For your daughter, one nice thing about the Reflex setup is that you can dial it down and dock test it. It can’t hurt to get her a boot and, if you’re not on the XXL plate, you can set up your plate for her boot size to test. That way, you’re out the money for a boot and liner rather than the whole system if it doesn’t seem right for her. If she can get a comfortable release tension, I don’t know what would make that system unsuitable for a light weight skier.

[OldboyII]

I seriously injured knee and leg in a binding of one of several top brands with Silvretta release which successfully passed dock test minute before.

Before this I had several crashes and binding worked perfectly.

No system in 100% safe and anything could happen.

[skialex]

@brettmainer if you ski mostly on fresh water and you haven't felt the need to reconditioned anything maybe your Reflex is still good. 3 years though is a long time and I wouldn't feel comfortable to leave some parts as is. If you are not used to disassemble things like your release I would go for a new one, especially now that the new 840ss is available. I can still send you a p.m. With the steps to take to refurbish your release.

As far as for your daughter I don't feel comfortable to make suggestions as there is no safe proof binding out there. Buy her a boot as @aupatking suggested and dry land test the system with her. On the Reflex FAQ they say " a person using the Reflex system should not weight less than 88 pounds. This is because even when the release mechanism is set at the minimum number it still may not release"

 

 

[markchilcutt]

@brettmainer My daughter is loving her black cuff front reflex and radar RTP. She has been on it for at least 3 seasons and has released from it when needed. I am very happy and thankful my good buddy suggested the reflex in conjunction with a RTP.

[Chef23]

I put my son on a Reflex front with a RTP when he was about 10 and probably a little heavier than your daughter. It has been a great system for him and always released for him when needed. For a very long time he skied with it on the lightest setting and it both kept him and released without a pre-release. He moved from skiing 28 mph to 36/28 using the black cuff Reflex and used the same shell for slalom and trick.

[brettmainer]

Thank you for the input.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Both of my kids moved to reflex with rtp in the 30mph range and both were somewhere around 80-90 lbs at the time. The reflex is safer and better performing than a rubber boot. It’s tried and true with a large number of kids using it.

 

The 750 release has been standard for a good number of years. The white cuff and super shell offer a little more flexibility than the black shell. But again all the kids I see at tournaments use the black shell.