MOB system

[BTheis]

Hey Guys has anyone used the mob release system and not liked it?

[Jody_Seal]

@BTheis

please elaborate.

I like my MOB.

[ScottScott]

Nope

[BTheis]

@Jody_Seal I’m planning on switching from my Reflex and just curious if anyone used mob didn’t like it and switched to something else.

[ski6jones]

I tried them but had trouble securing the front of the plate where the release mechanism is. The front of the plate needs to be SECURELY fastened to the ski. Without this the potential for pre release is high. There are no standard screw holes at this location on any current skis which leaves drilling screw holes in the ski, or using the recommended tape. I even tried epoxying studs for mounting. At the end the day I couldn't do all of the this and try new skis also.

 

My experience could be tainted by the fact I have size 12 feet. With larger feet it became much more difficult to secure the release mechanism at the front of the plate to the ski. The longer plate put the mechanism even further forward from the stock inserts on most skis requiring more holding force from the tape (in my case).

 

If your feet are small then the system may work better. The release mechanism seems solid and worked as designed when securely attached to the ski

 

Mike was also very helpful working through all of this but at the end of the day I had to move on

[LK_skier]

I have been on a mob for ~ 6 years after an ugly stack then broke my foot in 4 places. I love it - I have since had falls where mine released out the side which I wonder how I would have fared using a reflex. As for the front of the plate - just use good quality 3m double tape - it works well for the purpose and I have the longer plate - Mike is great with helping set that up too. Performance wise I like that I can "use" any boot I want.

 

[Jody_Seal]

the MOB release system works well for me, have not had an instance were it did not function as designed.

as far as the attachment of the toe area of the system, I installed two extra inserts on my senate as well as a vapor and even a old Mapple I ride from time to time.

obviously if one is utilizing this system and trying skis one would not drill and install inserts on demo sksi but one could use two sided sticky tape temporarily under the front of the base plate

toe area.

I also can see if one has large feet this system

may have some difficulties. however I have seen reflex system have mechanical difficulties when

size 12 setup would not release completely and got hung up due to minimal clearance between release and rear toe plate.

another benefit to the mob is one can utilize the radar boots.

 

but then again I seen a guy on TV nats yesterday run 41 with old school high wrap and a toe strap rear kicker..

 

[LeonL]

@Jody_Seal you didn't just see "a guy". LOL

[Jody_Seal]

@LeonL

yea but I anit giving the dude anything more then guy!

[BraceMaker]

I also use it and also have no complaints. I have appreciated being able to try different boots and have used the system to swap a right foot and left foot skier onto the same ski at times.

 

I do agree the need for front inserts is clear and lack of any factory option to provide that is essentially the coffin nail in the system for most people.

 

I suspect if MOB began selling some sort of bond plate like reflex sells that had a front mount that might help but then again you're adding more and more stuff onto a ski. But that could provide all the mount locations for the system

 

 

Of course at that point you really could make the case that since you can move the boot upon the sole plate that you could just tape the whole unit down securely with VHB in the same manner.

 

If you leave the front loose from the ski the pressure of the release can "bow" the plate up allowing the release barrel to gap from the toe and potentially cause a pre-release.

 

BTW - if Radar chose to make their boots with a standard MOB style heel and toe ledge and the front inserts for the plate... I feel like that would be a game over hardshell system.

[skiinxs]

@ski6jones The newer D3's have an extra set of front inserts now, not sure when they started adding them. The Ion I bought last year had them. When I ordered my new Denali a few weeks ago I asked if they could add the front inserts in the same place as D3 and they happily bult them in when they made the ski for me. I am very happy with my MOB double boot system as I feel it is the safest system made. It has never pre-released and has released a few times when needed, one of which I feel would have been a serios injury with any other system. Since I had a total knee replacement over the winter I am particularly cautious now. Since I started using my MOB system three years ago a couple friends who come to my lake to ski with me have also switched over and are also very happy with the system. One uses double boots and the other uses rtp. We are all using the Radar boots with them. I am the only one with last years boots, my friends have both purchased the new Radar's. If you don't have the front inserts in your ski and don't want to add some, double stick tape works fine, with the only downside being that it is a pain to make binding adjustments. I totally agree that you do not want to use MOB without the extra front inserts or double stick tape.

[Wolfeie]

I fractured my ankle in 2019 skiing, had surgery and was off the water for about 3-4 months. I was using the Radar boots and had them too tight...my bad. I purchased the MOB system as a stop gap protection until my ankle got stronger. I used the MOB system for about a year and a half. It got me back on the water and added additional protection for my bad ankle. It was not the best set-up for me, but I lived with it and I was able to get back on the water. I also have size 12 feet and use the Radar boots. With the MOB system I could not get the rear boot as close to the back of the front boot as I could with the Radar sequence plate, and I could not "cant" the rear boot like I normally could. It also made the ski heavier and rode lower in the water. I was able to ski but I lost about 6 buoys.

 

I also agree on the front of the MOB system was held to the ski by double sided tape and not inserts. That section eventually cracked, making the system useless so I stopped using the MOB system.

[BraceMaker]

@skiinxs - the moving the plate bit also sort of doesn't matter since you can usually loosen the boot up on the sole plate and if needed open up the holes in the boot so you can move the actual boot on the sole plate for those fine tunes.

 

I find the double reflex set up sketchy as can be - and would whole heartedly recommend you do a MOB if you want dual hardshells that release.

[mmosley899]

I have had a few skiers crack their mounting plates, both G10 and aluminum. It can be caused by not having the area firmly attached to the ski, but sometimes skiers pull up a lot with their front toes. If it happens within the first year of use, I usually replace the plate, otherwise I can always rebuild a system for the cost of parts.

 

The system is designed with the ability to cant/rotate the boots with the same holes that Radar uses for mounting. So I'm not sure why that would be a problem. I have no problem setting up the plates so that the two boots touch if desired, sometimes the size of the boot makes a slightly different hole pattern needed in the boot plates. Since each system is built to order, I can make those adjustments when needed if I have the boots on hand or when requested by the skier.

 

I am working with a skier who uses the larger boots on some tweaks to the xlong plate to strengthen it. I am always looking for imput on improving the product from users. I can also use a slightly thicker(.025") mounting plate material when needed.

 

As for adding weight, the double boot system is essentially the same weight as double Tfactor boots. Also any slight added weight directly under your feet makes no more difference than you eating a bigger breakfast before you ski. It is unlikely that the ski would sit significantly lower in the water.

 

I am always willing to help skiers with any setup or design issues.

[sagilbert]

I have used the MOB system for 4 years. My daughter has used it for about 10 years. I have a friend that has used it for 4 years. We ski anywhere from 15-off (32) to 32-off. (34). We all like the MOB system. It is well-constructed, and none of us have had a failed release. Mike Mosley is very responsive to any questions, and you can't find anyone that has more interest in improving the safety of the sport. The two-sided taping is a minor inconvenience. I would rather use tape than drill more holes in the ski. I use a Roxa binding, my daughter uses a Reflex, and my friend uses a Radar Strada. It's nice that the MOB can accommodate a variety of bindings. Hope this helps!

[6balls]

2 extra inserts and a cooperative relationship with Mike at MOB would probably sell more skis. It really is the safest when mounted properly.

I had more trouble with the fact that I skied rubber like "that guy" with a toe plate kicker when I was injured--so it was more the transition to hard shell than the system.

[vtmecheng]

I wanted to let Mike comment first. I’m the larger boot skier who Mike worked with. My size 13s don’t release from rubber or lace style bindings no matter how loose they are, found that out the hard way. Went to MOB maybe 5 years ago. Seemed to work but the tape was definitely holding on for all it had and I needed to keep a close eye on it. After the tape failed once, Mike (being the awesome guy he is) worked with me on the plate to improve this. With some tweaking, my size large system works really well and the tape is holding strong. The plate holds firm when the binding is attached and the tape has been holding for months now, skiing about 3 sets a week. I do wish that all ski manufacturers installed the extra set of inserts for the front but that’s asking a lot considering they won’t even make rear inserts standard.

[EFW]

If you can buy a better system than Mikes------ GO BUY IT ------

[LK_skier]

For those that the tape isn't working, how much tape are you using? I'm covering the back of it with heaps - painful to move the binding but I don't play with my binding position too much. I think its worth it after I didn't think i could ski (or even walk properly) again after my accident. I could get up on ski but I couldn't hit the wake at speed without a jolting pain for a year. I thought I was destined to become a footer lol.

[mmosley899]

@LK_skier you shouldn't have to use very much tape, I typically use about 2" of 1" wide under the spring housing and maybe another piece under the toe of the boot plate area. However it seems that on some skis the tape does not stick as well. The surface may need to be cleaned better with alcohol or something else. I also seldom move my boots once they are set. My D3 slalom has the additional inserts as does my trick ski, so I am no longer using tape on my primary skis. However when I try new skis, I use the tape up front.

[tbarile]

So you don’t need the tape if you are using a d3?

[BraceMaker]

@tbarile if you have the trick ski pattern where there are 2 more inserts in front then he has a carbon stiffener to the front so the 2 inserts then hold it down enough to keep the plate from flapping.

 

 

[skialex]

Also 67” D3 slalom and up have an extra set of inserts, for the size 12 reflex users…

[Deanoski]

This is where it all started from

 

[mmosley899]

@Deanoski I have never seen a photo of the Head version, I do have some of the similar Voile releases.

 

For anyone who is not aware, Dean originated the ARC Binding for water skiing around 1990, which I used for many years. I later made the change to adapt his release to a standard hardshell skate boot when those became popular in the 90's. Then I developed my own version of the release system when my original ARC's starting to fail after many years of competitive use. I skied all three events for over twenty years with my ARC binding releases. Thanks Dean for your innovations!

[ETskier]

What did the ARC binding look like? Also, anybody remember Ski Technique? I'm thinking that was the direct predecessor to Reflex.

 

[MattP]

 

[LeonL]

That release system looks similar to Fogmans

[BraceMaker]

@LeonL

 

No. Or atleast not really.

 

There are several binding systems that use a plunger and cup type system, they are all of course in ways developed off of the concepts from that head system posted by @Deanoski or of course the later voile version of the same type of product.

 

 

 

Of course the Reflex/HO/Radar/FM Revo/Edge etc. are all just based of a silvretta binding.

 

 

But the adaptations of the ARC have modified the spring plunger to have a lever to release pressure on the spring plunger to allow attachment/removal of the boot from the system. And then also the ARC and derivatives have a center bar so the systems can be single or dual boot.

 

If you take all the other "plunger" systems you'd have Fogman/Connelly, HO Exo, and FM Quattro - and all of those are dual boot only. And in the case of the Fogman and HO exo require 6-8 new skis/inserts be drilled into the ski stem and stern to hold the units, which of course must be done carefully and accurately as that's non-reversible. And then in addition to all that the flex of the ski is directly compressing the releases.

[BTheis]

 

I got lucky the release didn’t release the only thing that saved me was the heal cup broke and I blew out sideways. I still end up with a sprained ankle but consider myself very lucky it could have been a lot worse. We are heading to Alabama Shores next April and stopping to see Mike and get the MOB setup. Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.

[OldboyII]

@BraceMaker if my memory does not fails me HO EXO has spring loaded lever type mechanics on the back of the bar - very similar to alpine heel piece. And on the front of the bar it has passively releasing tenon groove type connection.

It was a good try. First attempt to get closer to DIN.