pgmoore

The latest issue of Water Ski Magazine has a full page add for the 2015 HO Syndicate V-Type. There doesn't seem to be any information about this ski online. So, naturally I'm curious!

Who knows what this ski is all about?

@BraceMaker‌ Super flat. Bony ankles. Otherwise very normal.

I also do a ton of running (when my ankle isn't broken, of course!) and can use an astonishing array of shoes.

So, after quite a lot of research and follow-up reading here on BOS, I think I'm going to pursue the OB4 system.

The fact that OB4 will release both left and right, and up from the front of the boot, as well as up from the back in an OTF crash is very appealing.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do for boots yet. That is the next consideration!

Regardless of which boat you end up with, the one defining characteristic I'd look for is an EFI engine. In that price range, you might have to hunt a bit. But you should be able to find one.

The ability to just turn the key and have your boat start no different than your car/truck is amazing. No need to mess around with throttle, etc. For me, that's a must have.

@waternut That for sure makes sense. It does seem like a pretty drastic change... hopefully for the better!

The biggest score is the information from @maximus about the Reflex dealer in Calgary. Just being able to try on the boots for size and comfort is a huge bonus. It's a 300km drive each way, but for sure worth it.

I think that I will be for sure making a switch to either the Reflex or OB4 system. I need to learn a bit more about the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Due to where I live, there won't really be an opportunity to demo either system or even try the boots on in advance. So any thoughts sure would be appreciated!

That might be a topic for another thread...

This past weekend my friends and I were at a lake in Northern Alberta. Frustrated with the rough conditions, I decided to drive 250km home to the private ski lake to get a couple of sets in. The plan was to ski and then head back that evening.

Alas, it was not to be... as I was rounding 4 ball on my opening pass something went wrong and I crashed. My back foot came out of my boot but the front foot stayed in. Not a great scenario.

The result was a mess of torn ligaments and a fractured ankle on my left foot (front). At this point there is no estimation as to whether or not I will ski again this summer, but the season in Alberta is short so things are not looking promising.

Which brings me to the question as to the best binding systems to avoid injuries like this. Currently I run 2012 Strada boots, front and back.

What are your thoughts? If a different setup might have prevented this unfortunate situation, it's worth it to me to change what I'm using!

I've never owned my own handle and just always use whatever happens to be in the club boat. I'd like to finally buy one for myself, but could use a little advice as to what route to go. I won't really have an opportunity to demo various different shapes/sizes.

Is there a rule of thumb as to diameter and length? My hands are quite small.

What about curved vs. straight? Anything more than personal preference?