swerveit

first ever ranking comp, didn't score particularly well but it was a great experience & hurdle.

Honestly it was simply a question to understand the scenario and grounds should someone be accused of something. i.e. whats the story behind the thread. Jay Brown

Could someone please clarify why the need for this? Is it suggested that Dave skied 5 sets and then skied a comp he must be on PED's? Were the 5 sets back to back then straight into a comp?

thought id through in a different shot from another angle.

I always relate it to a kid on a swing (me) and what point do I shift my COM and in what direction? go try it, IMO it translates to skiing perfectly and gives you a good understanding of physics, momentum and energy transfer. release the inner child and get on a swing! - at the highest point if you try to engage your legs/COM to get moving again, you stall and loose rhythm, (getting on the handle to quickly) - don't move COM or have it in the wrong place/time at the apex you don't have enough energy to go upward (not enough whip to get up on the boat end up pulling long)

A new champion is crowned, Freddie Takes Gold!

from the UK with a hangover. an opener @ 14 then 13 - the Plot: man with hangover skis to save the world.

so having a couple of sets on the ski the only difference i could feel were the factory settings on the conquer felt better, other than that the quattro and the conquer feel exactly the same (??) so I've put the same settings on the quattro, hopefully haven't completely screwed my ski up..funnily enough the only difference between the two settings on the website is the distance from tail which seems a little bizarre.

@ThePantsManCan‌ thanks. Could you possibly describe some other differences or issues you had with the quattro? I have always loved my Quattro, but I'm kinda stuck at 35 off, its so inconsistent and 38 is a couple of buoys if the stars align. I have only had a handful of passes from what i can tell they are pretty similar. the Conquer seems to come out of the buoy with less drama/more consistent, gets me stacked quicker. the skis seems calmer. It feels like the skis rides on the water differently, for example it doesn't pop over the wake at 28 off. the gate pull out is the most measurable difference i find myself far wider on the conquer - but what does this equate too? is this good or bad?

so I've currently got a Quattro, and have got hold of a Conquer. having looked on the website the factory settings are similar. Binding: 28.875 Fin 6.730/2.500/0.730 - Conquer (settings I rode on) Binding: 29.25 Fin 6.730/2.505/0.765 - Quattro My current ski is: Binding: 29.3/8 -?? Fin 6.836/2.508/0.733.5 ive tested the Conquer and it feels better out the buoy, but so very similar i suspect the settings are the difference?. other than RTM vs Press is there any actual difference in the skis?

I recently purchased the new Guru vest with the 2014 foam change. Meaning it doesn't soak up water and weigh 5 kilos after your set, awesome. however it has zero buoyancy... I mean negative. so at the end of a pass I'm holding my breath to stay afloat. its really bad. not only for performance reasons as my heart rate is not dropping, but for safety. dread to think if i get knocked out... had about 5 guru vests but they end up getting loose and take on far too much water. I just put an order in for a new eagle vest.

has anyone encountered some movement or slip back and forth of the plate/bindings between the two pins? looks like one of the pins is longer than the other..?

@CWiedmer - the ratchet system (original buckles) on my FM's was week, and i was pulling them open in the pass so went down to my local snow ski shop and raided the spares. cost me like $20 to set both boots up with good buckles. also with proper buckles you can get a consistent fit. the ratchet i found either too tight too loose... I put a carbon plate on as I kept bending the Aluminium plate that the block was on. FMs are great for safety and comfort however I needed improvement on performance. the velco was hit and miss, i had too much movement in the power block as the peg that goes into it, on the plastic plate was cut too narrow (or the block to wide) the actual mono plate i found was too soft and my leverage was bending/lifting it off the ski. basically I'm just too far out to get replacement pieces for them, shipping costs a fortune. i had them for 2 years and they were great during this time for safety. but every week id have to change or replace something. @BraceMaker- ive skied 6 months and only had 1 release. therefor lack of mobility once that release happens doesn't bother me. rather have 5 minutes lack of movement and climbing on the swim deck than 6 months of a cast and rehab. however i do agree its a bit of a pest once you have released. However I have now switched to Connelly Stealths. which is the best decision I've ever made in skiing. My old FMs weighed more than my ski and new binders put together! the boot is far narrower (not in fit). I've never thought about it, but watching a number of videos i noticed that the FM boots would catch the water and throw me a little off balance. the control and leverage is far better on the stealths, where the carbon shoe finishes and the leather upper starts is a perfect blend of support/stiffness. i thought it would take me at least month to get on with them. 10 sets in and Ive increased my average count. way more consistent also. don't get me wrong the first week i was in the garage ALOT trying to get them right, it was a ball ache. but once right, i didn't have to worry about pieces bending/breaking slipping etc etc. phenomenal set up!!! on Sunday had a crushing off side tip dig to tail slide, the exact type of crash that broke my ankle. i maybe have one a year. while it was happening you can think if allot of things you can do while your laid up at home in a cast.....playstation, beer, sleep. boat span real quick as he could tell it was one of "those" falls. after a few seconds i was laughing my arse off, ski was off 30 foot from me and ankle not even a ache or a twinge! I'm honestly the happiest chappy at the lake for having that crash! if you are in the "all in" camp check out stealths i swear by them! I've seen OB4's, the finish on the plate system is epic, i mean Audi epic! really precise flawless finish. this is the system you need if you want independent release. if weight doesn't bother you these will last a lifetime and without issue. OB4 has taken a massive leap in the right direction and is a benchmark for quality. they really are that good. however for me, you will have to prise my Stealths out of my cold, dead, blistered hands. love em!

free ski!

Urgent: Anyone got the measurements/instructions on how to set the tension for the pins???

DK!! Fred was so close, I'm sure he's going to be at few more masters ! Didn't catch CP's boots he's on a XT with camo skin. , "special request ". Did notice on JT's run (which was epic ) that it looked like he was on some kind of reflex setup with a FM boot??? He used to be on fluid motion E series ( double boots ). You catch Rossi 's blue Vapour?

please see exhibit A: - boots by USD, Buckles by Soloman, Release by 3m velcro and Voile plunger, plate by reflex, Liners by Intuition. - none of which are actually made for waterskiing.....cobbled together over the last 2 years. And weigh about the same as a small planet.. Ironic considering I have one of the lightest skis on the market.

Interesting points from all, however I see more for All in than All out... would be an interesting Poll. It maybe a different opinion to the perspective of the manufactures.

I ski with him at Thorpe, I've seen him take down 10 in a dry suit and ice on the water. Big fan following here in the UK, and the best is yet to come. Ps:We have a 15 year old that gets mid 10

Well I've gone for a set of Stealths, hopefully will get them next week. I had a demo set and tried them on every day for 5 days to be fair they have an exact fit every time, which I wasn't expecting with laces. Think the front strap helps to that effect. I may build a carbon plate for the boots to sit on. il see how stiff/heavy the current plate is. If I can get buckles on them il do it. Might take them to a snow ski shop that have a work shop.

@Chef23‌ - I've tried! I've contacted the right people, completely ignored!

Wish list: Stealth boots with buckles, on a single plate with a OB4 release...

I would prefer to take those ugly force directions with my two feet over the one poor foot that didn't release.... "energy transferred will always reduce" throw a rock at 2 sheets of glass, it will get through the first sheet, it may not the second. Ski world application: ok, so both binders set the same tension. bad OTF - enough energy releases the back foot - The energy that it took to make that mechanism release is now lost by "x" %. what happens when the transferred energy isn't enough to release your remaining foot? - this is exactly what happened to me! I'm not saying independent releases are wrong, they are just wrong for me. They have many safety features over a mono plate solution. but to design a independent system that guarantees the instant release of the other foot should one detach.... that is the holy grail! - both camps of thought process would want this = £££! or in most of your cases = $$$ @Garn‌ I tried on the HO system they were on the right track and I liked them, for me, the boot was to low. means that the majority of the force would be on the ankle (which mine are very week). if it was a higher boot i would have been sold! i just need a little more support.

@Chef23‌ I completely understand that we are in a cottage industry, and that we can get hurt what ever we do. its that nature of the beast that you and I love. what I say from here is out of frustration, certainly not aimed at a company('s) I have learnt; that me personally, I'm susceptible to a particular type of crash. Therefor would like option: 4 or 5. having said that: I'm not overlay impressed with 1,2 or 3 I don't think velcro, double rubber, removable liners, 30 year old snow ski tech, garage made binders are good enough. again, its just through my experience. The R&D budget within snow ski/snow boards is astronomical compared to ours. why don't they reverse engineer what is already been built? I have to good affect, with very little budget and time. seriously, take the time to go into a snow ski shop and check the kit out! wow!!! with a little imagination you can easily see the potential of a setup using 2014 materials, technology and design. Why do we drop 2k on carbon, to screw roller blades or a flip flop on it? - it makes no sense to me. Its like removing the spoiler from lewis Hamiltons F1 car and strapping a baking tray on it?! I would HAPPILY have a 10 year old ski design and a machine, purpose built binders (by design)with a mechanical release. and I bet you a beer you'd just as good BUT safer. what I'm saying is Dear ski manufactures, I'm happy if you didn't spend so much on skis R&D and spent a little more on binders. They are just as important as the carbon they are strapped to. How much more can a ski really evolve? - ??? How much more can a Binding evolve? - about 60 years id say.

Don’t panic, Im not going to flog a dead horse and ask the question whats the safest binding. To suggest a setup is tried and tested for X months or years or used by “x” pro, I don’t think is a measure of safety. For example: I have had the same setup as another skier, yet I’ve broken my ankle twice, they haven’t had so much as a sprain. Some people go through there whole ski life with nothing, and others not so fortunate. However if you fall into the later category you soon start to read up and are much more aware of your bindings.. With that in mind: I believe knowing the mechanics and the variables you can reduce the likelihood of an injury. I ski double boots, and I’m so adamant that a crash with 1 foot in will lead to an injury – which limits my boot selection to 3 maybe 4 Manufactures. For me, the injury reduction equation is = All in or All out - am I alone in this thought process? If not, why are manufactures not producing more products like single plate setups or setups that insure release should one foot come out.