bindings vs bindings

[Karl]

So I'm thinking about a ordering a pair of BWPs once I have enough saved up to get the bindings to go with them. My question is can anyone tell me in a little more detail what separates the bomber elite2 and the zero pro bindings from each other as well as the Snowjam extreme II and the groove X1's?

I've been riding on my sun 83s with the original line plastic bindings for at least 10 years now and really don't think the bindings have been all that bad. I'm guessing that the quality of those bindings compared to the grooves or snowjams is pretty simillar? If so what makes it worth getting the bombers or zeros.

If anyone could shed some light on this I'd really appreciate it.

[wjeong]

[QUOTE=swallowevil;70183]So I'm thinking about a ordering a pair of BWPs once I have enough saved up to get the bindings to go with them. My question is can anyone tell me in a little more detail what separates the bomber elite2 and the zero pro bindings from each other as well as the Snowjam extreme II and

Hi Swallowevil,

The Groove binds have very weak bails. I actually bent mine in a fall on my Groove Taxis. The Bomber is rock solid. I assume the zero is also.

Wendell

[sempai]

The Groove binds have very weak bails. I actually bent mine in a fall on my Groove Taxis. The Bomber is rock solid. I assume the zero is also.

WendellI don't want to know this. I was planning on buying some Groove bindings. :eek:

[Gorno]

I don't want to know this. I was planning on buying some Groove bindings. :eek:

You get what you pay for.... I thought the price range was enough to make everyone aware of which bindings were of higher quality :D

[sempai]

You get what you pay for.... I thought the price range was enough to make everyone aware of which bindings were of higher quality :DHigher price doesn't always mean higher quality, but it probably does in this case. I've paid as little as $49 for new Extreme IIs and have never had a problem with them. I know other people have, but I don't get all that crazy on my boards like others do.

[ChaseMe]

I've beat on my Groove X1 bindings for 8 years now. ZERO problems with them, as a matter of fact I haven't adjusted them since day 1 of fitting to my boots. Year after year they just worked.

Now this year I went for a complete new setup including Elite2s and I've pretty impressed. As solid as the Grooves were, these Bombers are at another level. I've only used them once so I don't have a lot of comparison, but off the top they are 10x easier to get in and out of. Just easier to snap on/off etc. I used to do everything possible to not take my boards off with the Grooves.

So I'd recommend both, just let the budget decide.

[Karl]

honestly I'd like to go with the bombers but I think they'd look retarded on the BWPs. (no offense to anyone who has them on the 09s) I wish they'd have the all silver ones cause for some reason I just dislike the color red. I have to admit though they didn't look to bad on the Revolt Trees.

[sempai]

honestly I'd like to go with the bombers but I think they'd look retarded on the BWPs. (no offense to anyone who has them on the 09s) I wish they'd have the all silver ones cause for some reason I just dislike the color red. I have to admit though they didn't look to bad on the Revolt Trees.I agree. It's too bad Zero didn't come through with more colors this season and colors that were better than what they did come through with last season.

[Gorno]

honestly I'd like to go with the bombers but I think they'd look retarded on the BWPs. (no offense to anyone who has them on the 09s) I wish they'd have the all silver ones cause for some reason I just dislike the color red. I have to admit though they didn't look to bad on the Revolt Trees.

Haha... we agree on that. I don't know why they went with that ugly red color for the bombers.

[sempai]

Haha... we agree on that. I don't know why they went with that ugly red color for the bombers.It would be a joyous time if Bombers came in silver, black, red, blue, and green.

[pinkkid]

I don't want to know this. I was planning on buying some Groove bindings. :eek:

I did buy some! ugh

[Courtney]

The bigger you are and the harder you ride the more likely you'll have binding issues. I'm sure for most people the Grooves are plenty strong. I never had strength issues with them.

[pinkkid]

The bigger you are and the harder you ride the more likely you'll have binding issues. I'm sure for most people the Grooves are plenty strong. I never had strength issues with them.

Thanks for that! I'm certain they will be fine now.

[wjeong]

The bigger you are and the harder you ride the more likely you'll have binding issues. I'm sure for most people the Grooves are plenty strong. I never had strength issues with them.

This is definitely a point to take note of. I weigh around 195. I don't do jumping or park stuff. I ride hard and fast sometimes and do a lot of off piste and bump riding. I used to have to tighten the adjusting screws often on the Grooves. I do agree they might work for some depending on thier size and riding style. It's really frustrating though to bend a bail when you are at the top of a run.

Wendell

[Gorno]

I am happy to ride my good ole ff pros. Still as solid as the day I bought them in 2003.

[CrazyBoy-1]

I can't comment on the Zeroes, but I will say that I love my Bombers. I wasn't sure if they were worth the money when I first got them, so I did a test to check it out. I rode my EMP's with my old SnowJam Extreme II's and wore my old ski boots (even though I had my Deeluxes waiting) to make sure everything was the same. I rode that way for a few runs and then switched to the Elites. The difference is amazing. Carving with Bombers is an absolutely different level from the lower bindings. The edge control is fantastic, and the bumper suspension system really lets the flexy R8 boards open up and absorb anything the mountain can throw at them. They are rock sold and very well made. I anticipate using them for many many years to come.

If you want the silver Elites, there is a pair for sale in the Buy/Sell section for $120.

[Karl]

ok so I'm getting mixed reviews on the grooves and snowjams. I haven't heard anything bad about the bombers but how about the bombers compared to the zeros? Has anyone tried both of them? Oh, and another question, how are the elite2s different from just the elites?

[CrazyBoy-1]

The biggest difference between the Elite and the Elite 2 is in the bumpers. The new bumpers are much bigger to disperse the energy from riding much more evenly. There are other changes as well such as the switch to a through bolt holding the lugs to the sole blocks as opposed to the shoulder bolts used in the previous Elites.

As far as the SnowJams and Grooves go, I think a lot of the differences in opinion probably come down to a combination of differences in weights and also in riding style. If you are a light and/or less aggressive rider, then you most likely won't run into trouble with the lower bindings. However, if you are a bigger and/or more aggressive rider, then you may run into issues like bent bails etc. If you go with the Bombers, you will never have issues with durability or flexing. They are very well made and the stiffest non-release binding available I think.

[Gorno]

ok so I'm getting mixed reviews on the grooves and snowjams. I haven't heard anything bad about the bombers but how about the bombers compared to the zeros? Has anyone tried both of them? Oh, and another question, how are the elite2s different from just the elites?

Also, I just wanted to let you know that some users of the bomber elites have had issues with breaking boards. Especially the aggressive riders. But I hear the new design of the elite 2 is geared to prevent this since the new bumpers, as Crazyboy-1, mentioned disperse energy more evenly throughout the boards instead of on more pinpointed areas with the smaller bumpers of the elites. So I suggest if you are considering the bombers, and you are a aggressive rider, that you go with the new design.

[Karl]

awesome, thanks for the tips and info.

[kansieo]

I can't comment on the Bombers yet since I haven't been out on them, but I can comment on old Groove bindings (whether or not what I have are the same, I don't know!).

Back when I was 150 lbs, I was bumping lifts at a small Wisconsin area (Mount La Crosse). I spent my entire day there, working and then going out on my Grooves...they are nearly 100% lit up for night skiing so my days were fairly long, but it was a lot of fun. :)

Anyway, toward the end of the season, I completely blew out the heel bail on the binding going down their trademark hill Damnation (short double black--no comment on what it'd equate to in a non-midwest resort. Pretty darn steep with icy moguls.). But anyway, I wasn't doing anything extra special, just going fast and trying to hold an edge.

As it turns out, I just lost one of the thin retaining washers that hold the bail in the plastic. It was fixed after a quick visit to the hardware store, but it could have been dangerous to me or innocent bystanders...