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GGO Soft Boot Bindings: Middle Man and Spine

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  • GGO Soft Boot Bindings: Middle Man and Spine

    I'd been observing the evolution of the softboot binding since jjue first tested the Rockerbinding last season, but didn't like the 4 (rubber?) riser cylinders in the second iteration of the Rockerbinding and didn't see any first generation bindings for sale.

    There was another option on the market (excluding the plastic alternative tossed up by Doc): the GGO binding. It appealed to me; everything kind of exuded "industrial strength": aluminum highback, riser, and base snowboard binding.

    http://www.skiboardsonline.com/forum...ad.php?t=12326

    So I hounded bee to let me buy the setup, then hounded him some more, because I knew I didn't want to skiboard again in hardboots.

    My setup: 2009 Ride LX bindings, GGO's Middle Man riser & Spine highback on Summit Custom 110 Woodies, and Salomon Malamute boots (one of the suggested "stiff" snowboard boots for this off-prescription use).

    Additionally, I experimented with "duckfoot" from reading recent reviews on this forum, as well as pointing my toes in 3 degrees "pigeontoed", I guess?

    I found that traditional orientation worked better than duckfoot, and pointing my toes in 3 degrees, "pigeontoed" worked slightly better. Going duckfoot, I wasn't able to "grip" the slope as well and was more likely to skid the back end of the skiboards out as opposed to carving. Regardless, I appreciated the ability to adjust the orientation of the skiboards via the bindings to fit me, as opposed to me having to adjust to the skiboards.

    The skiboards got on edge as easily as they did in hardboots, and I don't know whether they were confidence-inspiring or I was just getting cocky, but I found myself being (even) more playful on the slopes than normal.

    All in all, I'm very pleased with the technology, and will soon get rid of my hard boots.

    Thanks for getting them to me prior to my trip, GGO!

  • #2
    Very nice set up. Keep us informed of your observations as you get more ride time on them.
    sigpic


    Osprey, Sherpa, Custom Coda 120WT, Custom DS110, Condor (Green), Spliff

    Custom Twist Out duck foot bindings, Bombers (custom duck foot base plate and 3 pads), releasable S810ti on custom duck foot riser

    Nordica N3 NXT ski boots (best so far)


    Wife: 104 SII & 100 Blunt XL with S810ti bindings on custom "adjustable duck foot" risers

    Loaners: 125LE, 105 EMP, 101 KTP, 100 Blunt XL, 98 Slapdash, 88 Blunts

    Comment


    • #3
      thanks for the report ! and nice work on the binding by Bee and the GGO tearm !... the Summit Woodie is probably one of the stiffest skiboards ever made ( I have one ) .... to carve it well demands a good binding boot interface .. that you can carve as well as a hardboot is very nice and a tribute to a great softboot binding design .... One of the cool things about the GGO design is that parts are used to retrofit standard Ride brand snowboard bindings ...
      The primary differences between the GGO design and the Rocker binding designs that I am aware of is
      1/ the GGO is a pivoting design the Rocker binding is a fixed forward lean
      2/ the Rocker binding has partial plastic wings combined with a wide plastic high back and a third buckle strap whereas the GGO is a metal spine with a power strap
      3/ the GGO has a traditional riser with the binding on top , the Rocker binding has 4 stiff rubber bumpers which serves as the riser.

      Both Ride brand snowboard bindings and the Rocker binding have relative high binding lateral metal side walls compared to some snowboard bindings which are plastic and do not have good lateral support.


      How the different designs of the Rocker binding and the GGO binding lead to different performance characteristics will be interesting to hear about as we get more riders on both types of bindings. The other real cool soft boot binding development story is Bill's attempt to get a workable rear entry easy on soft boot binding . All in all , I am really excited about the continued development of the soft boot bindings and the use of soft snowboard boots for skiboarding . This is IMHO one of the most important equipment advances in skiboarding as a sport.
      Boards :
      Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
      Boots
      K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
      Bindings:
      Zero Pro Non release Binding
      Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
      Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
      Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
      Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by robrides85 View Post
        My setup: 2009 Ride LX bindings, GGO's Middle Man riser & Spine highback on Summit Custom 110 Woodies, and Salomon Malamute boots (one of the suggested "stiff" snowboard boots for this off-prescription use).
        Jack's right Rob, those woodies are as stiff as 2x4's, a real torture test for softboot set-ups. Bee, Nudelles & the GGO crew are doing some great work with that project. You're the first I know of to go the superstiff boot route with those Salomon Malamutes in addition to a cuff support kit. If you ever get a chance to try your set-up with common medium-flex snowboard boots it would be interesting to compare the ride on each boot using the same set-up otherwise.

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks for posting up a review, I am glad you are enjoying them. I was wondering was there a learning curve, and if so about how long until you were up to full performance?
          www.skiboardbindings.com GGO Co-Founder

          Check out a review of our bindings http://www.skiboardsonline.com/forum...ad.php?t=13031 (Thanks Rob)

          My setup:
          DLP/Ktps (randomly switch)
          Condors, not rockered (powder/crap conditions board)
          GGO soft boot bindings
          Ride RFL Snowboard Boots

          Comment


          • #6
            Slow, will do.

            Jjue, I'm excited about this evolution as well, and thanks for introducing it to me through your posts last year.

            Bill, have a friend with same size feet, will hopefully remember to try his boots for a comparison.

            bee, little to no learning curve (can't identify one, doesn't mean it wasn't there, but I didn't observe it).

            Comment


            • #7
              Thats beautiful work Bee and gang - Bravo!

              i just came back from testing Rockerbindings with a medium hard boot (Salomon Dialogue 7flex) on KTP at Whistler.
              The boots were too soft and crushed - resulting in hellish hotspot pain on my legs and ankles - which pretty much ruined the day.

              The Rockerbinding strapping doesnt like smaller feet (27.5) - shorter cuffs would fix it.
              The top strap was a bit of a problem with the Salomon lace tightening gizmo.

              I liked the ability to widen the rocker risers for the KTP - getting energy direct to the edges helped with softbooting a wide board

              I am going to ride out the rest of the season (6 weeks left up here in Vancouver) on some super comfy skiboots (my legs took a real beating from the softboots) - next season I will get Malamutes.

              I will be hounding Jake for his folding highback - and chasing you guys for your latest model of the GGo setup since i have Ride bindings on my Snowboard...

              I have a feeling that the top powerstrap will be a winning feature for me - I really hated ratcheting 6 straps every time I was in and out of the skis - esp if my pants were 'over' the binding cage.

              Like I said - fantastic looking binding.
              Nice minimal design.
              Very smart retro fit.

              Put me on the list for next season.

              BlueDog
              VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVV

              ON A SKIBOARD COMEBACK AFTER 10 YEARS
              KTP + Rockerbinding + Salomon Dialogue snowboard boot.
              Revolt Fr33dom + Line FFPro + Salomon SB10 hardboot.
              Line MNP 98cm + FFPro - worlds best in 2003.
              Salomon SB10 97cm - yeah I know but it was 2001.
              Ride Concept 158 snowboard + Ride SPI + Salomon Dialogue - still gorgeous.

              Comment


              • #8
                Bluedog

                one thing ive noticed is its easy to mistake the binding being loose when its actually the boot. With the ratchet style buckles you can crank the piss out of them and causing the boot to deform which results in pressure points. Not sure if this was your problem but its something i personally have experienced. Now i just tighten the buckles to one spot and if something is loose i re-tighten the boot.

                I run the set up rather loose. it just feels better to me that way. Might give it a try and just adapt your riding style. who knows may work for you , may not. Just my .02

                -r-
                2011 ktp's
                k2 haymaker boots
                Ride binding
                GGO Spine
                GGO Middle Man

                www.skiboardbindings.com

                GGO co-founder

                Comment


                • #9
                  Attempting to revive this thread and its discussions.
                  Did you have a chance to use softer flex boots with the GGO Bindings?


                  Originally posted by robrides85 View Post
                  Slow, will do.

                  Jjue, I'm excited about this evolution as well, and thanks for introducing it to me through your posts last year.

                  Bill, have a friend with same size feet, will hopefully remember to try his boots for a comparison.

                  bee, little to no learning curve (can't identify one, doesn't mean it wasn't there, but I didn't observe it).

                  Comment

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