Closed or Open Toed boots, what do you like better?

leviwynnyk · Last edited by leviwynnyk on Oct 04, 2006 12:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

OK, I know there have been other posts about this but now that people had a season to try them out and now that all the new manufacturers are making them in 2007 (except a few), what is everyone’s opinions? There was a lot of skepticism before they came out so I'd like to know what people thought of them.

I have to replace my boots and was going to buy either the 06 Murray’s or Shanes because good deals can be found on them but I'm still a bit undecided. I know people say to try them out but for some it's not possible and buying them locally is just way to expensive so I was going to get them off Ebay like I did my 06 Era.

jakenj · Posted: Oct 04, 2006 12:19 pm Post subject:

i have ridden on shane's bindings and they are pretty sweet, but they weigh so much when they have absorbed water... anyways i like open toe better

Justin 25 · Addict Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 797

Open toe, and you should make a poll.

Loppy · Posted: Oct 04, 2006 12:32 pm Post subject:

My little piggies like fresh air and to see whats going on.

SilverStoneFD · Outlaw Joined: 19 Aug 2005 Posts: 145 City: Fallon

I have a pair of both, the CWB Zeus and the Hyperlite 3DS. The closed toe is nice in cold weather because ur feet stay warm, but I think this is the only advantage. They SUCK getting out of because they act like a suction cup. I would go with open toe.

goofyboy · Posted: Oct 04, 2006 12:40 pm Post subject:

i love my shanes.

wakeboardnut · Outlaw Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 213 City: Toronto

I love my Shanes as well.

TP83 · Addict Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 739 City: Woodside

man i loved the shanes when i demoed them but i rode my friends pair the other day and i did some things i havent done in a while, a fat face plant. not only 1 of them but 3 and it was all because i catch the stupid toe part and it throws me off the board.

open toe.

canada air · Criminal Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 98

3ds's are awesome

jlaws · Addict Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 832 City: NC

Open toe

Thomas P. · Addict Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 717

although preference is always a factor, dont expect to see open toe bindings (pro-level ones anyway) for years and years to come. There are more advantages without any real drawbacks from properly fitted closed toe bindings, that almost all pros will soon follow suit.

I am not saying this is the end of open toes, clearly they offer a much more adjustable fit for different sizes and will always be around as the " user friendly" models.

Occasionally, you hear cons about closed toes, like they drag in the water or not draining properly, but these are the exceptions rather that the majorities. For the performance oriented rider, it just makes sense.

hyyperlitesonofabitch · Outlaw Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 132 City: Seneca

closed for looks, open for comfort.

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Oct 04, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject:

call me old fashioned, but i can't stand the feeling of the closed toes

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Thomas,

Please explain these "advantages".

sroemmich · Criminal Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 80 City: PORTLAND

Loppy · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 7:48 am Post subject:

Thomas P. · Addict Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 717

Again, this is still relying on a ton preference, but i feel that with my foot being completely surrounded, i benefit in a couple of ways.

-feels more "sucked down" into the binding. Less slop, more response.
-stops your foot from going out the front. especially on big t/s edge landings.
-more overall secure and comfortable feeling, helps confidence when goin BIG.
-warmer at beginning and end of season.

now this is what i have personally noticed from riding 3ds boots all year. I have not experience one negetive aspect or complaint with having closed toe. It seems they are growing in popularity as time goes on.

bottom line: ride what you like. i sure do.

leviwynnyk · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 11:06 am Post subject:

I started this thread cause I wondered if they were just going to be a passing fad (anyone remember baseless bindings on snowboards..... I got sucked into those!). With all the pro-open posts I am now kind of leaning towards 06 Transits..... we'll see.

hyyperlitesonofabitch · Outlaw Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 132 City: Seneca

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Thomas P., I will definitely concede the warmer part.

The others, are a matter of preference, as you indicated.

I like this idea the best:

kyle · Guest

i have a feeling that half the people who said open toe have NOT even ridden closed toed, which is expected, but if you havent ridden both, then don't comment. For me, closed toed all the way

hyyperlitesonofabitch · Outlaw Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 132 City: Seneca

kyle, I rode the 2006 shanes, took a faceplant, and snapped the baseplate like a twig. It also ripped part of the sole out. They were ugly anyway....

it hurt.

kyle · Guest

hyyperlitesonofabitch, yeah and liquid force bindings have been known to hold up really well Rolling Eyes

LF bindings are big bulk POS's in my honest opinion.

d22 · Guest

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 1:38 pm Post subject:

kyle, no, just the shanes and watsons. The transits may be the best bindings ever made. I can't wait to try the new pro plate transits.

JV · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 2:29 pm Post subject:

every pair of transits i've ever seen with the people i ride with, including mine, are severely torn, and/or no longer usable. consider yourself lucky you found a "good" pair (thus far anyway). i could list the dozen other LF products (including four sets of bindings in about a month) my roomate or i have bought that are now broken and can't be fixed, but most people have already seen it, and i'm sure they're tired of my bitching.

great company, great team, HORRIBLE quality standards

and i agree with kyle's earlier point, if you haven't taken a couple sets in close toe boots, how much does your opinion really count? i haven't actually ridden with a pair on (even though i really want to), so i won't comment either

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 2:34 pm Post subject:

JV, well mine are holding up great, sorry you've had such bad luck with them though. I did get to take a couple sets on my friend's shane set up, and the boots were too bulky at the toe and wouldn't tighten up around the balls of my feet. plus they didn't drain all the way, and I could feel the water sloshing around in them. It was just distracting.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

JV, I am going to defend LF's quality standards here a bit. I think they put out a good quality product in their binding line.

So, it's not a QC problem as I see it. I see the problems as an issue with design. There are some questions I have as to strength in certain parts, including the "no hardware" construction and the shear strength of their baseplates.

These are the two fail points that have been shown in detail over and over again here and on WW. One can only hope that the boys in the back room figured out how to remedy these problems. Honestly, from a physics/engineering standpoint I don't see how they are going to accomplish it.

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 3:09 pm Post subject:

chavez, if you look at a broken set, you can see they pretty much all break in the middle, where the plastic is pretty thin, with a waffle like pattern of ribs to strengthen it. If this point were just solid, say, the thickness of the ribs all the way through, it may just be the key to holding them together. as for the no hardware design, there's only one row of stitches holding the overlays down. Double or triple stitching might show up in the future on lf's proplate models.

Why doesn't CWB have close toe boots?

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

LakeIolaLuke, because they put function before form. CWB knows that the closed toe has little functional value, and have focused their attention elsewhere.

They could create a closed toe series right now - no problems. They have all the pieces in place to do it. The reality of it is that their current design would just reside inside a "closed toe" box. There would be no additional performance benefits.

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 3:19 pm Post subject:

well if form came before function when lf designed the shane bindings, they f*cked up bad

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

LakeIolaLuke, oh, and I agree to a point on the LF possiblities to remedy.

I think that the stitching could be reinforced somehow, but I think the FAST idea is flawed due to the distribution of forces through the plate. Traditional plates allow for the whole plate to distribute the forces - while IMO the FAST/Proplates/whatever focus the forces around the pivot point. I think they could beef it up, but it will cost them in the weight department.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

LakeIolaLuke, I think in their minds, they had a winner with that look. To some, they did. Idea

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Oct 05, 2006 3:22 pm Post subject:

I've never had a problem with the FAST bindings, but the proplate models were breaking left and right for me. went back to transits

kyle · Guest

chavez, i have and still think that CWB has always been behind the curve on their products. Their boards ride nicely, but break easier than a stripper at a cheap strip club. As for the bindings, i have only ridden the Zeus' (a number of times) and yes, they provided very good ankle support, but they don't compare to my 3DS bindings.