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-   -   Don't Believe the HYPE-erlite (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=796349)

Cisco 12-05-2012 10:01 PM

Don't Believe the HYPE-erlite
 
1 Attachment(s)
There is lots of discussion on this forum about the System bindings. Seems like some people just aren't believing the hype. The first doubts were cast back in September 2010 when we got a sneak peek from WBM

http://wakeboardingmag.com/features/...ystem-binding/

Hyperlite made the Murray System binding in 2011 and 2012. Shaun talks about the video in 2012 below, but that's not the juicy part.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/I8udVVK8pk0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

On http://hyperlite.com/boots.php you will see that there are four different System boots, just like when they started making this binding, but in 2013 the Murray has been replaced by the Process (Nick Davies binding).

This video shows how Murray continues to progress year after year, unlike some pro riders I won't mention. I'm pretty sure that switch heelside 720 is a new trick for him. And I don't think I've ever seen a video of him grabbing a toeside 720 until now.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6JDVUs38f-k?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

My screenshot shows him wearing the Team Bindings, which are clearly not System bindings. That means he tried Systems for two seasons and decided to ride something different in the end. These bindings were basically custom made for his feet, but Murray says he likes a comfortable boot and I agree. Systems give you more control because they are very stiff, and that's only one of the reasons I don't like them. But, they do make sense for cable riding.

Here is where it gets interesting. Hyperlite is trying to Jedi-mind-trick our foolish brains in this video. Dude says Wakeworld Voted the System bindings as "Innovation" of the year for 2011. (skip to 1:35)

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/979WZ3In8VU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This is true.

http://www.wakeworld.com/news/featur...s.html?page=15

Well, I also noticed that binding of the year in 2011 and 2012 was the Ronix One boot.

http://www.wakeworld.com/news/featur...s.html?page=10

http://www.wakeworld.com/news/featur...s.html?page=10

System bindings were not even voted second best boot or third best since they hit the market. Even with their snazzy new toe-caps. When dude says they won "innovation" of the year, he is trying to make you think his product is good. Hyperlite got a prize for being different, and maybe one day they will get a prize for making quality bindings. So does the rest of the team like Systems, or they just paid to wear them? We will never know.

Anaru 12-05-2012 10:56 PM

I think it will go down to personal preference with the pro's. If Murray likes the team binding then why wear the systems? Paid or not I dare say he has a choose in what he rides and or wears (as long as HL + other sponsors)

Hooya 12-06-2012 1:35 AM

"That means he tried Systems for two seasons and decided to ride something different in the end"


not true. Pretty much of all the vids coming out of the boarding school this season have been systems. However, Hyperlite do need someone to push the 'team' bindings don't they? A bit like Ronix having the ONe but none of their sponsored riders wearing them.

hyperlite 12-06-2012 5:28 AM

Wow
 
You figured it out. Of course its a marketing move. Theres even a video of Shaun stating that Hyperlite came to him and asked him to promote it. The same way any company would do to a top rider thats getting paid to represent them. This in no way proves or even hints to the fact that the system boots do not work, or that they are a failed design. I have personally ridden every type of boot from the big 3. (Ronix, LF, and Hyperlite) From the old school Ultra boots from LF, Hyperlites 30/60, Ronix Cells, and even the new system boots. All of these guys have great product designs. Especially with boots.

Hyperlites attention to their traditional boot design had been pushed aside for the system R&D, that’s obvious. We saw that with the flawed design of their most recent team boot line. Even then, Jimmy Lariche, and a few other guys wore them, to promote the line. So they redesigned a versitle boot for multiple riders and asked Shaun to wear them to show the general public, that the company is still putting an effort into products their customers use and demand. The same way KTM and Yamaha still produce 2 stroke bikes when the serious guys are all of 4 strokes.

Personally, I think this is genius. Hyperlite is showing that you don’t need the “next big thing” or the most latest and greatest equipment out there to be a top guy. This is a business model for most. Companies would fail (No pun intended) if their entire product line was all “pro model” boards and boots. They are showing kids and “soccer dads” that you can still get better, improve, and most of all have fun without the pro rider price tag



<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/53167443" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>

austin 12-06-2012 7:45 AM

Thanks for posting that video, Cisco. :D I hadn't seen it before. Lol at filming Shaun Murray with a Gopro. He goes so big you almost can't see him when he lands! Very cool view.

All sponsored riders are getting paid to promote the brand that is sponsoring them. They're never going to publicly state anything negative about their sponsors' products if they have any desire to continue being a professional wakeboarder. In most cases I would guess the riders really do believe in the products they are promoting. In some few specific cases they may not, but the public will probably never know about the specifics of any situations like that.

I don't know all the true motivations and reasons why Shaun is riding the Teams now, but Shaun has a pretty good reputation in the industry as a guy with a lot of character. If he says he'd be just as happy riding either one, then I'm inclined to believe he really would be fine with riding either. Though that in and of itself does say something about whether the systems are "better" than traditional bindings. This would obviously be an argument that they are no better or worse...in which case they probably aren't worth the price premium unless you really like something specific about them.

I think wake brands (or brands in general) sometimes trap themselves with their own words. They try to be so positive and hype up every single product so much, that they won't honestly tell you the differences between their high and low end products. Thus if they refuse to admit what compromises have been made, then they really can't tell you anything that would justify the higher price of the high end stuff. It makes it really tough for consumers to make good choices and buy what they really want. If you believe the marketing, every single board on the market is super fast, pops super hard, breaks loose super easy only when you want it to, and lands super soft. For the many people who really don't have the opportunity to demo boards, it would sure be nice if brands would honestly compare the different aspects of their boards to at least help you narrow things down a little bit.

behindtheboat 12-06-2012 8:23 AM

No one was promoting or using the traditional bindings, so Murray was asked to. Basically, he and others will kill it in any type of binding.

mtownrydr 12-06-2012 9:26 AM

Murray was already quoted saying that the system works and does provide more response and he fully believes in it, hyp just needed somebody to push their other new bindings b/c as you can tell people really pay attention to what pros ride. I don't think many kids would consider hyperlites new traditional style bindinds very "professional" if no pro rode them.

captain_vilfo 12-06-2012 11:44 AM

hardo

simplej 12-06-2012 1:05 PM

i heard that they had to push their team onto them when they came out and that at least one major team member was not too pleased, but he who pays the bills makes the rules.

kmayotte 12-06-2012 2:02 PM

I don't think Murrarys progression can be attributed to his binding choice. Let's call it talent, 20+ years riding....and how about that G23 wake.

bill 12-06-2012 3:47 PM

who cares wear what you like and get over it..it called freedom of choice and there are many choices.. so choose your style and comfort and move on.. have a great winter ;P

gregs_place 12-06-2012 5:14 PM

how do you get a pair of blue systems like rusty has?

grantw 12-06-2012 5:46 PM

This reminds me of 2006 when Murray rode his prior season boot the whole season.

tom_paz 12-06-2012 8:40 PM

I have been riding the systems for a since they came out and they are my favorite bindings ever. I like the idea of separating the comfort and support, its a good design that makes sense, especially over time, and at the cable. They dont turn into mashed potatoes after 2 months of riding, and they have the least toe/heel lift of any boots ive ridden, even after a whole season.

Some people might not like them, some people say they cant feel a difference between systems and traditional boots and thats cool, they might not be for everyone. Everyone likes a different feel obviously, thats why they still have traditional boots, open toe boots, etc. but to say the system is a hyped up, gimmick design is pretty silly.

They work great for me and i think they have that next level of control and response, kinda like how the jump from open toe to closed toe felt. I wouldnt trade mine for anything else.

stephan 12-07-2012 6:12 AM

Also, the System doesn't get its support from being super stiff. It gets its support from taking a comfortable piece of footwear and buckling it down with a fairly rigid external frame. Try the AJ or Process if you think they are stiff. The Team boot is stiffer than both those options w/ the System.

Case in point, Mike Schwenne & Trever Maur...both Ca riders that put emphasis on hold down and ultimate flexibility. They both use the System by choice (& paycheck) not the Team.

So no, it's not hype. It's a boot/binding system that works and a marketing plan that uses its best names to prove that all aspects of its line are shredable.

simplej 12-07-2012 8:50 AM

Maur runs the system without top laces to get him extra flex. But you can throw the same feel into a 3 Velcro strap boot by running the two bottom straps tightly and the top one loose. I still don't see them as anything but a pain behind the boat, cable is a different story.

BamaLurker 12-07-2012 1:58 PM

I get sick of hearing how great the systems are at the cable. Swimming in systems (or shredtowns for that matter) is like trying to swim with floated around your ankles. It's no fun especially when your worn out. I understand walking over rough terrain is nice in them but how many cables have a rocky walk back? I've only been to 5 full size parks but they all had easy walks back that don't hurt barefoot. I wish the systems and any removable liner binding was made of materials that didn't float as well. Like when your wearing skate shoes to wakesk8 in. They seem to be bouyantly neutral.
Now if the statement is that you like the systems for winching sketchy spots then you got a point! Just my 2cents!

behindtheboat 12-07-2012 2:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaLurker (Post 1797618)
I get sick of hearing how great the systems are at the cable. Swimming in systems (or shredtowns for that matter) is like trying to swim with floated around your ankles. It's no fun especially when your worn out. I understand walking over rough terrain is nice in them but how many cables have a rocky walk back? I've only been to 5 full size parks but they all had easy walks back that don't hurt barefoot. I wish the systems and any removable liner binding was made of materials that didn't float as well. Like when your wearing skate shoes to wakesk8 in. They seem to be bouyantly neutral.
Now if the statement is that you like the systems for winching sketchy spots then you got a point! Just my 2cents!

Fully agree with you, which is why I was somewhat disappointed Slingshot got rid of the KTV's, and bascially the only bootie-less binding is a Women's (that was fun to write). There's some cables that I'd like to have some protection at, whether it be sharp rock climbing out, or broken glass strewn about.

austin 12-09-2012 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaLurker (Post 1797618)
I understand walking over rough terrain is nice in them but how many cables have a rocky walk back? I've only been to 5 full size parks but they all had easy walks back that don't hurt barefoot.

One of the Dallas cables is very rocky both climbing out of the lake and the walk back to the dock as well. Some of the local riders there strap flip-flops to their life jackets so they can put them on for the walk back. It's really bad there.

melvinator 12-10-2012 4:45 AM

Last i knew wakeboarding took some arm strength/stamina in your arms. When i fall at the cable i just float on my back and slowly use my arms to swim back to shore. I am 37 and swiming to shore is not a problem for me with my feet floating. If you can make 5-10 laps around a cable park is it really that hard to swim 50 feet to shore without your legs?

DatTexasBoy 12-10-2012 6:22 AM

I am a fan of the System Boots and Bindings. They have a great fit and boot to board control (no heel, toe lift). I also own a pair of SS KTV's and like the way they fit. They both have advantages and disadvantages. The AJ boot is a little stiff for me, but I'm hoping maybe they will loosen up as I go. I have tried keeping laces looser and not ratcheting the ankle strap down as tight. This does help tremendously on the flexibility. Going to continue to try and beak them in a little more.

Really just boils down to preference in the end. Ride what you like!!!

andy_nintzel 12-10-2012 3:33 PM

good old cisco just playing in the mud again.....

btw that chick in your profile pic is epic!

dvsone79 12-22-2012 1:24 AM

I got the feeling HyperLite just wanted to mimic snowboarding (which the wakeboard industry seems to do very often, which is usually a good thing, just not in this case) and sell people on an extra piece of gear.

wakemitch 12-22-2012 9:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvsone79 (Post 1799580)
I got the feeling HyperLite just wanted to mimic snowboarding (which the wakeboard industry seems to do very often, which is usually a good thing, just not in this case) and sell people on an extra piece of gear.

A system boot and binding together cost as much (or less) than pro model boots from the other brands

dvsone79 12-23-2012 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakemitch (Post 1799620)
A system boot and binding together cost as much (or less) than pro model boots from the other brands

I didn't say they cost more (although compared to most boots they do). I just said they are trying to get people to buy an extra piece of equipment that, at this point, seems unnecessary. I tried the system. It wasn't drastically different. The boots were light, but when you add the weight of the bindings it's almost negligible.

BTW, I have a pair of LF Watson boots that I bought new (previous year's model) from evo.com for significantly less than a pair of systems. That's not to say that as Hyperlite continues to make them, we won't be able to find previous year's systems for a reasonable price.

And who knows? They may improve on them enough to make a difference. I'm always open to new things. Some riders apparently already see enough of a difference to make the jump. I'm just not one of them.

FYI, I'm a snowboarder that turned to wakeboarding. I moved from Colorado to Alabama for work, so I needed something. I'm fascinated how similar the two sports are, and at the same time, how different they can be. I like wakeboarding so much I bought a boat. I love being on the water. Makes me not miss the mountains quite as much! I still get a few snow trips in every year, but going from riding 40 days a season to 7 or 8 days a season is pretty rough! Wakeboarding helps fill in that gap, for sure!

rmotoxxx711 12-23-2012 2:18 PM

System bindings:
Me, I was a huge skeptic on the product and swore it off right away. Was forced to try it and haven't looked back. Wow did I eat my words, sickest thing in a long time. Only better advancement since and my favorite to hit the wakeboard market is the Union board. But back on the systems, best toe to heel response be ever had (I came from a snowboard back ground and skate)


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