Power Kite Forum

Flexifoil Tracker Land boards

acampbell - 7-9-2009 at 12:44 PM

Anyone else have experience with this new entry-level landboard?

It's unusual for me to do so, but I posted this item on my site for sale without first personally examining the item, based on my previous positive experience with the Flexdeck ATB and the brand in general.

A customer of mine got one and complained that the binding mounts were so close together that he could not fit his size 9 shoe between them without really jamming his foot in with a tight friction fit. This was regardless of the strap setting, as it had more to do with lateral spacing.

I got a hold of another Tracker board and found the same thing. Every board I have been on, and every rider I have seen on other boards is able to adjust the bindings such that they can jump out any time. This is impossible with this board without drilling new mounting holes farther apart. The folks at Flexifoil don't seem to think that anything is wrong with this.

I'd love to hear what veteran ATB riders think of this. Too bad because it was such an affordable board.

I replaced my customer's Tracker with the entry level Scrubb board and he is very happy now (bindings are "normal")

Flexi has offered to take both boards back, but rather than ship them back to the UK, I will likely sell them for cost with the full disclosure that they may need some minor mods.

In the meantime I have pulled the item listing and signed up with MBS

Maven454 - 7-9-2009 at 12:52 PM

I don't know about those specifically, but I've got something of the same problem with the Talon Bindings on my GI AK103/Bionic. I'm thinking about swapping the bindings with those on my MBS Atom. It just seems strange when a size 9 doesn't fit well, but that's the same issue I have.

kitejumper - 7-9-2009 at 02:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by acampbell
Anyone else have experience with this new entry-level landboard?

It's unusual for me to do so, but I posted this item on my site for sale without first personally examining the item, based on my previous positive experience with the Flexdeck ATB and the brand in general.

A customer of mine got one and complained that the binding mounts were so close together that he could not fit his size 9 shoe between them without really jamming his foot in with a tight friction fit. This was regardless of the strap setting, as it had more to do with lateral spacing.

I got a hold of another Tracker board and found the same thing. Every board I have been on, and every rider I have seen on other boards is able to adjust the bindings such that they can jump out any time. This is impossible with this board without drilling new mounting holes farther apart. The folks at Flexifoil don't seem to think that anything is wrong with this.

I'd love to here what veteran ATB riders think of this. Too bad because it was such an affordable board.

I replaced my customer's Tracker with the entry level Scrubb board and he is very happy now (bindings are "normal")

Flexi has offered to take both boards back, but rather than ship them back to the UK, I will likely sell them for cost with the full disclosure that they may need some minor mods.

In the meantime I have pulled the item listing and signed up with MBS
i bought one from you and its solid,but i never ride it for the reasons you mentioned--i'd like to trade it for the scrub also......when i put the bindings on--i figured i must be doing something wrong,but now i see i had it right--too bad--i liked this board,but if you cant get your feet out of the bindings when u need to bail,things could get ugly.......

dylanj423 - 7-9-2009 at 02:53 PM

strange that flexi missed a detail like that.... even stranger that they dont seem to care much about it.... seems a pretty obvious flaw... my older bindings on my flight lite are fine... the ones on my blade were loose, but you could toque your feet into them....

i wouldnt want to buy a new board and have to modify it to use it safely... not to mention that drilling new holes would have to weaken the deck...

on a different note... have you tried the ground industries line??? they are bada$$

kitejumper - 7-9-2009 at 04:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dylanj423
strange that flexi missed a detail like that.... even stranger that they dont seem to care much about it.... seems a pretty obvious flaw... my older bindings on my flight lite are fine... the ones on my blade were loose, but you could toque your feet into them....

i wouldnt want to buy a new board and have to modify it to use it safely... not to mention that drilling new holes would have to weaken the deck...

on a different note... have you tried the ground industries line??? they are bada$$
yeah-it seems wierd that flexi thinks the boards are ok like this--i guess they have all the money they need and dont want any more customers.......im sure angus will contact me about this--he seems to solidly stand behind everything he sells--and yes,ive seen the gi boards--very nice

acampbell - 8-9-2009 at 07:13 AM

U2U sent

tobytobsen - 8-9-2009 at 07:43 AM

Thats a bummer with the flexifoil boards. Congratz on signing up with MBS, its my brand of choice and very popular here in Germany.

Toby

revpaul - 8-9-2009 at 11:42 AM

Quote:


A customer of mine got one and complained that the binding mounts were so close together that he could not fit his size 9 shoe between them without really jamming his foot in with a tight friction fit. This was regardless of the strap setting, as it had more to do with lateral spacing.


i recently spent some time at MBS' site and watched a very helpful tut on bindings/foot placement.
the narrator explained that it is a friction/pressure lock against the posts (the points where straps meet the deck) that is used to secure foot to boards. he demonstrated his point by completely undoing both foot straps and jumping the board.
*maybe i missed it or maybe he didn't mention it but i assumed the straps are there, then, to simply hold the board to your feet when doing some big airs.
flexi may know what they are doing.

indigo_wolf - 8-9-2009 at 12:18 PM

It's also covered in the owner's manual for their boards.

1. Insert foot into binding at this angle.


2. Rotate foot against posts.

Yikes.... I didn't realize some of their tutorials were posted to YouTube. Nice... :wow:

Thanks for the pointer.

ATB,
Sam

acampbell - 8-9-2009 at 12:21 PM

The base of the Flexi bindings are abut 4" apart- about the width of my bare foot. I am used to the twist and lock as illustrated by MBS, but you have to get you foot in them in the first place.

furbowski - 8-9-2009 at 12:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by indigo_wolf


Yikes.... I didn't realize some of their tutorials were posted to YouTube. Nice... :wow:



nice link, thanks....

revpaul - 8-9-2009 at 12:39 PM

I have to agree that 4" inches is too narrow for adult males.
there is tut using new(er) F3 bindings on youtube too as well.
http://www.youtube.com/user/JDiurba#play/uploads/15/ObNSURYI...

jdiurba'dot'us
Paul

indigo_wolf - 8-9-2009 at 01:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by acampbell
The base of the Flexi bindings are abut 4" apart- about the width of my bare foot. I am used to the twist and lock as illustrated by MBS, but you have to get you foot in them in the first place.


That's just looney tunes.... are you sure you didn't get the shipment that was earmarked for undernourished waif-like supermodels or perhaps an order that was meant for a K-9 unit somewhere (see Spot skate).

The GI boards have multiple holes drilled for the bindings so that you can tweak the gap/initial entry angle a bit.

The only downside was the last round of ATK/Bionics came with Roots Pro bindings. The foam on these are not pre-formed, and some of the initial hang-up is caused by that. If I could have thought of a safe way to beat the crap out of them (so they weren't so stiff), I would have.

Another thing that seems to exacerbate the problem is shoe selection. If you typically wear shoes that have an overpronounced toe box or sipes that run up the sides, you're hosed. Yes, it's kind of obvious, but some days I ride the short bus :sniff:

ATB,
Sam