Strap Bindings and Step On
This time, I will consider strap bindings and Step On.
Recently, more riders are using Step On.
The speed of entry and exit tends to get the most attention, but that is not what concerns me the most.
Where are the boots and bindings connected?
It is this difference in structure.
If the structure changes, the way force is transmitted to the board also changes.
In other words, the techniques used will also change slightly.
Strap bindings have a structure that supports from above.
Strap bindings are structured to secure the instep and ankle from above.
By restraining the boot as if wrapping around it, they create a sense of unity between the foot and the board.
This structure has major advantages.
The feet are stable.
You can exert force effectively.
And it is easy to withstand large external forces.
Especially in riding where external forces during turns become large, such as in carving,
this sense of stability becomes extremely important.
Step On connects mainly at the sole of the foot.
On the other hand, there is Step On.
It is secured at the toe and around the Achilles tendon, but
the sensation is a little different from straps.
Rather than pressing down on the instep,
it connects to the board centered on the sole of the foot.
That is the impression I have.
Because of that,
the ankle is easy to move.
There is a high degree of freedom.
It is difficult to apply unnecessary force, and it is easy to ride in a relaxed manner.
I think this is a unique appeal of Step On.
If the structure is different, the technique also changes.
This is the point I want to convey the most.
Strap bindings and Step On are not the same type of binding.
The connecting structure is different.
Therefore,
it does not necessarily mean you can use the same techniques as they are.
The timing of transmitting force to the board.
How you support your body.
How you step.
The fine details will change little by little.
This is not a difference in performance, but something born from the difference in structure.
The differences appear as external forces increase.
When riding at low speeds, you might not feel a big difference.
However,
the speed increases.
The slope becomes steeper.
The external force during a turn becomes larger.
In such situations, the characteristics of each will clearly appear.
Since strap bindings are structured to support the boot from above, they are easy to handle even with large external forces.
On the other hand, while Step On has a high degree of freedom, I feel that some ingenuity is required to continue to withstand those external forces.
Carving is possible. But the way of thinking changes.
Of course, you can carve with Step On.
There are riders who actually ride well.
So, I do not mean to say that it is not suitable for carving.
However, I think it becomes a little difficult if you try to improve with the same feeling as strap bindings.
This is because if the structure is different, the required technique also changes.
If you are thinking about improving your carving
If you are going to pursue carving deeply,
first, acquire the foundational techniques with strap bindings.
After that, devise ways to ride according to the structure of Step On.
I feel that this flow is the easiest to understand.
Both strap bindings and Step On have their own rationality.
Therefore, it is not a question of which is superior.
What is important is
Where are you supporting, and where are you transmitting force?
It is to understand this structure.
If the structure changes, the technique also changes.
If you look at it from that perspective,
strap bindings and Step On
are not just a difference in fixing methods, but
might they be seen as different operating systems?This was Rei Aoki, the demon of verbalization.