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My second set on a Reflex

Chef23Chef23 Posts: 6,006 Mega Baller
in Skis Fins Bindings
With my last tournament of the year done I decided to try the Reflex off my trick ski on my slalom ski and give it a number of sets to see if it would help my skiing. I am coming off a Strada front. I made the modifications @ShaneH outlined to my boot and mounted it up Monday morning. I went out Monday afternoon and fortunately our course was blown out so I made the equivalent of about 8 passes just free skiing. The first pass I couldn't have turned at 1 ball if I had to. Gradually I got to the point where I was making some easy turns and by the 8th pass I was pulling and making some turns.

This morning we went out and the course wasn't blown out so I decided to jump in the course and give it a go. I backed my opener up to 32/22 and ran that easy and felt fine so I sped up. 34/22 felt good so I figured what the heck and shortened it to 28. My 28 wasn't great because of a crappy gate but I was never in danger of missing it and I made a hard turn at 3 and 4 ball to stay in the pass so I decided to cut to 32 off. I ran a great 32 off pass in lots of backwash with one of the best 2 balls (my offside which I have been struggling with) I have had in a long time.

I took one stab at 35 and had a decent 1 ball but there was a ton of backwash at 2 ball so I just cruised it.

I am very optimistic after this morning's set. My offside felt a little better than it did on the Strada and I was able to turn my on side as hard as I needed to. The alignment of my foot is a little different on the Reflex than the Strada so that might have something to do with it.

I think I am going to be able to make this work.

I didn't make the change because I felt like the Strada was holding me back. I did feel some inconsistency in getting the Strada set the same way every time and I don't feel that with the Reflex.

Now if the water would go down a little so the backwash would go away and we could ski more than 4 passes without it becoming an ocean that would be great.

Mark Shaffer
Than_BoganWaternutchris_loganrayn

Comments

  • Stevie BoyStevie Boy Posts: 2,095 ★★★Triple Panda Award Recipient ★★★
    First two sets fo rme today on the reflex, tried the orthotic as recommended, could not do a thing, binned the orthotic, much better, second set starting to feel more comfortable awsome offside, not so good the onside, not sure whether its me or there may have to be some adjustment, never had problems with the onside before.

    If Only I Was Perfect

  • WaternutWaternut Posts: 1,511 Crazy Baller
    @stevie boy You may want to check the rotation of your boot if you're struggling with your onside but the offside rocks. I'm guessing the boot is rotated open which gives you a good offside but weaker onside. Look for the seam on the boot and look to line it up with the center of the ski. Might not be the case but definitely worth a look.
  • Chef23Chef23 Posts: 6,006 Mega Baller
    @Stevie Boy in my first set the off side felt okay and the on side felt terrible. I kept with it and got to the point where I could make some easy turns on both sides at the end of the first set. My first time down the lake if I had tried to really turn either side I would have killed myself. I would say give it a couple of more sets before giving up.

    @Waternut how do you change the rotation of the boot? I am not sure you can with the Reflex. The Strada boots have an easy way to do it on the bottom.
    Mark Shaffer
  • Stevie BoyStevie Boy Posts: 2,095 ★★★Triple Panda Award Recipient ★★★
    Thanks Guy's have to say, it was feeling better each pass, because I go quite hard and it was more responsive, I was getting seperated a bit, so that probably did not help.

    If Only I Was Perfect

  • Chef23Chef23 Posts: 6,006 Mega Baller
    Someone that knows a lot more about this than I do also suggested that when moving to a hard shell it makes sense to move the binding back a bit. I didn't do that on my ski as my rear binding is already back as far as it can go. I was feeling pretty comfortable on the ski today though so it doesn't look like an issue.
    Mark Shaffer
  • WaternutWaternut Posts: 1,511 Crazy Baller
    There are two white plastic screws at the base of the heel where you can adjust how the boot rotates. If it's centered, I wouldn't touch it but it may have been toyed with or gotten loose before you got it and it only takes a couple seconds to look down the ski and see if it's fairly straight or not.
  • KcSwerverKcSwerver Posts: 389 Baller
    Thats the new style blocks on them. Some have them. Some dont.

    P.s. reflex Rocks! I
  • Chef23Chef23 Posts: 6,006 Mega Baller
    My boot is old I don't think it rotates.
    Mark Shaffer
  • KcSwerverKcSwerver Posts: 389 Baller
    If it wasnt made in like the last two ish years it wont have it.
  • WaternutWaternut Posts: 1,511 Crazy Baller
    Ahhh oh well. At least you know it's centered then.
  • Chef23Chef23 Posts: 6,006 Mega Baller
    Skied on it again this morning and while I didn't ski as well as yesterday I think I am going to like the Reflex. I started at my usual opener which is 34/22 and ran that and an easy 28 off. At 32 off I was running it as early as I think I ever have when I let my mind wander around 4 ball and got bounced in some backwash at 5 so I didn't run it. I took a crack at 35 and had a solid 1 ball but there was a lot of rough water so I didn't push it.

    I went back to 32 off and stuffed the tip in some backwash at 2 ball (I hate it when our water is high) and went out the front and released from the ski so I felt pretty good about that.

    After two sets in the course I think I am going to like it. I definitely feel like I can turn the ski better on my offside which is what I had been struggling with. I might have gotten the same result if I had moved my Strada binding forward a hole. Right now I feel like I can turn my on side as well as before and the offside feels like it has more potential. I am still thinking about it a little bit as it is new but hopefully with another 6-10 sets I will settle in with it.
    Mark Shaffer
    KcSwerverWaternut
  • Than_BoganThan_Bogan Posts: 6,612 Mega Baller
    Great news on the binding!

    Yeah -- WOW is our backwash bad right now. After 4 passes, it was borderline dangerous even with longer line lengths. This must be that optimally bad water height. Last night on my 4th pass (before it became utterly ridiculous), I had a -38 going and was kinda thinking I might have a shot to get one in backwash when I stuffed the tip hard into a roller exiting 3 ball. Partial ejection and I realized that was enough of THAT!
    Nathaniel Bogan -- GUT Padawan
  • Chef23Chef23 Posts: 6,006 Mega Baller
    @Than_Bogan I did the same thing after crashing on my 5th pass I decided enough was enough and shut it down for the day. Two four pass sets appear to be optimal righ tnow.
    Mark Shaffer
  • AndreAndre Posts: 1,393 Mega Baller
    Same here.Couldn t ski the last 2 days due to backwash coming back at 45 angle.

    Chef23
    After my first OTF with Reflex and rtp,i told myself that this system was the best.A year later ,i still think the same way!
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