Water Ski Boots Needed |
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MrMcD
Grand Poobah Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3597 |
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Posted: October-16-2016 at 8:40pm |
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First let me say I love to water ski. Second, I know I am on the downhill part of my ski career. 20 years ago I never did better than 32 off at 36 MPH but at that length and speed I never felt any need for double high wrap boots and I still dont. I have used them and the struggle to get them on and off never gave me a pay back making them worth the effort. I still ski my old ski's for this reason, I have a Kidder Red Line and an old EP Unlimited. They were good in the early 80's and I still like the way they ski.
Problem, the boots are shot and everything I see advertised is the newer double high wrap or lace ups or some other really crazy boot and you need soap to put all of them on. The old rubber boots allowed your foot to slip right in if wet. I feel no need to have firmer boots. With my old boots I never had a foot come loose in a turn or on a cut and I could pull out a foot, plant it and pull the front foot and take off barefooting. Can't do this with new equipment. Does any vendor still offer the older style boots for sale? Out on the water I see many guys/gals putting on double high wrap bindings that lock the foot in, then I see them ski and some could not hit 6 balls on long line in the course at 32 MPH so I ask why are all the suppliers pushing these high end bindings. With all the boat improvements and 30 years of ski improvements it appears the record books remain about the same. 41 off? I can afford a new ski if I want one but for the 5 times a year I am able to go out I don't feel a need for this but I do want to fix my boots/bindings, they are partially ripped out front and rear. Any vendor's suppliers you guys can share? Thanks |
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bkhallpass
Grand Poobah Joined: March-29-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4723 |
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Wiley's still makes the same reliable rubber boots they've been making for years. Including rear toe plate. Used by many competitors. I've got a set on the new ski I bought two years ago.
You will see a big difference with a more modern ski, however. Even if you buy a used one, or get a new one that is one or two model years back. My $.02. Good luck BKH |
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dochockey
Gold Member Joined: September-16-2009 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 638 |
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The only way the record is going to be beat is if basket ball players start skiing lol
I went through this a couple years ago i loved my Ep but the back finally ripped I found a used one and put that on, Have you looked on ski-it-again ? you might have to buy a old ski just for the boot. |
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Orlando76
Grand Poobah Joined: May-21-2013 Location: Mount Dora, FL Status: Offline Points: 3108 |
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So many misconceptions and false facts in a couple of these posts I can't even begin....
Mark, buy a 2 year old ski with whatever bindings are on it and let it blow your mind. If you skied -32 on crap, imagine what you could've done with today's equipment: |
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63 Skier
Grand Poobah Joined: October-06-2006 Location: Concord, NH Status: Offline Points: 4234 |
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Mark, I'm not too far off from where you are, but was never as good a skier as you were. I'm 55 and ski open water with bad technique. But ..... I skied my late '80's ish :O'brien Competitor until 5 years ago, then switched to a Radar Senate. Took a bit to get used to it, the acceleration was the main adjustment as I'd cut and be flying across the wake so much faster than I was used to. Once I got used to it the difference was night and day.
Anyway, you asked about bindings, not skis. I am using a Radar Vector fromt boot and Radar adjustable rear toe, like you I've never wanted to go to 2 full boots. The boot may be a lot more bulk than you are used to, but I get into it easily without needing to goop it up and it's very comfortable. |
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'63 American Skier - '98 Sport Nautique
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MrMcD
Grand Poobah Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3597 |
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Thanks for the information shared, I am good with two boots as long as you don't need goop to put a foot in them. It is much easier to come out of the water with one foot dragging but a rear boot is fine. I will look up Wileys and I really appreciate the tip.
I'll have to demo or borrow some of the new skis to see if they can enhance my life any. |
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21115 |
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I am not aware of any reasonable soft shell slalom binding made in the last 25 years that isn't snug enough that a little bit of binding lube wouldn't be recommended. I don't understand the hesitance on a proper binding. Wiley's makes a good, basic wrap... It will require more lube than most.
Rear boot vs toe is purely personal preference. Not sure if any of the current pros are using a toe but Mapple always did. |
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quinner
Grand Poobah Joined: October-12-2005 Location: Unknown Status: Offline Points: 5828 |
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When a neighbor got one of those new fangled non-wood ski's back in the day I hated that thing the first time on it, eventually after riding it a few times realized how much better it was. Same thing holds true with the modern ski's of today, there is some great gear out there, try anything you can get your hands on. After a couple hard falls with rear boot not releasing I ditched the double boots. Going back to a RTP did not have any negative effect on my skiing. Also agree with Tim, any decent rubber binding these days is gonna need a little lube to get on easily. If your not against spending a few bucks check out some of those new fancy pants shell style bindings, very light and I don't think any lube is required.
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63 Skier
Grand Poobah Joined: October-06-2006 Location: Concord, NH Status: Offline Points: 4234 |
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Not sure why I get away without lube, all the guys I ski with use it. And my binding is definitely a good fit, tightens up well with the laces. Guess I'm just naturally slick.
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'63 American Skier - '98 Sport Nautique
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Hollywood
Moderator Group Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13511 |
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I thought the reason for laces/latches was to get in out easier (sans lube.).
I did a dab of lube with my Animal and also do now with my Wiley. |
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rebel skier
Gold Member Joined: October-17-2014 Location: Middle Tenn Status: Offline Points: 771 |
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What size foot? I have a front EP binding, the last generation they made if great condition on the shelf. It may be stiffer and more beefy than you want, though. I also have a decent kidder front. You can heave either of them for shipping.
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dip
Senior Member Joined: August-29-2009 Location: Eastern PA Status: Offline Points: 392 |
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The irony with some of the easy entry lace ups is that you don't come out when you take a bad fall. Wiley's wrap with Ivory dish soap lube is easy to get into and you come out when you go OTF. I'd rather put the work into putting the boot on than risk not releasing when I need it to.
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bkhallpass
Grand Poobah Joined: March-29-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4723 |
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At least 5 of the top 10 men's skiers currently use rear toe plate. BKH |
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Livin' the Dream
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quinner
Grand Poobah Joined: October-12-2005 Location: Unknown Status: Offline Points: 5828 |
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I Use 1/3 laundry detergent + 2/3 water for binding lube, supposedly the dish soap is harder on the rubber material?? |
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Orlando76
Grand Poobah Joined: May-21-2013 Location: Mount Dora, FL Status: Offline Points: 3108 |
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Hypoallergenic/infant formula dish soap is best and safest. I use it undiluted and the generic brand costs ~$1.69 for ~20 oz bottle. It may be harsh on the rubber but my Animal & Vector combo is 3 years old with 3-5 days a week year round skiing and no signs of deterioration. If you don't need lube to get in your bindings then you're leaving potential at the dock. |
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SWANY
Senior Member Joined: August-12-2014 Location: batavia Status: Offline Points: 384 |
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Yeah go buy something nice for yourself, its your birthday. Thats a free pass right there
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63 Skier
Grand Poobah Joined: October-06-2006 Location: Concord, NH Status: Offline Points: 4234 |
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Todd, I'm guessing by now the dock has collapsed from all the potential I've left there! |
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'63 American Skier - '98 Sport Nautique
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Hollywood
Moderator Group Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13511 |
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mine too |
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MrMcD
Grand Poobah Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3597 |
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Mapple was pretty darn good with only one boot.
I prefer not to use lube so I can jump in, put the ski on in the water and say hit it. Old school I guess. Never wanted to put the ski on while on the rear deck. Now with age and flexibility issues due to old back injury, fighting a boot is not on my list of good things. My Kidder needs soap just to get it on, if I don't use soap it has taken skin off the top of my foot. I love the ski, hate that type binding. Putting the front foot in the binding on the back deck is easy, getting the second foot in on the back deck is a flexibility issue, maybe the solution for me is to soap the front foot and go back to a rear open toe binding. Heck, I am just happy to still be able to ski turning 59 today. Thanks for all the tips. |
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AAM196
Gold Member Joined: October-23-2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 846 |
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All boot mfgs make rear toe plates... don't know that any stopped.
And like others have said, I am amazed first, that you can get into an older Kidder binding w/o a touch of lube and 2nd you are running 6 balls at 36mph on a boot that you can easily slide into esp at 32 off (13m line)!!! I'm not a ski sales man, but if you were to get out on a ski made in the last 5 years, you could probably get into the 35-38' off range... I like the ski-it-again idea... but if looking new... miaminautiques.com has quite a bit! |
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AAM196
Gold Member Joined: October-23-2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 846 |
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Check out something like a Radar Vapor or profile boot. I use the Vapors/Strada style with liner. No lube needed. They have matching rear toe plates as option..
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MrMcD
Grand Poobah Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3597 |
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AAM196, I have not hit 6 balls at 32 off and 36 MPH in 20 years. Actually have not been in a course for 20 years, lost access. Still love to ski though. Now it is at 15 off and 33 MPH, minor adjustment. I will look into the new skis. Thanks again. Mark
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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AWSA rankings online only go back to 2005 but that score would probably put you in the top 30 slalom skiers that year (1996) in the M2 division, though you would have been skiing M3 at age 39. |
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Donald80SN
Grand Poobah Joined: January-12-2009 Location: Denver, NC Status: Offline Points: 3888 |
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I ski with a guy who uses shaving cream for boot lube on a new HO Triumph Ski. It cleans up as soon as he hits the water when he falls off of the platform.
I too was reading an article a few months ago somewhere on line, maybe it was ball of spray.com and they were saying that many of the pro skiers were going back to the rear toe plates. One guy in particular was stating that he was able to come back from a foot or ankle injury faster by using a rear toe plate. Donald |
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bkhallpass
Grand Poobah Joined: March-29-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4723 |
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I saw a list not long ago, but can't seem to find the list. BKH |
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Livin' the Dream
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lewy2001
Grand Poobah Joined: March-19-2008 Location: NSW Australia Status: Offline Points: 2234 |
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My 2012 Connelly Carbon V came with a front hinge tech binding and rear toe piece. The hinge tech makes it much easier to get in and out of the binding. No lube is required I did take a while to get used to the new ski, big difference was how fast it accelerates off the turn.
Think I have used up all my potential........actually it is now decreasing. My biggest problem was lake of talent |
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If you're going through hell, keep going
89 Ski <a href="http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5685" ta |
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Hollywood
Moderator Group Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13511 |
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Oh and happy birthday.
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MrMcD
Grand Poobah Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3597 |
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We had a group, called ourselves the Feather River Ski Club. Built our own course and kept it submerged in the river. All our balls were connected to floats we left in the river about 3 feet under the surface. The whole course was 5-6 feet deep, perfect spot glass non stop unless a boat was active. The area was only about 200 feet wide and a mile long deep enough for power boats and past each end was shallow so pleasure boaters never went there. The rangers never bothered us as long as we took the course down as we left each time. Each time we went out we had to dive down and connect the turn and marker balls. We had the course anchored and used it for about 3 years. It was lot of fun while it lasted.
Then one day it was gone. Someone needed it more than we did I guess or the fishermen were fed up with us skiing on their fishing water. I suspected the latter. At that time we all had young kids in Soccer, baseball and swimming plus the kids wanted to wakeboard and I was rebuilding our 100 year old home so we moved on. We had a couple of friends that worked in tournaments locally that helped with our set up, it was as accurate as a bunch of yahoo's could create. That is where my personal best was 32 off at 36. Not official to anyone outside our old group and I know doing this in practice is not anything like doing it for real in a tournament.. Even then the pro's were going 39.5 and I think the record was one or two balls at 41. We watched them and dreamed. One of our friends trained some with the La Point brothers. He says riding in the boat with those guys was incredible. Said they could jerk the Mastercraft they were using 1 foot out of straight with every turn. They were incredibly strong skiers and this was at the very tail end of their careers. That is my rant and fond reminisce. We are supposed to get a couple days in the mid to high 70's and are hoping for one more ski this year. Once again thanks for the tips and advice. |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Get those buoys back in and re-up the course! Or get a portable! Life is too short to not ski buoys.
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2016 SN 200 OB 5.3L DI https://forum.fifteenoff.com |
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quinner
Grand Poobah Joined: October-12-2005 Location: Unknown Status: Offline Points: 5828 |
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Joel, no more posting for you until your new 200 shows up in the diaries!!
Nice fleet you have going, congrats!! |
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