Bien que le snowboard est un mode de vie, une attitude, un sport, un style, une passion… Nous sommes d’autant plus chanceux, car le snowboard est un mot qui rime avec avancement, technologies, recherches et développement, nouveauté, etc. Le snowboard a permis entre autres aux géants du ski d’évoluer dans un nouveau sens et vers de nouveaux produits. Ceci continue aujourd’hui avec la nouvelle compagnie Now Snowboarding qui lance un tout nouveau type de binding (fixation pour planche à neige) avec un concept qui a été inspirer par un skate board truck et par comment l’énergie est transférée aux carres. Ce morceau d’équipement qui nous est indispensable a reçu quelques changements au cours des années tels le système d’entrée arrière de Flow ou le système de step-in de Switch, le tout accompagné de quelques légères modifications tel la toe-strap de Technine ou le système E.S.T. de Burton. Mais en sommes, la fonction de la fixation en elle-même n’a jamais vraiment été touchée. C’est à cet endroit que la compagnie Now nous arrive avec sa nouveauté.
Now, c’est le pro rider québécois JF Pelchat qui en est le copropriétaire. JF ridait les pentes de l’Ouest canadien presque chaque jour. Vous l’avez vu dans nombreux films et magazines de snowboard. Il a toujours trouvé que les bindings « flexaient » (ce qui est bon en soit), mais que l’énergie était perdue dans la base au lieu d’être transféré sur les carres. Les bindings ont toujours eu la même fonction et c’est de garder le pied et le talon dans la fixation. Un jour, il eut l’idée d’essayer de créer un prototype de fixation dans son garage de Whistler. Après quelques coups d’outils ici et là, direction les pentes pour tester. Son premier test fût en l’an 2000, qui en résultat avec une bonne idée, mais ce n’était pas la dernière. Dans la saison 2005-2006, c’est là que JF développa son nouveau prototype, celui où la fixation pivote sur un axe. Et ainsi fut la naissance de ce nouveau produit et de la marque Now.
Je vous laisse consulter le communiqué original et le questionnaire ci-bas (version française à venir), accompagné d’un graphique…
Bien que ce produit est d’abord destiné au freestyle… je peux vous assurer que les freeriders et les gars de snowboard cross vont être tenté de s’en procurer !! J’ai effectué un test sur neige le weekend passé à Bromont et le résultat était concluent. Combien ça vaut ? À ma grande surprise, il devrait être trouvable chez nous pour un abordable 299 $. Elle viendra dans le noir et dans le blanc, en médium et en large. À ce jour, depuis 2005, aucun bindings n’a été retrouvé ou rapporté brisé. La garantie offerte devrait être de 2 ans, peut-être plus. Le team A est en discussion, mais on sait déjà que Devun Walsh et Jeremy Jones en feront partie et que Now commanditera sous une base d’équipe le team Yes Snowboard. Ah oui, un point très important ; c’est une création, un brevet, un produit et une entreprise canadienne et opérée par des riders (rider owned, rider driven)… un québécois en plus!
We are a company focusing in innovative and relevant technology for today’s snowboarders. We have a binding that will change the way we snowboard.
The concept of this new binding was influenced by a skateboard truck and also how energy is transferred to your snowboard edges. I have been looking at skateboarding for quite some time now and how a skater digs his toes & heels to make a turn and how the energy is transferred. Skateboarding use minimal amount of efforts to turn and that is achieved without a highback or being strapped in. It made lots of sense to me to incorporate that motion into a binding. This is how Now binding was born, In my garage as a prototype then on to the snow for validation and approval from riders.
Six years has passed since I built my initial prototype and today and I am partnering with Nidecker to launch Now snowboarding Inc. Early on Nidecker saw the potential of my patent and offered to help financially to produce, market and also help with distribution. This is how it all began… now my role is overseeing the product designs, building the brand image and the marketing. Alex Warburton is our product manager and industrial designer. He works closely with our engineer, David Fernandez of Switzerland. This group along with our factory, distributors, retailers and team riders are all an important part of the development and success of the brand.
The technology explained.
Our binding base plate is made of two parts, we have an alumi-ring with disc that secures the binding onto the board. Then we have a nylon Hanger (binding) that is fixed to the disc ring via a hollow rivet and washer that we call the kingpin (one on each side of the binding). This Kingpin assembly allows the Hanger to pivot in relation to the disc ring and upon a riders input, it transfers the energy directly to the board. The responsiveness of this configuration is so efficient that we had to redesign a smaller highback and incorporate what we call a flex-hinge. The flex-hinge allows the top 1/3 of the highback to bend backward with a stop position. This makes the higback contour to your boots when adding forward lean and prevents from getting highback bites. The flex-hinges also diffuses chatters from going into your calf. The binding’s Hanger sits on four bushings that can be interchangeable. it allows for customization, something never seen in the binding segment. The bushings can be change to various density (soft medium and hard) and it gives the rider different options depending on his style of riding and/or snow conditions. These bushings also play the role of dampening the ride when going through choppy snow or bumps. It will also absorbs vibrations from the snowboard and prevent them from being transmitted to your feet/legs.We also have a new heelcup/highback feature called the Flush Cup (patent pending) and it gives the rider the choice to ride the binding with or without a highback. The highback is mounted in the same cavity as the ladder straps and it is stacked on top of the heelcup creating a flush surface between the two (highback/heelcup). Our design allows the boot to be in connection with the heelcup at all times. We’ve also designed our heelcup to hold your boot so when you remove the highback your boot stays in it’s place and the boot settings are not affected. This would happen on a regular binding when removing the highback, your boot would move backward the thickness of the highback.
Technology benefits: This binding does the job for you of transferring the energy to your edges. This translates to a binding that is more responsive and easy to ride while keeping the foot super relaxed and prevents it from cramping or having foot fatigue. From the bushing to the flex-hinge highback this bindings offers a true dampening system. Customization of the ride by changing bushings just like skateboard truck and finally a binding that let’s you ride harder because of all of the above.
JF Pelchat
Owner/inventor
Whistler, BC CanadaWhat are the top three developments and trends in next year’s bindings?
Energy transfer: A binding is an interface between you and the board. So, it’s all about distributing your energy as effectively as possible, at the right place. Our binding Hanger does the job of transferring the energy to your edges via bushings so your foot can stay relaxed and without pain. This energy transfer is so efficient that it take minimal effort to engage turns. This translates in a precise, comfortable and effortless ride.
Shock absorbtion/Customization: We have a Bushing system that absorbs chatters/bumps and transfer energy to the edges. The bushing can be interchangeable so customer can change the ride/felx of their binding by changing the density of the bushings (just like changing bushing on a skateboard truck). The harder density bushing the stiffer the ride will be. Our Foot Pillow consists of toe to heel EVA and minimal plastic structure. A Kaytooevaº heel insert increases dampening and impact cushioning where you need it most. Our minimalist highback playes an important role in displacing chatter with a nifty little feature we call the flex hinge.
Flush cup: We’ve designed a binding that is intended to be ridden with, or without a high back. The heel cup and highback inner surface are stacked and flush in order to hold your boot even when the highback is removed. The responsiveness of this configuration is so efficient that we had to redesign the asymmetrical highback smaller and incorporate what we call a flex-hinge. The flex-hinge reduces chatter and contours to your boot when adding forward lean
www.now-snowboarding.com
