Note: I actually own the Flite 3 bindings, not Flite 2's. However, this will apply to the Flow design in general, not just to the Flight 3's. I "upgraded" to these from the Burton Customs because I was sick of sitting down to strap in and I thought they were cool looking and innovative. Well, they are definitely cool looking, but after a full season using these bindings, I am definitely switching back to the Burton Customs.

#1. You have to pre-size these to your boot BEFORE you get to the mountain. This is easy enough to do by just putting your boots in and sizing them. However, they can't be messed with after that or you're in for a day of aggrevation trying to get your boot in. This will mean you cannot close these bindings down to store them in a roof rack. Your back plate must remain up!

#2. If you have them perfectly sized to your boot before you go the mountain, that means you didn't have any ice or snow buildup on the faceplate when you sized them. That changes after a few runs in powder and the fit becomes more snug (read, more difficult to get your boot in so you can close the backplate). This will slow you down and defeats the purpose of owning these which are supposed to allow you to strap in quicker.

#3. Some boots just won't fit in the binding properly. This is because the 'sock' is actually pretty rigid and doesn't conform properly to every boot design out there.

#4. The sock shifts back and forth, which makes the opening for your boot essentially open and close. If you sized them with the sock positioned in the middle, you will have to get the sock to exactly that position to get into them. This is easy to achieve in your livingroom... much harder to achieve on a slippery incline with cold wind blowing in your face.

#5. The sock has already begun to tear in the middle, probably a result of me fighting to get my boot in far enough to close the backplate.

In general, what looks like a great idea is actually impractical and more of a pain than anything else. I am now envious of my fellow riders who just cop a seat and strap in... and off they go while I am performing what looks like a sprinter getting into his blocks.

I looked for reviews on the these bindings for weeks, but couldn't find any. I decided to take the risk and buy them anyways and I don't regret it. Once you do the initial adjustment to your boot size, they really are a lot faster to put on than the ratchet straps. This is especially helpful to me since all of my friends ski and they hate to wait for me to strap my boot in at the top. Another really nice feature is that they spread the pressure out over the entire foot, so there is no more losing circulaton in my toes from the double straps being too tight. The only negative thing I found about the Flow FLote 2's are that to strap in, you need a pretty level spot to place the board. This is because you can't sit down (which braces the board) since your foot is going into the back. However, with these binding, nealing down on your knees works as well. Last, if you're looking to do some heavy/hard riding, you may want to upgrade to the flow flite 3's, which have the metal heal plate (a little more durable). All in all, these bindings are a great improvement from my last bindings. Very comfortable, easy to use, and affordable.