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.
