Syndicate hardshell, Radar Vapor with release, or Reflex… any of those are good options. Personally, I am still using the Reflex because I like the way the boot fits my foot the best. I have skied in all of those options, and there is no significant difference in performance with any of them.

The Syndicate has the best connection to the plate with the toe bar that fully wraps around the toe, and the base material that really cradles the boot and keeps everything packaged together.

I am not a huge fan of how the Radar toe barely fits into the toe bar, nor how the release has to wedge between the upper overlay material and the plastic heel block. I worry about the connection points more than I do with the other options.

The Reflex will eventually create some wiggle room as the plastic of the boot wears out against the toe bar connection point. It can be managed, but that’s my least favorite thing about this option.

Happy to answer any other questions you might have. There is a demo program for the Syndicate Hardshell if you are interested. I can also write the invoice for you, and offer some help on the price. Just let me know.

Awesome. Very much appreciate it

Thanks Terry
What a difference in my skiing already . Your advice has been spot on. I really appreciate the time you put in to help skiers . I am looking forward to putting your advice into my skiing in the spring. Hopefully see you at one of your camps in California.
Grant

The stance and posture are so important. You should feel like your chest/shoulders never get pulled in front of the hips, and your front kneecap should almost always be driving ahead of the front ankle joint. If you do those two things, the hips will maintain their proper position- balanced over the feet, and close to the handle.

Obviously, this will require some effort, with a deliberate focus and commitment to the change. I promise the effort will pay off if you stick to it.

One thing I would suggest is to always practice this position whenever you get the chance. This means that every time you pull out for the gates, turn in for the gates, drop at the end of the lake, and pull into the dock/boat at the end of the set, you should be practicing the most perfect pulling position possible. All of those little moments will add up to make that position more familiar and, eventually, more automatic.

Pulling drills are a good idea to master the feeling because they eliminate all of the other interferences that you get when skiing the course.

The easier the passes you practice, the easier it’s going to be to think about and feel that new position.

Wow – that was awesome, Thanks so much Terry
I appreciate that you can see what is happening to get me in that poor body and arm position. What would you recommend my key thoughts should be to get my hip and knee up out of the turn and into the wakes ? I will work on keeping my elbows to my vest and my shoulder more directed at the ball after the second wake and into the turn as well.

I think you’ll enjoy the Senate more at 28 and 30 mph. The Syndicate will ski those passes just fine, but the Senate will be less physically demanding. The Senate is not only wider through the tail of the ski, but it also has smaller and more defined bevels, which also help create more lift/speed. The tradeoff is that at some point, that extra lift will mean less stability as you start to carry more speed into the turns.

J feel like it will be a while yet before i am running 32 mph. Would you still recommend that ski between 28 and 30 mph?