Splittie of the Week | Flex-Locks

What are Flex-Locks actually?

The Flex-Locks were developed by Karakoram and are specially adapted to their bindings. They are designed to solve a problem that most splitboarders are probably familiar with: On icy traverses or steeper slopes with hairpin turns, the valley ski slips away easily because it is very difficult to apply pressure to the inside edge with soft boots. The simple solution with a ski strap around the highback was probably not enough for Karakoram - a better solution was needed. The aim was to come as close as possible to the performance of a hard boot on the ascent.

The first approach of using a more stable booster strap instead of the ski strap hardly brought any change - presumably because the highback can only transmit limited force or generate stability.

The Flex-Locks consist of a thin cord and a plastic guide with a lever for locking. Compared to other variants, the Flex-Locks create a connection between the upper end of the highback via the inside of the binding to the buckle of the ankle strap. This creates a much stiffer fixation and the lateral direction of movement is severely restricted. Karakoram has tested different variants in detail, interested parties can read about this here. The results are also presented graphically there - in a clear way.

I used to dread such passages on every ski tour. If the skiers in front of me were only walking on the edge and slipping slightly, I could already prepare myself for problems.

Till Mangesius

Jojo Korte

Personal experience

Everything described so far can also be found in similar words on the Karakoram website, and it's clear that nothing negative is reported there. For me, it all sounds too good to be true - so I have a few more additions, both positive and negative.

The most positive thing is that the flex locks also work with bindings that are not from Karakoram. However, this requires the cut-outs at the top of the highbacks, as with my Spark Vertical binding. The new Union Charger binding and the bindings from Spark R&D have similar cut-outs, but you should check before buying whether these correspond to the distance between the screw holes of the flex locks (between 8.5 cm and 9 cm depending on how much you want to bend the part that goes on the highbacks). You can certainly also drill into the highback - but I have never tried this and therefore do not recommend it.

The assembly is also very simple. The buckle of the ankle strap does not need to be loosened, the cord can simply be pulled under the buckle from behind. This means that only the two screws on the highback need to be tightened. Don't be surprised if one end of the lanyard is not attached - this allows the system to be individually adjusted to your own binding and boot. It's best to get into the binding with your boot on and adjust the cord so tightly that you need a bit of force to flip the lever. It is then better to guide the remaining part of the cord back and knot it tightly instead of cutting it off - in case any adjustments need to be made later.

Test results from the Karakoram test series
Source: https://www.splitboardbindings.com/2020/03/11/flex-lock-double-your-edging-power/#post/0

Conclusion

When I used it for the first time, I immediately noticed that the lever was suddenly not as easy to move when walking as it was when I tried it out at home. My tip: Loosen the ankle strap a little, then flip the lever and then tighten the ankle strap again with the ratchet.

When converting, you immediately notice the annoying tangle of cord that is now also hanging from the binding. You inevitably have to get used to it. To be honest, I didn't worry about the extra weight, as my setup isn't the lightest anyway. However, I couldn't notice any difference myself.

This review is not intended to be an advertisement or an unqualified recommendation for this specific product - each person must consider for themselves whether the RRP of €85 is justified. But what the test has shown me: It's always worth optimizing your own setup and customizing ready-made solutions. The Flex-Locks have definitely improved my ascent experience when splitboarding. After technically difficult ascents, I've already heard from my companions: "It's amazing that you did that with the splitboard without crampons!", while I felt very safe at all times and didn't even think about using crampons.

If you want to try out the Fex-Locks, you can find them here in the Partner Shop.