Binding Review: 11-12 Flow Prima-SE

Location: Winter Park, CO

Snow Conditions: Hardpacked to softpacked to icy groomers.

Setup: I rode the Flow Prima bindings on the Flow Drifter with my Vans Veil Boots size 8.

Time to set up the binding: One of the big components with Flow bindings and rear entry is making sure they are adjusted properly to your boot so you can get in quick and get out quicker.  It took a tad longer to adjust than other bindings but well worth the wait.

Fit: The Flow Prima’s I rode were on the large size for my boot but still fit comfortably.  It was only noticeable on the baseplate where I had a bit wider room than I need for my boots and more toe ramp but I didn’t feel it impact the ride.

First Impression: A responsive women’s binding with easy quick access and comfortable padding

Appearance: Flow combines the colors purple, blue, black and white in a hypnotic design on the prima for 2012.  The overlook look is mixed up color checkerboxes to solids.  I wasn’t in love with the appearance of the bindings but the performance for me won me over more than the looks.

Comfort: Very comfortable all around on the prima’s, super padded from underneath the boot to the highback to the I-flex powerstrap.  There were no pressure points and overall felt equal for the binding.

Functionality: The Flow Prima’s feature the flow core technology which is the original reclining highback (for quick access and rear entry into the binding), the one-piece 3D powerstrap which helps distribute pressure evenly across the boot and adapts to every type of boot and the patented power triangle, which links the highback directly to the center are of the baseplate for more response.  The prima’s also feature the NXT series forged aluminum baseplate, EVA landing pads, adjustable landing pads, EVA basepad, ventilated 15% nylon highback, kush control wrapped highback, I-flex strap tech, SLA, free + snaplock, 4 airframe miniratchets, 4 media coarse adjustments, flow combidisk and flow channeldisk.

Flex: The prima is on the stiffer end for a women’s binding, which helps give it quick response.  The highback is on the stiffer side but mostly from the bottom up, the top of the highback has some give and flex so you don’t feel overly stiff.  More forgiveness on the binding side to side but still quick response edge to edge through the Iflex strap and baseplate.  Flow rates the binding stiffness as a 4.5 from 1-5 so definitely a more aggressive women’s binding from Flow.

Response: Overall great response on the prima bindings, stiffer flex and quick edge to edge response out of the bindings.  You definitely notice how little bits of pressure will get you quick response through turns.

Power Strap: I thought the toe strap did fine gripping my boot and didn’t move at all during riding.  It cupped the vans toe box very good and no pressure points.

Overall Impression: The prima’s are flow’s high performance women’s binding for women looking for a responsive, rip up the mountain binding with the ease of rear entry to strap in.

Shay’s Honesty Box: Last time I rode the prima’s they were a favorite in 07-08 with their all around support and response on the slopes.  For 2012, they continue that tradition and give women a high performance binding to rip up the mountain.  By the time I got on the prima’s I had come off other rear entry bindings so was feeling a lot more comfortable with the rear entry system and getting into my bindings on the toe edge instead of the heel edge like I do for regular strap bindings.  Unfortunately the drifter won’t be reviewed since they have some kinks to work on the board.

Ready to buy? Head over to evo for the Flow Prima SE or shop their full line of Flow snowboard bindings

On Snow Photos

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Flow Prima Description

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Review Disclosure: I rode this binding at the SIA on-snow.  Please be aware bindings may change, this review was done in February 2011.