7-Leagues versus Poweriser 2008s

[Dave Penguin]

Hello everyone!

Well, after quite a while "lurking" around these forums, I thought it was fine time for my first post. 

I'm currently looking to get some new bocks, and thought this would likely be the best place to find out which ones to go for.

Currently, I'm on (shock horror)... Skyrunner 2008s. The problem was, I bought these before really looking into them in any greater detail, as it was a bit of a spur of the moment purchase... so you can imagine my surprise when I got on the internet a few days afterwards, to find out they're Illegal to sell in this country!

Anyway - I've had them a little while so far - and while they're definitely not "Bad" products, I'd definitely like to go for something with a little more quality and legality behind it. And this is where I'm currently torn...

I'm trying to decide between either the Poweriser 2008 models (with the calf cuffs and better bindings, etc), or the 7-Leagues S-Rex type X. I was wondering if anyone had used both of them, and would be able to give some advice over which is better?

The cost difference doesnt really matter to me that much - I'd be willing to pay the extra 50 - 60 pounds for the 7s if they're genuinely worth that much more. However, the calf cuff looks very tempting too...

So - there we go! Any advice would be massively appreciated!

[Athoul]

Few basic questions first:
How heavy are you in kg?
Are you looking to do tricks and flips and jumping more than running around?

Its a very difficult question to answer because both stilts have the pros and cons:

7leagues -
Springs: Have much better energy return and are a lot nicer to use

Bindings: Stock ones aren't great but can be upgraded to Snowboard bindings easily

Knee: Have a solid knee bar, a few people prefer this to the calf cuff but not many.

Frame: Very good quality frame, strengthened in places to cope with added pressures from the heavier user


PoweriSer 08's -
Springs: Poor spring, you have to put a lot of energy into them to get the same height you would on the 7's springs

Bindings: Stock ones are nicer snowboard bindings, same ones you can pay to upgrade to on the 7's

Knee: Have calf cuff which can be argued as being considerably more comfortable than the knee bar on other stilts.

Frame: Good quality but has recently had a few problems with spacers and frame twisting due to this.


Also you might want to note that you cannot currently buy the calf cuff as a spare part so if you go for the powerisers you have calf cuffs, if you go for 7's you have the knee bar.
However there have been several prototype PoweriZer photos from Europe showing a calf cuff so if this is introduced in the UK sale of the calf cuff as a spare part will be much more likley.

Hope this helps 

Oh yeah, and Welcome to the forum 

[XarnuSonci]

Knee: Have calf cuff which can be argued as being considerably more comfortable than the knee bar on other stilts.

Rich I think the word your looking for is 'is'

[Athoul]

Yeah, probably   
 

[bmthbloke]

Well hi and welcome

For what its worth I say 'if it aint broke, dont fix it'. Legality not withstanding, if the skyrunners are working for you --stay with um till they stop working.

All makes have had problems in the past and have worked to over come them. Im glad to see you think skyrunners quality seems OK on latest version. tho another recent report said otherwise ( dunno vintage of the stilts tho).

As for other models, can you get to Capital Bocking in Cardiff next month? even if just for 1 day --communications between Newbury and thre are pretty good I think. You should be able to try out all the models there. Whils a fair few peeps wouls like to finally 'get there feet on' some deaded skyrunners --which would seem a reasonable trade off

[Mr Frank]

Not only is the calf cuff a little more comfortable, but it is also much more stable, as you can mold it to perfectly fit the contours of your leg.  The stability is pretty much perfect; your legs will not move in relation to the bocks at all, ever.  Calf cuffs also never give or come loose.  The designers are so confident that they got rid of the calf support, whose purpose is to supply some support in case the bindings go loose so the user doesn't die.

On the flipside, you can add more padding to the inside of the knee bars to achieve a comparable (but not as good) effect for the stability, and they will fit any knee pretty much the same.  Calf cuffs are pretty much customized for your legs only wen you do it right, and may not accommodate considerably wider or narrower calves very well.  You can always adjust them for other people, but that requires undoing eight bolts, putting them on and doing up the cuff, and then tightening the bolts again.

[Sprog]

Calf cuffs also never give or come loose.  The designers are so confident that they got rid of the calf support, whose purpose is to supply some support in case the bindings go loose so the user doesn't die.

If you keep the velcro clean, yes. I let mine get gunked up and they weren't as strong and would start to loosen. Clean the velcro and problem solved though. Bit of an exageration too, the calf pad is so your leg doesnt collide with the metal, not so you don't die!

[XarnuSonci]

Calf cuffs also never give or come loose.  The designers are so confident that they got rid of the calf support, whose purpose is to supply some support in case the bindings go loose so the user doesn't die.

If you keep the velcro clean, yes. I let mine get gunked up and they weren't as strong and would start to loosen. Clean the velcro and problem solved though. Bit of an exageration too, the calf pad is so your leg doesnt collide with the metal, not so you don't die!

That's cause you have your cuffs backwards . 

[Mr Frank]

Huh?  I really don't get what you mean, XS...

My cuffs don't come loose even though the Velcro is totally shot and does nothing more than keep the strap from flapping around.

[Sprog]

That's cause you have your cuffs backwards . 

And I like them that way

[XarnuSonci]

frank, sprog has his cuffs backwards, he uses the overlapping velcro to put them on and leaves the strap and buckle fixed where everyone else leaves the velcro fixed and uses the strap and buckle to put them on.

[Mr Frank]

Oh, OK.

[Theibault]

Just a quick ?. Are the 08 that same as what they sell in the US as Advance (the ones Mr Frank has)?

[BarnabyBoi]

Yes, if you mean Poweriser 2007 Pro model in USA. In Europe they were realeased in 2008 whereas in USA they cam out in 2007.

[XarnuSonci]

yeah the Poweriser Advanced/Pro/2007/2008 are all the same, released different times in different countries