barryj

I've thought about it. Even was thinking about using my old road bike light but not there yet.

Hey D, yea Sean offered that as another variant possibility but that was an unknown to me I didn't want to risk. With my experience as the last holdout of all things UPM I felt confident that adding UPM inserts and a plate would decrease the dreaded MK Buzz while increasing the ride time before the MK took it's toll on the rider....not to mention the reduced impact on your knees a plate provides! So far I think I proved my hypothesis correct.....And it will still turn on a dime and leave .09 cents change! ....and maybe a case of whiplash!! I will say the day of my barely 3 hour test drive I stopped before I got tired, so I know I didn't overdue it but the day after and today I feel really beat up...my knees and thighs are really tight! Which is strange as my Angrry never beat me up this bad! Well I knew/expected the MK to demand and produce more muscle fatigue but this MK is teaching me I got muscles I didn't know I had!

I here ya Ladia! It seems the older I get the more the Planets have to align to have a good carving day! Uneven grooming, uneven lighting, uneven snow quality....any of the above and there's a high probability I'm gonna have a challenging day on the slopes! Hey...... if a MK is good enough to be Sean's every day daily driver, then By God that's good enough for this mere mortal to give it a go!

Hey Ladia Just Damn glad to hear your still getting after it! Keep it up my man! Come up to Boreal for some night riding with me next season under the lights....you'd be surprised how bright the runs are lit up....even when it's dumping! Yeah, same here at Squaw/Palisades......by 11am I head out or switch to my Slush Slayer, Moss PQ60!

With my season not starting until March because of surgeries I've just gotten enough of my groove back to finally (have the courage!) to get out on my MK Mutant Sean created for me....as a reminder it's a MK variant that's 20W with UPM inserts and I put a Donek F plate on it with TD3 SW SI's on BP lowers. As Sean suggested I did have it ground and waxed plus 1/2 edges. Like me, it's been sitting on the sidelines since Nov. but since March I've been out quite alot on my more forgiving Moss PQ60 and finally moved up to my Coiler Angrry SST and have had a few semi good runs on the Angrry. Anyway decided it was now or never to give the MK a trial run in our Spring conditions before we loose the freeze/thaw action on the groom that will prohibit any attempts at carving.... So for my 1st day/3 hours before it turned to slop and chop I have to say.... Wow! Now to be clear, I love my Coiler Angrry but this MK variant takes fun to a whole other level! It tracks straight off the lift and picks up crazy speed! In our semi firm morning conditions on the groomers it's quick edge to edge, even quicker than my 20w Angrry! It felt very maneuverable but not overly temperamental to only be hard carving and was as happy cruising as it was turning/craving...but when you even think about tipping it over it snaps around so quick (even with a isolation UPM F plate!) it will pop your dental filings out! I expected some of the famously quick MK maneuvering but it came effortlessly and surprisingly quick and threw me in the back seat the first few times! For general riding imo, with this MK variant you don't have to stay ahead of it like you do on a Donek Rev to keep it from pitching you in the woods...unless your pushing the carving envelope....which I'm far from this season! I felt like I could have ridden it all day and I never experienced the dreaded MK buzz .....both of which was part of my decision (and supported in theory by Sean) to put a plate on it! But overall What A Blast! Can't wait until next season to turn it loose on the Olympic run/lift over at Heavenly!

L, way to keep the New England stoke going!

Last day for the best carving run at Heavenly, Olympic chair was yesterday, Mon. I did drive over to Heavenly for morning laps Sun. which was mostly cloudy imo but was able to find my groove somewhat. Sure wish I could have gone back for Mon. the uncrowded, sunny laps for last day for that lift! Heavenly is running the. CA side until April 21 I believe. Nevada side closes the 15th Boreal closes the 15th also Hope to get back up this Sat. or Sun. for forecasted couple of inches! Palisades is in good shape and says open until Memorial day......we will see!

Anybody been there this week or last weekend ? How's the grooming been? Looks like a good freeze/thaw cycle through this weekend could make for some good carving before the temps turn it to slush. I as thinking of coming over to Sat. to run some laps out of Stagecoach and Olympic..... but even an old fart senior day pass of $169 is hard to swallow......especially considering I'd be lucky to last three hours because of the weekend crowds........not to mention my post surgery ankle!

I've been sporting a carbon Osbe Race helmet the last few years and it has served me well. Light weight, warm with ventilation if needed and fits well. Small brand presence here in the states. Not my cup of tea but here's a link to an review of an Osbe with integrted visor : https://gearjunkie.com/winter/osbe-proton-helmet-review

Hey Surfer, That ain't no Hometown Hero! What's the board, it looks.....surfy

D, I seriously feel your pain! Hope you at least got to remember the Helio flight! Get well soon!

Another reason I like night riding......at Boreal it's seriously lit up like an aircraft landing strip! Without the lights I'd be blind! Which makes it tough now as Daylight Savings has changed it's not getting dark up here until after 7pm! I usually show up around 6pm and the lifts close at 8pm

Well after being on and off the AIL list for the last 2 years from a drunk skier taking me out and 2 surgeries later my solution is to go when it's less likely to be busy. I go out in the middle of the storm for the pow but also because hardly anybody else is crazy enough to be out driving in the storm much less on the mtn. in it! So night skiing is my haven this season......... last night I might have seen 5 people total on the lift and less on the runs....All Night! I never checked my 6 once!! It was marvelous!!

Well, my feet are like thermo nuclear devices, they never get cold!.....even after downsizing. Fin told me way back my size 11 Raichle Suzuka boots were too big (even though my street shoe size was 11.5-12 depending on the shoe) and that I needed to downsize to get the best performance. So I went down to modo 28/size 10 and yes it's a tight fit for a day or two but then my feet and the liner make amends and then it's all good. No jammed toes....but they are touching when standing but not touching when I'm on the board clipped in. I don't use the oem Deeluxe liner so the only problem is when I have to break in a new Intuition liner.....or maybe the liner breaks in my feet.......not quite sure.....but like I said it only takes a day or two and then I don't even notice the fit. But I got none of the notorious Deeluxe Heel Lift..........

Hey G, If you can acquire the boots and a plate system why not give it a go! I'd suggest going down half a boot size or more if possible. A SNUG fit is critical for keeping your heel from moving during hard turning/carving. My street shoe size is 11.5-12 depending on the shoe but my hardboot size is size 10/ Mondo 28 It was a super tight the first 2 or 3 days but everything adjusted and felt fine after that. Here my hardboot armada for examples.......

Hey G, Try it...."you won't know if you don't go". is our family moto! I bet you will like it! I have TD3 SW SI's on all my setups.....from my hard charging Coiler Angrry and Donek MK mutant to the other end of the quiver, my pow board, Moss PQ60 swallowtail and my everyday work board and EC ripper, twintip 168 Swoard Dual. Hardboots and plates work great in my opinion....much more responsive than any off the shelf softboot!

True that Slab! That post was about who ditched BTS and why. This is about what specific # lean mechanism settings Deeluxe hardboot people are using and if there's any rhyme or reason to those settings....... so far the answer is No! So far the settings I'm seeing cover the 5 position range and all in between settings!

Hmm....#3 front and 1 rear, another option I haven't tried! Thanks Corey

So I ditched the BTS and went back to the oem 5 position Lean mechanism and I like the response much better! On multiple videos I had seen Sean using just the Deeluxe oem forward Lean Mechanism with his Track 325's on his MK........and looking so smoooth! So I asked him what Lean settings he's using with that combo and Sean sent me a photo of his forward lean settings on his Deeluxe Track 325 boots he rides with his MK. He's goofy, so #4 setting on his front right boot and #5 on his rear left boot. I've tried lean settings of 2/4, 4/2 and 4/4 on groomer days on my 425's. They all sorta work and I can hit 3-5 good carves before I lose the groove as I haven't found the sweet spot ye! So questions: Anybody else besides Sean riding at #5 Lean Position for either foot/boot for Carving?? On my boots when the lean mechanism is set to #5 position on my 425's it creates a huge gap between the liner and the Boot cuff....even with my foot in the boot! Also when in position #5 the top two buckles won't/can't reach the tooth plates!...... so how do you buckle them without getting new/longer upper boot straps?? So....what lean mechanism settings are you using with your Deeluxe Hardboots on the groomers for hard Charging Carving!!

Sean sent me a photo of his forward lean settings on his Deeluxe Track 325 boots he rides with his MK. He's goofy, so #4 setting on his front boot and #5 on his rear boot, so opposite of me as Regular but I'm going to try 4/4 next time out on my 425's. When the lean mechanism is set to #5 position on my 425's it creates a huge gap between the liner and the Boot cuff....even with my foot in the boot! Also when in position #5 the top two buckles won't/can't reach the tooth plates!...... so how do you buckle them without getting new/longer upper boot straps??

Yeah I hear ya OJ. I've been on the AIL so long I forgot that Fri. is the new Sat.! Won't be doing that again!

I hate to say it, but here in Tahoe the Required Parking Reservations for weekends and holidays at Palisades has made a huge difference in the total amount of masses and Asses on the hill! If your up here on the weekend you already know it's going to be crowded but now It's comfortably..... crowded. I went up yesterday/Friday (No Parking Reservation Required) and it was crazy crowded for a Fri. When I was coming out at 11:30am there were still a line of cars backed up a mile long still trying to get in!

Hey Scully, I know your pain brother....... but at this point and time I'm just ever so happy to be out on the Hill and if I get a good turn or two I rejoice in that! Always working for more/better turns but two surgeries and being on the AIL sidelines (seemingly forever) has shown me I'm mortal and appreciate the struggles and accomplishments life or the hill throws my way. Carpe Diem ........and don't forget to enjoy the day!

True that! I'd already be there if they had stepin version!

I love my 425's, I've got a pair of the older black/green version I use on my pow setup and also a pair of the current blue/yellow model I have set up for my hard charging carving decks and while looking for another pair of the current model blue/yellow Deeluxe 425's I asked Ivan at Icarve for his price and he says the 425's Have Been Discontinued This Year With No More 425's Being Produced And No Plans To Replace/Upgrade It!! Currently there still seems to be plenty of the current model 425s available on the internet........but that it has been Discontinued is disheartening on so many levels to say the least! Anybody got any insider info on this?