snowmatic Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Was on a discover tour the last weeks and see what I found: the first improvement on NW Point .950 hardboots since Booster strap was applied to them. Just watch the Northwave boots from the rider on the left, which is way in front of race. He uses NW Point hardboots with enhanced functionallity. He just screwed on Raichle buckles on his raceboots. Northwave was not allowed in 1997 and 1998 to supply the Point series hardboots by similar build buckles like Raichle hardboots had (protection by patent). So they used similar build wires like Raichle, but with ski boots buckles. This rider on that modified Northwave Point .950 hardboots won the last time a race and was second on following race. For sure, it wasn't a Worldcup race, but it was on a most significant raceseries just below Worldcup, which was also joined by some US Worldcup riders. That Raichle buckles are genius for snowboarding with hardboots. I coudn't understand why Deeluxe replaced them by odd and cheap mass product skiboot buckles. I guess they loose knowledge of production (many change of factorys since they left orginal place of initiation) and Deeluxe wasn't able to maintain the production machine for to keep build quality stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 What makes the old Raichle buckles so good? Frankly I wanted to replace mine but didn't due to cost. They clog with snow, and it is difficult to reproduce the settings because you can't see exactly what notch you are on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 What makes the old Raichle buckles so good? Frankly I wanted to replace mine but didn't due to cost. They clog with snow, and it is difficult to reproduce the settings because you can't see exactly what notch you are on. small elastic bands or o-rings are your friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 http://www.ojankaivajat.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/boots.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckmann AG Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 What makes the old Raichle buckles so good? Prior to icing, jamming, stripping, and eventual failure, the ratchet strap can provide a more 'even/uniform' shell closure with less fiddling than the 'ski boot' type of buckle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zone Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Any 'how to' sites for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafcadio Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Any 'how to' sites for this? http://www.alpinecarving.com/buckle_replacement_eng.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowmatic Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Well, that suggestions on PDF-sheet for buckle replacement can be a quick way if you live in jungle or on a desert. Let replace the buckles by professionals at a good local ski store. They have special screws and nuts for fixing new buckles to shell. Screws and nuts commes with flat, but wider head. For prevent clog with snow, or icying up use silicon spray or liquid wax on buckles and bands. You know, these buckles and bands are now mostly more then one decade old. Surface of plastics hasn't anymore the same quality like if they are new. Hardboots had been made then for to give users satisfaction for around 100 days on snow, or for 3-5 Years. After than people throw them away and buy new ones. What we do here is way above of livetime they had been made for. Because of excellent quality, Raichle boots are longliving. Other older boots from brands like Blax, Burton, UPS, which is now UPZ, you can't find as frequently like Raichles. Even on Northwave's, many boots on Worldcup have replaced buckles. For to reproduce the settings use a silver marker for on black bands and a black marker for on grey bands. That marker stroke deep in the notch will help you to find back to your optimal settings. Even if there will be deviations because of thiner/thicker socks, or different feeling of your legs each other days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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