Keyser Soze

I ride the Il Moro model, and it's actually 120, so just a touch softer than the Pro at 130. http://www.dalbello.it/en/product-il_moro_quot_t_quot_i_d-205 Has anyone ridden the Lupo? http://www.dalbello.it/en/product-lupo_sp_i_d-12365 Described as "Essentially a KR 2 Pro with a walking hinge", also "Dalbello’s first Krypton boot with a walk/ski mode that allows the cuff to be unlocked for skinning, hiking, or riding a snowmobile to get to backcountry lines. The midsole is rubberized to further enhance traction in these scenarios". I suppose the walking hinge could be replaced with a homemade spring system, or possibly modified BTS?

That's fair, but when respiritu was asking about the advantages of step-ins, I believe his inquiry was a little more geared toward the advantages vis-à-vis racing. We are talking about the NorthWaves, after all. Quick and convenient clipping-in/out probably isn't a top priority, as these guys would spend an hour connecting themselves to their boards if they felt there was a competitive advantage.

That seems odd. People who can't carve usually just refer to skidding turns as carving.

Hopefully the general public don't start associating Alpine snowboarders with Ottawa Sun readers.

I know Adidas has denied it, but I'm sure that's a show of support for gay-rights. I'm not nuts about the Canadian or the American uniform. I preferred the previous team Canadian Under Armour offering...

Ahhh, thank you, sir!

Link to said thread?

I use Dalbello Krypton Il Moro boots and switched to F2 Race Titanium bindings this season; no issues thus far. Besides, it's the binding most (if not all) racers I see use, and some of them run ski boots with no problems. I definitely chuckled when Dave mentioned how slippery the ski boot soles are. At the main lift for my local hill, there's a mat that constantly has a thin layer of snow on it. It is the bane of my existence.

Thanks for the info. I'll follow the Facebook page and hope to see new tech that rocks the sport like it did in 2010!

Sorry if I missed it, but was there much talk about this? http://www.thestar.com/sports/amateur/2013/02/22/canadian_snowboarders_look_for_technological_boost_over_competitors_with_apex_plate.html Apex was allegedly working on a new plate for the Canadian national team. From the looks of it, Lambert's gone to back to the V1 plate. I heard something similar from another source. But is it just the V1? Or is this the new and improved plate? He doesn't seem to be hiding anything like they did back in 2010...

Brandywine still available?

Oh, I don't disagree, and that definitely isn't what I'm suggesting. I'm just kind of wondering aloud if attempting to make modifications to a an old boot that has the world's best riders chasing down every remaining pair is a wise decision. I mean, there's a reason this community has been estimating the cost of recreating the molds of the NWs. Now someone's actually collecting the boots in all sizes, seeking financing and going to give it a shot. If I was one of the major investors, I'd want them recreated exactly as they were. Modifications can follow once the initial investment has been recovered. I mean, imagine if a few minor changes are made right out of the gate, racers try them, and next thing you know, they're back to chasing down the old NorthWave shells because the new boots don't feel like the NorthWaves? That would be a disaster.

I'm just wondering if it's worth making any changes to the design at all? Right, and when I look at the Deeluxe boots, I can't help but think of the many conversations that have gone on here about making a "better" NorthWave 900/950. I'm sure Deeluxe are incorporating some of the good ideas from other boots, as well as improvements on what could be considered flaws. One has to wonder if it all fits together as perfectly as it did with the NW? Simple, not overly eloquent, but probably the greatest argument to be made for keeping the proposed molds and spring system as true to the original boot as possible.

Merci, Seb! I was wondering if anybody had discussed spring modifications to provide more progressive flex to boots. Nils had mentioned a thread on the EC forum about it, potentially this one: http://www.extremecarving.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=394

Cheers, Kieran, much appreciated! Now I would like to know everything about this boot and what makes it so great for snowboarding. :D

I wonder if the obsession with the Northwave .950 (and .900, I suppose) is a European thing? I don't think anyone on the Canadian team rides Northwaves, but maybe Seb can shed some light on that. Jasey took the gold on modified Indys, while Morison and Lambert both ride Kryptons. Lambert ran Full Tilts for a while, which I believe is what Michael Trapp (American) rides. I think Jasey is on something new now... Can anybody identify?

Awesome stuff, just caught up on everything. Watching Jasey ride is unreal.

Yeah, sorry. I've never ridden UPZ, just trying to share some of the boot softening info.

We actually had a good thread about softening boots (usually geared toward softening ski boots), and I'm sure it'll be available via the Search function once the older posts become available again. For now, here's some input from skiers/snowboarders (not myself) pulled from other discussions: Please note that I have never cut boots myself. I would recommend that you go and get any modifications done by a professional. I've attempted to attach images, but I'm having trouble. I've uploaded them elsewhere instead... http://i44.tinypic.com/30w86eo.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/9r5awz.jpg http://i42.tinypic.com/dzyql1.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/23k57v7.jpg

Thanks for this, Graham. Out of curiosity, which Dalbello model are you talking about? And you're right about the lack of lateral flex, but I don't tend to stray far from the groomed stuff.

Oh, sorry, I didn't mean I expected it to be done anytime soon. I just wanted to mention, as feedback, that I thought it would be something worth looking into. I haven't actually visited Bomber in a little while, so this is the first time I see all of the changes.

Obviously, I'm thankful for Bomber, and all the work you folks do. Not to complain, but I was just wondering if the issue with the search function, or missing posts, is going to be looked into. If not, that's fine, it's just that there was a lot of great information that is no longer available.

Last season I tried ridding Kryptons I'd picked up at a killer price on TGR, and it was so painful that I had to call it quits after 3 runs. My feet were numb, yet somehow still in a considerable amount of pain. Just sitting on the chair had me feeling like I was never going to be able to use my feet again. I recently went to get the intuition liners cooked by a guy named Chris at Kundstadt in Kanata. He also suggested I yank my footbeds, as the boots were a tight squeeze. I was previously riding in 27 Raichles and my foot was slipping around a bit, so I dropped to a 26.5 when I got the Kryptons and I can barely squeeze in/out of them. The bake, as well as the removal of the footbeds made a world of difference. I also snapped the buckles on the loosest setting to ride, and despite some heel lift on the back foot, everything was fine and very responsive. I'd read about riding with your buckles undone to improve, and I didn't really have any trouble with the loose setting on the boots, as they're naturally tight fit. Also, the Kryptons were not as stiff as some make them out to be. I was reading about ski boots needing an F2 binding for some flex, but I had no issue with the Cateks I was running. I may need to punch out the toe box on my left foot, but everything else seems fine at the moment. Mind you, I'm still working these boots in. All this to say that you might not want to forget about the Dalbellos right away. I was considering giving them up, but I'm glad I took the time to make a few adjustments. However, with the wider stance I've set on my board, snapping in at the top of the hill is annoying, and I'm worried I might get my pass pulled for muttering obscenities as I snap in AND try to push myself back up to a standing position so to start my run. Step-ins seem nice, but I'm paranoid about release issues. However, Chris is a bigger guy than I am, so I'm assuming if everything's set-up correctly, that shouldn't be a concern. I'm sure that with every passing season, step-ins will seem far more appealing.

I've also heard great things about Mont Blanc. They apparently have one side that's perfect for carving. Habitant is supposed to be great too, been meaning to ride those for the last couple of years but haven't gotten around to it.

Dinardo's doesn't cook liners, do they?