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dshack

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Posts posted by dshack

  1. I like the simple, flexy, low-down f2/raichle intec design, but I can't stand how annoying it is to mess with the canting and lift. I'd love to see a "bomber slim," a minimalist plate with the canting done under the toe and heel receivers, but with a full complement of slick, machined shims. Also switch the intec toe bail to a bomber-style position adjustment, rather than the single philips screw.

    Basically, take the best parts of the simplest bindings out there, and make them more slick. It seems like the basic plate-connecting-two-blocks-with-lift-and-cant-under-each design has been done for so long, by so many people, that there can't still be anyone you need to ask about using it.

    Another idea: what about putting two set-screws on each toe/heel block? You'd get the adjustability of cateks, without having to deal with the weight of the "power plate".

  2. I can't stand cotton- doesn't insulate too well when wet, and takes forever to dry.

    My current strategy: silkweight long underwear, gore-tex shell pants and jacket. I wear a lightweight fleece shirt over the long underwear (not the long curly fleece, more like a grid of small fleece squares on a woven face), and I take it off and wrap it around my waist if I get too hot. That, combined with using the hood on my jacket, lets me handle 85% of conditions.

    For the cheapest, smallest, lightest get-warm strategy, I'd say get a down vest and a facemask. They should stuff into a tiny camelbak pretty easily.

  3. One thing you might try is upgrading your underlayer to some Ibex or Icebreaker wool. It's supposed to breathe great, be warmer than synthetics, itch-free, and refuse to smell.

    Before you go out and buy a micropuff or down jacket:

    -Figure out where you get cold- you may be fine with a vest versus a full jacket.

    -Make sure your hands, feet, and head are covered- dealing with these can make you a lot more comfortable.

  4. I have pain in the bottom of my foot (outsole/opposite my arch). I'm using CPD (the thinner wrap-style) thermo liners in raichle 125's, with Aline footbeds (non-custom). I've tried swapping the thermo liners out for leather ones, and I get the same problem. Is the next step custom footbeds?

  5. I'm about 20 lbs heavier than you, but the same height. There are plenty of slalom sticks short enough for you, but if you want to lay out long turns, you're going to have a tough time. So far as I can tell, you've got a few options:

    1) Shorter all-mountain board (prior 4x4, burton coil, etc).

    2) Shorter slalom/gs board. The burton ultra prime 156 might do you well. The 162 was a little stiff for me, but I've heard the 156 is significantly softer.

    3) A softer Madd (F1 flex, or a 90's vintage). I've got one of these, and absolutely love it.

    What's your budget like? $700-800 will buy you a great board, custom-built for your weight. $300-400 will get you a great-condition late-model used one (madd, prior, donek) on the classifieds, but you might have to wait/ask around for one in the right size. $375 will also buy you a new Donek pilot, their light-weight/beginner carver, which I've heard some good stuff about. $100-$150ish will buy you something late-90's by Rossignol, Hot, or Burton. A lot of these have ugly-ass graphics, but I've heard they're great boards, especially for beginners.

  6. Got to ride with Dan, and meet the infamous Mike T and his wife.

    Heavenly groomers off Cascade, but about 8ft visibility. The few times the clouds burned off, it was beautiful. The hill was groomed better than I've seen it in awhile, though within a few hours stuff got tracked out/slushed up/ iced over.

    Toesides are getting better, heelsides are almost satisfactory. Mike T and Tim Carter lay down some inspirational turns.

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