[Downhill Skateboarding Vid]

I think this has not been posted before. A video about, as Jalopnik put it, "speed fanatics who wake up early and always stay in their lane".

I find it pretty impressive, but I don't know anything about skateboarding.

 

Edit: Embedding doesn't seem to work, so here is the link: https://youtu.be/zzKpPdSuMKY

[New Track Boots - Flex Question?]

Pokkis means that the symmetric shell does not stick out as far, making them less prone to boot-out.

[Heat molding a Deeluxe 131 or 141 liner for more length and toe room?]

The shell length seems to be totally o.k. The thermo liners are made to be fitted, not to fit out of the box.

One strange point is that you found the UPZ uncomfortable around the toes. The toe box is wider than the 325.

[FIS equipment rules for hardboots in BX]

 

I suppose it's like NASCAR and people watch it for the crashes?

Certainly seems that way. I stopped watching SBX or whatever you want to call it when I realized that it's basically a gladiator fight - putting young people on a course and base much of the suspense on how close they are to getting hurt. Last winter I was at a resort where a larger ski-cross and SBX competition was being held. I rode the gondola with two young riders, one of which told the other about how she was going to race even though she had trouble bending and unbending her knee.

[BTS?]

If you weigh 150 lbs., I would definitely recommend the yellow springs (top and bottom). I am about 160 lbs., and I did not feel the yellow springs were too soft when I rode Deeluxe.

[Fitting thermo liners?]

I did it myself a few times. The first try was unsatisfactory because the toe cap I had made was too thin, so the resulting toe-box was too small. Apart from that, it was pretty straightforward. I can give you more details if you want.

[What tools are you using for edge sharpening?]

I use the Tooltonic box Plus. Somewhat costly, and not ideal if you have many boards to tune, but even someone with ten left thumbs (like me) will get good results with their stuff.

[Solomon SX-01 Equipe carving set-up]

All other things aside (fit, size, heel lift, ramp angle, what-have-you), one question: In the linked video, are you flexing the boots as far forward as they will go?

 

If yes, the boots offer far less fore-aft flexibility than I want in a snowboard boot. Just what I would have expected from my experiences with 90s rear-entry ski boots.

 

Which is not to say the amount of flex the SX91 offers cannot work for some riders. But personally, I would always take a boot that offers more range of movement lengthwise.

 

Apart from that, things look all right, I guess. Binding setup has always been very much trial and error for me. If it works, it works. I would probably try a steeper angle in front, but that is just me.

[hard snowboard boots vs Solomon SX-91 Equipe ski boots???]

What Eric said.

 

Also, why would overhang increase instead of decrease when you go from 55 to 60 degrees? How did you measure your binding angles?

 

And just out of curiosity: This is the tenth boot-themed thread you have started within three weeks. If you are of the opinion that good boots are the most important piece of hardbooting equipment, I could not agree more. But how do you manage keep  abreast of all the info?

[concerned about to committing to new boots?]

 

Flexible forward lean is about the same in either boot.

The SX91 must be a lot softer than the Nordica 7-something, although the SX91 was marketed as higher-performance, and a lot more expensive.

Also, why would it be a $ 800 mistake? The RC10 costs less than $ 800, and even if they don't fit, they would still be worth something.

[concerned about to committing to new boots?]

Hm. The flo liners worked fine for me. I wore them at home for a few hours, because the flo material conforms to your foot when warm up. Now my liners are pretty much shot and I will probably replace them with Palaus since I hear good things about those and they are much cheaper than replacement stock liners.

 

To get back to your question: Your shell is definitely long enough. You say that the liners "cramp your toes". Do you mean from the side or from the front?

 

If the boots (with liners in them) feel too short, I would give them a chance on the hill. Knock your heels in properly, and you should be good.

If they feel too narrow, you might want to try the Track 700, which is said to be wider in front (not that I can confirm that, though). The stock UPZ liner is already very thin around the toes, so there is not much margin for error there.

[Extreme carving?]

+1. Extreme carving is not necessary for the steeps when you define almost full extension of feet and body as one characteristic of EC. It is fully possible to carve the steeps with your body very compact and close to the board, as long as the board is tilted up high enough.

[UPZ, Deeluxe model comparison?]

YMMV. I went from Track 700 to UPZ and the UPZs feel more roomy to me around the toes. Maybe the liners also play a part here.

[UPZ, Deeluxe model comparison?]

To put it another way: At this point in hardbooting history, you have three different boot shapes to choose from:

 

UPZ - they are all the same shape, come in 3 different basic flexes which can be tuned with different tongues and spring systems

Deeluxe Track 225 and 325 - this is the symmetrical Deeluxe shape

Deeluxe Track 700 - the asymmetrical Deeluxe shape

There are excellent aftermarket spring systems for Deeluxe and, I believe, different tongues.

 

Each one offers a different feet based on the differences between the shell:

Track 225 and 325: narrow toe, wide heel

Track 700: wider toe, narrower heel

UPZ: even more toeroom, even narrower heel

 

In my not at all humble opinion, fit is more important and harder to tune  than flex. Therefore you should determine which shell fits you best and take it from there.

[Are the UPZ ATBS too soft?]

The bottom-most buckle on the ATB and the RC8 is a bit further back (farther from the toes) than on the RC10. You would need to remove both buckles and rivet one in the new spot. I would not bother if I were you. The stiffer tongue will probably just mess up the boot flex.

[Why is the carving community so darn small?]

 

I also don't see an easy way for married folks with kids to get into hardbooting.

 

When my kid was small, I saw more hardboots on skiboards on the magic carpet than attached to a snowboard. The trick is to already be in hardbooting when the kids appear. The time when you teach them to ski is only an hiatus.

[Why is the carving community so darn small?]

 

My contention is that 9 to5er's would probably be less inclined to fallow the long carve !

Then you obviously know a very different bunch of carvers than I do. That minority sports attract "individualists" is nothing but a cliché, I think. Among the carvers I know are insurance experts, bankers, IT people, people in law-related professions - all jobs that you would probably associate with having to wear a tie.

[UPZ RC8 vs RC10, carving and skiing?]

 

The RC10 have thinner liners

Really? I got the impression that the liners are identical for both models, though there may be changes from one year to the next. Also, the UPZ price list has only one type of flo liner, AFAIK.

[UPZ RC8 vs RC10, carving and skiing?]

I have no experience with the RC10, but since it is stiffer than the RC8, it would in all probability be better for skiing, with neither being a really good ski boot. You should also be aware that fore-aft stiffness of the UPZ boots changes significantly with the tongue. I noticed a big difference even between black (second softest) and red (softest).

[Your opinions please...Alps, Ultra Primes, UPZ vs Deeluxe]

The SX91 Equipe are rear-entry, correct?

Speaking as someone who started snowboarding in rear-entry ski boots, let me state once and for all that it is a very bad idea. The boots are far too stiff in all the wrong places. While probably not dangerous, those boots will seriously detract from your fun. Switch to SB boots or at least softer, buckle-type ski boots ASAP.

[Switching from AF Series to Track Series Boots]

I went the other way (from Track to AF). I used the same size. Track series was definitely narrower in front, maybe a bit wider in the heel.

[Should i go for it?]

Without personal experience of either Doneks or Cateks, I don't think you can go wrong for 50 Euros, as long as nothing is broken.

[UPZ RC10 Tongue Rotation - suggestions?]

I have a similar problem with my RC8. The tongue works its way upward during riding. Used to be I pushed it down whenever I stopped, and that was that. Now that the liner is more worn-down pressure points have start to develop on the inside of my rear shin.

My short-term solution is a Boot Doc gel pad. Next stop: New liners, probably thermo-moldable, wraparound style.

[boot size for the umpteenth time.]

To sum up:

- Your Nike running shoe size is irrelevant for choosing your hardboot size. The mechanics of carving are different from running as far as your feet are concerned. Generally speaking, most people need less room (lengthwise) in a hardboot than in a street shoe.

- The Mondo size system is based on your foot's actual length. If your foot is 28 cm long, get a boot that is MP 28. Especially if they have moldable liners. This is why thermo liners only come in full Mondo sizes. When in doubt, size down, the liner will "give" during the molding process.

[Which Liners for UPZ?]

Thank you all for your replies. The Black Diamond liners sound promising, will look into that!