Aracan

At 55° a soft setup may not transmit as much force as you would like it to,since your back edge will not be in line with your calves and highbacks. The Pure Boarding will be an excellent start into life as a carver. They always bring boots to their european events, not sure about overseas though.

I also use a helmet (Cébé in my case) where the plastic goes over the ears. However: I have no use for freeride-style helmets with soft ear covers. To me, they always feel like I'm wearing a salad bowl. The full cover gives a much better fit. Go for the size that feels comfortable, because if it doesn't, you will hate wearing it.

Ah, I see! It was the same guy both times. Probably got cocky after the first jump and killed himself on the second?

My daughter has been in two consecutive pairs of those Roces boots, and they were definitely worth the money, seeing as she has gone through about 12 sizes in 5 years. Renting would have been rather expensive, as we usually ski/board on weekends. The manufacturing quality of the boots is all right. They are not made to really put pressure on the skis, they are kids' boots. But the fit seems to be o.k. (she never complained), and the level of support is sufficient. We always had to crank them down very tight, however, as her feet have always been rather long, but skinny.

Does anyone know if the last two guys in the video (starting at 2:38) actually survived those jumps?

I sold a pair of RSVs once because they were too small. I am pretty sure I wasn't a father then, so that definitely makes them older than six years :) They were also somewhat rust-prone (especially the rivets that kept on the buckles), they were very stiff, and the liners, while marketed as "Flo liners", were crap compared to the current ones. Don't get me wrong - I love my UPZs, but they have come a long way since the RSV. The only things they have in common are the overall shape and the forward lean system (which is not all it could be, if you ask me).

I have a pair of Deeluxe Indys in 29.5 that I am willing to part with, see here in the BOL classifieds. Shoot me an e-mail if you are interested!

I switched from Deeluxe Indy to UPZ last autumn. I downsized from MP 29.5 to 28.5 without any problems. My guess is that people with a wider forefoot have an easier time downsizing with UPZs because of the larger toebox. Another thing: The shells will be the same size with 26 and 27 (see this chart). If I were you, I would order the smaller boots and take them to camp. Also bring your Deeluxe to be on the safe side. If 26 is too small, you will notice quickly and can still use your old boots.

This looks rather like the Rabanser RBT (see here), which has been around for some years. I believe there is also some connection between Rabanser and 19.94 bindings. I have heard very little about the RBT. One guy remarked that stiffness and stroke of the springs was very similar to the stock system, only without the locking mechanism ...

I also had trouble getting the board to go uphill on backside turns. Now, in the second half of the turn, I try to actively put weight on the outside of my front foot. This works for me, but depending on the board, it might cause your tail to wash out ...

I have a pair of Indys up for sale. Not free, but with BTS.

I hear you. Yesterday I was skiing with the kid, did some large-radius carves - only to get nearly hit by a straightlining softbooter

yanksno, I have a pair of Deeluxe Indys in the Classifieds: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?38360-Deeluxe-Indy-MP-29-5-w-BTS-(yellow-springs) Price includes the BTS and shipping. EUR 100,- with stock Raichle RAB, shipping included.

thenerb, I have a pair of Deeluxe Indys up for sale - see here: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?38360-Deeluxe-Indy-MP-29-5-w-BTS-(yellow-springs) If you would prefer the boots with Raichle RAB instead of the BTS, deduct EUR 60,-. Let me know if you are interested.

Basically, boot/binding combos are interchangeable across the board. When you look at the fine print, some bindings come with two or three different sizes of plates, for smaller and larger boot sizes. Some boots fit better in some bindings than others, but those are details. Of course, if you go for step-in, you need intec heels for your boots. All boots made in the last 15-17 years or so will accept them. As for the bail vs. intec question: Both have their merits. With step-in bindings, there is very little play between boot and binding. Many riders will tell you that the lower your angles, the less recommendable step-ins are. Especially on a a wider board with lower angles, some lateral flex will make things easier for you. Racers usually prefer regular bindings for the same reason. With narrower boards and higher angles, lateral flex is not that much of an issue. Also, step-ins are more comfortable to get into and out of, but you always need to check if the bolts are properly engaged. Step-ins are harder to get into in steeper terrain. Personally, I have never really seen the point of step-ins. But that's just me.

There's no date listed for Berkshire East on the Pureboarding site. But according to the site, Jörg will be at Labrador and Toggenburg Mountain the coming weekend, then in Aspen on Monday, then in Aspen again at the beginning of April. BTW, the PB crew typically ride with high angle spreads, around 12-17° (e.g. 35/50).

I don't have specifics. But I bought my first hardboots either in the 96/97 oder 97/98 season - I am pretty sure it was the former. They were Raichle 123s, and the heels were Intec compatible.

As far as I could find out, the photos were part of a campaign presentation - the tees never went into mass production. Get hold of someone who knows their photoshop and ask them to copy the concept for you.

I am surprised he didn't injure his left hand. Still, seems Didier went through a period of deep thought right after that turn - here's how he did the second heat of that race ;-) <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Aw52njY6KHw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Up + new price

+1 I wouldn't wear them all the time, either. I wear mine only for sports (and, on the right leg, for longer drives in the car). I also have a decent muscle corset around the knees, due to a few thousand kilometers of cycling each year. Still, I find the bandages add that extra bit of comfort and confidence.

Wow. Heel lift and too little room in the front? In UPZs? Pardon me for saying so, but you have weird feet. I have been through all the HB models in the market, and for me, the UPZs offer the best heel hold and the widest toe box.

I have a bit of a cartilage problem in both knees, so the patellae do not slide as smoothly as they should. I always ride with these knee bandages and they make a big difference! They have a ring-shaped padding which keeps the patellae in place, and plastic reinforcements which help stabilize the knees. I have no experience with the ones you mention, but I would never ride without mine. I feel the difference after each day of riding.

Not quite. If you look at UPZ chart, you'll see that a size 8 liner corresponds to MP 26.5. I don't know if UPZ boots are actually larger than the number says, or if the shape is simply better. However, I (and others that I have heard of) can downsize with UPZ, compared to other hardboot brands. E.g. I had a Deeluxe MP 29, which fit (shell/finger test was also o.k.). With UPZ, I am comfy in a size 10 liner, which corresponds to MP 28.2. The shell also seems shorter than the Deeluxe, though about equally long on the inside.

The most conclusive numbers are those on the lower shell. In this case, the shell will take liners from three EU sizes: 8.5, 9 and 9.5. According to this table, those sizes correlate to MP sizes 27.5, 27.8 and 28.2 respectively.