Ian M

@ mikel45 - glad to hear they did good work. They're not cheap, but they're good! @ Keyser Soze - no. Last time I asked Frank about cooking Deeluxe liners, he told me they only had (gentle) warm-air hoses for the ski boot liners. What type of liner are you talking about?

^ Thanks shorty! ;)

Interesting... both Bomber and YYZ show the Speed TF (thermo-moldable) as the stock liner for all three Deeluxe boots. Why is the 225 that you're being offered in Quebec not moldable? Double-check this fact, and if it's not the Speed TF liner, don't buy it. I'm not familiar at all with Andrea's contact in Qc. I'd be curious to hear what boot she would recommend. Andrea and Dave have never steered me wrong, so I would encourage you to seek and heed their advice. I'd still suggest the 325, simply because it is easy to soften the boot with the BTS if/when desired. I highly recommend the BTS eventually anyways, because it makes the boot flex much more progressive as well as very adjustable. My belief (feel free to confirm with YYZ or Bomber) is that a 325 with a soft-spring BTS would be much softer than a 225 with the stock forward lean adjuster which is rigid. Therefore, you can have a large range of boot stiffness available with a fairly inexpensive spring change. Putting the BTS on the 225 cannot stiffen it though; the FLA is already rigid and therefore at its maximum. It probably seems a little over-complicated, but the idea is that with both fit (thermo-moldability) and stiffness (BTS) adjustability the boot can be whatever you need; even if your needs change over time, which will happen as you progress. If any person of average ability and size asked me what boot to start with, I would suggest the 325 with the medium BTS. The boot can then be stiffened or softened as desired. The 167 is definitely not too long for you. The sidecut is the more important factor, because it determines how quickly the board will change directions when carving. The Sims has an 11m side-cut radius (SCR) which is larger than a freestyle board but quite beginner-friendly, giving you time to 'get settled' into the carve. The Proton has a smaller SCR that I measured at 8.5m. This small slalom-like sidecut makes the board want to turn very quickly, and combined with its soft flex that can be quite hazardous. (think cartwheels) I hope you're less confused about the boots. Please keep in mind that opinions vary quite a bit about gear, and that in the end you'll just choose something and find out for yourself. If you're weighing opinions, I'd suggest that you listen to YYZ or Bomber as opposed to anyone else. They have the most experience with these products. Cheers!

ps - what's your background? How much experience do you have soft-boot boarding, hard-boot boarding, or skiing? Height and weight?

Welcome JP! Sounds like you're motivated but have lots of questions, so we'll try to help :D. Boots are definitely one of the more challenging pieces of gear to buy. I've certainly made some mistakes buying mine, and hopefully you can benefit from those and get it right the first time. 225 or 325? For most carvers I'd recommend the 325. It features medium stiffness, which is what most free-carvers want. The only reasons I'd suggest going to other models are: 700 - you are an experienced rider who is uber-aggressive and races. 225 - you are very gentle at everything you do, weigh less than 125 lbs, or live on the west coast with soft snow. Keep in mind that if you find the 325 slightly too firm for your tastes after riding it for a while, that you can soften it drastically using the BTS spring system (which also improves the overall boot flex and feel). It is harder to make a 225 stiffer. My suggestion is to buy the 325. Sizing? DO NOT BUY DEELUXE BOOTS BASED ON PRE-MOLDED FIT. This was my biggest mistake, and it cost me another $200 to put different liners in them and make them work for me. It is wise to try on the boots, but only to get a sense of how the boot feels and whether you like the flex. You should not be able to get your foot into the correct size non-molded deeluxe, let alone do up the buckles. Select your size based on measurements of your feet and have faith in these instructions! I repeat - go by the measurements and the liners will mold perfectly to your feet. Between Chris and I, we have more experience molding liners than any local retailer. I'd be happy to help you with yours. Btw, do you have orthotic footbeds or any special foot issues? Board. I understand you're planning to ride Tabby's Proton primarily this winter. There's a Sims 167 Freecarve board sitting here in my apartment that is just for others to demo/learn on. It's a very decent middle-of-the-road freecarve board. It is a little longer and stiffer than the Proton(-noodle) and probably suits you better. You're welcome to borrow it on 'extended loan'. Comes with SnowPro bindings that have two options for toe/heel lift also. Let me know if you'd like to try it. Keep the questions coming - November is a long month! Cheers, Ian

I think there's still lots of time, Mike. While Chris and I have rooming arranged with two others, nothing is booked yet. Really, the organizers haven't even posted the full 'package price' yet. Seems to me that we signed up late December or so two years ago, and had no trouble getting the Long Trail 2-bedroom. If you'd like to be sure, you can always call Stratton and they'll tell you how many units remain at any size/price. Remember that posts on the forum does not equal action in the real world ;)!

Love you too, man. I'm not having your babies though. You've got to draw the line somewhere.

Good stuff! You definitely won't regret coming to ECES. Great mountain, rates, and people. I've never actually seen someone ride a skwal, so please do come out and play .

As Ryan just said by email, many thanks to Brian and Tara for hosting the ride and get-together yesterday! It was great to see all of you, and to talk gear, riding, and other things. Seeing Graham's board was a special treat . The ski and snowboard show came up yesterday, and we haven't missed it yet. It's next weekend at Landsdowne, 10-6 Saturday and 10-5 Sunday. Tuning clinics by Kunstadt, last year's gear on sale (mostly Kunstadt I think), and lots of reps from resorts expounding the benefits of their beautiful slopes. I don't know about you guys, but I go mainly to enter all of the 'free trip for 2' draws that the resorts do ;). Cheers, Ian

^ Wicked video!

This thread makes me laugh! I've had similar experiences of course; many people just can't wrap their head around riding long, fast, stiff boards. To NickG - I learned to ride on a 163 Nortech Rebel when I was about 14. I think soaking wet I was about 110lbs and 5' tall. No problem at all. When I moved out west and was riding deep powder, I went to a 169cm Option Supercharger. You certainly loose maneuverability in the trees as you go longer, but gain stability and float on the fast, steep, open stuff. In the end it's up to your girlfriend to prioritize what is more important to her. Cheers!

Hey all, I'm definitely attending. So far it sounds like Chris and I will drive down together and room with Derek and Aaron in Long Trail. mikel45 - is this your first time attending? It's a blast...

^ Ditto :D. Well said!

Excellent goal! Have you calculated how many runs that equates?

^ Sweet!

If you built your own board Graham, please bring it! I'd love to see. Ian

... because everyone knows that the new years starts whenever the snow falls :D This year, I aim to: share my carving passion and knowledge with others by teaching more hard-boot lessons. carve the s$@% out of my new skis. (first season back on planks since ~1995) land a big, fat 360 on said new skis, then on one of my carving boards. pick up more women from Spain at the bar. EVERY YEAR, I: ride things that scare me. I like feeling my heart in my throat. own a slope that just handed me my ass. All about head-space. enjoy the simple pleasures of sliding and playing outside. Check the ego at the lodge for a while. Best wishes to everyone for an amazing season!

No discussion here. I love my Continental ExtremeWinterContacts, and am looking forward to playing more in the ice and snow. :D Excellent performance and value for those who haven't heard of it.

^ Yeah, I'm going with some guys from the Ottawa Mazda Club. It'll be more of a networking event than anything. Like Chris I was disappointed last year; so much of the riding was at a ridiculous level in places I'll never set foot. Besides, WHERE'S THE F@&%ING CORDUROY?? We all know that's where the fun is had .

^ Excellent.... mwah hah hah

Yup... right you were! It can take me a while to come around to something when the old thing is still working for me :P Looking forward to making some turns together at Cascades. Cheers!

Thanks Jack, those look more promising than the WM stuff. I'm working on some downloads! Cheers :D

Awesome riding! Women who carve ROCK.

Awesome, please count me in! I love the footnotes Brian... that may be the first use of superscripts on this forum.

Wow... very well documented! Great link, guys. I'm disappointed that those sequences were longer in my memory. :(