teach

If it's not gone, I'm curious what the max stance width is and widest axle spacing.

Nice work, looks sharp!

I think sliding in socks isn't enough like snowboarding to be helpful. When you slide you have most of your weight on your back leg. It makes sense for that to be your dominant leg. But in snowboarding, both legs do serious work. No particular reason the dominant one should be in back. But when someone first gets on a snowboard or skateboard, they have no way to know what will be demanded of their legs. Many instinctively lean back, like sliding in socks. That may make them prefer the dominant leg to be the rear one, but that turns out to be a bad reason. I think dominance for legs is more complicated than for hands. Legs are usually supporting your weight, so choosing one to do something with (like taking a step onto a stair) also forces the other one to do something (like hold all your weight temporarily). I can imagine two people with the same dominance making the choice differently.

Camelback has the "value pass" deal again this season. It's $249 for weekdays, weekends after 3, and from March on good anytime. Pretty hard to beat. $169 for junior or senior. Prices go up after 11/30.

RC10s are softer and easier to get into/out of than RTRs, and their stiffness is less affected by temperature. I think RSVs are stiffer than RTRs, but I haven't been able to make a fair comparison as the RSVs had what I think is a more flexible liner. You learn a way to twist your foot while pulling the shell tongue sideways and the liner tongue forwards... not as critical with the RC10s. They spoil all the fun.

PM sent, been wanting to try one of these.

I think you misunderstood me. In the interests of proper internet boot-fitting, aka someone getting the right fit, let me try to be clearer. UPZ sizes are UPZ sizes. They're only small or large relative to some translation into some other sizing system. The commonly available translation into mondo isn't very good. There are better tables out there. Someone posted one on BOL years ago but I can't find it (I even linked to the post a few years ago and the link no longer works). http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCMQFjABahUKEwiKqZLFjvLHAhVHqx4KHbmDAiU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fforums.bomberonline.com%2Findex.php%3F%2Ftopic%2F38978-what-size-liners-did-your-upz-rc10s-come-with%2F&usg=AFQjCNFWQWcIlB-WUQzDXhFZvBJ0hkiDGg&bvm=bv.102537793,d.dmo [Here's a table, from a post by BOL member Aracan: http://www.frozen-backside.de/index.php?page=Attachment&attachmentID=5830&h=2d136f2dfb12f310e7694be20faca70ae88b90f1 As for interpretation, all I can say is that I currently use the 9.5 liner in 312mm shell and it's very close in interior length to the other M28 boots I've tried: Deeluxe, Lange ski boots, Head. So I'm not sure what the "28.2" translation means: 28.2 - 29.1999...? That would be about right.] That a certain shell with a think liner doesn't fit doesn't mean the same shell with a thinner liner doesn't fit. The best test is to try the bare shell and see if there's any crowding. If not, you can get a liner to fit. In your case, you have two options, a thinner size 6 Flo or an even thinner size 6.5 Flo. The suggested maximum foot length is out there somewhere, and around 26.5. Remember the Deeluxe 26.5 is for feet 26.0 - 26.999.... The .5 may indicate a thinner footbed and/or liner than 26.0 but same shell. UPZ shell 287 isn't quite the same range as Deeluxe 26. The 5.5 is the "smallest" (thickest) liner for the 287 shell, but 5.5 is _not_ short for 25.5. Simplest reason: 10 is roughly M29, or M28.5 if you believe the charts, 9.5 is roughly M28.5 or M28... UPZ shell sizes increase by varying amounts (279 - 287 - 299 - 314 - 324 mm, if I recall), so the size range a shell fits isn't always 1 cm wide, let alone between consecutive integer mondo sizes. So mondo sizes don't map onto UPZ sizes neatly. Thermo liners (the standard kind) have a thick foam sole and toe area. That takes up way too much room. The UPZ liners have a thin cardboard sole and elastic/neoprene toe, very thin, like race ski boot liners (but thicker). Huge difference. Try the newer Intuition liners if you want thermo (Pro Tongue for example) -- they're thinner than my Flo. So much that my UPZ boots are too roomy with them. Thin in comparison to Deeluxe thermo, yes. That's 100% intended, and I appreciate it. There are definitely thinner options! I think the UPZs are great boots, and a godsend for those of us with narrow heels/ankle/rear foot area. I hope this can clear up some of the unfortunate difficulties people have getting the correct size.

Upz sizing is different. There are usually three UPZ sizes per shell. Mine are "8.5/9/9.5". There are three different liners per shell, one for each UPZ size. I have the 9.5 liners (thinnest). These boots are sold as Mondo 28 and fit like that. I wear US 13 in regular shoes, just to get some reference. I found a chart that shows the sizes (shell and liner) but it's part of a slideshow... anyway, the 287 mm shell is for UPZ sizes 5.5/6/6.5. If you have the 5.5 liners then you may just want thinner ones. The next shell up is 299mm and that's usually sold as M27, so I think you have the shell you thought you were gettng.

Not in CO but shipping has been very reasonable via USPS Priority, so: I have a 167 Burton Factory Prime 190s (19 cm waist, symmetrical) that's in pretty nice shape. I thought I posted it for sale last spring, but can't find the post. It is pictured in this post, though: http://forums.bomberonline.com/index.php?/topic/41175-172-oxygen-proton-gs/?hl=%2Bfactory+%2Bprime (hope that works). I also have a 162 Burton Ultra Prime, waist 19.8 cm. I bought this just to try out the relatively big sidecut, 11 meters if I recall. Don't really need it, and I have a lot of boards I don't really need... I've seen a few good mentions of this board. Both of the above are reasonable for 190 lb. I'm more like 210 now, but was 190 or so when I rode the 167. It rides very much like the 173 I have (same year) and don't need a backup as I don't ride these very often. Carves great, not as damp feeling as the new metal boards. Sims 167 Carve II? A little softer, and 21 cm wide, I think. PM me if you're at all interested; I probably have a few more that would work. Probably from $75 (Sims) to maybe $125. Shipping could be around $20 - $25. I might have a set of SnowPro bindings. In my opinion these are the lowest-cost option for someone over 150 lbs or so. TD1s are excellent, but somewhat limited in adjustability. For some people this isn't a big deal, for others it is. Either of these often go for $75 - $100.

Is that a BTS spring holding it closed?

I'm using RC10s now and find them a lot softer laterally than the RTRs I was using. In fact the RC10s sort of seem to disappear; I don't even notice them. I think you'd like them. I'm in the 190 - 215 lb range, at the high end lately; my boards feel the difference but the boots don't seem to. If it came down to it, maybe you could put an ATB cuff on RC10s to get more lateral flex? I posted some photos and measurements of RC10 vs Deeluxe Indy vs Head Carve-X ski boots (all sized for M28) last season to show that the "short sole length" of the UPZs isn't really a difference on edge. I love the UPZs, but not that feature. In case you're not aware, Deeluxe has two shell shapes. The 325 have a different shape from the 700. The SB (325, and supposedly 425) are the SB shape, the 700 is the AF shape. Fin posted a dissection of these, literally. SB are narrower in the forefoot.

I have a mint 168 Never Summer Premier F1 from the year before they went rocker crazy.

So you want to mount some older Rossignol bindings on a Burton board? And you're thinking of using the disks that come with the Burton bindings to do it? As other have said, that's not likely to work. There may be a way to use the Rossignol disks but you're right to look for alternatives. 3-hole disks for Bombers are available. Cateks often come with both 3 and 4 hole pattern. Possibly Phiokka as well -- their discs usually seem to have both 3 and 4 hole drilling. You could always use Bomber Power Plates with 3-hole disks and bindings of your choice if you don't mind some lift. A pair of Catek WC or OS1 would not set you back much. For a little more you could get some TD2 or TD3s. After selling the Burtons and Rossignols you may break even dollar-wise, but be way ahead happiness-wise. Step-in will cost significantly more (due to the need for heels) and increase the complexity and frustration factor (some will disagree about that last judgement). Properly installed and maintained, using Fin-tec heels, it may be safer.

Board is sold and on its way to AK. Thanks, Gooldasgold! Enjoy

Sorry, been busy lately. I just PMed gooldsgold a shipping quote. I'll post here if he passes.

Gooldsgold, I PMed you. You're first in line. I'm not sure of the year. It uses M6 hardware but length is given in feet and inches, contact length in cm. ?? Tex1230, you're next up if interested.

John Danger, I believe I met you at the top of A-Basin a few weeks ago. Since I'm about your weight and started fairly recently, I'll chime in. Some points of agreement with advice above, for sure. At 210 lbs don't worry too much about the "too stiff" remarks you read. Overengineered? No, just adjustable without having to have a machine shop at your disposal. To me that's the main TD1 drawback: you're stuck with a few cant options which may not be the ones you need. Some people are insensitive to this, to others it's make or break. TD2/3 and Catek are fully adjustable in the range that's likely to matter. SnowPro and F2 are flexy enough at my weight that the difficulty of fine adjustment (you'd need to make your own wedges) isn't a make or break issue. I can ride them comfortably with pure lift. But my knees feel it afterwards. These are nice when you can't (or don't want to take the time) to get Bomber or Catek adjusted just right. I used to use these at the beginning of the season a lot. I'd take TD3s over TD2s just for the increased toe and heel block contact area. A few other niceties as well. No problem reselling if you don't like them. You'll want a selection of cant disks, or a source to borrow from. Cateks are nice too, and you don't need to swap parts out to adjust cant/lift. I like the OS1s. I disagree that they're complicated. There is the risk of spending forever fiddling. I know about what I need from my TD3s and just set the Cateks to match, then tweak a little if it seems necessary. Had I started with Cateks I might still be on the hill fiddling. Ride the Strati and get them to fit properly. You can tweak the stiffness, but at 210 lbs you probably won't find any boot that's too stiff. At any weight there are a lot that don't fit right, though. If you're looking to spend more like $100 than $200, Catek WC may be a better choice than TD1s, unless you can McGyver the cant disks on the TD1s (or are OK with the limited options, but how would you know as a beginner... ). It can be a trick to get the right heel bails, though -- the older bindings sometimes have heel bails for ski boot soles (lower heel). SnowPro are in this range as well and might work nicely to get started. Welcome!

Yes, race ski boot liners are a lot thinner. As for Intuition, the Dreamliners I believe still have foam underfoot. For me that makes them too thick. (I had a pair of Luxury, which I think are now the Dreamliners, but I may be wrong). The Pro Tongue or Race have no foam underfoot. I have some Pro Tongue that are actually too thin for me, and I'm a 29+ cm foot in a 28 UPZ. No one else will agree with me here, but you could try some UPZ Flo liners. Since everyone else replaces them there should be a lot available for a pittance... Then there are Zipfit. They sound great and come in a variety of thicknesses (and are adjustable). Never tried them.

Your bare foot in the bare plastic shell has less than one finger clearance, yet you can cram your foot plus that thick liner into the boot? Less than 1 finger clearance can be made to work with a thinner liner. I wouldn't give up on these yet, as too much room is usually far worse.

Got it on my calendar. Looking forward to it!

OK, I'm headed up to A-Basin for Friday and Saturday. Hope everything holds out. Looking forward to it! Any suggestions on appropriate gear? How crowded has it been? Bumpy soft stuff? Bumpy hard stuff? Or just smooth, firm groom as far as the eye can see?

I didn't count on the Memorial Day factor -- car rentals are really high. I've had as cheap as $7/day in November and late April - early May, but this weekend it's $100/day. I may try to make it for the barbecue next weekend -- only $30/day rentals. Sounds like great conditions lately. I'm jealous.

What's the date? A-basin closing day?

Anyone still riding at A-Basin? The forecasts sound good -- low 20s overnight, 30s - low 40s high. If that were here in eastern PA that would be a good bet at least until early afternoon. Anyone have some local perspective? I'm sorely tempted to make a quick trip. Bad idea?

Sending you a PM now.