Beckmann AG

This is just one of the benefits of using a ski boot for hardbooting. This is one way to increase, rather than decrease, reaction time.

...more or less. I want to see the rocks flying through the air. Waiting for a boot on the press to cool, may go out later. Keep an eye out for Claude, he might need a bit of help with all that newness underfoot.

Remove the longitudinal twist from the board. A twisted board is trying to make two separate turns 'simultaneously'. Wobble can be mitigated by most previous suggestions; most often traced back to boot/binding configuration.

TT, I think you need to accessorize with a set of those glider things. You could then erase your tracks from the previous run. They come in black, too... I think Borg has/had an arrangement with Tretorn...

I have something, measures 9-9.25" from flat of buckle staple to inside of opposite end. If you cannot get the proper piece from other suggested sources, let me know. (Although I will not be able to get to the post office for a week, due to vacation work schedule).

What, no purveyors of hardware in Halifax? Can you post a picture of the broken part? Who knows, I may have something somewhere...

Use your present lack of fitness as an asset in determining boot/binding configuration, rather than as a catch-all for undesirable outcomes. You should not need a whole lot of muscle to ride well, when all is as it should be. Most hardware stores have wire nuts and aluminum cable swages that may work for the short term, if the cable snapped mid-run, and not at a terminal point. If the cable is plain steel, you could painstakingly clean the strands, then braze or solder repair as well. You might even get away with using a common crimp-type electrical butt connector.

That being the case, you will want to take another look at your front binding setup, the ramp angle in the boot, and the forward lean of the boot. These variables may overlap a bit, so you need to be methodical in evaluation. Don't ignore this issue. I have seen more than one athlete taken out due to front leg tissue issues that were directly related to boot/binding dissonance. Generally speaking, backward flex in a hardboot is not particularly desireable. There is a relationship between the knee joint and ankle/foot that should be maintained for optimal load bearing and agility; allowing the front boot to flex rearward may compromise this relationship. Lateral flex modification may not be necessary once the binding tilt/lift/cant has been optimised. If you want my setup guidelines, send me your email. If the Krypton is a very close match to the contours of your foot, you can improve snowfeel by using the lace up liner from a pair of Nordica, Tecnica, or Fischer plug boots. A quality footbed is also a good idea. Snowfeel translates to reaction time, so if you are trying to go fast, you should collect all the 'free' performance enhancements available. If you are working with Katie on this project, perhaps the two of you should come up here some time, and we can have a discussion on the topic of going fast on a snowboard. Our philosophies may differ in some areas, and I do not want to make suggestions to you that would be in conflict with her advice.

1. Where would you like to go with this boot. 2. What do you want this boot to do, that your previous boot does not do. 3. What do you like about the Kryptons at present. 4. What do you not like about the Kryptons at present. 5. What compromises, if any, are you willing to accept. 6. How much time to you have to devote to the project, and what resources do you have to facilitate modifications. Understand that your present 'technique' may or may not be compatible with a ski boot.

.doc was written prior to current shells.

A quality read. Thanks for posting. Relevant material for those here who would become better athletes. Should be moved to the 'racing/coaching' dept. "If you begin playing without technique, it is big mistake. Big, big mistake!" -Larisa Preobrazhenskaya, Spartak Tennis Club, Moscow.

Not so much really. No great affection for the machinations of sales and marketing. As you can see, I wound up with a bit of weasel grease on my jacket... Dingbat, say hey to Shahid for me. Ask him if he corrected that typo on his business card.

I think that may be the last time I agree to have my picture taken... TT, I think you may be one of the very few who call me Dr. Frankenboots. No dead tissue involved, and no villagers outside with torch and pitchfork, so I would say that tag is somewhat misleading. Besides, his creation soon destroyed him, and I am very much intact. Pbonz, boots are Rossi/Lange plug boots. Tecnica's (NIB) are best used as flowerpots/landfill/organ donors. The binding has a thicker midsection, with TD1 toe and heel pads. Red e-ring. Front toe flip bore is fairly worn, two sections of common fuel line keep it centered. I could buy another bail assembly, but first I need a few more jars of peanut butter. DB, Many mechanical devices look 'weird' until you understand how they work. BTS-like thingy is a means of incrementally limiting/permitting medial-lateral movement of the cuffs. Picture of bindings and ensuing dustup located on thread titled 'metal magnets' 'hardbooters rule'=kind of puerile. A struggling industry hardly needs factionalization.

From the text... "Where you mount your front binding will have a marked effect on how ‘neutral’ your board responds. For this reason, front binding location should be determined functionally, rather than geometrically. This location (on a given board) will vary based on rider weight, and to a lesser extent, binding angle. If the front binding is set too close to the tip of the board, the board will skid out easily on a heel-side turn, and feel quite twitchy in general. It will also be difficult to traverse heel-side one-footed, on shallow terrain, without the board spinning out. Unloading lifts may present a challenge. On soft or variable snow, the danger of ‘folding the nose’ is increased." (This assumes that the front binding is not set up all foolish-like). If you can then make simple arc to arc turns, one-footed, on the same pitch, then you are probably close. If the heelside turn comes around clean, but the toeside takes forever, you are either too far back, or one of the many other boot/binding parameters needs to be addressed. If these one-footers feel more or less balanced, then go find some steeper boiler-plate and verify with both feet in... This works for me; your results may vary.

Probably working. Sounds like there may be quite the ensemble here this weekend. Worth the drive, no doubt. Parenthesis/powers/multiply/divide/addition/subtraction Caster/camber/toe

Thank you, but you are likely mistaken. Bear in mind that this is a baseline, with the emphasis on dexterity rather than 'hunkerability'. Most riders will alter their stance a bit from this setting, once they determine what the end use will be, and having developed a better feel for how the board can work in their favor. Thank you again. At some point I will get around to finishing the job. Not responsible for existing typographical errors... Maybe fix a short bungee cord between the wrist of your popcorn hand and the edge of the table; that may provide just enough resistance to keep the 'filler' clear of the 'intake port'. If you can't sleep and need some reading material, I can forward the alpine version... Perhaps. Perhaps not. Advertising is a bit like dragging for shrimp. I'm keen on the shrimp part, but not so much on the old tires, single boots, and discarded toilet seats. Bobdea, Thanks for the 'airtime'. PM to follow.

I have heard of 'hot boxing' a snowboard. Awaiting picture of suitable rotobrush...

When you repeatedly subject your body to fluctuating loads while cantilevered at the waist, it is a matter of when, not if, your back gives you grief. It is likely that when you changed your angles (and board), you recruited previously idle muscles in your riding/balancing. Muscles under tension have to anchor in at least two places, one of which may be on the wrong side of the tracks. As the little ditty indicates, the leg bone is connected to the hip bone etc. Time to ride smarter, not 'harder'. Find the video clip of Lindsey Vonn that Jack posted awhile ago. Ignore the text. Forget about angulation. Notice the overall lack of tension in her body, and the effect of that on glide and posture. Next time out, take an inventory of what fires off and when, then ask yourself if you can replace muscle with mechanism. Volkls tend to be a bit soft in the nose, so be careful with the inputs.

Good. Thanks for reporting back. As I said somewhere back at the beginning, PM me your email and I will send you a bunch of information on how to go about finding your next pair of boots. Now go make up for lost time...

I hope the present fix works out Ok. Bear in mind that a heel lift affects boot performance as well as fit, so don't be surprised if you need to find a different balance point on your feet, for better or worse... Take your first run on something fairly flat.

Indeed; and that would be a waste. (Debate of that nature, not your expression). As a starting point, I will refer you to this guy, I think his name is Newton, and he proposed a few laws governing motion... Once you have defined the context of operation, you are then subject to the absolutes of human behavior pertaining to that context. These are known and quantifiable. After all, you are dealing with an electro-mechanical construct. I will assume that when you teach an LTR, you introduce content in a particular sequence (based on the client and the prevailing conditions), as you know that sequence of events to be most effective. I think is is fair to say that this represents something of an absolute in teaching. Many good teachers will say things that are not intended to be taken at face value, rather, they stand as concepts to ponder, to send their adherents off on greater intellectual quests. I never met Gordon Robbins, and would not presume to know the intent behind the statement that you are quoting, but I suspect he would be disappointed if you did not try to disprove his assertion. Well, how much ankle flexion is sufficient? Does it actually need to be visible to be effective? Is good snowboarding (at any level) defined by a series of codified movements in a set sequence, or rather by agility while in motion on a slick surface? Good on ya, mate.

Well, yes. If at all possible. If you came to me for a footbed, with your present shells, we would not be doing business that day, as I would not waste your money. Fitting boots on a computer is not always a good idea, but from the pictures you have posted, and the issues you have described, you do not have the right boots for your feet, lower legs, and body mass. With all due respect to others with contrary opinions, a better liner in the wrong shell is a waste of your resources. You would be better off replacing your current liners with a few bags of marshmallows. You could then laugh, rather than cry, at the outcome. I used a set of stock liners for at least 500-600 days (a conservative estimate), until they finally tore apart. This would not be possible if the boot shell was not a reasonable facsimile of my foot. Meant in humor, not criticism...The boy was/is clearly talented. Good to know he's up and about.

RE: buckle stack. I think John was suggesting just one of the many possible causes of shin bang. But then I can't speak for him. In a correctly sized, (and perhaps modified) boot, it should be relatively easy to close all of the buckles. Buckles are primarily for closure, not for affecting flex. There is a very good chance that if you were in the 'correct' lower shell, you would not be able to connect, let alone close, the upper buckles, due to the volume of your lower leg. So the problem is, finding a lower shell that fits your foot and ankle, and then finding someone with the wherewithal and interest to modify the cuff for you. If it makes you feel any better, $450 is a cheap education. Don't beat your self up about it.

This is known in some circles as hyperbole, a common literary device. And just to clarify, I am not suggesting that any client, beginner or otherwise, is supposed to have something handed to them, least of all their ass. (Although I have seen a few get knocked onto said posterior by strong wind, but that is another issue.) I have encountered far too many individuals that have failed in previous learning environments due to poor equipment configuration and pointless exercise lines. I presume that their 'instructors' were 'properly' equipped, albeit lacking the necessary 'software'. If you and your perceived 'adversary' had enough information on the topic, then there would be no argument, and there would, in fact, be a point to the endeavor. Informed discussions pertaining to the many absolutes of moving over snow should be encouraged. Hey, thanks Rob.

Yellow Lange Tii; I think Pete did that himself. I don't think Tim was involved, but I could be mistaken. Once in motion, he did bear some resemblance to a squid, but it worked for him. Last I heard he had wrecked himself doing some sort of big air expo tour thingy. That was quite a few years ago. When a four(or five)-buckle boot is overflexed, the middle buckles jam together. This creates an abrupt end point to the forward flex, and residual forward momentum is translated rudely to the shin.