shamael

Yeah, I've got that as well. I just forgot to add it to the list! :)

So I got myself a swoard, a pair of deeluxe 325 and f2 race titanium bindings... Can't wait to test them!

That's very good to hear!

Hallo everybody, I'd need some advice regarding transitioning from softboots to hardboots. Since when I completely abandoned my freestyle inclinations, I've always wanted to get a hard setup and be able to carve for real. I am currently riding a very old burton supermodel, angles 27/15, and it just isn't enough anymore for what I want to do. I am not too sure about getting into hardboots, though, because I have tried a few times renting the gear and the experience hasn't been too good. Great grip, sure, but also extremely fatiguing! I can't go snowboarding too often so I've pretty much convinced myself that I ain't in good enough physical shape for hardboots. Since a gear renewal is in order anyway, I was pretty much set for getting an F2 Eliminator, Catek bindings and Malamute/DriverX boots (hardest setup for softies!). I am not too sure anymore, though, because Catek has issues at the moment, which is a big letdown, and because after reading a bit about plates, damping pads (e.g. the Sidewinder) and moldable thermo liners, maybe it wouldn't be so exhausting if I had the right equipment. Furthermore, rental stuff sucks very badly (at least here in Italy) so I might have had a bad experience because of that. What is your advice? Do you find your hard setup significantly more fatiguing than your soft one once you've grown accustomed to it? Could you recommend a rather "relaxed" combination of board/bindings/boots? I'd really like to be "converted" to true alpine snowboarding! Please consider that importing Prior or Donek for me would be rather costly because of customs, so I'd rather get an F2 or some other European brand. Thanks!

Seems like not much has changed... I have sent an email to catek a few weeks ago regarding the availability of the FR2ProEVO and got no answer, which is a pity since those bindings really seem in another league compared to "standard" ones. Maybe I should consider waiting for the bomber secret plates and pair those with either the burton c60, nidecker carbon or salomon caliber.