RoroSnow

@kipstar, would you mind expanding that a bit and share some info if you've got some about it ?......

@Spiny Norman Around 120 days teaching and self practicing on them, so already a good idea about it. Absolutely no issues with the boots except mods mentioned above...We'll see next year with one season more how they behave.... Something I will do is protecting the upper toe area of the Ion boots with a layer of Sikaflex on the seam to avoid some unstitching due to holding student's board with the foot causing some scraping with the edge. It's really a small detail to be honest..... As for the bindings, no issues so far, aside the mods I did on them for personal taste.... One of the weak point I could notice is some lack of lateral support (more noticeable on the front foot) as soon as you increase binding angle. (I teach +30/+15 and freecarve +33/+24). During the off season, I'll think of a way to give more lateral stiffness to the binding/boot combo.... Something else to consider is the lack of stance adjustability due to the shape of the binding center disc....you'll have more fine adjustability if your board has got 4x2 inserts pack instead of 4x4...

As explained in another step ons topic, I did move from traditional stiff strap bindings (Franken-Catek FR2 Pro) to Burton Step-Ons only because of bad low back issues, in order to avoid bending over to much, not sitting down to tighten (very) strongly the straps, etc, etc.... I've got the '20-'21 version of Step-Ons without the 2022 toe cleats Burton's modification. Mods done on the Step On/Ion boots combo as seen on the two pictures : 1 Longer highback leaning adjustment screws...Burton's ones were too short for my taste. 2 Steel braces to tighten the heel cleat/highback combo to the heel cup...Out of the box, during frontsides there is some play between the two parts allowing too much delay for quick and responsive edge change. I started with plastic braces but they were breaking too easily under stress and cold temperatures. Problem solved with steel ones ! 6 Pads under the Gas Pedal in order to reduce the little play and noise between the two toe cleats and the binding. At the time it also allows a slightly quicker edge change but need to be refined to "look better and neater"... 3 Home made booster strap, a lot cheaper, yet effective....! stiffer upper boot area allowing at the same time tightening better boot's laces. 4 Burton RAF plastic tongue riveted to the boot tongue for added support and stiffness. 5 Small piece of paracord added to ease the laces loosening when opening the boots. Very happy with the mods just need to refine the gas pedal one as the plastic braces tend to break easily. Other point I will also consider is the Boa ankle strap......even very tight, I can still feel a tad of heel lift into the boot...and I've always been doubtful about boa solidity over time....Will keep you up to date if anymore mod is done in the future... Instructing the whole season with the Step Ons, I've finally been pretty happy so far....and my low back too ! Not pictured here but I also moded the release lever with a key ring that I open with a retractable gopro selfie stick. It may seem a lot of work, but is as quick as opening normal bindings as you get used to it. Easy and quick in/out is a breeze when working and no more wet butt sitting down. No problem with snow/ice building up in powder. So, happy with them teaching and carving even if I think that for good and effective carving those kind of mods should be done....but it may depend on everyone's taste. And two shots of the modified Step Ons in action, working pretty good....

Last tracks of the season.....the instructing season is over for me......till the next one !.... No better way to end the season with such good snow.......a true gift of nature......Thanks !

Always drooling when seeing hero conditions day after day at Milk......I'll let you choose guys between Milk and The Pyrénées.....it's sand dust coming from The Sahara with some rain and strong winds from North Africa to Spain and France....(picture taken from a webcam shot...delete if necessary). Nice as always SBS !...

Finally some good conditions on Wednesday..... And on Thursday too.........!

Same bluebird conditions over here....enjoying it 9 to 10, then teaching it, so can't complain too much...

That Goofy Moose should end one day on some MCC tee shirts front logo.... Like it !....simple and funny

Waow ......Insane situation imposible to encounter over here at any moment of the season. Lucky you and nice grooming...! Drooling....

A little best-of of yesterday morning....

Not exactly the kind of Milkland grooming but......................... Finally some decent carving conditions....!

I did the same mod at the beginning and finally ended doing something else. The goal was to minimize at the maximum low back bending..... Key chainring on the Burton release lever and a modified selfie pole with a hook.... The extended 45 cm pole folds to 18 cm and sits perfectly in my cargo pocket.

Eventhough the resort where I teach is the biggest one in the Pyrénées (210 km of runs), the grooming that was very good like ten years ago for a few years, is now getting worse each year that goes by... The Milk remains The Milk, also envying your conditions here !!.... Enjoy !

Dynafit TLT 5 work great. Used them first for touring, then modified them for Splitboarding and now use them for both

Three weeks here since it last snowed....followed by several days of rain....Awful and icy....Lucky you, Enjoy !!

Excellent snow conditions here in the Pyrenées, France....Lot of years since we last have so much snow at the beginning of December....Good season to you all !....

https://www.key-equipment.com/ A Backland-ish boot a la Phantom Bindings without spring, the flex being provided buy the ankle strap and theabsence of a stiff tongue.... Any thinkings Hardboots Splitboarding companions ?.....

@pmorita Same here....Had two Stock Inclines (glass) 161 and 169 for years (since 2005).....very happy with them. The 161 was very versatile and the 169 a tad bit too wide and stiff for what I like....(26 waist) and my weight (68kg) The flux is a soft boot carving machine I'm very happy with but I wish I had asked for a narrower waist width...mine is stock 25.8 for 162 ( 2019 year) and the feeling underfoot is a little bit too wide considering the dampening construction....the board feels a bit slow edge to edge at the beginning....but it gets better with the practice....and is now no longer a issue.... A bit more difficult as well to find the sweet spot with the bindings position but once you got nailed all this....waow !..... Really really like my Flux now ! Good Job Sean ! Hope you will enjoy yours.....!

@pmorita Stock specs ?

@Charlie2021, As you are already having fun with your Rossi, you could of course keep on with it focusing may be a bit more on alpine technique to improve your technique . The board size seems ok for you as you consider yourself/are an intermediate alpine rider. Totally true that a modern board will change your riding perspectives....so much joyful......but not absolutly necessary if money ( and time on the slopes) is a concern..... If new board.... Board size : 162-168 Width : 20-21 cm due to your boot size SCR : around 9-11 Board flex : soft to medium Board construction : rubber dampening. Combined with Titanal would be Holy Grail but very expensive. Last point, you're from Barcelona. Not a lot of Hardbooters around there... I don't know where you usually ride, but I've been a snowboard instructor for 25 years at Grandvalira-Pas de la Casa Resort. A lot of people from Barcelona ski there....so if you're around.....we could share some technical knowledge through a few runs, lessons, whatever......just ask for Rodolphe at Pas de la Casa ski school.

The rider with the dark blue/purple onesie seems to be André Maszewski, former French World Giant Slalom Champion at the end of the 80's........Not sure about the other ones..... The girl could be Corinne Pialat...........a French female rider.... Those were cool times.....Nice find !

We can see Burton's modifications here....but, will that mod be effective ?..... https://skiisandbiikes.com/products/burton-step-on-x-snowboard-bindings-2022 Nice DIY mod....but I assume it is only for the front foot as the back one need the highjack to be flipped down to avoid being hit by the chairlift.... Been using Burton's RAF tongues (discontinued) for years to stiffen my Drivers X for years with success but if I do step forward for the step ons like I'm planning to, those tongues with some lateral support look interesting......where did you get them from ? Also, one of the weak points I see with step ons is the lack of fine binding tuning regarding screw holes, stance, offset etc.....probably a detail for the majority but something to also consider.....

Absolute Beauty....! Lucky You.........! Any rubber with the carbon/titanal combo ?.... The 21-22 thread couldn't have started any better !......Needless to say that your board review will be welcome.....

I started reading today at breakfast........but tomorrow's weather forecast is really awful.... So you made my Saturday Dredman ! Huge Thanks ! Fin''s trip really looks epic......