lordmetroland

For a mere $75 you can relive those Nitro memories, complete with period Nitro soft bindings (not mine!). Diablo!!! http://denver.craigslist.org/spo/4739268505.html

So, aside from mounting screws, you grease all the fasteners where metal meets metal? I would have thought Loctite was the right tool for the job there! This is why we sit at the (virtual) feet of the masters. I may have to rearrange some stuff in my brain now.

Here's an interesting discovery. Interesting to me, anyway. The Loctite 242 product information says "The product cures when confined in the absence of air between close fitting metal surfaces." Not to be fleeced by some dumb marketing jargon, I set out to test the claim. A few drops of the 242 on a couple screws and, for good measure, a few drops of Permatex blue on a couple others and - Voila! - they're both still liquidy in the presence of air in my basement 24-48 hours later. So, evidently, the product info wasn't trying to make a fool of me and it would be easier to just trust the label. So it seems one has to cure the Loctite in a vacuum, or possibly wait way longer than 48 hours for it to cure on it's own.

What was the rationale given for a higher front angle? I've canted my softboot setup since 1990 but typically symmetrical or higher in the rear. I have NO scientific rationale for that either.

I recall my old Burton Cartels having some warranty-voiding language in the install sheet, but I don't remember specifically if it referred to boards as well as bindings. Since then, I've heard Loctite can compromise plastics, but always used it prior to reading the Burton warning with no discernible ill effects...

Not sure how long the Skunk Ape has been around in the Lib Tech lineup? I have the ultrawide 170 HP version and really like it, but fear it won't see much use this season. It's lively and pops a bit between turns, and seems to anticipate where I want to go. It floats nicely in soft snow and seems to carve well on piste. It's a pretty nice all-around ride, but lacks the confidence of some other boards in going through chop. My real complaint is that I wish they made it in something bigger than 170. I had the 180 but the extruded base was laggy. This one's much faster/slippery, but I'd love another 10-20 (or 30?) cms!

Just about to mount up a set of Catek FR2s and would love the collective intelligence on keeping the dang mounting screws stuck in the inserts (though not permanently). With other soft bindings I've used factory applied stuff, Loctite, Vibra-tite, teflon tape and nothing with varying degrees of satisfaction/irritation/surprising results. Searching on the terms seems to bring up various perspectives, so I thought a poll might be useful. Any tips or strongly held opinions welcome!

Mmmmm...a piece of rad-ness for a mere $50. It's the model with the overhead drawing of the convertible Caddy. Looks like it comes with the same no-nonsense Sims bindings that cut my feet to ribbons on my Aggression Assault. Strapping it on would be like time travel. http://denver.craigslist.org/spo/4715175489.html

That's helpful. For the life of me, I can't figure out why the softboot industry insists on shrinking the typical board. I've heard claims of "reduced swing weight" but, realistically, how many people will fail to complete that 900 owing to the weight of 5cm of board length? Maybe it's just a push to make boards easier to handle? I'd size up knowing you're looking to carve and probably carve fast, not learn tricks with names that are impossible to remember. Also, Ride toe straps are quite low profile compared to some other brands and the material is really sticky. Good luck!

I'd have to ask what you're planning on using it for? Flotation? Park? A break from routine?

I just sent a message to the fred.foster account.

I don't want to make your transaction more complex, but I came into a pair of pristine 18cm spacers for about $75 shipped. I'd think I'd prefer the 23cm version. Maybe we could arrange a three way swap that makes everyone happy? Apologies if I'm treading on a deal!

Maybe I'll drill it for rubber straps and a rope handle, lace up the Sorels and see what kind of fiber I'm really made of.

Man, surrounded by my stiff boots, aluminum chassis bindings, long board, sintered UHMW base, metal edges and helmet, there is something about watching this video that makes me feel distinctly like a chump-a**. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zDoEM2-LQA

I'd love to tap into your encyclopedic knowledge of Tankers with a couple quick questions. If that's OK, could you drop me a line at lordmetroland AT gmail DOT COM?

Bryan, Lakewood's pretty close. Let me know what you'd like to do.

http://denver.craigslist.org/spo/4659724667.html Cool shape to this guy. Looks like an earlier model. Some arguably tasteful nudity. Not the saucy, near porno edition that might get you carted off the hill.

http://denver.craigslist.org/spo/4628716675.html Complete with period erector set bindings. And Damian Sanders type +35/0 stance. And what looks like 50m sidecut. Allegedly "a piece of snowboard history." Or a piece of something else. Either way, something you don't see every day.

Strangely enough, there's a NOS version of that Sims on the Denver Craigslist site now for $150. Not mine.

I think the Double Agents were discontinued a couple years ago. Looks like they were somewhere between the El Hefe and the Capo in stiffness/price. I like the El Hefe a lot. Ions are a nice, light, stiffer boot, but they gave me nerve damage in my left foot, so I'm less inclined to recommend them, but everyone's feet are different...

Sweet! My second board was a Heavy Tools Flip. Not sure if the Crazy Banana has a metal binding plate in it. Did most boards of that vintage have one?

Had the procedure done about 5 years ago. My knee was tender and "catching." Orthopedist suggested it wouldn't get better on its own and the tear would possibly worsen so they shaved it off. No pain, no catching any more. Evidently (from what the doc said) the swelling, stiffness and discomfort post-op has to do with the tweaking they have to do to open up the knee and expose the meniscus during the procedure, not so much the cutting and shaving. Rehab was mostly recumbent biking and some inline skating. Not sure I had full flexion and no tenderness for about a year, but was able to get back to things much faster than that.

Not sure I can speak to the women's side of things, but I do ride softboots exclusively so I might be of some help. I have a Donek Hazelwood 200 and a Lib Tech Skunk Ape 170, both freeride boards. The Lib is wayyyy lighter but not nearly so confident in its tracking. My guess is that they have similar edge hold, but the Donek's is through tortional stiffness and the Lib through Magnetraction. I haven't noticed the grabbiness that others have mentioned. I love them both, but for different reasons. I have Ride El Hefe bindings on both and really like their comfort, responsiveness, stiffness and adjustability. I don't think they make a women's version, but suspect they have something close. A board builder recently said he'd heard good things about Now bindings, so I'm tempted to try them next year. I'm also trying to locate a pair of Catek FR2s, but no luck yet. I'm switching off between Nike Lunarendor and DC Status boots. The Nikes have great heel hold, stiffness and comfort. The lace ups work surprisingly well but take some time to crank down. I think there's a women's Vapen, which would be similar in the important ways. The DCs are nice, stiff, and compact, with a Boa closure. Just not as supportive and comfy as the Nikes. Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but happy to answer any other questions you might have.

I've got a Crazy Banana Voodoo 165 from around '87 or '89 that was my first board. I probably put 110 days on it my first season. It hasn't seen the snow since 1991. Even for the time, the thing was old school; huge nose, little effective edge, about a 1.2Km sidecut radius, probably an oak-tanium core. I got to looking at a Dupraz the other day and thought, "man, this doesn't look all that different from my Voodoo. I wonder..." So now I'm tempted to ride it again, if only to see how it feels. The original Sims bindings were attached with like 8 lag screws (I think the shop had liability fears) so there are holes everywhere, but none that would match up to a more modern hole pattern (soft bindings only). I'd probably need to sink helicoils or Quiver Killers into the board, but I'm clearly out of my depth with this sort of thing. Anyone have experience/advice for me? Thanks!

Silhouette matches your avatar's. You're like the Jerry West of carving!