Mr.E

Yes, stock thermos can be moulded a few times. I have no advice for boot fitters, but if you can tap into the local ski racer community, ask who they work with.

9 holes of golf would be cutting into my nap time.

Hey, if you are having more fun on skis, go for it! You don't have to.prove anything to anyone. Any day on the hill you are having fun and not getting hurt is a win.

I'll be out of town, but have some good birthday turns!

I'd pass- odds are good its not enough of a jump from your current board. I get tired everytime I go out, so yup.

We're talking .5*-3* at the regular extremes. Even on 1.7mm edge stock thats not much material removal.

As a guy that runs a bunch of sweet snowboards, err.. not really. Reluctance to commit is a brain issue, not a board issue. But if new board courage gets you to tip it and rip it, it's a placebo well bought. (PS- took me a bit to get comfortable, but I quite enjoy my Contra boards).

Its pretty rare to add base bevel and leave the side at 90*. Adding say 1* base and relieving the side 2* gives an included angle of 89*. Ultimate sharpness has to do with how keenly these bevels meet, but even a "dull" 1*base with side bevel can give improved grip without base flat catchiness. That said, not everyone tunes the same way, and not everyone has the same feel preferences, so experiment if you want to see what works for you.

I'm not convinced I'll be ditching my gear for softies anytime soon, but I'm certainly convinced he's a heck of a rider and worth watching. Seems to be having a good time, too.

A few of us were up yesterday, sorry to just see this. Weather permitting I'll likely be back up next T or W as well. If you have Sunday free, there may be some riders, but you could certainly join the Loveland Sunday morning crew (8:30-12, typically).

I have a 4mm and 4mm light BP that I could set up with 4x4 hardware if you are interested.

Mine came with the first gen liner and were unbearable out of the box. Had I not thrown another liner on while trying them I wouldn't have purchased them. I went straight from the shop to a boot fitter and had insoles and new liners done. And they have been great since then. I do know a slightly shorter and significantly lighter rider who prefers the old shorter cuff Northwave used in the A size to the taller cuff MS uses in that shell.

Bog standard answer: Good boots that fit well should be your first purchase. UPZ is a good boot and Dan Yoja (UPZBoots.com) is pretty good about helping folks fit remotely. Good bindings are your second bet- if buying new (or used, for that matter) F2 Ti Race are the default standard these days, and Bomber, SG and PHK (Phiokka) are all good options. For a board, look for something decent in the 162-168 ballpark as a first board. It need not be th newest and bestest, but something made after 2000 is a good bet. There are boards on here (including one I'm selling). Something like the F2 GTS would be a good bet. Forgiving, but you are not going to outgrow it any time soon. If you want to jump in with both feet, call Sean at Donek and he can help steer you towards a good beginner package that will last you. Check out the regional forums and see if anyone rides places you want to ride to hook up.

Bump- can be ridden with or without the plate. Zippy and fun board.

Assuming the plates ate the same size, I'd be shocked if they were not otherwise identical. MS and Kessler both also have branded F2's.

279 is the sole length of the small shell lower that is used for 23-25.5 (Uk 4/4.5/5). In those smaller sizes it's the liner and if memory serves the boot board (maybe?) that differentiates 23/.5, 24/.5 and 25/.5. I don't recall if there was a cuff difference in those sizes.

I had similar. Something in those shells is different than the old Austrian made 325's. I wasnt able to solve it for my feet (even with professional help) and moved to UPZ then MS, but some things to think about: 1. Tightening the boot and crushing the foot is likely to exacerbate the issue. 2. If you dont already have a supportive foot bed then I'd recommend customs or at the least something like superfeet. 3. You might experiment with some L or J foam pads to help hold the heel down without having to crush the foot down via buckle pressure.

Never cut down on donuts.

I think at one point we are 13? Great day. Thanks for playing, folks!

Silberfeil Vantage 162 is a 9.5m, but I think it's radial and should be pretty darn turny. Or a Nidecker Specter Carbon with a 7.7 radial sidecut. Sounds like you want an old school 153-157cm glass slalom board with a radial sidecut. If you don't find a used one, ask Sean to crack out the old FC2 files. I'm going to guess it's not the board, but I certainly understand the desire to own a bunch of stuff in similar spec to get first hand feel on the minutia. I still think you'd love my JJA 161, but the above should be tighter in number and soft enough to bend some tight little squiggles if that's your game.

Oh good, moving back towards Hangl plates

You can get new parts from Dan, including upgrading to the new tongues and retro buckle kit.

Not sure is they still play, but you might try Ragged Mountain if you are in NH. I had some pants shortened locally for $20, they did a fantastic job, and even redid the heavy duty hem and internal snow gaiter. There are folks around.

The old versions didn't have the plastic. I'd not be particularly concerned about the plastic, but I would be concerned about what caused the break. Is the aluminum plate looking ok?

Holiday Bump