kmartshopper

I'd be interesting in demoing if you can convince them to come out east some time. I'm still on an ancient Donek Wide (incline). I went with bomber plates last year and think they are a net ++ (heel lift and heel boot out clearance > substantial weight cost). I can still pull toesides as hard as I want, but still wash out on my rear foot when I try to pull in the tight heelsides. I'll never by a board untested again though - so rossi's at a bit of a disadvantage there.

https://www.facebook.com/StrattonMountain/photos_stream Hopefully those aren't stock photos, and they are having some fun. Would love to see and hear more about it though! EDIT: BTW, one of those - the toeside woman in purple pants is a front-pager on their site. Anyone recognize her?

Nice post OP, and great turns. It's a testament to how interesting and well received your post was that it took a full 21 replies before the thread got the obligatory hijack by someone out to teach the world that softboots carve as well as hardboots. fwiw, I personally enjoy the best of both worlds. On the one hand - I understand physics. Then on the other hand, I ride softboots anyway because I just like too.

"You're awesome" Big fish in little pond in softies at wolf creek.

I have a Never Summer Heritage X which has the type of rocker you ask about. It really does make a big difference in powder. It's a 163 and in powder (your specific question), it destroys my 161 Donek Wide and rides about as well in the center holes as my 169 O-Sin 3800 does in the rear sets. Of course the Donek destroys it carving (especially firm groom)... but it will carve ok in forgiving conditions. My only knock is that it feels a bit squirrely riding it flat... can be a bit disconcerting, but I never had it catch or come around - just doesn't feel like it's tracking like a cambered board. I think the rocker makes it faster and easier to maneuver and more forgiving in bumps and trees too - definitely the quickest and most fun board I've ever owned in that regard... again, destroying the Donek in those conditions, and quite a bit quicker than the bigger osin.

A couple boarders came up to me waiting on the side of the trail. "Do you have your both your bindings facing forward?" -Yes "I like how you make a line when you turn."

When I find myself doing this, the "Heads up" drill from this page sometimes helps. (ie. pick a target point on the opposite side of the trail for your next turn). Being aggressive and picking a point high up - or even changing points as you come around (moving it back/higher/uphill) will help me rip the turn around. If I'm not mistaken in my jargon, this helps avoid the aforementioned counter-rotation. bomber drills page

I've been chilling at wolf creek CO for a few weeks and haven't seen more than 1 other person making a single carved turn - soft or hard boots. I've been on softboots so far, but a powder drought and finally the exodus of the spring breakers has me planning to pull out the hardboots tomorrow. It's not really an advanced carver's mountain (no groomed steeps), but there's some great cruisers off of the treasure lift (the road less travelled/scratched out by the lemmings) that I've been tearing up on softies the past couple days. Anyone from around these parts? Hit me up - should be sunny and softening a bit through the week.

I agree... Softboot bindings don't make that much of a difference. Find something comfortable and spend your money on good boots. Add these if you have skinny legs: tongue_pads The difference between 10 year old Burton Missions and Catek FR2 pro's is really just not that much. Only exception being cant/lift in cateks. Wasn't worth all the negatives with the FR2's, so I sold them and just use $6 plastic construction shims to get some rear heel lift.

Deeluxe hardboot tongues fit surprisingly well under laces of some softboots and do a ton to stiffen them.

I was at least one who said that. I don't doubt that the vast majority of people who see us carving think, even if they won't admit it, that it looks hella fun. Unfortunately fun does not necessarily equal cool. Dungeons and Dragons is fun and PBR didn't come back from obscurity because it was a great tasting beer. Someone on this site had a sig IIRC... something like "Alpine snowboarding is the only way to both snowboard and display your individualism" (very loosely translated from memory). That hits it pretty much on the head... the demographic that matters statistically (youth), has a narrow band available to them into which their 'individualism' can conform. Just doesn't seem to me that alpine boarding is likely to fit in there. Just one opinion... but I would have bet against Sean White's hotpants too... so what do I know.

Hopefully some new 10-20's added, instead of everyone just shifting up a slot (purely hypothetically of course - from 36-40 now in 41-45).

2nd in line if it falls through....

Subs? That looks like Killington on a Saturday.