Guest redeyes031 Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 Just joined the community, thanks to a good buddy and wing man on the slopes. Most of everything I've learned it through all the research he's been doing. I've done my own lately, but my results always look the same.... So I've been riding for 10+ years now, but as simple recreation. Now, im getting into it. Listen to this setup I've been using: My board is a joyride, white, 160cm board with a scuba dude running from an octupus fx on bottom. A friend's parents got it for her from a police auction, and she gave it straight to me cuz she's only 5'2". So I bought some boots, Airwalk advantage, size 13. oh yeah. And for bindings, I got the only ones it the store that would fit, according to the cleck. Morrows. I've looked everywhere for the type, but remember, this was 10 years ago, and all i can tell you is that they say 4x4 A1 the base, and CM on the back of the leg support. Oh, riding style - freeride. I was doing freestyle, but just getting to banged up. So then it was just straight down the mountain for speed. Now its speed and, hopefully, carving. So I bought a new Prior ATV with a little help, and a new pair of Driver X boots. The feeling I get from carvers is that hard boots are the way to go, but I swore them off when I swore off skiing and just have a thing about it. What do you think so far? Now i need bindings, and have been thinking about the Burton c60. the past 10 years have not seen a new board cuz i've been broke, and now, why not got for the top of the line? FINALLY. What are your thoughts on this setup for freeriding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redeyes031 Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 So, its all about getting out and seeing what works for you. Oh, and forget c60. Its either catek or nidecker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 great setup, one of the best softboot carving setups concievable. If you want top of the line soft boot carving though, the Catek Freeride 2 is probably the binding of choice. http://www.catek.com/freeride.htm they'll start selling them soon, and they promise to be even better than the freeride 1s. Riding with these bindings and a pair of driver x's is probably as close to hardbooting as you can get with a softboot setup. And your ATV will carve on any type of terrain. You're in for an excellent season this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Riding softboots with any binding other than the Cateks is, frankly, fooling around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnshapiro Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 That Catek looks like a solid binding. If I ever get softies, that'll be a likely candidate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Riding softboots with any binding other than the Cateks is, frankly, fooling around. wanna clarify this, jack? if not I'll be forced to say NONSENSE to the OP: the ATV 23.5cm waist with your size 13 dogs is going to require some pretty high stance angles, and will likely be a troubling experience also, snowboard hardboots can be way more comfortable than ski boots, but BOTH can be quite comfortable with proper fitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Riding softboots with any binding other than the Cateks is, frankly, fooling around. I respectfully disagree. Last season and the one before that I had two sets of softie bindings: the original Catek FRs with Salomon SP6 highbacks, and an actual set of Salomon SP6s from several years ago. I rode both w/ Salomon Malamutes (among the stiffest softies out there) and both a Donek Wide 161 and an older Incline 168. In the end I decided to part ways with the Cateks because I got the same level of response from both sets of bindings; however the Salomons were a better ergonomic fit. My beef with the Cateks was that I could feel the heel cup even through the boot and liner (and it didn't feel good) and also that the boot could slide around on the metal bootplate that had no siderails unless I cranked the straps inordinately tight. I did convery both suggestions to Catek. I was able to leave some nice trenches with both bindings. I suspect I weigh enough to not feel the rough ride that some lighter riders complained about with the Cateks. However the non-ergonomic heel cup was enough for me to not want to ride them, and I found myself getting as much support from the Salomons especially with the forward lean set rather aggressivley. BTW my stance setup was: Salomon - 24/15 angles, 24/27 fwd lean, 19.25" wide Catek - 33/21 angles, ??/?? fwd lean, 19.25" wide, a little heel lift in back, as close to flat as I could get on front Not sure why but the 33/21 on the Catek "felt the same as" 24/15 on Salomon. Don't get me wrong, I think the Cateks have a lot of promise, and I betcha Jeff and Co. have made some marvelous improvements for the FR2. I just don't think they are the only good choice out there for softies. P.S. If I ever wear out my Salomons I will replace them with something different unless Salomon changes their baseplate design. I find the straps, heelcup and highback on the Salomons to be incredibly comfortably shaped, but the fact that the heelcup doesn't slide in and out like it does on the Rides and many other bindings means that I have to choose between fine-tuning the stance width and the boot position scross the board. Yuck. My wife has the Ride Diva bindings from last year which allow plenty of fine tuning in both directions. I highly recommend not overlooking the stance/boot centering adjustment range when looking at softie bindings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullwings Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 cateks aren't the only option, but they're definitely an option that you can't go wrong with. the name of the game is stiff... the stiffer the better, and when carving is concerned it doesn't seem like you can get too stiff with soft boots (someone correct me if i'm wrong). they should be selling FR2s soon. i know amazon has some regular FR1s through Performancedownhill if you get impatient... because, you know, there's so much snow outside right now. haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 that place is a ripoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullwings Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 the Starting Gate had the Pro version of the FR1s with the nice nidecker straps and carbon high back for only $10 more ($310) than what performancedownhill is charging for the regular ones ($299)... I'd definitely wait, especially since there's no snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Lots of people have had good things to say about the Nidecker 900s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 I say this as a proud owner of catek freerides nothing wrong with the high end burton or nidecker stuff, every bit as effective as cateks, just have their own pros and cons Also, Ride makes some solid soft bindings There are some bindings from a couple other vendors that I would like to try as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raisputin Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 I have no problems leaving a nice trench with on my soft setup with my Northwave boots (comfy) and my Drake Matrix bindings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 This could be the nicest softbooting topic BOL has had yet! where has all the senseless flaming gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnshapiro Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 snowboard hardboots can be way more comfortable than ski boots, but BOTH can be quite comfortable with proper fitting. That's for sure! I've had both ski boots and my hard shell snowboard boots professionally fit. It involved cork footbeds molded to my feet, heat molded liners, and other fit work. My feet feel great! My feet feel better after a day out on the slopes than they typically do if I've been wearing shoes or sandles. Get thee to a boot fitter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 On soft days I ride Ntype vans with switch step ins. They are hard to find but with the thermo mold liners and the integrated ratchet strap and the internal highbacks they are a really comfortable stiff ride. the internal highbacks on the higher end models are adjustable for forward lean and you can't beat switch for solid stepins with no snow build up problems. I am a big guy I don't like having to sit down and buckle in every run. Switch is the way to go for stepins to bad they don't make em anymore. If you find a pair Vans run a size smaller than they read on the boot so get em a little big. I ride them with the same forward angles I use for hard boots heel to the edge and toe to the edge I also use a cant plate from time to time depending on conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redeyes031 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Thanks for all the input. This is great. God I love snowboarding. For all those that replied, I have an update. I got the Driver X boots today, and now have some new experience! Hard Boots are a completely different wolrd of stiffness. Don't get me wrong, the Driver X is stiff...for a boot that has 3 inner layers hugging your dogs, each with its own special lace, which each has its own mode of function and matching secret storage space within the boot, so as to avoid the "ball of yarn trailing my board" look. But sriously, when you get them on and get alll that sh*t tucked away, their nice. Can't wait for the catek FR2s baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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