boots

[Guest scooter]

Does anyone know much about those upz boots ?

[tex1230]

they are red or black, they have buckles...what do you want to know?

tons of discussions on them...be more specific and try the search function and we'll get you answers.

[Guest scooter]

All my old junk finaly bit it last year. Im tired of using 1/2 a role of duct tape to stiffen up my boots and breaking cheap ass buckle bindings. That said I was wondering how much you can dial in the fit of hard boots ? Im kinda old so a little "comfy" would be way cool. Been checking out the heads and upz's they both look pretty bueno to me. Any thoughts ?

[Pow]

so they must be good!

[RJ-PS]

I'm currently riding heads, and I like them. The stock liner isn't the greatest, but I've got custom footbeds.

I just got a few pair of the UPZ and I must say I'm impressed as an initial response. Fit and finish seems to be top knotch and I really like the flo liner, nice leather and conforming fit. Of course I don't have a quality report for you as we're just starting to get snow in the Central Sierras.

However I'm going to switch up for a while and I'll get back with a ride report eventually.

[bobdea]

RJ, this must be a different liner than the older UPZ boots

mind posting pics of the liner?

[canuckcarver]

go with head stratos. just got some and they are very comfortable. there more than a UPZ but worth it. they got a moldable liner UPZ doesnt. i think its a self moulding liner. you cant bake it. learned it the hard way... my bootfitter was saying its a pretty cheap boot. -my two cents.

[RJ-PS]

Hey Bob, yeah I'll get some up tonight, I'm out of the shop now.

As far as being cheap boots, I guess everyone has their opinion. Seems to me they're just as good as my Heads, but again I haven't tried them yet. The real deal closer for me was that there are a number of World Cup riders that are riding the UPZs with the Flo Liner. As we all know everything trickles down from race equipment (see also metal boards :))

If Bordy is sporting them, that says a lot. Since he can pretty much ride anything he wants. I think he's selling them at hardbooter.com too.

They do have a lot of stuff that other boots have to be modded to produce.

[mbweppner]

I have the new UPZ RTRs and just got my first chance to use them. I bought them since the new updated 2007’s seem to have addressed all the concerns that I read about with the older models from last season and before. These include a much better liner, better buckles and metal cant lever. If you see old reviews mentioning these items, they are pretty obsolete now (unless you are buying a used pair).<O:p</O:p

I find the boots a bit hard put on but I have both a high-instep and wide foot and they fit great without modification once in them. The boots also come with two tongues and I installed the stiffer of the two since I weight 200 lbs. I had no problems with installing Intec heels after enlarging the holes a small amount with a drill and using the inserts provided by Intec.

<O:p</O:pI got my first chance to use them yesterday and they worked great for the first day in a pair of new boots (I did wear them around the house a few times to break them in). The only problem I had at the end of the day was that I felt the Intec cable pushing into my ankle so this probably isn't UPZ's fault. Flex/control felt just right on a slalom racing board. They were as comfortable as my Salomon ski racing boots (I normally carve half the day and ski the other half). Like Salomons, UPZ's are a good choice for wide feeet.

<O:p</O:pBased on my short experience, I would certainly recommend them. Some advantages over the Deeluxe/Heads are the really short sole length (so you can minimize your binding angle), different flex choices with two tongues and better color choices. Still, these are small differences and I’m pretty sure anybody would be happy with any of the three brands. I just think UPZ certainly deserve a good look this year. I am glad I did…<O:p</O:p

[RJ-PS]

pics are up now Bob: http://www.exoticboards.com/thevault.html

[Sinecure]

Heads are nice. Hold up pretty well, better than UPZ, in my experience. Just bought new ones after deciding to try a BTS on the old pair that have 140+ days on them. Broke a couple buckles, replaced Intec heels once (prophylactlically) - the shop where I got them replaced the buckles and made a few tweaks for free. The new ones are sweet. I like the liners, they hold up well despite taking them out many nights. Custom insoles make them very nice.

[spaamport]

I just got the RSV's, took em down and got custom footbeds put in em. Haven't tried them yet, but they feel pretty good for the brief time i've had them on.

I'm shooting to go to Crystal on Sunday and I'll let you know how they are. My old boots are the freecarve 97 Burton Boilers, so I'm expecting these to be WAY stiffer considering they go halfway up my leg. But I'm a big guy, like 6'-2", 250, so we'll see how they do.