Softboot Setup for experiencer hardbooter?

[Trip43065]

I'm interested in a softboot setup to freeride, hit the terrain park and still carve a decent turn. I'm 5'10", 210lbs, sz28 boot and have been hardbooting for about 8 years. The local hill is 300' with fake snow and real ice.

I'm looking for recommendations on boots and bindings. Board suggestions would be great too, but I understand that's a more difficult question. My favorite freeride a few years ago was a K2 Electra 168. Donek is an obvious answer and I totally agree, but what model? Are there any other boards I should be looking at?

Thanks,

Trip

[bobdea]

Donek is alright but prefer the wide never summer boards, wide tankers, Ride yukons and a few more I can't think of right now.

[Jack M]

Donek 168 Incline or 169 Wide if you like low angles. Maybe shorter if you want more park ability, but I wouldn't go shorter than 160 at your size. Bind with Catek FR2.

Also check out Madd Fr/Fs or BX. www.madd1.com

[Phil]

Are you looking to milk every run with a lot of turns?

I really like the incline, but if I was on a 300 foot mountain, I would probably go with a shorter SCR.

As much as people hate Burton on this site, I would consider a custom X. It is a great FR board that kills it in the park. A lot of park monkeys don't like them as much in the park claiming that they are too stiff. At your weight that will not be a problem. I am on my second one.

Never summer is sweet as well, but they are a little on the heavy side. If you are big into spins both in the air and on rails, you may want to go with something lighter. If you are not into spins, NS is almost as good as Donek for carving.

[D.T.]

Are there any other boards I should be looking at?

Several:

1) Tanker

2) Tanker

3) Tanker

and oh yea, Tanker

[Willow 15]

If you can find a cheap one on ebay, an Atomic Firestarter. I am riding an 05/06 model and it rocks. As for binding angles try whatever feels good, at the moment i am riding 15 degrees front and -15 on the back and still carving better than most on the hill thanks to all my hard booting.

[bobdea]

yes, the firestarter is a great board.

I am very impressed with the Atomic boards, much better than the Oxygen boards that came before them.

[BShaw]

I have been riding the 169 wide for a couple of seasons now. Good board for the money. I used boath Catek Freeride and TD2's on the board. He can add some glass to it so you can still use it as a carving board. Although, if you want a board for the park, I'm not so sure this is the correct weapon for the job. I would say it is more of a BX kind of ride.

I bought this before the Coiler made the EX, I have on of those coming now with a 24cm waist (171). I prefer the lower angles...

[Tick]

I know most folks posted board suggestions, but you DID say you wanted input on boots too. I used to have FLOW bindings with their boots, but I think any boot would work with the bindings. The bindings are sooo easy in and out - you "strap in" by "snapping" the high back up to your calf, and it can even be done while moving. You can get a pretty tight fit.

Website:

http://usa.flow.com/bindings/index.html

[Dave ESPI]

if you are looking for an ALL MOUNTAIN set up, I can definately give help... but I'm confused...

Do you still want to "carve" , or just be a softbooter with an agressive stance ?

I rock out late 1990's Rossignol twintips, and I can definately say they are well worth the effort to find with Burton Custom Free-ride 3 strap locking highback bindings.

[paragonUE]

1)arbor A-Frame (youll break down crying if you break it in the park though)

2)tanker

3)burton (i suggest the clash, the supermodel, or any number of the boards in their freeride section)

[Trip43065]

Thanks for all help. I think I'got a good idea of what boards to look for.

What about boots? I've heard Solomon Malamutes and Burton Drivers. Any other recommendations.

Bindings? I know about Flow and the Cateks are georgeous, but I don't need the cant and lift. Any other decent strapons out there?

Here's some more background: I've been kiteboarding for two years and now all of the sudden I want to ride switch. I also want something that carves so that when I eat it trying to ride switch I can at least save a little face and make a couple decent turns on my way back to the chair. The board should hold a decent edge on the ice.

[Pow]

Just a skeptic talking here, but i wouldnt want the stiffness of the driver x for my softboot setup, i figure thats what the hardboots are for right? On that note, ive heard great things about the burton ion, and id probably be looking at those first if i ever need a new pair of softboots.

edit: i feel like i havnt given it credit in a while, so i'll throw out one more suggestion: if you want something more directional, Pogo makes an awesome freeride board (a very powder oriented carve board, you might call it?) "The Longboard". Can be ridden with hard or softboots, in case someday you change your mind and want the power. the Dupraz D1 is a simmilar shape, though even more powder specific than the Longboard. Both beautiful boards.

[icarve]

I would look at the K2 T1's for boots. Intuition liners, good footbeds, vibram soles with an air bag in the heel for landings, and an internal BOA system. They can be loosened on the lift with a flip of a switch and tightend at the top of the hill with out undoing the laces. On my feet, they were more comfortable than the Ion's (and cheaper)

[bobdea]

bindings, for me I prefer catek, high end nidecker, high end burton and the high end rides

there are a ton of great strap binding out there, I am sure I missed a few.

Boots, burton Ion and Burton Driver x have performed the best in all catagories other than comfort.

[John Bell]

I've also heard that the Never Summer boards are nearly indestructible--but heavy. Also heard good stuff about Glissade (thought their site has said they're sold out for months now), Unity Dominion, and of course the Tanker.

I can tell you about boots firsthand. I have K2 Raider Boas and think the inventor of the Boa system should get the Nobel Prize in physics. It's so much easier to get the boot tight than it is on the lace-up boots. I think Vans also make a Boa boot; maybe other brands do too.

I briefly owned Flow bindings but returned them before even getting on the slope. They didn't seem to fit the boot very well; I think they were too narrow in the metatarsal area. That said, a lot of people love them.

One thing: I believe that any board you take into the park is going to get torn up pretty fast, so you may want something cheaper but less durable for that.

Good luck!

[Steve Prokopiw]

Although I ride only hardboots these days,I did try my best back in 03/04 to get back into softboots and found the Nidecker bindings to be the best ones I demoed.I was using the DC boots with pump bladders and had thought that the BOA system, which DC did use the next season would have made them perfect.For me as a hardbooter, the Nidecker model with the tallest highback worked very well.The model name escapes me as I sold them in 05,I think it was called the 860 possibly.It was second from the top (carbon 900 ?) and most resembled their current Legend model as far as the shape of the highback.Performance wise they were the best I tried.

[C5 Golfer]

I am your weight of 210 lbs or so and have ridden a few freeride boards... a while back Soloman made a 450-171 that is and was the best riding soft set up board I have mounted and then in second place I'd go with a beautiful hang on the wall Arbor Munoz 170 -- rides like a - insert you favorite car-

Like the so much I still have them -- but they are gathering dust due to hardboot set up gets the nod most of the time.

Good day!

[Furi]

for bindings I can throw in another recommendation for the nidecker bindings. The carbon 900's are amazing, super comfey, good damping with shock absorbing pads and toe riser. Great response. I'm not sure if you would flex the carbon backing too much so maybe the nidecker 800 pros might suit you better.

[Trip43065]

Thanks again. I really appreciate all the input.

I don't recall ever having an issue with heelside support in soft boots. It seemed that toeside was the challenge. New boots were great, but they would go squishy after a few weeks and I would end up with heel lift and an overtightened ankle strap.

[Willow 15]

As i mentioned before atomic firestarter is great. I have driver x's and top end burton bindings(c 60 i think) This all works good for me, what i am trying to say is go stiff. I can take this set up anywhere pipe, park, steeps etc. and not pine to much for my alpine gear cause i have got great edge control and stability on icy hard snow, and that is with a duckfoot stance. I have used soft, soft boots and while they are great for boning out air, they just feel so unresponsive, especially toeside. Try on as many boots as you can to get the perfect fit but definitely go stiff, thats what your hard boot heritage would want. Good luck