Some advise on a softie set up

[cafercr35]

I've been riding hard boots for 11 years. Never had softies. My wife now rides softies and I decided to get a softie set-up to switch it up a little and ride with her. Of course my hard boot set up will never be put second!

So I got a great deal on Burton Ions. Rode with some rental board and bindings last year. I ride regular and enjoy riding switch too. I'm not one for the park and like to carve on the softie set up also.

What's the binding I should use?

What size and name board?

Best angles to ride at?

Should I get into heal and toe lift and canting?

I have a size 9 boot, I weigh 180, height 5"7"

[newcarver]

For a good board look for a O sin or Dynastar 3800. Just tried out my new 163 in some pow and groomed. It is a killer board. I think it is my new favorite after riding Arbor S-series and A-frames for the last 5 years. It is great in powder and will carve on the groom and is really manuvarabel in the trees. I just picked up a new in the wrap one off E-bay for under $100. I have Drake Matrix bindings with Burton Carbide boots. My angles are around 32 and 28. This keeps my size 8.5 on the edge of the board and makes it real responsive. I might try this board out with some hardboots at some point. I think it would be super for powder and trees this way.

[Rob Stevens]

If you're going to do it, you might as well go all the way...

Burton C60 bindings. Stiff and light (As in you'll go stiff when you see how light your wallet becomes)

Any nice Freeride shape (directional) between 160 and 165. The extra length (mostly in the nose) will make it feel more stable, like you're used to from your alpine setup. You can go shorter if you don't have much in the way of real mountain terrain, as you won't need the nose to smooth out the bumps. A bigger nose is always good in real freeriding terrain.

Now for the angles. If you have NO LEG PROBLEMS, or aren't otherwise ****ed, go for low. I run 25 to 30 (front)and -3 (rear) on everything but my carver, which is at 55 (front) and 50 or 45 (rear). If you're going to ride in the 2 different styles (alpine vs everything else), you will have to learn 2 different techniques for turning them and the limitations of both.

Don't be discouraged by what a gorb you feel like on your new gear... Just gut it out and learn.

There will be others who might disagree, but I don't mix the 2 styles, with high angles on freeride / style boards, just like I wouldn't hit up a carving deck with a flat back foot (unless it had the width to accomodate it).

That's another good rule of thumb... Back off the angles until the overhang is at a tolerable amount for your ability to tip the board over and not drag your heels and toes.

If you want more advice, post a pic when you have your setup mounted, with your boots in the bindings.

[Guest woodworkmoney]

I am in the same boat. I am riding clickers with nitro step in boots. Nothing will replace hard boots. I ride a lib tech dough boy 193 with this set up. Awsome soft carve and huge powder ride.

[Dr D]

I run vans Ntype switch boots and bindings. they are super stiff since the hiback is built into the boot. I ride forward angles (think heels and toes on the edge) the angles vary from board to board based on width. the angles are important since you don't have as much leverage. you need to be on the edges but not far enough to overhang. I have a friend who likes one of the flow binding models but I can never remember which model. at any rate they are stiffer than the others.

Learn to drive with your knees particularly the front one. drive the knee into the mountain to maintain your edge contact.

I would hit up Blueb for one of his dynastar 4807 or 3800 they are a great all mtn ride and carve well in softies.

[EnisiWaya]

after years of riding and teaching on hard boots, the only soft boot board that didn't seem like a soggy overcooked lasagne noodle was an Arbor Woodie.

Ten years later and four full time seasons and it still has it's longitudinal and more importantly for carving, torsional stiffness. I have put a lot of good riders into Arbors and no I don't work for them and don't get specail deals. Everyone that tries an Arbor wants one. It's that simple.

They don't really make any beginner boards. Even thier park models take an up and coming rider that has been on the typical Burtons, Salomons, K2s and all the others, more than just a few days to get used to it. Once you do they kick @@s and just keep on doing it.

In spite of that for the price Sean charges My next board will be one of his Sasquatches. Probably go custom with a 166 with a 11.5 meter side cut for running our New England glades ( read woods with trees and brush that so close they are hard to walk through let alone ride through).

If you are used to hard boots it will be worth it to get a really good CARVING all mountain soft boot board.

If you want I have some tips on boot binding combos also.

Chase

aka Grandfather Wolf

[bobdea]

If you're going to do it, you might as well go all the way...

Burton C60 bindings. Stiff and light (As in you'll go stiff when you see how light your wallet becomes)

Any nice Freeride shape (directional) between 160 and 165. The extra length (mostly in the nose) will make it feel more stable, like you're used to from your alpine setup. You can go shorter if you don't have much in the way of real mountain terrain, as you won't need the nose to smooth out the bumps. A bigger nose is always good in real freeriding terrain.

Now for the angles. If you have NO LEG PROBLEMS, or aren't otherwise ****ed, go for low. I run 25 to 30 (front)and -3 (rear) on everything but my carver, which is at 55 (front) and 50 or 45 (rear). If you're going to ride in the 2 different styles (alpine vs everything else), you will have to learn 2 different techniques for turning them and the limitations of both.

Don't be discouraged by what a gorb you feel like on your new gear... Just gut it out and learn.

There will be others who might disagree, but I don't mix the 2 styles, with high angles on freeride / style boards, just like I wouldn't hit up a carving deck with a flat back foot (unless it had the width to accomodate it).

That's another good rule of thumb... Back off the angles until the overhang is at a tolerable amount for your ability to tip the board over and not drag your heels and toes.

If you want more advice, post a pic when you have your setup mounted, with your boots in the bindings.

the above is some of the best softboot advice I've seen on this forum

I could not of said it any better.

[cafercr35]

I decided to go and demo for a day.

I first rode a 162customX with burton bindings, I think Flows...they weren't the c60s. Rode angles of 35 and 0. The x seemed to stiff for the riding I was wanting to do.

Next rode with the c60s(which took some convincing to get the guy to take them out the box). We put these on a Solamon Storm 164. Change the angles to 25 and -3... Holy Sh*t.....much better.....I was still a dork...but now I was amble to flex the board and carve it much easier. I also liked the

-3 making it easier to get to switch without feeling like I was going the wrong way.

Thanks all for your advise. Especially Rob Stevens

I will continue demoing until I find the sweet spot. Then I can have the best of both worlds.

Oh yeah - Rob - very true in what you say about mixing. Any time I referred back to the Alpine riding style it wasn't pretty - lol

[Rob Stevens]

Very cool.

I do like those Salomons... When I started buying boards (lost my sponsor), they were the ones I chose and I don't regret it at all.

It's also pretty amazing how a carbon binding will blow a plastic one away. The difference in price is only double for ten times the perfomance and the ability to get soooo much more out of the board you paid sooooo much for.

One thing we didn't get into is width... Just for fun, try the back holes on the back foot (using the disc slots side-to-side for your heel and toe offset) and the front foot in the second set of holes from the front (same thing with the discs). If this is too wide, move the back foot up one. I find a wider stance very helpful in freeriding.

Thanks for listening and enjoy the slashing.

[cafercr35]

One thing we didn't get into is width... Just for fun, try the back holes on the back foot (using the disc slots side-to-side for your heel and toe offset) and the front foot in the second set of holes from the front (same thing with the discs). If this is too wide, move the back foot up one. I find a wider stance very helpful in freeriding.

Thanks for listening and enjoy the slashing.

I must check the what the width will be at that. I first put it a 19 center to center riding slightly on the back of the board. After riding a bid, felt as though I could go out more. Move my front foot up one set leaving me pretty centered. Had much more control.

I remember back in the beginning of hardboots......I was at a 17" stance width. Was told to widen it for more control.....and up to 19 I went, and WOW...sweet improvement...my 185 I go to 21". I can defintiely see wide stance for better freeriding. I don't wanna fine tune before learning all my basics. So I will ride a few times before I adjust again. I don't know about you...but when I get into tweakin...some time I just tend to go alittle beyond....lol!!!

I give an update soon. Besides this weekend will be dedicated to the alpine.

Happy New year!

Joe

[Rob Stevens]

Hey Joe:

I have to apologise for the testimonial I gave the Burton C60's.

I'm glad you felt that they were an improvement over the ones you tried before, but after a side by side comparison to my old C16's, they're pretty lacking.

I have asked for an opinion of some replacements for them from another member. The ones I'm curious about are the Nidecker Carbon 900's. The thread is "Bordy, help me out" and you can see his reply there, when and if he does.

Sorry for the misguidance. Ultimately, you'll like the new ones, but only if you're not used to the old ones.

Burton has really let us down with this product.

[cafercr35]

Hey Joe:

I have to apologise for the testimonial I gave the Burton C60's.

I'm glad you felt that they were an improvement over the ones you tried before, but after a side by side comparison to my old C16's, they're pretty lacking.

I have asked for an opinion of some replacements for them from another member. The ones I'm curious about are the Nidecker Carbon 900's. The thread is "Bordy, help me out" and you can see his reply there, when and if he does.

Sorry for the misguidance. Ultimately, you'll like the new ones, but only if you're not used to the old ones.

Burton has really let us down with this product.

I still haven't bought yet. I spoke with a guru at my local shop today actually. He said that the carbons are not as good as they should be. He said the P1 will do just as good and save money and repairs. I will bump over to the other thread and read where your goin with the nideckers.

[Rob Stevens]

Glad to hear it as the new Burtons are a joke.

The more I read about the 900's, the more I like the sound of them. I don't think the toe ramp is adjustable, which is weird.