rschneid Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 I was watching snowboard cross racing over the weekend and it struck me that none of the competitors were in HB. Is there a rule that prevents that, or is there something not obvious to me that has them all in softboots? Seems to me that a hard booter would be at an advantage but that must be wrong or race evolution would have already caused that to happen. What am i missing? Rich S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 great question, been wonder about that myself:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Boardbum Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 There has been a few guys in hard boots,Based on what I have seen over the years It first depended on the course set up. In the past some of the courses were not very technical,allowing the advantage to HB. At the Canadian Nationals last year they made the course very difficult for HB. So much so, that it was the first time I have seen Jaysey Jay switch to soft boots. Softbooter's don't like to see HB in a boardercross. HB are fasters but not the way some courses are going, SB give you more outs when needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 if you were watching the Jeep king of the mountain, then i believe that they made hb illegal. This is coming from someone saying something about it last year, I think...or, i may be on crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 if you watched the last olympics, i'd say about 15-20% of the competitors were in hard boots. I would guess most were european...there just isn't much support for HB in BX in the US Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Boardbum Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 I think HB would have done very well at the Jeep event that course was pretty Lame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twelsch42 Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 Yes, that course was LAME. It seemed like *I* could have competed on that course. I'm more surprised that with all those softboots nobody was sporting the catek FR2's. twelsch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleb Posted January 16, 2008 Report Share Posted January 16, 2008 that course compared to the olympic one was nothing, but still far from what I could do. Jumps are not my thing yet. The olympic course was so damn steep, I couldn't imagine doing those corners that go into jumps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Smith Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I lifted this from a Nov. thread. Hard Boot vs not so softWe in Canada have converted the last (3 or 4) hard booters who have achieved advanced (NorAm) status to "not so soft" gear. I'm strictly a hard boot rider (my son was too), however I've seen the results. These athletes are riding forward forward stance and carving like us... The WC course features are not favouring the hard boot set up. The NorAm circuit (last year) still had some "banked slalom" courses. I believe we will see fewer of those in the future. Rob (of Caledon) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Boardbum Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Agreed Rob But I still think it is possible with the right talent to compete in HB. From what I have seen the courses are very inconsistent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Boardbum Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I guess what I am really saying is that I enjoy the HB against SB. It takes a great HB to stay in control to beat a SB. I used to go to some of the NOR-AM's over the past 4 years and saw some good young HB in both US and Canada. To bad they seem to be conforming. If I was young enough I would love to give it try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateW Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 A hardbooter got silver at the last Olympics. Thing is, if the berms are big enough, hard boots have no advantage. Take the berms down and I'm sure you'd see a lot more hard boots out there. But then it would be called giant slalom or something. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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