Stiffest soft Boot? Burton Driver x?

[snowboardfast]

Is the Burton Driver x the stiffest soft boot available right now? I am wanting to replace my soft boots this year as the ones I have now are too big and I am wanting something stiffer. Right now I am using the Deluxe Spark boot with the stiffeners. I am interested in the Burton boot because of the vibram sole and maybe it is stiffer than the Deluxe? Everyone I have talked to at a couple of shops has said the Driver x is a great boot. I was told that the Driver X is stiffer than the Soloman Malumute. I am considering going back to riding soft boots exclusively as I like to free ride all over the mountain and I really can't afford to continue to buy 2 sets of snowboard gear and I can carve good enough in soft boots on groomed snow.

[b0ardski]

I've found that the softest stiff boot, works better in most conditions with greater duability, than the stiffest soft boot:rolleyes:

[PointBreak]

I can’t tell you if they are really the stiffest soft boot out there but, they are stiff and I found the 08s to be very comfortable, lightweight and extremely warm. The REI store told me they are the stiffest boot they offered in 08. The Vibram sole is really nice and the aggressive tired provides excellent traction, which can be handy if you need to do some hiking. I am not crazy about the speed lacing system and would prefer traditional laces but, it works fine and does save time.

Funny… I’m heading in the opposite direction. I used my Drivers last year to cave (with some success in the right conditions) on a Palmer Honeycomb AM. I’m currently acquiring alpine gear and hope to ride hard boots exclusively (or close to it) this season.

<O:p

Good luck with your boot research. I think the Driver X is worth at least trying on.<O:p

[snowboardfast]

Yeah I know what you are saying Boardski as I used to ride the Lemans hard boot all mountain. I also have ridden the Suzuka with bts and a soft bail binding-Nidecker freecarve. I like the lighter weight and smoother ride of a soft boot system in variable snow conditions. I have been riding hardboots in lots of different combinations for 20 years.

[snowboardfast]

PointBreak-I can see why you are getting hardboots as being on the east coast your snow conditions are probably hard most of the time. Good luck with your alpine gear! Did you have any problems with the balls of your feet hurting when carving toeside turns in the Driver x boots? I am thinking that the stiffer sole would help solve some of that problem. I use custom insoles as well and I still have that problem. Not a problem with hard boots. Don't get rid of your soft boot set up as you may want to ride it on certain days.

[PointBreak]

SBF -I did have some mild hot spots / foot aches in the Driver boots the first few times I used them. As time went on this went away. I suspect the boots just needed a few days to take the shape of my foot better. I am sure the outer did creep a bit because after a few days I needed to adjust (shorten) the length of my binding straps to keep the connection to firm. After the boots stopped “moving around” everything was fine. I never felt the need to add a custom insole but, I bet that would only improve the fit.

You are right on with your comment about conditions. The Drivers did work very well for me in the soft snow conditions you probably enjoy far more of than us “Ice Coasters”. Frozen hard pack and Ice were a different story for me but, skill (or lack of it!) is clearly a big factor as well... <O:p

[dingbat]

I'v been pretty happy with the stiffness of my Salomon Synapses. I weigh 200+ lbs. and have about 150 days on them on hard East Coast snow.

Since day one, I've been using a wedge shaped foam pad on the back of the tounge with the thick end down toward where the toung breaks between the shin and top of my foot. This improves heel retension (which was stellar to start off with) and also widens the mid section of the boot, which in turn, makes the boot even stiffer.

[Mike T]

IMHO modern bindings make a bigger difference than boot stiffness for soft boot carving. I have a pair of 7 year old, well broken in Malamutes. I went from 7 year old Salomon SP6 bindings (quite stiff) to '08 Burton Missions (not all that stiff) and Nidecker Vipers (stiff, I think it's the new name for the 800). Both setups were significantly easier to carve in than the old Salomons, even with my well broken in boots. Seems to be all about the ergonomic fit. Interestingly enough I enjoy the softer Burtons even more than the stiffer Nideckers. Just my $0.02.

[bobdea]

IMHO modern bindings make a bigger difference than boot stiffness for soft boot carving. I have a pair of 7 year old, well broken in Malamutes. I went from 7 year old Salomon SP6 bindings (quite stiff) to '08 Burton Missions (not all that stiff) and Nidecker Vipers (stiff, I think it's the new name for the 800). Both setups were significantly easier to carve in than the old Salomons, even with my well broken in boots. Seems to be all about the ergonomic fit. Interestingly enough I enjoy the softer Burtons even more than the stiffer Nideckers. Just my $0.02.

Mike T, you're right on the money. For me burton softboots are not comfortable but perform better than anything else even the softer boots like the sabbath work real well with modern gear. Most brands are pretty good compared to just five years ago but bindings can make all the difference. Bindings, burton bindings are pretty good and when paired with burton boots are stellar unless you're looking for a rigid interface. Stiffness is not the only factor in a softboot interface by any means. unless you have special needs like weigh 260 and ride a 190ish cm board or something.

The drivers are not the stiffest boot made but are close and they for me at least work better than the deeluxe, solomon and a couple other high end options.

The burton Ion is a touch softer and that boot works really well too.

Bindings, burton bindings are pretty good and when paired with burton boots are stellar unless you're looking for a rigid interface. Stiffness is not the only factor in a softboot interface by any means.

edit: the above is what happens when I don't re-read my posts

[dingbat]

you can say that again!

[rhaskins]

Take this with a grain of salt, I have been snowboarding for only 1 season.

I have used Driver-X boot from about mid-February to the end of March this year with Burton Cartel’s on a K2 Zepplin to carve. I bought them on a whim as I was waiting for my hard-boot equipment to arrive, I was disappointed in using the TM-2 boots to try and carve, and I walked into REI and they had a sale!! About 20-22 part days on the slope. I used Thirty-Two TM-2 boots also, which are not stiff at all. The Driver-X boots allowed me to get on edge very easily and stay there. My entire setup was very stiff – I cracked all 4 transition corners on the Zepplin. In ungroomed snow, you feel every bump every time all the time – it was not exactly pleasant. I have a Ride Society twin that is more flexible, and using the Driver-X boots gave a better ride in chop. The Zepplin was fairly stiff and the Society isn’t stiff at all. The Zepplin went back to REI for a full refund.

For next year, I am going to use my Driver-X boots on my Donek Razor with Catek FR2 pro bindings. From what I expect, it will be a very adjustable setup and the boots will give me all the stiffness I need or would want - we'll see. I love the speed lacing setup, and the boot fit my foot from day 1. I must have a Burton-shaped foot. I will continue to do most of my carving in hard boots tho, at least for next year.

FWIW, depending on how much you tighten the laces on the Drivers, you can adjust your ride somewhat. I played around with that for a couple of days. Get them on, put a couple of runs on them, and then retighten or loosen as desired. And I find them warm also, no cold feet.

Rick