BlueB Posted October 10, 2008 Report Share Posted October 10, 2008 Here's my experiment for this winter. With my baby feet, I should be able to ride 22.5 wide board without overhang, at reasonable alpine angles. The idea is to have an aggressive carving ride in between the lessons, without having to change the boots (yup, they won't let me teach on h/boots, again). This is the setup: Burton Speed 168 Wide (22.5) Burton Elevator Plates Switch step-in bindings Vans N type step in boots Boots are stiff as hell (built in high-back). I might still stiffen them further by replacing the top booster strap with another ratchet strap, and throw in the ZipFit liners instead of Intuitions. Angles are 51/45 with neglectable overhang on the rear. If this didn't work, I have another even wider alpine board on the way, or I'll just settle for the Volkl Cross or Tanker... I'll do a ride report as soon as I tested the setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastskiguy Posted October 11, 2008 Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 This might be a good solution for everybody....but in a perfect world I bet your setup would be a bit different LOL :) I can understand the powers not wanting you in hardboots....it's just that, gee whiz, plastic boots and rigid binders are just so awesome.....why are we a fringe sport again?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 11, 2008 Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 convert'em with thier own tools:biggthump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted October 11, 2008 Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 Way to stick it to the man, Boris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted October 11, 2008 Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 This might be a good solution for everybody....but in a perfect world I bet your setup would be a bit different LOL :) I can understand the powers not wanting you in hardboots....it's just that, gee whiz, plastic boots and rigid binders are just so awesome.....why are we a fringe sport again?? And apparently,looking like one is waddling like a duck and taking a dump in their baggies is the 'new black'.Has been for years, of course.I take comfort in the knowledge that when we're in the groove we draw the looks and the questions and the envy far more than the all too common poopy pants lemmings. I may sound like I'm kidding but I'm not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave* Posted October 11, 2008 Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 Boris, Phase 1 get the size 12 soft boots, cut the sole off, use remaining boot as camoflage over the top of your hardboots, go with intec heels on your deeluxe so they cant see the toe bails, Phase 2 get custom 4wd 179 with twin tip ( ie round , up turn tail) for the ultimate in camoflage carving gear for stealth hardboot teaching, Phase 3 Pay for your pass, ride what you want all the time, set the example to the people and mess with those boneheads at Cypress ski School who dont have the ability to teach or do what we do.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 maybe just glue some laces to the tongue of your Raichles:biggthump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 You just know they're goinna bitch bout the square tail ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 Allee, Chef No, not for teaching, just for carving in between the lessons withouth changing the boots. I teach on 3800 with mellow binding angles (21/6). Dave Love the idea of soft boots over hard boots. Comfort of h/boot, with "approved" looks. Will have to bolt the switch bars to the sole to use the "approved" bindings, too. You know that my teaching is not only about the pass... Sailer I started last season on Burton Drvers and 3/straps. I even added Raichle tongues into the Drivers for more stiffness and changed laces to kevlar rope. Switched mid season to Switch X type boots (high-back strap-less binding). Those were marginally softer then Drivers/3-straps in fore/aft direction, but a lot softer sideways. However, boot to binding interface felt a lot better (no movement at all). The ones in the picture are N type, a lot stiffer sideways then X type and about the same fwd/aft. The advantage of not having to deal with straps is worth slight stiffness sacrifice. Plus I was always terrified that my old squeeky 3-straps would fail on me mid carve... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 I like the idea of a switch binding bars attached to plastic boots, the ability to step into "soft" or "hard" board setups would be a happy thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 but I just got a pair of Nidecker carbon 900 bindings on a screamin deal to use with the 32 Lashed boots I bought for the liners last season.I never ended up using the boots or liners and I never rode soft at all last year,but have decided to give it a go once in awhile this year. If the pain is too much to bear or the performance sucks too much I'll just sell them.I am not required to go soft to teach but I have changed my outlook about a few things lately and thought it would be fun to branch out a little as long as I don't have to take morphine for the kind of pain softies caused when I last gave it go in 04 when I was still at Vail.I don't see duck stance happening, but it would be humorous to go duck on an alpine shaped board like the Rossi A153 (fairly wide)I've had a couple of new carvers use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Stevens Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 but I just got a pair of Nidecker carbon 900 bindings on a screamin deal to use with the 32 Lashed boots I bought for the liners last season.I never ended up using the boots or liners and I never rode soft at all last year,but have decided to give it a go once in awhile this year. If the pain is too much to bear or the performance sucks too much I'll just sell them.I am not required to go soft to teach but I have changed my outlook about a few things lately and thought it would be fun to branch out a little as long as I don't have to take morphine for the kind of pain softies caused when I last gave it go in 04 when I was still at Vail.I don't see duck stance happening, but it would be humorous to go duck on an alpine shaped board like the Rossi A153 (fairly wide)I've had a couple of new carvers use. Yes man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufty Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 just tell them you thougth the board was too long for teaching so you cut off the end to make it shorter "I spend all my time teaching beginners, and it was falling over all the time when it was leant against the cabin on the bunny slope. 10 minutes with a disc cutter and it stands up a treat now." Boris - I assume there's no way you can change resort? Really, with the crap you go through every year, surely it's worth looking elsewhere? I'm changing resorts this winter, after having resigned 3 weeks into the last season (as a liftie rather than a teacher, but basically much the same sort of bull**** all round) The idea of "knacked, gutted, softboots to camouflage hardboots" is amusing, but probably counterproductive in the end. Still, if you want a pair of fuxx0red softies to gut, I can find some. As long as you promise to cut them down the back and add some velcro, and video the "HAH! I've been teaching in hardboots ALL ALONG!" moment at the end of the season when you tear them off dramatically in front of management, revealing hardboots and plates :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 It would be pretty much the same everywhere... Cypress is still the best (by far) mountain on the outskirts of Van. Over the years I made so many friends, plus majority of our h/booting gang rides there, it would be silly to leave. If I had enough, I would just buy the pass. On the bright side, I introduced 4 instructors to hard boots, last year! :D I can get cheap big softies easilly, but I don't think I'm gonna do it. The video idea would be hillarious, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Might have to get out the 158 F2 Breezer and put my Switch Axel's on 'er!! Heelside grab carves here I come!! Boris, if it doesn't work, can I have that Burton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 :D Nope, my favorite AM carver. It's even in my signature... But if I ever changed my mind, I'd let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruwi Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Boris, I will be teaching only @Grouse this year and Sundays will be my play time either at Grouse or Cypress whenever I can to ride with you guys. Just like you, I've been rigging stuff where I can teach and carve in between without having to change boots and boards and this is what I came up. Last year at Grouse I was able to use my Raichle Concordia Boots while teaching many times without the management harassing me inspite of the looks they made over my boots with a twin tip board. I rigged my Nitro Quick step with the Burton race toe and heel pieces and since there is only one screw/binding on the nitro to adjust angles, I can switch easily between low and high angles and use my Dynastar 163 for teaching then carve in between lessons. Some of my students before have asked why I have a different set-up with my board/boots combo and my response always was that I can be more efficient and spend more time with them. And the results was evident, a few of my students from foreign countries made some really good remarks that led me to receiving the Weekend Intructor of the 2007-2008 Season. So it's not really what you use for teaching but the way you teach and your dedication to your students. ruwi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Ruwi, I've been looking for those Nitro's, If you have any extra pairs or parts I'd like to buy them from you, or anyone else that has them. will pay a premium for them or the heel parts:1luvu: ps love the concordias Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I ride that boot here's a few tips 1) replace the intuition with a tall hardboot liner. 2-3 inches above the shell is ok. 2) replace the third strap with the bungee straps ski racers use. I like the double thick ones but triples may be better for you. 3) get some old small ski boots and put the hard tongue between the laces and the existing tongue of your Ntypes. ( I seldom use this last trick anymore but it helped with the transition) I think you get stronger and don't need the tongue thing anymore after a while. IF you decide its no good all around send them to me and I will find them a good home:eplus2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Alternatively go with catek freerides and the bungee around the top. solomon malamutes preferably Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I also highly recomend a surf-rodz for softie carving. Wayne has it nailed for soft boots carving accessability. They are actually better than hardboot gear on soft days. you can carve even if the groom is to soft without hooking the nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Alternatively go with catek freerides and the bungee around the top. solomon malamutes preferably Hey D, talking about a bungee power strap, but it looks like you are using a cam buckle strap ( a la rafting type of strap ). If polyprolene strap material is used virtually no stretch and about 600 to 1,200 lbs breaking strength depending on weight. Curious. Nylon strap material ( again coming from the rafting side, where I been making my own straps lately ) is a little more stretchy but nearly twice the breaking strength. Are you trying to eliminate all stretch and some flex on the power strap or just what you had around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Doc, Thanks for the tips! You are a seasoned pro, when it cocmes to this stuff. I'm going to replace the Intuition with ZipFit, I guess that's the stiffest you can get. Instead of velcro/bugee, I'll install a propper ratchet strap. I played before with the Raichlee h/b tongue on my Drivers. Im not quite shelling out big bucks for Catek Freerides, but I scored some Nidecker Carbons 800, so that's another option. Another idea I have i to use N type boots on the X type binding with the top strap added to the highback. N types do not quite enough fwd lean, X type can add that with adjustable highback. It would add a lot of stifness too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Ruwi, I'm so glad that you had the reckognition for your hard work at Grouse. The fact that you sneaked through the h/boots few times, sounds promissing. However, I'm less pleased to not have you as a teaching buddy this year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photodad2001 Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 If you're planning on sticking with you current boot set up but just want to beef it up, even though your boot has the highback built in, maybe get a switch binding with a high back then put a ratchet strap at the top like a third strap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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