Hardboots only or do you go both ways!

[Dr D]

super secret research poll to find out the real numbers:eplus2:

[MUD]

Hmmmm. I ride softies when I am bored of hardbooting....

We don't get "freshies" up here.

[crucible]

I had to dig around in my storage locker for TWO HOURS just to find my highback bindings today.

I'm going to use them for the first time in 15 years, because my 8 year old daughter Maya is converting over to snowboarding from skiing this season, and wanted me to help her make the transition.

I'll be using softies on a Winterstick Severe Terrain 166, and hopefully it won't be be too much of a debacle- otherwise, I'm going back to the parking lot and getting my old trusty Raichle Concordias and slapping those pink babies onto a BX board with my OS2's.

Geo

[paragonUE]

I ride softies in the pow, and apparently i have to ride them while im instructing this year at KILLINGTON!!!!

[Gecko]

not in 6 seasons...but then I haven't had the pleasure of being anywhere near fresh in all that time either

[ecnalubma]

I wear hardboots to drive to the resort.

[inkaholic]

HB much of the time however SB for freshies without thinking twice. I rode HB exclusively for to long and won't do it any more. Carving soft can make your HB riding better and it is fun to show people that carved turns aren't only done on HB.

After competing and coaching on HB for many years I only rode soft for a few years. DT and Big Mario got me back on HB and I love to split my ride time with types of boots. It is a different feel and different fun.

Ink

[Bullwings]

All HB only when I made the transition. Then middle of last season when i started riding again after my accident, softies only. This season will be a mix of both. Can't wait to get back onto HBs, but definitely only softies for me on pow days.

[Steve Prokopiw]

half the rider in softies as I am in hardboots in almost any situation;but I have purchased softboot stuff recently to give it another go.I will probably use them in pow mostly as I have always had foot pain issues in softies when the riding/performance intensity is high.

[Kimo]

I ride softies I'm already at a resort and there's no fresh groom or if my friends want to ride the North Face. I frequently will find something else to do rather than drive up to go boarding if it looks like it's going to be a softie day.

[b0ardski]

I don't need a third srtap, I have three straps on my boots already.

I really don't want 2 different systems & laces are for tennis shoes, If I wanted to ride in tennis shoes I'd use my 1st board.

[Jack M]

Today I brought my softboot setup to the freebie room at the town dump. Granted, it was 11 years old, but I am now HB only. I rode that board once last year and hated every minute.

Softies are the way to go in floatation-grade powder, but that happens like once a year for me.

[NateW]

Hard all the time.

[redia]

Hard all the time.

[Fastskiguy]

Where is the option for skis?

[b0ardski]

When is the last time you skied in lace up boots???

[carvedog]

I teach in soft. Have to admit at slow speed moves it is easier to show or demo ankle and knee flexion/extension in softies.

When I am in hard boots I tend to not strap or have very loose the top strap or two to compensate and show more movement.

Other than that, for my style of riding I don't care for soft in any conditions.

Maybe not much difference in 2 feet of pow, but I don't see Hbs as a deficit in pow.

And I have been fortunate enough to have some steep, deep, wide open, untracked that I was able to ride at 60+ mph and was quite happy to have hbs for that. Felt just as stable as softies at 30.

And in the chopped pow there is not substitute for HBs. Ditto for chopped pow in the bumps.

But that is just me. :eplus2:

[b0ardski]

"Other than that, for my style of riding I don't care for soft in any conditions.

Maybe not much difference in 2 feet of pow, but I don't see Hbs as a deficit in pow. "

[AccidentalChef]

Soft boots when conditions warrant getting out the Dupraz. Riding sofites every once in a while last season seemed to help my hard boot riding by teaching me to use my ankles more. Technically, I can ride powder just as well in hard boots, possibly even better, but hard boots can never match the surfy feel of softies in the deep stuff.

[Fastskiguy]

When is the last time you skied in lace up boots???

???uh??? LOL!

[b0ardski]

The rattraps with the Raichle 123s are a pretty surfy combo if I leave the cuff cants loose in walk mode. Even my old park board has plates on it.

[kjl]

I know all the rational, logical reasons why hardboots are always better (more control, less slop, better support and control at speed, more power), but none of them offset the fact that for me, softboots are more fun in soft conditions. Not even powder, just soft. 2 days after the storm, when the snow is still too soft to hold me in a powered heelside carve, I'd still rather be out on the softies, surfing and spreading the peanut butter around on and off-piste. Say what you will about skidding; skidding is fun in soft snow.

[b0ardski]

"surfing and spreading the peanut butter around on and off-piste. Say what you will about skidding; skidding is fun in soft snow."

I totally agree, thus my preference for "soft" flexing plastic boots like the old raichles & twintip all mt boards:biggthump

[tufty]

When is the last time you skied in lace up boots???

Last year. On proper, straight, wooden, skis with screw-on edges. It was - umm - interesting...

For boarding - I gave my soft boots and binders away a couple of years back.

[Gecko]

I still have a set of Ride boots and Shimano Clicker bindings...but I don't have a board to put them on...at some point I may pick up a 150's freestyle board to dork around on but I am still having too much fun in HB to do that now