Tanker (192 preferably) - weight and bindings/boot-type used

[Bullwings]

It's a simple question, I just want to know what everyone weighs and if you're using hardboots/plates or softboots or if you switch between the two.

I hear proponents of both, but i'm wondering if it has more to do with weight.

I weigh about 145 lbs. (160ish with full gear pack and everything) and feel like i'm boarder line (light) as far as using it with softboots (Catek FR2s). I rode the newer 07/08 182 model last year with the exact same softboots and bindings (FR2s), and felt like i could decamber the board better and crank tighter turns. Sadly, i broke it. I really wanted to try it in HBs too.

Next board is an 04/05 192, and it's a bit tougher for me with FR2s (47F/42R) - MP28.5 hardboot / size 12 softboot. I feel like i can't quite decamber it the way i could the 182 and can't quite crank the turns down as tightly as i'd like. I'm gonna give it a go in some TD2s (and some TD2.5 - using TD3 second board kit) and hope that helps out a bit.

Also, what conditions for what bindings or does it not matter? Thanks.

Edit: added angles that i use with FR2s.

[snowboardfast]

I rode a 187 for a couple of runs on groomed snow with soft boots and thought it was fun. I would only ride this board with soft boots as I don't see the need for hardboots on it. Of course I mentioned in my post about the Prior 4wd why I don't like hb in all mountain use. I weigh 185 so more than you but if the snow was really hard I would probably not ride this board. I might get a 182 at some point as I think it would be long enough and still be manuverable in bumps. I would be using the Catek free ride binding with the Burton Driver x boots if I get one of these boards.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I use hardboots on everything, including my Tanker 200. I weigh around 195 these days.

[dano]

I go around 250 give or take a few pints.

I ride plates 100%. Physics binders, Wind boots with toe bails, unlock the boots in pow.

Couldn't be happier with this board.

[Jon Dahl]

I ride mine with Snowpro's and dynafits, soon to be TD2's and SB 123's. Use them for everything. Weigh 160 plus gear, 5'7". Set mine up slightly forward on the inserts. As narrow as it is, I couldn't see using softies on it, unless risers were involved, even then it'd be sketchy for overhang.

[twelsch42]

I ride mine with Snowpro's and dynafits, soon to be TD2's and SB 123's. Use them for everything. Weigh 160 plus gear, 5'7". Set mine up slightly forward on the inserts. As narrow as it is, I couldn't see using softies on it, unless risers were involved, even then it'd be sketchy for overhang.

That's where the FR2's come in. Plenty of available rise using those bindings. I ride 28(.5?) salomon boots with ~25f/15r without ever a problem booting out. I'm no master of the EC, but know how to get my board angled pretty well.

Should help out the OP here too I guess... I'm 175 fully loaded, and on my 192 with the flame bottom (03/04?) I find it pretty hard to carve tighter turns while charging hard. I attribute it to my technique and lack of leg strength. I can't stress how fun this board is. I can't wait to get another tanker.

[Bullwings]

looks like i should probably be using hardboots then seeing as how people with 50+ pounds on me are using HBs. unless it's powdery surf conditions.

anyone use both??

any specific proponents/opinions of why you should or like to use HBs or SBs and not the other? bob? i recall you being a softboot tanker fan. anyone else?

[martyagt4]

I'm 5'6" and maybe 170 geared up. I ride both HB and SB with mine. It's a 192 02/03 I think. Really have no preference for either. Both in powder and groom. It's a little easier for me to get that sat back surfy feel in pow with the soft boots.

Edit.. My softboots are 32 Forecast and used with Flow bindings. Hardboots are Racihle Freezone ski boots with BTS installed. Snowpro Race bindings.

[surfinsmiley]

I ride a 03/04 200. I`m 170? 78kg. 30Mondo boots.

I like both softboots and hardboots on mine. Either 32TM2s and flow bindings for semi soft snow carve orientated softboot riding or change the binding to Rossignol (model?) for deeper softer snow surfing.

Harder snow conditions and I`ll set it up with Head Stratos Boots and Bindings. Slow to medium speed carving is great.

I`m sure once you get used to the board you be able to bend it really well.

That said though, do you what year the 192 is from. I`m under the impression that the Tankers have generally become softer over the years.

[BlueB]

6' tall, 180-185lbs without gear.

I have ridden it with TD2s and Snowpros. Prefer the Snowpros for AM aplication.

50/40 angles.

Still have to try it with Nidecker Carbons.

[Bullwings]

anyway, it was my first day back on hardboots since breaking my tib/fib.

i ordered the TD3 second board kit and put the rest of my TD2 right on top of it to make the TD2.5...

Hardboots are track 325s with yellow BTS springs. i was running angles of around 45-43 without any issues of boot out.

Tanker 192 model is 04/05 (the one BlueB has pictured in his sig).

So, long story short - Hardboots are superior. My previous Catke FR2 setup with booster straps bolted to the high back don't even come close to being alpine. Don't get me wrong, they're the best softboot carving bindings i've been on, but they just can't compare.

My TD2.5 HB setup on the 192 was perfect. i was able to crank the small radius turns quickly and with confidence on blue runs that i normally had trouble with in the soft boot setup. I was shaving off so much speed with the tight carves that there were a few times that i almost fell over when transitioning to the next edge. I took it to a black diamond and was able to link 6-8 turns on the run - normally i do about 2-3 sloppy skarving speed check turns down the same run with the FR2s.

The other thing, my ankles felt awesome in HBs. In the FR2s (and more so probably the boot), my ankles would get sore after a while of trying to drive and push the board.

Once the snow got a little bit chopped and the hero groom was gone, in my HB setup, i could just sink the edge in so that it would cut through all the undulations and imperfections, and for the larger ones, i'd use them to simultaneously setup the tail pop from my board for a mid-air/extremely weightless edge change. On the FR2s, these would instantly cause chatter and washing out and expand the radius of turns to uncontrollable speeds.

Anyway, at my weight (145 lbs.), I think that Tanker 192s need to be ridden with hardboots to be able to fully control and drive the board properly and safely make varying radiused turns. I'm not so sure about deeper powder conditions since i haven't tested this one back to back with both binding setups.

I knew there was a reason i liked hardboots. Oh yeah, and my feet felt awesome too, no more crushing the top of my foot with the straps and no more crushing my toes from cranking the BOA laces too tight.

Catek FR2s with third booster strap up top does not make for a hardboot substitute. I ditched the third strap when i moved the FR2s to an older model Madd BX - smart move for me (both for board and binding setup). They work for some people, but to me they just feel like a handicap. I prefer the booster strap just wrapped around the boot only.

Definitely hardboots on that board for now on, and as much as possible. For what I like to do, softboots are just inferior. They have their merits and their uses, but on this board at my weight for carving = no good.

[crucible]

150 lbs soaking wet- maybe 160 with gear.

I use hardboots exclusively- either Raichle Concordia's (121's) or Raichle

125's with BTS's and blue or yellow springs.

The hardplate bindings that I use are Catek OS2's or Snowpros.

Angles are 48F/42R , with a 20" stance for a mondo 26 boot.

[frunobulax]

190 lbs naked.

Burton Physics bindings, Suzukas or Indys, unlocked.

Board could be stiffer for my taste, but its ok. Lots of fun in pow, fun also on groomers if you treat it carefully and don't overload it.

Would prefer HBs to SBs because I don't see any advantage of softboots at all.

[carvedog]

Since we have a Tanker 192 thread going I will dogpile on here if that is ok.

So I have one of the black ones 04/05 ?? and have only had maybe four runs on it.

Just getting used to it right now. I mounted my bindings ( burton plates, fire boots ) centered mostly but slightly back to the tail. Thinking this was a powder board I didn't want to go forward necesarily. Wondering now if I should.

I like it on the groom but haven't been able to rail it out as I was hoping. In fact it seems a bit soft for me - I am pushing 250 of love down the hill.

Several recommended this as a good replacement for the Frontier 185 that used to be my go to all mountain board - that I could still rip carves on.

Conditions have been too sketchy for me to get out and really abuse this thing and maybe that is what it needs.

Thoughts??

TIA

[Bullwings]

^^^

The board might be a little soft for you (i'm not sure). I have the same exact model, and at my weight (145 lbs) with hardboots, I found it to be the perfect flex. I have a 19" stance width on it (i'm 5'9").

Mine are mounted a little bit further back, and definitely not forward. Then again, with how the inserts are setup, there's not really that many options where to mount my bindings to get the 19" stance.

Yesterday i was pushing down on it and driving it as hard as i could on the groomers and mid-day semi-chop - no problems for me. the 182 was fun on a pow day, i can't wait to try this out on a pow day.

I have 5 days on mine now (4 with the Catek FR2s).

[Jon Dahl]

I have mine set up with the bindings a bit forward on the board. Front inserts I am on the center set, bindings all the way back. rear binding on the most forward set on inserts, all the way back. Carves nicely at my 160 lbs plus gear, still ok in pow. As a side not, I mounted the 200 proto I just rode almost the same.

[carvedog]

I have mine set up with the bindings a bit forward on the board. Front inserts I am on the center set, bindings all the way back. rear binding on the most forward set on inserts, all the way back. Carves nicely at my 160 lbs plus gear, still ok in pow. As a side not, I mounted the 200 proto I just rode almost the same.

After writing about it, I had a chance to ride a couple runs yesterday. I did move the binders forward a couple of notches and it did make a difference.

One thing I really like about this board is it is very stable at speed and coming down from speed when you have to throw out the anchor.

Looking forward to more testing.

[Bullwings]

Took a look at mine. For the front, i'm on the inserts behind center with bindings mounted all the way forward. For the back, i'm on the very front inserts with bindings mounted all the way back.

i guess i'm sort of forward afterall.

[WEBSIGHT360]

Mine are forward on my Tanker 200. It just feels right in that position...

[felix]

For carving I don't mind. My tanker 200cm 02/03 is by now missing more than 40cm of edges that have popped out because of contact with rocks, trees, etc.. (also due to my in my opinion completely unsatisfactory build quality by Voekl in Germany - my other freeride boards have much better base material (I want a freeride board to have an extruded base, I don't care for seconds, but I do care if I have to spend hours fixing up the board cause stones cause much more damage because of the supersoft base material and bigger and more durable edges; can't speak for other production year models though).

I ride it softies only. I have installed additional inserts at 4 and 8cm back (on the back inserts) and 4cm back on the front inserts, and keep using mostly the 8cm back from standard most backward insert. This gives me the flotation I expect from the board. Carving with those settings becomes pretty impossible though because the tail will skid out (o.k. might also be due to edges missing). I tried it with hardboots but as with any other powder board, hardboots in powder is not for me - I rather use very stiff softboots (Deeluxe Spark, binned those ****ty DriverX) with very stiff binders because I want to have the ability to flex sidewards a lot (which simply does not work with hardboots).

I weight about 65-75kg (depending on my training).

What I do love about the tanker is high-speed stability. Hammer it fullspeed into a mogul field and simply go straight through it. Could do very well with a more powder specific nose though.

[surfinsmiley]

This is kinda off topic but...Since my last post on this thread I`ve had a few days riding the Tanker and the Dupraz back to back in conditions ranging from 60cm deep pure fluff to crusty refreeze and plenty of time on the groomers to get to the stashes....

I never thought I`d say this, but, for me, the Tanker is becoming obsolete to my needs. The Dupraz just seems to do everything with more ease, I can get away with things on the Dupraz that would have the Tanker spanking my arse. Purely a personal feeling and I know it may well raise the hairs on some peoples backs... it is only my opinion and your mileage may well vary.

I think I might have to take a saw to the Tanker and transform it into a swallow tail. Wish I could transform the nose as easily, I`d love to get more float and less push out of the nose.