thinking about being new but....

[Guest ronerob]

Ok i ride an all mnt board now of the non alpine type. Im up to a 163 and pretty much just love to carve. Every time i see an alpine board go by and leave those perfect carves in the snow i get a bit envious. I think i want to do that seeing as craving and going fast are what i like to do. But... were can i get the equipment in the san diego area. Not much of a market for anything like that down here. I know i can get it off the internet but i would not want to get boots that way. If its like soft boot fits then not getting a good fitting boot is what makes a great ride or a lousy experience.

thanks

[Guest Randy S.]

Ronerob,

If you have a weekend you can get up to Tahoe, we have a small stable of equipment for folks to try out. Spare boots in sizes 9 and 10, and a few different boards.

As for buying boots, you are kind of stuck with the internet, unfortunately. However, between the Head (wider) and Deelux/Raichle (narrower, but not too narrow) boots that Bomber sells, you will probably find one that works for you. Plus the Thermofit stuff works well. If you ride at Mammoth, there's a bootfitter there called Footloose that can heat mold the thermoflex liners and do any additional customization necessary.

If you search around here on bomber, you'll get a good sense of the way various boots fit. A couple of great resources are the Welcome Center here on Bomber and the Carver's Almanac . Read both and you'll be ahead of the game.

If you decide to come up to Tahoe, track us down on Tahoe Carvers . See you on the hill soon.

[Guest ronerob]

Ok.

So now i know im kinda stuck. But im in the market for new equipment. So i go to a local shop and befor i know it im looking at boards in the 168-170+ range thinking wow this should carve great. So i come back here and read the post and the welcome center stuff and say thats me. Im ready. Now should i try on ski boots a a shop to get a size idea oo just measure my feet and jump in. Also i ride all over so i am thinking an all mnt board can not realy afford multiple set ups.

[Guest ronerob]

thanks randy

I only wish I could head to tahoe trying alpine boards just adds another reason to dream of a trip there

[Guest Pre School Rider]

Ronerob,there are some very good boards out there,that while wider,carve just fine,and can still be ridden "everywhere" comfortably. Rad-Air's Tankers(in sizes from 162,172,182,192 and 200cm) are exactly for that type of riding.Vin Q,out of Killington had a 200cm tanker he rode in Salomon S-5 bindings and I think Salomon's Malamute boot,just at angles in the upper 40's/low 50's to keep 'boot drag' to a minimum.Vin can get as low and laid out as ANYONE on a softie set-up(this is from years of riding plates,but the point isn't moot!). His shop carries Volkl boards,and the Coal is another of those haulin' cookies all mountain boards that'll carve until your eyes bleed(btw,if you ever see a Volkl Cross,just BUY IT!Awesome board).Donek,Prior and Coiler,our oft-mentioned makers of high-end carving tools also just happen to make all-mountain(even wide!)boards that'll happily take to arcing it with softshells.Over on www.freecarve.com,but buried back in the Archives of that site,I've noted several times various boards,bindings,ideas and riding technique that can bring great carving results from softboots and freeride decks.When you go shopping,keep the board width at over 22cm in width at the waist.This way the board won't be restricted to 'hardshell only' use because of booting out.(A Tanker 182 has a 24.6cm waist,so it's "quick" by softboot standards,but "fat" by hardboot standards.It can be ridden with either set-up) You simply can't use high angles with most softboot set-ups,as the highbacks don't give 'lateral' support beyond the 45* range.On toeside turns,it's really a matter of toungue stiffness within the boot,unless a 3rd strap (like on Burton's old Torque binding)is added correctly.However,those issues can be sorted out to make softboots work quite well for carving.I recommend shopping carefully in choosing your next 'all-mountain' board,being sure that it rides the whole mountain,isn't too narrow or wide,carves well,comes in the size you want,And Is Also Hardshell compatible.That way you can ride it either way,plates or softs,depending on snow conditions,riding skill,hill choice,or just mood.So,look it over,consider having that 'one board' that'll crank out turns with whatever binding,learn how hardshells ride on that.

[Guest ronerob]

thanks all for the help I was looking around at boards and i like the donek axis 172. But was wondering is this the way to go or am i holding onto my past board style to much.

[Mike T]

I heartily recommend the Axis 172... as long as you intend to ride it with hard boots. It's definitley a go-anywhere board. I've ridden mine on everything from ice to 30 inches of fresh. It won't handle as nimbly as a narrower alpine board on ice, and it won't float like a Tanker in deep powder but when ridden completently it will serve you well in all of it. (I actually did pretty well in that 30 inches of fresh, *despite* the fact that I had never ridden in more than 8" of snow in hard boots and realized I had to figure out how to do a powedr teoseide at those angles!)