For those that do both, Hardboot stance width vs Softboot stance width

[Bobby Buggs]

Im finally going to get out on my softboot set, a Rossi 1 Mag 59 with Flow11s, the first time on a soft set since 95. Wondering what stance width you ride compared to your hard boots. I ride a 19.5 width on my Coiler and other alpines.

[Buell]

Hardboot - 20 3/4"

Softboot - 21" to 22"

[bobdea]

19 in hardboots 21 in softboots

[John H]

19 in hardboots

20-21 in softboots

[Seraph]

Is cant/lift also relevant to this discussion as the more you have, the wider the stance can be?

[kjl]

I think cant is less important in softboots. The boots just bend so your stance is comfortable.

Hardboots: 17.5"

Softboots: 21.5"

[Bobby Buggs]

Is cant/lift also relevant to this discussion

Not for me with the Flows

[TrenchKnife]

I ride my soft setup with steep, semi-alpine (55/50) angles and feet relatively close together.

This is my favorite way to ride.

I prefer this to freestyle stance or hardboot, frankly.

[Bobby Buggs]

Now that you said that, what angles do people run, I am considering a moderate say 20-25 front and a slight duck like -5 back foot. Im NOT doing this to carve

[kjl]

39/21 in softies.

I do some carving that way, but I rode at those angles for years before I even knew what hardboots were.

[svr]

Soft setup:

Tanker 200 :

Front: +30

Back: +6

Stance: 59 cm

150-170 Cm freeride:

Front: +30

Back: +6

Stance: 54 or 56 cm

Hard setup:

Front: +48

Back: +42

Stance: 47 or 49 cm

[Buell]

Now that you said that, what angles do people run, I am considering a moderate say 20-25 front and a slight duck like -5 back foot. Im NOT doing this to carve

I would at least set it up to be able to carve. Why not?

39f, 33r on a 240 mm waist board.

21f, 12r on a 260 mm waist board.

[Seraph]

Not for me with the Flows

I meant as far as comparing the hard boot setup stance width (with lift/cant) to the soft boot setup (assuming no lift/cant)

[Mike T]

Hard: 19.5" wide, usually 54ish/51ish angles, lotsa pure lift on back, flat front.

Soft: 20" wide, 21/12 angles, no canty, no lifty.

[terekhov]

49-50cm on both. flat hard bindings - no cants/lifts

[Sinecure]

I've added about 1.5" to my stance width with my new softie setup. Plus My back foot is now ducked out. I'm at around -12r +15f.

Hard booting is still so much better. If I didn't have to demo switch crap teaching I'd bail on the softies altogether.

[johnasmo]

I ride about 50% alpine and 50% freestyle, so I'll share my thoughts. Since it's been so long off softies, why not just start with centered on the insert packs of the board, and adjust from there. For angles, same philosophy, start conservative, which for soft boots means low and slightly duck, then adjust to be more alpine-like if you don't like it. Lower angles, especially in the rear leg, make you more powerful at swinging the board back and forth with your legs, which is a big part of slarving as you push the board around to check speed instead of carving across the hill.

I ride alpine at about 65/60 with 3 degree disks at 19.5 inch stance. I ride soft at about 15/-3 at 19.5 to 20 inch stance -- very close. For me, going too wide just seems to result in one leg or the other to getting more fatigued when shifting weight around. With the range of motion of soft gear, you get to do a lot of moving around on the board and tweeking of the lower body when driving from the nose or tail as you do different kinds of turns and slides in different snow. Going too wide seems to limit that freedom, at least when using supportive bindings like the Flow Pro11 (which are great bindings by the way).

And don't forget that you actually want toe and heel overhang. You're using toe/heel movements to pressure your edges, and on hardpack, that's a lot of work unless your toes and heels are actually over the edges inside your boots. Otherwise it will feel like the board if fighting you to stay flat, which makes the ride less fun and surfy.

You're not a newb, so you'll figure out the setup. The best advice I can give is... don't try to carve it like an alpine board. Screw the art of the carve and just do what feels good in softies... sliding, spinning, switch, sloppy carving, hitting the moguls and the trees. And on a powder day... sweet surfing.

[bobdea]

And don't forget that you actually want toe and heel overhang. You're using toe/heel movements to pressure your edges, and on hardpack, that's a lot of work unless your toes and heels are actually over the edges inside your boots. Otherwise it will feel like the board if fighting you to stay flat, which makes the ride less fun and surfy.

+1, reducing drag too much makes turning harder. I have never seen anyone ride with under hang powerfully in softboots.

[Dave ESPI]

You first have to ask yourself what the purpose of the board is, where you want to ride, and how. Secondly, what is the actual board, and how will it respond best with regards to stance, setback, offset, and what is anatomicaly comfortable. When it comes to softboots and boards, it is a personal thing and there is no "rule" as to how to set according to inseam.

Fat twin tips and wide stances that are ducked are stable, and good for switch riding, or park, where as narrow stances and directional boards are more condusive to AM riding, and "carving" by comparison.

Every board and rider has a preferance. I always begin with my standard stance of 20 3/4 (inseam of 32-33 pants) , angles that set the toes and heels on the edge of the board. Once a baseline is established, play around and find what feels comfortable and then tweek it to the optimum you seek.