New Guy here!

[dantheman0177]

Sorry to piggyback on the new guys to this great site... but I'm new too -albeit on the other side of the planet in Melbourne, Australia.

Thanks heaps for any advice!

Pete

Hey Pete,

I was in the same boat as you about 5 or 6 years ago. Best piece of advice I can give is pony up and go to SES. If nothing else, it's a week in Aspen in Feb when the snow is awesome and the dollar is actually worth something.

But you'll also have the chance to try out all the demo gear and work out what you like and what you don't. Then at then end of the week you can probably buy an ex demo board/bindings etc. Again, with the AUD so strong against the USD it's an amazing opportunity for this.

Hope your day at Buller is fun. I've only managed one day this season, at Hotham, in knee deep powder and on softies! So I'm a bit jealous you are heading up to carve.

You said you surf, so next time you are down in Torquay, drop me a line and catch up.

Cheers

Dan

[carvedog]

Hey what's up with all the new guys?

Seems like this is catching on....

Welcome to the mosh pit.

[tekkheadd]

what up dawg!

[bobdea]

Sorry to piggyback on the new guys to this great site... but I'm new too -albeit on the other side of the planet in Melbourne, Australia.

I've been a surfer for most of my life. I skied for a while, then crossed over to soft boot snowboarding about ten years ago... but you know what? I always thought snowboarding was the poor cousin to surfing.

Then two weeks ago, I borrowed some too tight Burton boots and an old F2 'Route 66' Speedster from my business partner.

YEEEEEHAAAA! ::):):):):):):):)

I had an absolute ball! Why in hell do people bother with soft boots? It just doesn't compare. Carving is amazing and even though I'm not laying down on the snow like you guys probably do, I'm hooked - it's just like a bottom hand turn in surfing!

So, I spoke to another mate who also rides hardboots about next steps. He said I gotta get good boots (good advice also in this thread) and he told me that he's got these old Raichles that are just like comfy slippers - he said he wouldn't swap them for the world. They're the ones with the Vibram sole. He said I wouldn't find them anywhere in Australia... but guess what? I did! Went to the local hire joint and they found these in the corner under a bunch of cobwebs:

The guy in the shop didn't even know how they worked. They're virtually new and I got them for $70. They fit beautifully and are more comfortable than my soft Sorells! I can walk around in them with no pressure points whatsoever. I'm super excited and I'm sure everyone out there is saying 'Why? They're ancient boots!'

Now I'm on the hunt for a board (even harder to find here in Oz). So maybe I might have to buy from the US. But before I commit to something, this weekend, before the snow disappears here in Oz, I'm going to try out either one of the following two boards:

This circa 2000 Roadster from the guy with the old Raichles like mine:

and this more recent (I think) Nidecker All rounder on the left from his bro:

A couple of questions:

1. If I'm only going to try one board, which one do people think I should test drive?

2. I also found another pair of more recent boots (new this time... Deelux) with a bunch more straps and much less forgiving than my new/ancient 'comfy as old slippers' Raichles. They fit well and feel like they'd be much more solid - like ski boots. The shop owner said I could have them for $200 bucks (the guy wants to get rid of them I think). Should I snap these up in case they're better for a more 'racey' board like an f2 Speedster that I might get later? Maybe they'd be more compatible with step in bindings? Oh... and how the hell do those step ins work? They look awesome!

I really am showing that I don't know much. But what I lack in knowledge, I more than make up for in enthusiasm!

Thanks heaps for any advice!

Pete

duuuude, if you're gonna be doing some back country those boots might be great. but otherwise go with something more recent.

still, you'll get a taste of what it's all about in those.

[b0ardski]

It's nice to see new BOLers excited about the carving power of hardshells:biggthump

instead of telling us how they out carve most hardbooters in softies.

[bobdea]

BTW, a skunk ape is a really wide jib deck and in the bigger sizes powder gun. if you're rocking a US mens 11 or larger and softboots go for it but I'd not even think about hard boots on that thing.