What to begin with?

[TLN]

Hi.

Well, im reading all the hardboot forums for a long time, and i'm very interested to try a ride hardboots. Unfourtunately i live sooo far away from the place i can rent or try a board. So internet is the only way to get info on this.

I live in Kazachstan, and i got some people riding hardboots here. Two girls even ride FIS SL and GS. But it's hard to talk with them as 'they're the kessler riderz and seems to have a balls then'

So here i am: 21yrs, 196(or about) cm high and 102(or about) kilos. US13 size foot. Now i ride NS legacy-R, Ride CAD, and salamon malamutes boots. I ride my own setup for 5th year, it rented snowboard for some time before.

The easiest way to try something closer to hardboots is to get the board suitable for softboot carving. Something 170-180 and stiff. I think CAD's and Malamutes is ok for softcarving, isn't it?

Second way is try to get an used hardboot stuff, don't know what i actually want, but seems to be quite wide freecarve board, and some not-so-stiff hardboots.

Third way is to get all the new. $$$, but all is new and unused. Mold the boots and have fun.

And the last way is to get to europe or us sometime, try to ride some harboot setups, may be with coach. And then get a board that fit all my needs. I probaply would get out here this year, but time is no problem, i got no limit in times.

So, the question: what would you do in ths situation?

[Jack M]

Step 1 is to learn to carve on your current gear. Can you carve your downhill edge? That is, can you change edges before the board points downhill, and start a new carve? If not, that is what you need to learn first. Then practice that until you can do it consistently on easy to moderate slopes.

Next you can buy some used hardboots and bindings and try them on your current board. If you like it, then you can buy a used carving board. Check out the links in my signature for help getting started, and see our classifieds for used gear. Good luck!

[Futahaguro]

I will just tell you my experience with my first used stuff that I just got since that may be what you end up doing. I bought a board for $80 from a guy on the forum here, a pair of TD-2 step-ins (SI) for $100, and a pair of Head Stratos Pros for $150 also from a guy on this forum. I had been boarding for 20 years before ever putting on hardboots and I must say, it has been great! I did as much research as I could on the equipment before I looked for it on these forums and elsewhere. Yes, it would be great to get the perfect fit, perfect board, etc. for $1000+ but if you measure your foot very accurately and somehow try on a boot over there, heck even a ski boot from the same manufacturer might give you a good idea, then you will feel better about buying used stuff. Obviously shipping will hurt but then again coming over here and bringing it back with you will be expensive too!

If you have been riding for a while you should be able to pick it up but whether or not you will like it I have no idea. Obviously if you can try the stuff before buying it that would be ideal, but this is not always an ideal world.

My $.02.

[TLN]

Step 1 is to learn to carve on your current gear. Can you carve your downhill edge? That is, can you change edges before the board points downhill, and start a new carve? If not, that is what you need to learn first. Then practice that until you can do it consistently on easy to moderate slopes.

Well, as far as i feel i can do this on my current setup. I cannot understand what exactly do you mean by "change edges before the board points downhill". But i can make a turn on edge without sliding and taking a lot of snow down with me. After i ride this place next time i see quite narrow path from me.

More over, when i started to read all about carving, and tried some technics(load the front foon while entering the turm and them put my weight back in turm, or working up-and-down with foot in turn) my speed increased by 1/3)

Next you can buy some used hardboots and bindings and try them on your current board. If you like it, then you can buy a used carving board. Check out the links in my signature for help getting started, and see our classifieds for used gear. Good luck!

I got some problems:

1. I got US13 foor and it's hard to find any used for a moderate price. (watch where i live, shipping'd seems to be more $60 for boots only)

2. I got a flatfoot. Salomon boots fits very well for me, but i can't say anything on a hardboors? Can i use ski boots? or it doesn't worth it?

3. NS Legacy-R is a allmountain freestyle board (wait... i got 174 but anyway) and i can it's soft for me, and for what i wanna do. Also it got a big sidecut(small radius) so when i want make an U turm on a mountain bottom it doesn't hold an edge as i want it. BUT, i got quite stiff binding and boots. What wound be, if i get a stiff board designed for a hardboot/softboot setup? For example: prior 4wd, donek's, or anything? BTW, Xtasty from "on sale" forum seems to be tasty for me... I can put a harboot bindings later on it...

I will just tell you my experience with my first used stuff that I just got since that may be what you end up doing. I bought a board for $80 from a guy on the forum here, a pair of TD-2 step-ins (SI) for $100, and a pair of Head Stratos Pros for $150 also from a guy on this forum. I had been boarding for 20 years before ever putting on hardboots and I must say, it has been great! I did as much research as I could on the equipment before I looked for it on these forums and elsewhere. Yes, it would be great to get the perfect fit, perfect board, etc. for $1000+ but if you measure your foot very accurately and somehow try on a boot over there, heck even a ski boot from the same manufacturer might give you a good idea, then you will feel better about buying used stuff. Obviously shipping will hurt but then again coming over here and bringing it back with you will be expensive too!

If you have been riding for a while you should be able to pick it up but whether or not you will like it I have no idea. Obviously if you can try the stuff before buying it that would be ideal, but this is not always an ideal world.

My $.02.

Yea, shipping will be pricey as hell, no matter what i get, cheap used stuff, or a new stick. Also here's no shops to try a fit from different manufactures. That's why i'm writing this topic.

[TLN]

oh, and by the way..

I got a Burton risers. What do you think about it? Does it woth it in terms of extra force in turn? Softboots yet. How should i install it? For example 36/24(will tweak it after a couple of rides) how should i instal riser? alogwith the board(90 angle) and maxxed out, alongside with the bindings(36 for the front foot, maxxed till board width) or anyhow?

I mean this way:

OR this way:

I'm leaning for a first variant. Some shot from BX thread:

[BlueB]

Those are my pics...

Burton Elevators are ment for soft boots. Mount them in line with bindings, extended to support the binding or a bit more if there's still space on the board. Biggest advantage is that they'll get you a bit higher of the snow so you can ride with some overhang without bootout. They'll add some power to your carves too, but will require slightly more work to get onto the edge. I'd say that for size 13 boot they are a must.

None of the all-mountain alpine boards will really work good with soft boots, especially not size 13. I wouldn't go "board first" approach, anyways... If you already can carve your softies (that means pencil thin marks in the snow with completelly clean and distinctive transition marks), just go for full hard setup. Or, buy the boots and bindings first and play for a few days on your EXISTING board. It will give you some taste of hard gear.

From Kazahstan, I'd rather buy from Europe, to save on shipping. German eBay is always ful of good gear, sometimes cheap...

If you decided to go for a big freeride board for softies, look into Tankers. They work great with hard boots too. Later when you've got a real alpine board Tanker can serve as your pow/all mountain h/boot board...

[TLN]

Burton Elevators are ment for soft boots. Mount them in line with bindings, extended to support the binding or a bit more if there's still space on the board. Biggest advantage is that they'll get you a bit higher of the snow so you can ride with some overhang without bootout. They'll add some power to your carves too, but will require slightly more work to get onto the edge. I'd say that for size 13 boot they are a must.

I'd definately give them a try this weekend. Can you comment on angles? I think something like 36/18 would be ok for a starting point. I ride mostly in a pow with 21/-3 angles now.

None of the all-mountain alpine boards will really work good with soft boots, especially not size 13. I wouldn't go "board first" approach, anyways... If you already can carve your softies (that means pencil thin marks in the snow with completelly clean and distinctive transition marks), just go for full hard setup. Or, buy the boots and bindings first and play for a few days on your EXISTING board. It will give you some taste of hard gear.

If you decided to go for a big freeride board for softies, look into Tankers. They work great with hard boots too. Later when you've got a real alpine board Tanker can serve as your pow/all mountain h/boot board...

Well, when i told about getting a board first, i mentioned get big freeride board you told. For example, if i get some all mountain alpine board over Tanker, what pros and cost there is? For example: Tanker 182, Sword DUAL or Prior ATV. I see some people ride later two with h/boots.

[BlueB]

36/18 should be nice angles for carving. However, it depends the most on your boot size and board width. If those angles leave you with lots of overhang, you need to go higher, However, higher you go with softies, less latteral support you'd have and things will start to fall appart...

All the boards you mentioned can work with hard boots. ATV will be too narrow to use with softies, for size 13 boot. I'd go with Tanker 200 - you are a big boy and already have a 175. For easier softie action, maybe look at Tanker 187 - that one is very wide (not beneficial for hard boots, though).

If you get an ALPINE all-mountain, it would be too narrow for your 13 softies. You'll just have to go with h/boots.

[TLN]

36/18 should be nice angles for carving. However, it depends the most on your boot size and board width. If those angles leave you with lots of overhang, you need to go higher, However, higher you go with softies, less latteral support you'd have and things will start to fall appart...

All the boards you mentioned can work with hard boots. ATV will be too narrow to use with softies, for size 13 boot. I'd go with Tanker 200 - you are a big boy and already have a 175. For easier softie action, maybe look at Tanker 187 - that one is very wide (not beneficial for hard boots, though).

If you get an ALPINE all-mountain, it would be too narrow for your 13 softies. You'll just have to go with h/boots.

Board is wide enough. 27 cm waist, and 31.8 tail. 8.3 sidecut(vario power grip blah blah blah... ). I cannot notice the overhang when i ride 21/-3. It lose it's grip only when i'm trying to get lower than it can hande. boot touches the snow, and you're all know what's happening.

Got, what you're talking about. hm... i thought 50/40(or about) with US13 would be ok for 23.5 waist size on ATV. i'd check out prices, may be hboot setup will cost less then atv(or tanker) itself.

[BlueB]

If boot touched the snow, that means you do have the overhang... But, 27 waist is nice for 13s, should work with 36/18.

50/40 will not work with soft boots, unless you have 3rd strap on the bindings.

A used alpine setup (bought in Europe) will cost you less then a new high-end board.