snowboardfast Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 A new boot from Deluxe for splitboarding and back country. Has a Vibram sole. Any one tried these yet? Why don't they have their hardboots shown and listed on their website? Very silly to me. If a softboot snowboarder saw the hardboots pictured and described maybe they would look at them and be interested? No indication that they are making hardboots? Are they planning on phasing them out in the near future? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 Deeluxe has had a separate website for their hardboots since they changed the name from Raichle. Don't remember the site offhand but google deeluxe hardboots and you'll find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowboardfast Posted September 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 I Don't understand why they would do a seperate website for hardboots as most people would not know about this especially people new to snowboarding who might be going online to check out different boot companies to help them decide what type of boots they might want to buy?I was able to find the hardboot website but that was only because I knew where to go to get information to find it. Also for me it was not necessary to do so as I know where to get boots. Just thinking about new people to the sport? Maybe Deeluxe is selling enough pairs of hardboots and does not need to advertise them to get more sales? The hardboot website had a link for the softboots but you could not go back to the hardboot website from the softboot website? I guess I should email the company to find out why they are doing this? Not a good way to promote a product in my opinion? I am not upset I just don't understand why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 I Don't understand why they would do a seperate website for hardboots as most people would not know about this especially people new to snowboarding who might be going online to check out different boot companies to help them decide what type of boots they might want to buy? Counter productive, not cost effective, we are probably lucky that they even produce the boots at all. It is business. http://www.deeluxe-hardboots.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 The same reason F2 splits their sales across soft/ hard also. Soft booting is fashionable, the kids doing it are pretty much repelled by anything hard. There's a huge demographic split between hard and soft gear. It's probably bigger than the difference between skiers and hard booters. It's hard to market to both groups at once. FTwo and f2 exist for that reason. Commercially the company can't care if people buy soft or hard. Soft boots are probably replaced more often anyway, but as the numbers are so hugely ahead of hard the economy of scale means they're going to be pushing and stocking what sells most. I'm sure no one decides to take up hard boots because they see them in a brochure though - they do it because they see you riding. It's not "accessible". Neither was snowboarding when many of us started. Soft boots with Vibram soles... what goes around comes around! It may well be a step in the right direction for some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transistor Rhythm Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 Riding a snowboard with soft- or hardboots is essentially exactly the same thing, just a minor variation in gear. Like a regular skateboard versus longboard. It's just marketing what separates us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 I see they brought the Freezone back. I just wish it was fintech (DINtech) compatible:freak3: Oh wait, That'll make me look like a skier, Oh the horror Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowboardfast Posted September 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 I would agree that hardboot snowboarding is not considered to be a viable sport by most snowboarders today? Longboards were never popular years ago but they are now because the companies are making the effort to advertise them. Now the longboard market is huge. I wonder if Deeluxe would put up some hardboot videos on their web site and advertise the hardboots more if it would become more popular? If you don't promote something no one will be interested. They also need to explain how hardboots can be comfortable to wear now that we have moldable liners. Have videos of people riding all mountain on a shorter board. Also you could show longer boards as well. Might get some new riders if this was done to show that it is fun and not that hard to do. I would think it would be worth a try? Not everyone is interested in duck stance and riding the park although there is nothing wrong with doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transistor Rhythm Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 Longboards have probably been made popular by great riders and homebrew companies, so we need to get more cool riders out. We need more people like J&P or Casper that show new exciting stuff to the people, and how versatile you can be with hardboots. So often you hear "oh you can only do this or that with hardboots", while this is not true. Maybe I wouldn't do pipe or park with it, but the rest: no problem. I heard about nosepress competitions in PureBoarding clinics, or that old video with a rider doing backflips in hardboots, guys like philw riding powder, that's just the stuff we need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 I have an old version of this boot(all my videos feature them)with bts and love it.They fit my foot shape well enough to downsize easily and the sole is noticably more rigid.I would love it if they were intec compatible,but for popping into skis one minute and my board the next,they are great.If I get new boots this year this will be the boot. Snowboarding is full of people who think there are rules as to what riders should,or are able to use.In freecarving,or allmountain riding in general, that's just silly.If I always wanted to play by a set of rules I would race more often.I plan to try some racing this season,mostly because I like to compete,but I'll still ride through the trees and the park(unless I'm using a plate...)between runs.It's just fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 I think longboards are popular these days because they are trendy and easier to ride. Just cruising down the street, smooth glide, no tricks required. No special footwear required, unlike plate-mounted snowboards. You can ride them in flip-flops, and I see many people do. I'm quite positive that 90% of the people riding them are unaware of the things that people are doing on longboards these days. They didn't buy them because they saw a sliding vid, they bought them because their friends bought them and they're the in thing right now. 5 years from now they'll be in the garage along with the scooter. In short, I don't think there's any comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 I think part of the stigma of alpine is that people associate hardboots with racing and racing only. Racing is highly competitive and objective. That is antithetical to most things snowboarding. Soul and style do not count in racing. I think this is also why boardercross is not exactly a big seller either. But it is accepted because of the softboots and the also because it is something former freestylers/freeriders can excel at. The air gives it soul too. I think if alpine were marketed more as a "longboard" type activity, it might get better traction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 This is becoming a different thread,but the group in this link is pretty cool and rapid developing a following;probably for the reasons you mentioned;hot girls not withstanding;-) http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/longboardgc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted September 9, 2011 Report Share Posted September 9, 2011 This is becoming a different thread,but the group in this link is pretty cool and rapid developing a following;probably for the reasons you mentioned;hot girls not withstanding;-)http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/longboardgc There's something weirdly cheerleaderish about that. Which is doubly weird because I'm sure cheerleaders are antithetical to all those girls believe. (we're way OT anyway) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Yeah, something is very fake about that site... Every single heel side grab-slide is a "stink bug".... In some pics the "rider" even grabs wrong side of the board?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Yeah, something is very fake about that site... Every single heel side grab-slide is a "stink bug".... In some pics the "rider" even grabs wrong side of the board?!? There's a wrong side of the board? I should have run approval of the site through CASI I guess.Gee whiz,talk about missing the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Is everything ok Steve? Few edgy reactions over several months... No, I know what was your point, but we were OT already, so I thought I could be a bit of smart ass... Sorry if I insulted you. Nah, CASI is not in charge of longboarding, otherwise we would have failed them ;) Now for real, there is a wrong side of the board to grab when doing a slide. You grab the outside rail. Try grabbing the inside rail while doing a serious slide. Please film and post, so we can admire the crash. I guess we really derailed this thread. Probably Jack could move the last few reesponses, from BobD's on, to Longboarding discussions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Granted,a joking tone doesn't always convey well online,but,frankly I cannot remember you ever saying anything in response to any of my posts until now. I for one think that what those girls are doing all over the world is extremely cool and looks like they are having great fun while longboarding.Maybe there is something to be learned there as opposed to just finding somerthing to crap on.Each of my 'edgy' responses have been in regards to this same negative attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Sorry, if my post sounded dismissive of those girls. They are taking a sport and putting their own stamp on it. Nothing wrong with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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