all-around board setup

[Guest vaguelyevilguy]

I ride a salomon freeride board with switch highback bindings. I do some carving, and occasional crusing- no freestyle. Recently I was riding with angles of either 30/30, 30/45, or 45/45. However, my boots have been getting massive heel lift/ circulation problems, so I was planning on switching the bindings and boots. My question is: what boots and bindings have good lateral support? I realized that at the angles I ride, some of my power is coming from the sides of the boots.

[NateW]

Raichle 423s are relatively soft hard-shelled boots. I used 124s (same basic boot, two generations ago) with freeride boards for years, and am now using 324s (same basic boot, one generation ago) to freeride on all-mountain alpine boards.

For bindings, I don't recommend anything but Bomber or Catek. They are expensive, but if you buy cheap you might have to buy twice, and maybe blow a knee after one of the bindings fails. Unless you're really light (120 pounds maybe) or you never ride hard.

Personally I used to ride 25cm wide freeride boards, but after getting familiar with alpine setups I will never go back. You might be surprised how versatile a 170cm x 21cm board is with 55/50 angles.

[Jack M]

I believe the Raichle 423 has become the 413, sold here:

http://www.bomberonline.com/store/boots/raichle_sb_413.cfm

For $150 new, how can you go wrong? If you don't like them, they'll be easy to sell here to another newby carver.

If you're looking for a carvey softboot setup, I think Flow and the Catek Freeride are as close as you're gonna get. However with Flow I've often heard of people not getting a good fit without the matching Flow boots.

[Flash]

For lateral stiffness, the Catek freerides can't be beat. I added the Burton Capstraps to my setup and it helps even more by pulling the boot more firmly into the heel of the binding.

Boots: I was riding with a pair of 2-year old Salomon Malamutes, but I found the Burton Ion even stiffer. Been on them one day only , so the jury is still out. Burton Driver X's also work. 32 makes some good fitting boots as well.

Flash

[PaulY]

With the back foot at 30deg or higher you will always get your heel trying to lift unless you can cant or lift the binding. The old Burton 9"canting discs were good for this but are rare as hens teeth. The Catek is very adjustable.

http://www.catek.com/freeride.htm

[Neil Gendzwill]

Originally posted by NateW

For bindings, I don't recommend anything but Bomber or Catek.

I doubt the guy wants to switch to hardboots, but really Bombers or Cateks are not necessary if you're going to use 413s on a freeride board. A pair of F2 step-ins would do just dandy.

[Guest vaguelyevilguy]

So with the 413's, what sort of angles will I need to ride at to have leverage? The board isn't as narrow as an alpine board.

[Neil Gendzwill]

You can ride the same angles you have now if you like. I used to ride my Burton Asym Air, which was a 25 cm waist, with 33f 30r, worked fine.

[Mike T]

Originally posted by Jack Michaud

I believe the Raichle 423 has become the 413, sold here:

http://www.bomberonline.com/store/boots/raichle_sb_413.cfm

For $150 new, how can you go wrong? If you don't like them, they'll be easy to sell here to another newby carver.

The 423 is from the same generation as the 413, just slightly harder shell and slightly stiffer tongue, based on hand-flexing. (I own 423's, a friend owns 413's) Also, the 423 comes with a 5-position forward lean, but you can easily change that out by purchasing the 5-pos mechanism and putting it on 413's.

If you are a size 25 Mondo, I encourage you to consider the 423's on closeout from the Bomber store, they come with a Thermo liner for $175 and are an extremeley versatile boot, unless you are really light or really heavy.

I agree with Jack - either of these boots is a great buy at $150-$175 - and can be sold here if you don't like them.

FWIW, I just got back from SnowPerformance carve camp, and the coaches recommended to prety much everyone that they adjust their boots softer to allow more ankle flexion and foot movement. They had most of us riding in walk mode!

[jason_watkins]

Just saying as someone else who was in the catagory of freeriding with angles in the 30's and enjoyed doing some carving, I suggest you think about trying hardboots. I finally gave them a solid run last seaon, and I'm hooked, I expect to use them exclusively this season.

I'm still not as good on hardboots as I was on softboots, but I think the threshold of everything clicking into place is near.

As far as foot comfort goes, I've found them to be much more comfortible than my salomon softboots. I'm using the 413's available here for fairly cheap. I replaced the lean lock mechanism with the 5 position. Heel lift is really no longer an issue.

[NateW]

I rode 45/30 with Raichell 124s and a few different freeride boards.

I also blew up some bindings from Burton and Nitro during that period, which is why I am so fond of Bombers and Cateks. They cost more but my knees are worth it to me. I just don't trust lesser bindings.