powdahbonz Posted October 8, 2012 Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 So is this supposed to be a more flexy T700 or is it a step-up? Or are we just betting the old banana boot back like Lange used to run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Looks like a Track 325 w/ a footbed, different liners and different paint to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 just as Mike says, it's the 325 banana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacopodotti Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 DEELUXE Hardboots 201213.pdf from Swoard forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Tat Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 I saw these about three days ago. Personally I don't get it, it looks like a yellow Track 325 to me. It'd be nice to see an actual new boot come out, not a recoloured, renamed version of an old boot. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Hmm, already sold with blue tomato, those guys are early. http://www.blue-tomato.com/nl/Hardboots/category.bto?category=40300 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacopodotti Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 They are supposed to be built in softer plastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Tat Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 (edited) They are supposed to be built in softer plastic Deeluxe basically has two shells (Track 700 and the 325/225 series) utilizing different plastics. The 69 is a different plastic version of the 325/225. Softer plastic makes a different flexing boot, not a new boot. Is there anything here that you can't get by installing a BTS on a 325 shell? They essentially have three boots which are effectively the same (69/325/225). UPZs are similar, In that the 3 boots use the same shell, but at least their 3 models RC-10/RC-8/ATB have different configurations as well as different plastics. While I realize that its expensive, and a huge leap for a company to make in a product that likely produces small marginal benefits currently but it would be nice to see industry investment in a new shell design. Perhaps with Head having left the boot market (I believe) a less segmented market will result in larger revenues (more units sold) which may allow UPZ or Deeluxe to create a more modern boot? One can always hope. Anyways I'm happy that UPZ continues to expand and improve on their existing products and line even if it is only by adding or removing buckles, or updating the powerstap. EDIT: I'm also happy that the two remaining companies have shells that seem two different and opposite footshapes (Deeluxe - narrow toe, wider heel and UPZ - wider toe and narrower heel). Dave Edited October 9, 2012 by Puddy Tat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Tat Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 Also sold by YYZCanuck BTW. http://www.yyzcanuck.com/store/Deeluxe-Free69T.html Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 imagine a boot design where you could add/remove/re-locate the buckles as you see fit. and i wonder what slightly diagonal buckle alignment on the cuff section would do for flex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeho730 Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 According to PDF, the only difference seems that free 69 also comes with intec heel. With BTS offering nine configurable flex patterns with possibility of micro-adjustment, I fail to see the point in buying free 69. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 According to PDF, the only difference seems that free 69 also comes with intec heel. With BTS offering nine configurable flex patterns with possibility of micro-adjustment, I fail to see the point in buying free 69.but dude, it's like totally banana! :rolleyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeho730 Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 They should have produced pink colours to attract ladies ;-) I would have actually considered purchasing Free 69 if it came with Track 700 shell and softer Banana coloured plastics... Track 325/225 is (kinda) diverse enough... Why not diversify Track 700 lines? Stupid decisio , IMHO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 If i understand correctly 69 is not asymmetric boot and that way it works better on low angles (EC), so on that sense it is better than 700 shell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 According to PDF, the only difference seems that free 69 also comes with intec heel.The liners are also supposedly different, "DEL 141 Thermoflex" vs "HB Thermoflex" although the pictures and descriptions are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidad62 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Comparison chart... http://www.yyzcanuck.com/deeluxe_boot_comparison.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aracan Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 If i understand correctly 69 is not asymmetric boot But the 69 is still basically the same as the 225/325, which is now nearing its 20th anniversary, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Comparison chart...http://www.yyzcanuck.com/deeluxe_boot_comparison.htm So, it's a yellow 325 with a different stock liner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian M Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 So, it's a yellow 325 with a different stock liner. Bingo. It's a Palau liner instead of the Deeluxe-made one; $40 CDN price difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian M Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 I was just speaking with Dave at YYZ Canuck, and he had some interesting info on this boot. It's available with either the Palau 141 liner or a non-moldable stock liner. It surprised me how enthusiastic Dave was about the non-moldable one; apparently it's quite cool. It has speed laces on the liner like a soft-boot liner, and is heat-molded to the boot shell to make it fit the shell perfectly so that it won't move around. The obvious downer with this is that most of us don't have opportunities to try on the boots first. If you're near Toronto though, Dave said he has a full size run in stock. After talking boots with him for half an hour (man, does he know his stuff!) I think I'll buy T325's with the stiffer Palau 141 liner; basically a black Free69 :P Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yyzcanuck Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 (edited) Well, maybe yellow isn't your colour, and maybe you don't appreciate Free69 but... DeeLuxe has been working at making improvements. I can tell you, from my work in the plastics industry and seeing the volume of alpine snowboard boots that are sold each year, there is unlikely to be any major change to the shell of the DeeLuxe lineup in the near future. It's just too costly and the ROI would take forever. So, the line managers at DeeLuxe have taken a look at where they could impact the fit/feel/function of their products and come up with liners as the first step in transforming the boots (not only alpine but softboots too). The standard liner in the Free69 has been developed in partnership with the Korea Institute of Footwear & Leather Technologies. The two most important points are the material setup and the molding/assembly process. DeeLuxe claims that after testing, they decided on an EVA component mix that does not pack-out even after heavy use. We've all heard that before but... these liners really do look and feel different than what I've seen before. Time will tell. The liner is heat molded into the shell at the factory, so it offers a one-to-one fit. This intimate fit, coupled with the above noted material setup, ensures the liner stays put and continues to fit your foot over long time periods. How long? Who knows? Again, time will tell. On top of that (or inside that) they use a new insole, also designed and developed with KIFLT, that DeeLuxe claims will provide perfect support for all day riding. Will they out-perform your custom orthotics? Probably not but... you also don't have to pay $100+ to get them. I've attached some photos of a butchered liner... notice how thin the material is around the toebox and on the sole. I'm hopeful that I can maintain my current shell size (M25 for an M27 foot). Notice how thick the tongue is and it's multiple layers. This makes the forward flex feel comparable to the DEL141 Palau liner. Maybe not for everyone but it was intentional. So, you might ask why we aren't selling the standard liner in our Free69 shells at our webstore. We've always opted for the heat moldable liner (T designation boots) in order to keep inventory levels lower. One shell, one liner covering a range rather than 2 shells, 2 liners to cover that same range. As Ian noted, we did buy a set of Free69's with standard half size liners (by half I mean 24.5, 25.5....). I wanted to test them on various riders and see if it makes sense to only carry the heat moldable liners as 'optional' product on the shelf. Edited November 9, 2012 by yyzcanuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Bumping an old thread, how are these riding for people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hug Masso Posted December 10, 2023 Report Share Posted December 10, 2023 Sorry for the 9 years delay, I got the Free 69 last year, and I really like them with a Palau Performance Liner. Flexy, but firm. They fit like a glove after a few days. And the colour is cool!! On 1/7/2014 at 7:13 PM, nekdut said: Bumping an old thread, how are these riding for people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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