The Ultimate "I Have Converted" Thread

[fin]

I have always wanted to start a thread to show those who have made the jump over to hard boots. I think we can all relate as at some point we made that jump. So if you have a story, bio, pictures, etc. of someone who converted over, post here!

I'll get this started:

This is a picture of Dave A. from both Florida and Minnesota. He has been a softbooter for years and primarily rides off trail and does a lot of heli-boarding. He really likes step-in but they are now impossible to find for softboots. I had a long conversation with him and asked about his style of riding and terrain. Bottom line he was curios about hardboots. After a few conversations and e-mails we created a package for him that should work great. So in the picture below you see Dave picking up his set-up yesterday:

- Donek Custom Nomad 159

- Deeluxe Track 225 boots w/Fin-Tecs

- TD3 SI with yellow E-rings

Just waiting to get the ride report.

[Corey]

Wouldn't that be 90% of the members here? ;)

I softbooted since 1987, aside from a few hours on some rental Nitro with rear entry skiboots sometime around 1992. That beat me up real bad and left a sour taste about hardbooting in my mind. Then I got sick of snowboarding in the mid-90's, only going a few times a year. I somehow happened across this site and alpinecarving.com and immediately cobbled together a set up on the cheap. It was a blast, and I immediately started upgrading equipment and reading everything and watching every video I could find to learn.

Alpine renewed a love of snowboarding I hadn't felt in 10 years. It's pure to me; no commercial powers telling you what to like and how you should look. Just you, the snow, and a growing trust in your edges and your technique with every day out there. I crave that feeling of a carved edge that's just starting to transition from a carve and into a slide, letting you know that you're right on the edge of what you can control.

[philw]

Wouldn't that be 90% of the members here? ;)

I don't know... time for a poll?

[leeho730]

Skier - soft booter - hardbooter for me. Started hard booting with an old board with flex 80 rental ski boots- hated it back then. Still thinks BTS is probably the greatest invention for HBers.

Now even for split boarding I go for dynafit. People have been saying SB is best for powder. I find HB equally enjoyable on powder but everyone's different.

Now I'm scheming to convert two friends of mine...

[Neil Gendzwill]

Skier - soft booter - hardbooter for me.

I'm willing to bet that is the path for most here.

I started snowboarding in 1986 after skiing since being a kid. At the time not every hill allowed it, so I would ride at Sunshine and ski at Louise when we went to Banff. Switched over full-time as soon as the resorts allowed it. Went from Burton Elite 150 to Sims 1710 Blade, both with Sorels stuffed with ski boot liners. Then jumped to a Gnu Race Room 178 with Elfgen plates and hot pink Koflach Damians, never looked back.

[surlyguy]

Skier - Soft booter - torn up ankle forced into hardboots.

Still have my original raichle hardboots that have the full vibram sole. Was considering reviving these since they were so great for hiking and freeride.

[BlueB]

1973 - Skier;

1991 - Occasional hard booter;

2003 - Softbooter (couldn't find any hard gear)

2005 - Hard booter;

2008 - Forced into soft boots for teaching;

2010 - Back to hard boots only

(Carried on using the skis too, right through, to various extent).

Edited November 20, 2012 by BlueB
years

[piusthedrcarve]

softbooter from 93.

introduced to hardbooting on 97.

Injured ankles while softbooting on 00 and 02

not able to ride and got back to snow on 07.

Found BOL on 09 and 99% hardbooting since. (Few BXing runs on softboots with FR1 ..but not anymore)

[norm]

was a skier until 1992, then rode an oxygen asym with sorels (took a hacksaw to the toes to prevent drag), then in 1996 my LBS (local board store Scotties (proud sponsor of Matt Morison)) sold me a FP67 factory demo with burton stepins, and told me it would be the ride of my life as I was on my way to Smugglers Notch.... I used my Koflach rear entry ski boots and tried to navigate the endless super narrow trails through the forests; unsuccessfully....I swore I would never hardplate ever again. ... but here I am am totally addicted to the G's. If it comes easy, it 'aint worth having. That was my "jump".

[Aracan]

I went straight from skis to hardboots. Had been skiing since about age 2 or so, made the switch in my early 20ies. This was back when alpine still owned about a third of the snowboard market, and alpine was the budget option since you could use your ski boots for the first season ;-)

So, I'm not in the 90 %, never having tried softies.

[pogokoenig]

:lol:

Same here. You just told my own story. For me hardbooting started in 1993. But in the early 2000s i was on softboots occasionally - bout 15-20% of my riding time - just for the fun of it.

[floBoot]

2010 soft boot set up,as these were the only lessons I could get...however even before starting snowboarding I decided I wanted to extreme carve...this year about march I got my first hard boot set up...as only just got confidence to give it a go...I'm quite rubbish but having loads of fun and not put off at all ...when it's powdery I go back to softies as I don't really understand hard boots and powder set ups

..I just love it...

Edited November 21, 2012 by floBoot

[slopestar]

Skied from 1978-1988

1986 Tried a Burton Backhill in Utah

1988 Tried again on a "new" burton with highbacks

1989 Bought a Kemper Aggressor 170 with 3 straps-My first board. Actually hated this pig.

1990-96 Dabbled 5-10 days out of 200+ a season on alpine specific with ski-boots/ Softies 21 frnt/ 9 back from custom lib's to custom k2's and burtons. Green, air 6!

97-2000 Softies and dabbling on 162 ultra prime and freecarve boots/ ouch

2000- present not much has changed... Riding more BX shapes. Never a board off the rack again. Customs from here on out.

Flow Bindings!!!

Softies Forever!!!

Sorry guys...

Did I mention I love Bomber and the people here? So tolerant.

[powdahbonz]

Skier since age 6 learning and earning my stripes at Stowe and Black Mt in NH. Began softie riding 1986, tried alpine in 1991ish-didn't get back into softies until 2006. Definitely have been on my alpine rides more than skis now but with the kids, need to heel the speed

[crucible]

I can't really say I have "converted", because I have spent nearly my entire snowboard career in hardboots, ever since 1990.

My only softboot phase was back in the day (1986-1989) when riding Burton Backhills and Performers was done in Sorels, because highback bindings didn't yet exist.

I have to say, alpine bindings have been the most improved part of the system since those early years. Bomber bindings, Catek, Snowpros and Ibex bindings are vastly superior to the plate bindings I had from Fritschi and Burton during the 90's.

The next big tech improvement for me was adopting BTS springs in my Raichle boots. I am hopeful that the new Bomber Plate Lite will also improve the racing experience, and look forward to trying out a plate soon on a demo day, if one becomes available locally. Fin, I hope you ship some Bomber Plates to Chris Prior in Whistler this season so that I can check them out closely in person.

Regards,

Geo

[b0ardski]

1st skied under lights at mt.spokane in '73

1st time I saw a snowboard 1st pass at Schwietzer in'84, Mike on a blue performer dropped a 20' cornice into the pow, I was impressed.

Bought one like it from a friend in '85 but spent that winter in a cabin on Priest lake w/xc skis.

1st lift ride on that board w/sorel&ski boot liners at hyak in '86, before the other Snoq. pass areas allowed them, suked snowballs on the groomed.

1st plates I saw was riding the lift at ski acres, (1st yr allowed) with a guy on the early avalanche w/plates and old leather lace up ski boots. I was inspired and used my Merrel super comps (?hard boots?) on the performer in "87, still spent 95% of my time on ski & Tele.

"88 & '89 seasons tried every board the rental shop had that fit me. Bought a K2 TX 170 because it held an edge better than anything else I tried. I mounted Duret rotatable strap bindings and soon after cut off the highback/heelcup, set a piece of cable for a heel bail and used the merrels(great) or SX91e rear entry(sucked).

1st real hardboot set up in '91 186 nitro diablo w/sims (plastic) rotocants 6*r base, 3*f base, UPS Aigner boots.

Tried to convert a couple guys the last couple years with limited success.

Edited November 24, 2012 by b0ardski

[C5 Golfer]

Skied with my kids who were great soft boot snowboarders approx 17 years ago. They said "Dad, if your going to ride with us ya gotta get a snowboard!" So I did. Big A** Mt Board, that sucked, so I then went to Ride Timeless, that sucked, So I then went to an Arbor Munoz which was a great ride and I finally liked riding a snowboard. Havent been on skis since. Couple years later saw a guy riding hardboots, rode up the chair with him and talked about the differences. Went home and bought some hardboots from Bomber and some TD-1s. Found a nice Volkl 173 and rode it hard and put it away wet with a smile on my face. Now, many boards later - some in and out of the quiver and ride only hardboots. Still ride that nice Volkl 173 now and then when my son lets me-- since it is now his board.

Favorite boards this year-- Prior 4X4 , Coiler AM - maybe the Donek Axxess I just got.

[grock5]

I grew up skiing, went to college in upstate NY in 92.

In winter of 93, both my roommate & friend happened to be Hardbooters, and as soon as I saw one of them putting down euro-carves on his 190 Rossi, I said I them I need to learn how to do "that". I spent a few weeks on a borrowed GNU Vertigo, and as soon as I was carving turns, I ordered a Sims Freecarve, and that was the true beginning of my hardbooting addiction :)

[NSSage]

My dad has always been into skiing and mom alpine snowboarding so when I was about 1 I rode in one of these baby carrier backpacks when they went up to the slopes and I started skiing when I was 3 (that was in 1998) but I wanted to snowboard. I remember my dad telling me "if you are going to snowboard you are going to carve because if I see you sliding on your heels we are going home and you will have to be a skier" and I knew he was serious so I started in soft boots and learned to link my turns and then carve and I was in love I never went back to skiing until last year. And so I was always snowboarding and got into all the freestyle stuff. But a few years ago I decided I wanted to hard boot because thats what my mom used to do so I tried an old asym board but it was a noodle and it felt more like I was riding in soft boots at high angles so I tried my moms burton alp in some super stiff ski boots and it was a challenge with those boots you really had to work hard to carve in those. So about a week later I decided I was just going to buy a whole new setup with some money I was saving and I ordered a 174 F2 Speedster with F2 step ins and deluxe track 500's and it was incredible I had so much fun on that board and learned to race GS and Slalom and it was just natural I even went to the nationals that year and did really well. I will always love soft boots having fun in the park (I know it sounds crazy to be a hardbooter and love the park but I love it) but hard booting is such a rush.

[lowrider]

My dad has always been into skiing and mom alpine snowboarding so when I was about 1 I rode in one of these baby carrier backpacks when they went up to the slopes .

Did the same with with our three kids. Now they would throw you in jail for putting you kids in a back pack while skiing. Your parents got you hooked. Have you thanked them lately ??? :D

[crucible]

My dad has always been into skiing and mom alpine snowboarding so when I was about 1 I rode in one of these baby carrier backpacks when they went up to the slopes .

Did the same with with our three kids. Now they would throw you in jail for putting you kids in a back pack while skiing. Your parents got you hooked. Have you thanked them lately ??? :D

Well, I dunno- they would have to be able to catch up with us first...

I did the same with my daughter, who is now 12 and going on her third year on a carving board with HB.

Keeping up with other HB carvers is not a problem for her, since that's all she has ever known....

[kipstar]

Started boarding in 1990. Was addicted.

In 1991 bought a nice nitro freestyle board (a fusion one of the first season nitro boards) and started working at a snowboard shop in Auckland. Through the shop and the nitro distributor met Steen Webster, at that time NZ's best snowboarder and one of the few doing back to back winters in Breck and NZ at the time, and at the hill saw a guy, Greg, absolutely tearing up the mountain on a nitro EFT.

A week or so later, won $800 in NZ's equivalent of powerball, and got massively drunk, snogged some random girl before throwing up loads of red wine...and then next day pushed Steen to sell me his EFT and I rode it with softies for a weekend, and then realised, a board like that needed hardboots (plus my feet were in awful shape thanks to the first generation airwalk boots I had)...got a set of rossignol hardboots and never looked back. Took another season before I learned how to make the carve happen, and then...it was all on.

Really got my stuff together in a season living in Mammoth, back when hardbooters would match the number of soft booters in the early morning on Chair 1, Chair 2, Chair 3.

even to this day I think Greg (the dude with the EFT) is one of the best riders I've ever seen rock the hardboots.

[bigwavedave]

1960-1975 alpine skiing in VT and NH--started on wood skis and leather boots. In early '70s remember reading about Jake Burton "surfing" snow in VT.

1976-1992 nordic skiing in MN--my old alpine skis relegated to ski-sailing on frozen lakes. Tried snowboarding with sorrels, just didn't do it for me.

1992 Saw some windsurf friends euro-carving, thought, "I wanna do that", so took a lesson that day and I was hooked!

My 5 year old daughter also learned with me. Her first year was on a soft set-up and ever since in hard boots on carving boards. She now races in the world cup circuit.

I've only been back on alpine skis once since starting carving.

Edited November 22, 2012 by bigwavedave

[NSSage]

My dad has always been into skiing and mom alpine snowboarding so when I was about 1 I rode in one of these baby carrier backpacks when they went up to the slopes .

Did the same with with our three kids. Now they would throw you in jail for putting you kids in a back pack while skiing. Your parents got you hooked. Have you thanked them lately ??? :D

Thats true I never thought about that... all the time :)

[BlueB]

Now they would throw you in jail for putting you kids in a back pack while skiing.

Yeah... :( I skied with Luka in the back carrier couple of times, when he was just over 1 year old. Eventualy they kicked us off the mountain. He was able to carve both skis, on good snow, at age 3.5. H'll join the ski club this year. HB snowboard next year, maybe.

I converted my niece, Andrea, from age 10, from softies to HB. She's a bit of "wunderkind", doing and learning everything with ease. Last spring, the local HBers where competing to give her the informal lessons!