Unicorn Poop Posted December 28, 2012 Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 (edited) Hi guys and girls, Long story short, after an injury resulted in soft boot snowboarding being EXTREMELY painful to my feet, several knowledgeable people aware of my situation and circumstances suggested hard boots as an alternative. So after damn near 19 years "carving" in soft boots, I finally treated myself to a hard boot setup. I decided to play it safe, money- wise. I'm not above spending big bucks on quality gear, but I'm not sure if this will relieve some pain or not, so I didn't want to drop a ton of money on a "if." I picked up a Nitro Blazer VX59 with F2 bindings off Ebay for $210, shipped, and it should be here Monday. Since my feet are the critical part of the equation, I decided to buy new because I have found with other things, spending good money on proper footwear will pay big dividends down the road. I just ordered a set of Head Stratus Pro boots from Bomber, and they should be here on Thursday. Any tips for a hard booting noob? For the past 15 years, I've ridden a Supermodel 81 with a 33/30 stance, so I'm not new to an alpine-ish stance, and I rode an Alp 5.9 back in '95 or '96, so I'm at least vaguely familiar with what will be different. Also, any good carving mountains in UT? Edited December 29, 2012 by Unicorn Poop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSSage Posted December 29, 2012 Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 Welcome! I cant say I know if hard booting will be easier on your feet because I don't know how you feel, but I can give you some tips. First of all I learned mostly from watching videos on youtube so watch plenty of videos I watched mostly race and extreme carving videos so I would say it helped me develop more of a race style just because I like going fast (I still do love Extreme Carving and free carving and have fun with that all the time). Second there are really only two websites that really helped me learn about hard booting and they are Bomber Online (in the resources section) http://bomberonline.com/resources/ and The Carvers Almanac http://alpinecarving.com/ read as much as you can there it will really help you out with technique. And I don't know about your board but the bindings should be great for learning they are not very stiff and in my opinion you definitely went in the right direction buying new boots rather than buying used or riding in ski boots (some people like it but I tried it once... not fun). I hope I helped and I hope you enjoy hard booting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardguru Posted December 29, 2012 Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 Welcome Unicorn Poop, There are a couple of great resorts just up Ogden canyon to ride. Snowbasin and Powder Mountain are really fun to ride, I don't know much about Wolf Mountain though. I ride during the week at Snowbasin and weekends at Powder Mountain. PowMow is a little mellower as far as steepness goes, but there is tons of terrain especially backcountry powder riding. The 'basin has some steep terrain that definately up's the learning curve of hardboot carving. I have improved noticably from riding the steeps at 'basin. Bottom line is that they are both fun mountains to ride at. If you are new to Utah maybe we can meet up to ride if you'd like. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted December 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2012 NSSage- I've been absorbing the info on both those resources for the past year or so. I'm very much a visual learner, so I've been watching lots of videos. Mick- I've been here a little over seven years. I've done PowMow and Wolf a few times, but never Basin. I'm down to go ride once I get my stuff squared away and have acclimated to the different gear. I'm free Thursdays and Fridays. As for Wolf- it's quick and cheap and usually not very crowded. However, there's nothing there that will surprise you. If I recall, half day/ evening passes are something like $25, and that's hard to shake a stick at. I cut my teeth on small, three lift hills back in Vermont, so Wolf is familiar for me. Question- what's a good shop to have my liners heated and fitted? I've read the DIY tutorials and it seems straight forward, but since my feet and footwear are so critical, I'd rather pay someone with experience to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSSage Posted December 30, 2012 Report Share Posted December 30, 2012 NSSage- I've been absorbing the info on both those resources for the past year or so. I'm very much a visual learner, so I've been watching lots of videos. Nice! well when you are learning sometimes things escape from your mind like angulation so I would write down on your phone or paper about the techniques so you don't forget anything. That helped me when I started because I would forget to angulate enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardguru Posted December 31, 2012 Report Share Posted December 31, 2012 U.P. I have had good luck having my boots fitted and modified at Alpine Sports just off of Harrison blvd., at 1165 Patterson. Nice people and good service. Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted December 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2012 Great recommend! I just called them and spoke with a nice girl who took the time to answer my questions and went into detail about the process and what they can do to make sure my feet are happy. I'm impressed, especially since I didn't order the boots from them. It's looking like Friday is going to be the first day on the snow with this setup; I can't wait! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sld12dy Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 There are a couple great hardbooters that ride Snowbasin, Jeff Pollock is one. I ride The Canyons and should be carving Saturday morning if you want to drive down and ride. Email me at sld12dy@yahoo.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardguru Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) I agree with sld12dy about Jeff Pollock. He is one of the nicest people you will meet, and he is a carving master. Edited January 3, 2013 by boardguru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted January 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) I'd take you up on that, sld12dy, but I work weekends. Thursday and Friday are my days off. All my stuff came this week, and I'm currently dealing with boot sizing issues. Edited January 4, 2013 by Unicorn Poop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted January 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 And it gets better. The F2 bindings that came on the board look like this: And the plastic lever on the toe bail broke on one. I can't find any replacements online. Does anyone know if this part will fit the bindings I have? http://www.yyzcanuck.com/store/F2-Toe-Plate-Complete-Large-Small-6mm.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 Welcome! There are some articles to help you get started in the links in my signature. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardguru Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 I would definately call YYZCanuck and talk to Dave or Andrea, very helpful and knowledgeable about these sort of things. I assume they will fit since they are both F2, but they will know a lot more about this. I thought that I had a pair of boots that might fit while you are waiting for your replacements, but after looking saw they are size 26,26.5 Raichles. Let me know when everything gets sorted out and I can meet you at Snowbasin on one of your days off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heroshmero Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 And it gets better. The F2 bindings that came on the board look like this:And the plastic lever on the toe bail broke on one. I can't find any replacements online. Does anyone know if this part will fit the bindings I have? http://www.yyzcanuck.com/store/F2-Toe-Plate-Complete-Large-Small-6mm.html I'd be wary of old plastic. Somebody else might want to weigh in on this but these bindings look pretty old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted January 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 FWIW, that picture is not of my actual bindings, but one I found online of the same model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buell Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 Consider new bindings. Boots are often said to be most important and that is mostly true, but riding old bindings that are prone to failure is a much bigger risk to your physical health than an uncomfortable boot fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted January 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 I don't want to spend any more money than I have to because I'm not sure if this is going to work (see my original post). I'll know in a few runs if it will, and at that point, I'll spend money on good bindings and a better board. Hell, if someone wants to let me ride their board for a few runs, that'll let me determine if this is going to be viable for me or not. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utahdeafcarver Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Welcome U.P. (hate to call someone "poop," so can we use real names?) Thanks Mick and Scott for the nice compliments on my riding! :) U.P., I have an extra pair of bindings if you want to borrow them. I'm also a coach and instructor but not working with any particular resort this season (I'm with the U.S. Deaf Snowboard Team). Throw me an email at utahdeafcarver at hotmail and I'll see if I can meet up with you at 'basin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordy Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 And it gets better. The F2 bindings that came on the board look like this: And the plastic lever on the toe bail broke on one. I can't find any replacements online. Does anyone know if this part will fit the bindings I have? http://www.yyzcanuck.com/store/F2-Toe-Plate-Complete-Large-Small-6mm.html These bindings are from 93ish.....the plastic in them has become brittle and the entire binding is prone to breakage after their 20 years "drying out". I would not ride them. There is a alpine snowboard shop in SLC called hardbooter.com perhaps they can be of help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted January 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Jeff- thank you for the offer; I will definitely take you up on that if you're available either Thursday or Friday of next week. As for the poop part, it's just a name I landed on. You can call me unicorn or UP if you'd like. For reasons pertaining to my work and personal security, I prefer to keep my name off the internet and remain anonymous as much as possible. Bordy- '93? Holy crap, I didn't know they were that old. OK, they're on their way to the garbage. Since Jeff has been gracious enough to let me borrow a pair of his bindings for a day, I'm no longer concerned about making the bindings I have work. Thank you for the link; had I known there was a brick and mortal locally, I would have gotten the boots through them as well. If/ when I'm ready for bindings, I'll be talking with them about those F2's they have. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utahdeafcarver Posted January 8, 2013 Report Share Posted January 8, 2013 UP, I sent you a private message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardguru Posted January 10, 2013 Report Share Posted January 10, 2013 U.P. Just a thought, I have a 163 Rossi Slayer that I could let you try out if you are interested. Also good score on the F2 bindings. They are great bindings compared to the dinosaur set that came with the board you bought. My wife and I ride at P.M. with Buell and Rebecca sometimes, so I could bring the board along if you'd like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn Poop Posted January 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2013 Just an update... I got my boots fitted and picked up a set of f2 bindings from Buell, and am taking a break during my first day out. Wow, what a different experience! My feet still hurt, but not as bad, and I'm attributing it to new boots not being broken in yet. Its a **** flat light day, but that's OK because I'm just doing laps on the green trails. More to come as I keep riding and process my experience tonight. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buell Posted January 10, 2013 Report Share Posted January 10, 2013 Looking good UP. I see you carving from my kitchen window. There must be 5 people at Wolf today. You are going to be tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardguru Posted January 10, 2013 Report Share Posted January 10, 2013 Good to hear you got your boots sorted out, and that you were out riding today. Keep at it, it just takes a little bit to get your boots broken in. And like Buell says you will be tired. Welcome to trenching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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