Need some guidance

[ivd]

Hi,

I need some guidance on choosing the right shell.

I'm currently riding S/GS boards with ski boots (why ? - a long story).

I want to go hard SB boots. Before I go and buy the T700 (as I'm quite heavy) I wanted to try something similar, so I've come across some used Indys and a pair of T325s which I can get for a very reasonable price. The T325s seller claims the shell size is EU43 (US9.5), but has has managed to fit a liner sized EU46.5 (US 12) is that possible ? The case with the Indys is the opposite - the are sized EU46.5(US12) and I'm told I could fit a smaller liner. Both of the sellers cannot give me the Mondo size of the boots. Me - I'm M29.5. Should I even consider these boots ?

Thanks

[TLN]

If you're quite heavy.... no.

I'm quite heave too, staterd with track 325s. They were bigger then i need and then i bought a UPZ RC10 in exact size. So much a difference. Really. I've tried to put tracks couple of days, and it was no way close to UPZ.

So... you have couple of variants: track 700 and UPZ RC10. You can consider RC8, but with such a price difference i can advice to go for rc10.

[ivd]

Thanks mate. I decided to go T700, but I got the Indys anyway. Maybe to play around with them too.

Cheers

[jacopodotti]

The Indy are supposed to be the stiffest according to Alpine Carving

http://www.alpinecarving.com/boot_models.html

"

• Each boot model has a different stiffness: the Le Mans are the softest, followed by the Suzuka, followed by the Indy, which is stiffest. The Indy is also a bit stiffer than the Head boots."
  

[kipstar]

It depends on foot shape. I made the same transition as you in 2003/4 when I switched from raichle ski boots (modified) to the indys.

The most important thing is the indy has a fair bit of volume around the ankle, so if you have thin ankles (like me) you need shims as the liner will pack out, shims can be higher density foam which will give you the heel hold you need. the UPZ as I understand has a more slender ankle shape.

I don't know your level, so this might be idiotically simple/childish, but what I can say is this:

- you will need to ride with your calves a lot more, the ski boot gives you way more stiffness so to achieve the same stiffness requires using your calf muscles more in toeside turns

- running race tongues and the bomber BTS system enables you to get a lot more stiffness out of the indy, however, you may find (as I did) that actually the stiffness you liked so much in the ski boot was actually holding you back in choppy snow (for sure the stiffer the better in pristine groomed) and definitely at slower speed it's less effort in the snowboard boots. The BTS is pretty awesome as you can fiddle the flex easily and it's not temperature dependent

- the indy has a bit of an awkward feeling on standing with your heels lifted (like you are wearing high heels a little), which you don't have in a ski boot, taking it easy the first day helps a bit to get used to this, unfortunately this is one of the things I don't like about the indy, but you cannot do much about it, you get used to it and now I don't notice it

The indy/AF700 and whatever else it is called these days varies slightly by year apparently in terms of stiffness. The earlier ones like what I have have those ziptie style buckles which suck, but if you get the tension about the same then they stay down, otherwise they tend to flick open. Idiotic design. but for the most part there's not much difference between the Indy and the T700 in terms of design other than the buckles and the fwd flex which you should just replace with the BTS anyhow, at your weight maybe go with the stiff springs.