Fleaman Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 I was wondering if any one out there has any good things to say about the Lemans boot. I ride groomed,steeps, powder and moguls every weekend, so I was wondering if it would be an ideal boot for me. I am also a big guy (6'4" 240 lbs) so I would need some strength in my boot also. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pre School Rider Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 The Le Mans is very much the same(well,very similar)as the former Raichle 325.I ride everything in the 325,and I use those boots on a whole slew of boards ranging from 148cm up to 200cm(and today,even 228cm!),and these are Racing Carvers, Freecarvers,Boardercross boards,stiffer Freerdies,and occasionally even a Freestyle or Swallowtail powder board.I've had these boots for 7 seasons now,no big issues.I had two other pair of that shell style,again,they lasted well,performed day-in-day-out in several seasons of More than 150 days use.So,yeah,the boot is GOOD.Be sure to get it fitted up well,as that's key to your liking the boot,and to it giving you better performance.Mine have Custom footbeds,a stretch in width(broke my foot,it's an EE now)and trusty Thermofitted liners.Other than that,I've only had issues at the cuff cants and wear on the soles from walking as negative things.Oh,yeah,there's one feature I love for woods,bumps,teaching,and park riding,and that's the little lever in the back of the boot that allows a soft forward flex with good heelside stiffness.Helps out in softer snow immensely.Go bang some gates,or trying to keep up with CMC or Shaggy,I'll lock 'em down in back,and use the stiffness to get more edge grip.I can't say whether the Le Mans is really any better than the Suzuka,as they're fairly comparable in overall feel,but I personally like the symmetrical cuff hinge and the larger range of choice in toungues on the Le Mans. So,yeah,like I said,nice boot overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 The blurb at the bomber store (http://www.bomberonline.com/Store/boots/deeluxe_lemans.cfm) would suggest that the LeMans is more like a 423 than a 325. I have one pair of each (325 and 423) and the only difference I can detect is that the 325 comes with a Stiff and a Medium tongue and the 423 comes with a Soft tongue. Of course they are all interchangeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted December 9, 2003 Report Share Posted December 9, 2003 Fleaman, It depends on what you are looking for. If you want some more flex because you ride moguls, powder and steeps offpiste, I had say I go for the Suzuka. If you ride steeps on the slopes more (i like the support in the steeps of the Indy), say about 80% of your ridingtime, I go for the Indy's with your weight. The Indy's are some stiffer, just like the tongues of the boot. But may be you have the opportunity to buy tongues of different stiffness. So you can vary. Other advantages/disadvantages: The Suzuka is the old Af 600. The Lemans is the old SB 423. So the Suzuka is the newer model with asymshell and the anklefixtion is different from the Lemans. I like the newer anklefixation, it's more natural. The Suzuka is the boot which has the same shell as the Indy. The forwardlean of the Suzuka/Lemans is easier to adjust than the one from the racemodel Indy. The adjustsystem at the back of the Suzuka/Lemans boot exists about five forwardleanpositions including a walkingmode which don't exist on the Indy. The Indy you can also vary the damping with the springsystem at the back of the boot. You can change the spring at the back of the boot for a longer one (modification, may be you can buy them at bomber) so you can standup more in the Indy. In the Lemans or the Suzuka you can stand more upright than the Indy. If you take the Indy, you have to bend your knees more in the basicposition, the basic forwardlean is more than in the Lemans/Suzuka. I like the asymfit of the Suzuka/Indy more than the Lemans, but may be that's personal. I have ridden both the Indy and the SB 324. I like the Indy's more, but I ride mainly on (steep red and black) slopes with this booth. Moguls only when they pass my way but I can manage the moguls with my Indy's and my slalomboard. I weigh about 82 kgs (about 181 lbs). If you want a second (professional) advice/opinion, phone bomber. Greets, Hans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleaman Posted December 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2003 Thanks for the info guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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