First Hardboots / Burton Wind 2002

[Bury Rail]

Hi to all.

Taken me a few years but I feel I've reached the ceiling of what I can achieve carve-wise in my soft-boot setup. As a lifelong surfer, laying down a rail/edge is what I want to do.

$ was always a deterrent but I lucked into these Burton Wind 2002 boots this week on Craiglist and a Pair of equally unused Snow Pro Race bail bindings, the price was right so I nabbed em'. By the looks of it they maybe did one day, likely a half day: they're immaculate. Well stored and plastic saw no UV.  

Questions you sage of edge people:

A) Shells are MP 27.5-29, Liners (originals) are for a US 9.5. Me I'm US 10.5 and they are tight, like rock climbing shoe tight but hard, I can't imagine doing more than a few runs and being beat up. Theory in my mind is get bigger liners, although there does not seem to be much more room in the shells. Am I on the right track here? Any recommendations? What are good options?

B) I'd read somewhere that Burton boots tended to be heavier compared to Sotfboots, and these are HEAVY, are they just archaically old (2002), or do I just need to man-up? Are newer Deelux/UPZ's a lot lighter?

I'll attach some pix:

Cheers for any input.

A.

 

 

    

 

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by Bury Rail
dates

[Bury Rail]

And just to put it out there:

Here's the bindings I got with them, as unused as the Boots, well stored, should hold up, -no?

The boots fit the bails tightly, no play at all.

My Objective with all this: Surf the Snow like those Pure Boarding Swiss dudes. Though I may need to get a shorter stick than my 176 Axer (a Korean "Extreme Carving" Rig), or will I? Input please. 

[Mr.E]

Those are great boots, if they fit. The 27.5-29 is the cuff size. Check the tongue or lower to confirm, but if the liner is marked 9.5 then they are probably 27/27.5cm shells.

They are not the lightest boots, but the differences between those, UPZ and Deeluxe of similar size are minimal.

Bindings and board are all good. 176 may be a bit long for a first alpine board, but you'll likley be fine.

 

 

[Bury Rail]

Ahh, Thanks Mr.E,

The Cuffs, as you say are 27.5-29, Lowers are 27.5-28. Hopefully I can get a liner (a thin pair) to accommodate my hoofs (US 10.5) although those shells already feel hard and ever present through the 275 liners....

I've (6ft @ 195lbs) managed to heave around the 176 a little with soft set-up, but def. was not laying it down.

 

  

[Bury Rail]

I remain hopeful seeing as I can easily slip my foot in the shells with no liner and fit my thumb between my heel and the back of shells with toes touching from of shell.

Anybody been here done that?

[b0ardski]

get some low volume heat molded liners and you have new custom boots 27.5-28 shell = 9.5-10 u.s. size

should work w/molded liner and maybe a shell punch if needed. I'm 215# and use those binders as all mt. on twin tip boards.

[Bury Rail]

Cheers b0ardski, thanks for the input.

Yea, if I put my softboot size US10 liners in the shells they ain't too bad. Heal lift though. Low volume heat molded liners sound like the ticket.

I'm assuming, in my ignorance, that shell punching is a process of heat up the shell plastic, shim/force it out somehow, Yes? 

 

[b0ardski]

yes

any good skiboot fitter can do both for you. happy feet are waaaay worth th investment

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by b0ardski

[west carven]

howdy Bury Rail

don't know if you should punch um out. these boots are 20 years old and plastic is ready to

break down.  as a big boy you should pack out the liners pretty fast and fit should get better.

can you post a pic of your axer in full frontal glory, have not seen too many of these in the states.

you should be fine with this set-up...

 

[Eric Brammer aka PSR]

Bury Rail, if you go with the bigger liners,foam 'L' pads (fit alongside the Achilles Tendon, and the short end of the L goes under the ankle knuckle) that stick onto the outside of the liner will help take up some of that slop. It's a quick, dirty, cheap fix, but it can work. With the stock liners, check them Outside of the shells. Keep your heel back in the pocket (may need someone to hold the liner for this), and feel for whether toes or such are 'stretching' the liner as felt (again by someone else) by hand pressure all along the outside of the liners. IF there's a 'bulge' or curled toes, chances are they won't fit well enough, nor long enough, to 'pack out'. IF there's no big pressure spots or bulges, you might want to endure riding them for short periods in the hopes of getting them to pack a bit. IF you choose this latter course of action, wear really thin socks at first! Depends on your pain threshold??

The thumb behind the foot in-a-shell tells me that you're likely in a usable shell. I'd also note that going to an Intuition/TF Liner is likely to work within 1-3 molds (they're remoldable; but I recommend going to a bootfitter for these to be fitted; Less hassle, better chance of success). As for 'punching or 'stretching' the shell, don't unless you've got a bone structure that demands it. Yes, the shells are "old", but seems well cared for, so it would be a matter of degrees as to how well the boot would fare. Consult a Qualified Bootfitter (ahem, someone has done this B4) should the need arise. Hopefully, it won't.

'

[Bury Rail]

Solid feedback guys, I'm getting the feeling these boots will work out. I've been tooling around the house in the boots this evening with my old Softboot liners and its feeling realistic.

If after the first few days this year things haven't packed out I'll visit a boot-fitter and look into some molded liners.

I've worked with plastics myself for years, and these shells seem supple, and I've seen how plastics and synthetic fabrics on all manner of sports and outdoor degrade with time. These were essentially never used after what looks like a couple of runs, and stored in a climate controlled garage. I reckon they could be punched, if it came to it.

PSR, west carven, b0ardski; Thanks to you all. I'll post a pic of the Axer soon, and once winters here recount how the boots work out.

A. 

[west carven]

howdy Bury Rail

found a women's 26 and it was narrow up front but with my old packed out reactor liners worked fine, rocked these last winter.

if you can, get some bomber td3's for a more solid secure feel...

[Aracan]

Bury Rail, what size are your feet, actually? I mean: When you stand with your heel to a wall, and have someone make a pencil mark at the tip of your toe, how far in centimeters is that mark from the wall? Useful info to determine how well the liners and your feet might go together?

[slopestar]

I had an axer 176. Swoard copy. Should be an easy starter but the build and finish quality are not there sadly. Should be great as a first year alpine set up but I would recommend getting on something better built after the first year.

[Bury Rail]

YEW!; Styling' west carven, great shot.

Yea, what's with all the narrow toes on these Wind boots?, on any Snowboard Hard-boots for that matter? With the steep angled bindings there would be no more drag/overhang if boots had a more natural foot/toe shaped box and wouldn't that yield better control with a flatter foot. Maybe a leftover idea from ski boots that needs a revision...

The boots are feeling better with my old Imprint4 liners in them. Just need to get on snow now.

Aracan: Big Toe to apex of heel I get 280mm, so all seems well.

slopestar: Yea, I figured as much, I picked mine up on Ebay in 2014 for $90 new, dates on top-sheet show it was built in 2013 and the seller on Ebay was a small contract ski/board building shop in Utah. I doubt they knew much of anything about alpine specific construction, def. a wood core, tri-axial E-cloth texture shows through under topsheet, standard ptex base by the looks. but if it gets me a season or two now I got Hardboots, all good.

Some of the newer Axer boards look decent on their website, and check out their Kevlar Mitts... now they look worth a try. Here's a couple phone pix of mine. How's the absurd lost in translation text on the base and top-sheet, silly!