Justin Posted December 13, 2021 Report Share Posted December 13, 2021 Hello, I race in a league at Shawnee peak in Maine and have been riding an F2 WC Carbon with stiff union bindings and stiff Solomon softboots for race nights. I've been racing SL and GS for about 7 years. @Jack M was on my team for a few years actually. My times have been improving but still I have a long way to go. I've been eyeballing a F2 Eliminator WC titanal 166W and Now O-drive bindings for the upcoming season, but I'm also considering getting a hardboot setup and trying to make myself actually competitive in the slalom. What do I do? Go for the slightly better softboot setup and know that I'm going to possibly improve slightly, or go for the hardboot setup knowing that I'm going to suck at first but will eventually start posting decent times? 6'0", 190 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Job Posted December 13, 2021 Report Share Posted December 13, 2021 Hardboot setup; will make you more aware of stuff you are, or are not doing in a softboot setup. Softboot setup will make you more aware of stuff you are, or are not doing in a hardboot setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted December 13, 2021 Report Share Posted December 13, 2021 Hi Justin! The short answer... nobody races World Cup or even NorAm in softboots for a reason. However, becoming faster in a course on hardboots than you are in softboots will take time and practice. If you only race in hardboots and do all your other riding in softboots, it probably won't happen. If freecarving on an alpine setup is of interest to you, then I'd say spend as much as you can on good gear and you will become faster in the long run. It's been a while since I've seen you ride so maybe it won't take long at all. A good test is if you are already carving confidently on your existing gear. That is, can you carve your downhill edge and fluidly make repeated carves with no steering or skidding? Honestly I don't recall if you were doing that already or not, sorry! You'll want a 162 or 163 SL board, and I have to say my stock Kessler 180 was a dream in the Shawnee GS courses. Not a fun board to freecarve, but man it just knows where the next gate is. It took seconds off my times compared to my previous long freecarve boards. For boots, if you have average to low volume feet, you'll probably do better with Mountain Slope or UPZ. If you have a high volume ankle/instep area, maybe Deeluxe T700. If you have narrow feet, Deeluxe 425. If you're not sure of any of the above, and you can't try on anyone else's, I would say start with Mountain Slope or UPZ and hope for the best. Check the classifieds. Your mondopoint size is the length of your feet in centimeters. My feet are 28.0 and 28.4 and I squeeze into 28s fine. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted December 13, 2021 Report Share Posted December 13, 2021 If you do not do it now you will only be older when you do it later. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted December 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2021 @Jack Mthank you for such a complete answer. I think I'm going to go for the hardboot setup. It will take time and practice but honestly carving and getting faster in the gates is the only reason I ride these days aside from the occasional split board skinning and taking our daughter down the bunny slopes. @lowrideryou have one hell of a point!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted December 14, 2021 Report Share Posted December 14, 2021 The other important lesson to your daughter will be that she does not have to be just a skier ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted December 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2021 2 hours ago, lowrider said: The other important lesson to your daughter will be that she does not have to be just a skier ! Right on, I plan to get her on a snowboard this year. 4 y/o and this will be her 3rd on skis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted December 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2021 So I am about to pull the trigger on a pair of 27 Mondo mountain slope WC from allboardsports after trying on some 110 stiffness 27s at Gorham Bike and Ski in Brunswick. Now to find some bindings and a SL board to ride... here goes nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted December 28, 2021 Report Share Posted December 28, 2021 .951 WC are pretty stiff for your first hardboots. Consider the standard 100 flex? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted December 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2021 Now that you mention it I'll look into the 100 flex. I gave Rich two measurements: my weight (190) and perceived quad strength (decent squat) and he said 120 could work. 100 still sounds pretty stiff, and more forgiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Bit of an old thread, but I tracked down my password to this account just to say I never thought I'd find another hardboot racer from Harpswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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