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Good softbooters can easily try hardboots


Jack M

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  • Jack M changed the title to Good softbooters can easily try hardboots

My brother (720 level park rider) was the same way.  First run and linking clean turns no issue.  He had no desire to get back on it after that because its just not what he's into.  Some natural athleticism and spatial/body awareness goes a long way in hardboots.   For those that lack those traits, well.......... it's usually pretty obvious at first. 

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7 hours ago, Carvin' Marvin said:

Some natural athleticism and spatial/body awareness goes a long way in hardboots.
For those that lack those traits, well.......... it's usually pretty obvious at first. 

I am in this picture and i don't like it lol 🤣

@Jack M Thanks for sharing!  Lower winter's way at the Loaf.  
Get some video of Kirby on hard boot!!   For science 🙂 

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1 minute ago, scottishsurfer said:

As someone who plays with hardboots but is primarly a softboot rider the transition is a fairly easy one especially if you already ride in directional or my case semi directional stance. Hardest part for me is to try not to pedal and bend the board to my will🤣 instead just relax and enjoy the ride😄

When I was instructing (on hard boots), I offered to set up quite a few other snowboard coaches on a carving set up.  The main hesitation that I heard wasn't the boots it was facing both feet toward the tip of the board.  Scaredy cats. 

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8 minutes ago, Keenan said:

The main hesitation that I heard wasn't the boots it was facing both feet toward the tip of the board.  Scaredy cats. 

I think its probably much a harder transition if youve only ever ridden duck especially if youve been taught to teach something like BASI style which is a very closed stance with the shoulders largely inline with the nose and tail. Personally I dont teach so after my inital lessons ive always ridden fairly open even when riding in a duck stance.

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On 1/13/2022 at 6:52 PM, ThePeonsChamp said:

What did he think Jack? Is he a convert? Did he like it?

He is a coach and he works with racers at CVA so he wanted to "put his money where his mouth is" as he put it.  I doubt he'll convert but he may add it to his bag of tricks with my help.  He's an excellent softbooter, was pro for a while riding urban.

On 1/14/2022 at 1:32 PM, Mr Wonton said:

I did horribly my first day in hardboots. I’ve been soft boot riding for 34 years. It was very humbling and frustrating. I think o need some binding adjustments but I sure thought I’d do better than I did. 

Were you proficient at carving your softboot gear?  Not trying to be a dink, but I see a number of locals on a regular basis who have never and will never carve.  Going on decades now.  I just mean it never occurred to them to put the edge in the snow, and nobody ever taught them.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, just that they would have a very hard time with hardboots without ever having carved their softboots.

Edited by Jack M
clarification
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1 hour ago, Mr Wonton said:

I did horribly my first day in hardboots. I’ve been soft boot riding for 34 years. It was very humbling and frustrating. I think o need some binding adjustments but I sure thought I’d do better than I did. 

I'll be back in NJ this weekend.  Meet me at The Creek next week.  I can certainly get you on the path to mediocrity. 👍

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I found that my UPZ hard boots, using my F2 Titanflex stepins, worked great for pow and everything else on a board designed for soft boots, i.e. 156-159 Lib Tech Orca or Dynamo if I used angles like 45/25 ish. 

I watched some of the vids, “soft boot carving worth watching” the evening before I drove to the mountain, I had a ball and I learned a few things as well. 
I can see no reason for me to ever use soft boots plus I can install UPZ DIN heels and toes and use my hard boots when I ski with my grandkids at Jackson Hole…saves me packing two pairs of boots. 
My new favorite image which is now my watch face and my phone wallpaper. 

07C77FCD-9AA7-40E1-98B3-68F09A31FAAF.jpeg

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1 hour ago, 1xsculler said:

I found that my UPZ hard boots, using my F2 Titanflex stepins, worked great for pow and everything else on a board designed for soft boots, i.e. 156-159 Lib Tech Orca or Dynamo if I used angles like 45/25 ish. 

 

That's that I like the Titanflex for. I have a 22 wide Flux that I can set them all the way back and go 45/35, loosen the BTS on the Track 700's, it's a blast in pow.  Who needs those smushy softboots and what a time waster those silly straps are. 👍

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After 30 years of exclusively hard boots, I bought myself a soft setup and it's a blast.  I understand 1xsculler only wants to carve the groom, but for those of us who like to get off it I find it a lot of fun.  It's especially great in mixed snow conditions and bad light, where the looser setup is a lot more forgiving.  I share Kneel's opinion that hard boots and an all-mountain board work fine in pow, but my soft setup is more fun in those conditions.

As for messing with straps - I recently got myself some of the Burton Stepons, as my hips are not letting me handle straps too well anymore.  Haven't had a chance to try them yet but I have a trip scheduled to Marmot next month and I'll report back.

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Agreed, this guy is a natural! I took to hardbooting pretty quickly... I think that a forgiving combination of boots/board was a big help.

I'm in my 23rd year softbooting and 2nd hardbooting. Getting into hardboots has made me a much better softboot carver. I'm much more comfortable with largely positive angles (+30-40° on my SG Soul). Now if only I could improve my hardboot skills 😄😭

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