pow4ever Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 i am getting older. charing hard all day in HB is beyond my physical conditioning. i will survive but dead after. Plus condition isn't always conducive to carving. i still love powder, little jumps here and there, maybe some trees. boot - wide forefeet, narrow heel, big calf malamute, ion, Insanos are the typical "stiff" accessory: strapins https://forums.alpinesnowboarder.com/store/category/5-powerride/ binding - catek, gumbo Power Plate System, flux, c-10, DIY 3rd strap? board: alloy, Coiler, Donek. not too worry about board but boot shape and binding took me decade+ to kinda dial in HB. want to see if we can short circuit for SB. or TLDR what's your setup and what are your setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackaddict Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 @pow4ever Are you asking for suggestions for a soft boot setup? It's not totally clear. Are you looking for one single setup to carve and also ride powder, little jumps and trees too? That's gonna be tough, there will have to be compromises. Many many compromises. Also, carving on HB is generally easier on the body than SB. Jump turns through an icy mogul field however is a very different story... Do you ride SB at all? Boot size? Weight? Maybe you just need a second setup for non-carving days, and/or a softer slower HB board like a Contra? What are you riding now? Gumbo Power Plate is super heavy, not recommended. Driver X is stiffer than Ion and fits my wide forefoot pretty good. Someone just told me that the Nitro Select TLS is stiffer than Ride Insano but I haven't tried it on yet. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted February 23 Author Report Share Posted February 23 Thanks James! Exactly looking to get new modern softboot setup. I start out with softboot and was decent at it; then got bitten by the carve bug and HB ever since. I understand fully on compromises. Was hoping there are some overlapping between (boots/binding mostly; switch to pow board on deep day make sense) A dedicated softboot carve setup vs all mountain softboot setup that focus on hardpack 50% of the time and rest on seeking powder after dump (side of the trail, shallow trees, soft bumps). Like most hoarder here i have quivers of quivers I went back/forth between optimized the right HB board/setup for the day to just one board to "rule them all". Currently 174 Contra (WoGo varient) is my go-to. 195lb 6' (28" inseam - long torso, short leg, Quasimodo build lol) 26.5 boots MS 951 with SG binding the 174 seems to do well in most conditions(up to 6" of pow/crud) and excellent on hardpack/ice. in the Tree the length is limiting for me due to my lack of experience in tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted February 23 Author Report Share Posted February 23 for HB - i guess i understand the concept but not sure what the "noun" is in softboot? quiver building 1 SL - for busy, icy day 163-165ish 10-12m and below side cut 1 GS - when you have the mountain to youself 180-185 big side cut; your courage is the limitation here 1 Freecarve (if you can only have one) milk those C turns 174 ~!2-14m variable 1 pow board find a boot that fit well; stiffness can be tune by changing out tongue, spring system Deeluxe - narrow toe box wide heel - toe box punched out and lots lots of foam for heel lift UPZ - wide toebox narrow heel - decent fit out the box MS - medium toebox, medium heel (need to have toe box punch out and figure something out for heel lift) binding - F2 titanium - flexy SG - Goldilock TD3 - laterally stiff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carvin' Marvin Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 I'm also curious about what people have to say. I just got my first softboots in 10 years but I don't have a board. Looking for a decent carving all arounder. I have a dedicated powder board but it is a 152 and only thrives in powder. Was leaning towards Tanker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoroSnow Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 @pow4ever Not crystal clear but looks like you're looking for the "do it all" soft boot board.....I do believe it doesn't exist yet....... If coming from a HB background I think that you will need to begin with two boards. One for sotboot carving and another one, more "all mountain", trees, pow, moguls and so on, orientated.... For both boards you could totally use the same boots/bindings interface if well chosen. I own a Donek Flux for softboot carving and it does the job amazingly well on groomers....but I hate it in deep powder and trees for example.... So I keep it for carving on groomers and for everything else and teaching, I use an old Morrow board from the end of the 90's....go figure.... The only board I had that was the best "allrounder" was a glass Donek Incline from 2005 (don't have it anymore)....but the Flux is by far at another level when carving......so I just go with two boards when soft booting, and happy with it......Using the right tool for the right job. Just my two cents...hoping it may help.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 48 minutes ago, Carvin' Marvin said: I'm also curious about what people have to say. I just got my first softboots in 10 years but I don't have a board. Looking for a decent carving all arounder. I have a dedicated powder board but it is a 152 and only thrives in powder. Was leaning towards Tanker I know a guy… 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carvin' Marvin Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 Just now, big mario said: I know a guy… Yeah and now I'm being forced to come ride with you kooks again so I can try one!!! 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted February 23 Author Report Share Posted February 23 45 minutes ago, RoroSnow said: For both boards you could totally use the same boots/bindings interface if well chosen. exactement - that's what i am looking for recommendation. Getting me close to the "ball park". Board i am not planning to have only one lol.... My first snowboard is a Donek incline wide that i got from craigslist; that lead me to this wonderful community. The rest is history. coming from HB - i assume stiffer is better? until it isn't Boots - fit - wide toe box, narrow heel and big calf. dual BOA would be nice. i have enough boots liner sitting around that i can experiment with. Binding - have not kept up with binding tech. step-on/easy on/off isn't a big deal for me. will go watch crackaddict's video a few more time for good measure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deuxdiesel Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 I just switched back to Flow bindings (CX Fusion) on my Coiler BXFR after a few seasons of using Ride A-9's and A-10's. The difference is amazing. I made the switch due to my rear hand being in a brace from my accident a few weeks back, and the Flows do make it easier to strap in. The greatest difference is just how well the bindings hold the boot in place without having to crush my foot with an ankle strap to get support. There is also more lateral support with the Flows, which is nice riding the higher angles I'm at (36ish front, 33ish rear). The lack of a highback horseshoe is great as well, providing much less to get hung up on during a hard heel-side carve. My Ride Deadbolt boots in the Flow CX's on my Coiler 163x27 makes for a pretty incredible carving machine. I still have a fleet of alpine boards, but now that I am 60, I prefer the inherent flexibility of my set-up with very little discomfort and nearly all the dynamic performance. Over the next month, I will evaluate if I truly need to keep the hard boot stuff I have- even set up as aggressive as my Coiler is, it still works well in slush, powder, busted up groomers and well as stellar performance on cord. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhamann Posted February 23 Report Share Posted February 23 (edited) @pow4ever we met a few years ago and rode a little bit together. coming from an alpine background and seeing you ride a contra and a rev, here's my 2 cents: get a traditional consumer based board/binding/boot. you know what to look at with regards to sidecut, flex, camber, etc.. lean towards the preferences you know that you'll be comfortable with to start from. it doesn't need to be hard, stiff, etc.. this is just a 'get to know' kind of kit. you may already have it? with this kit, ride it and get comfortable on it. try to stay to lower angle slopes and focus on different things at different times, but also try not to feel the need to have to focus all the time. just ride. if that makes sense. have fun with it and then fine tune from there. establish a base line per your comfort, goals and find out what works best for you. the softboot stuff doesn't need to be any major investment like most alpine stuff can be. there is much more forgiveness to this equipment. it doesn't mean you need to carve every turn on every run. it doesn't mean that you have to have a clean line every run. pick and choose the sections of trail that has a decent surface, no crowd and evaluate the equipment. forget about technique. you know how to snowboard and have great baseline to start from. i know you like to nerd out, etc. but for a first time softy, stay clear of hyper focused directional carvers. first, consider what is mentioned above. maybe if you like it you can get custom stuff, add plates, add boot stiffeners, etc.. but for now keep it simple. you know your needs better than anyone. what i heard this guy josh dirksen say recently is something along the lines of "you will always ride your best with the board you feel most comfortable on" (regardless of wax, edge bevel, structure, core shots. etc.). at this stage of the game, you need to decide what will be comfortable for you. it will not happen overnight and some adaptation will need to take place. be patient and give it at least a couple years to see if it clicks for you. otherwise, you always have alpine stuff. the goal is fun although performance can be fun for some too. i'm just saying forget about getting hung up on performance equipment for now. you'll get there. pretty sure you ride 80% of the time or more in northeast conditions, but maybe not anymore. i really don't want to be too specific so you can shop around and decide for yourself, but i wouldn't shy away from a 6k free carver and go with the larger size if you're thinking in between two sizes, 7/10 or 8/10 flex binding, 8+ flex boot. solomon boots tend to be lower volume. use your zippy fits or something like that in them. or not. go right for the custom board and stiffest everything but you'd be missing the point. just my 2cents. best of luck! Edited February 23 by dhamann 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted February 24 Author Report Share Posted February 24 2 hours ago, Deuxdiesel said: I still have a fleet of alpine boards, but now that I am 60, I prefer the inherent flexibility of my set-up with very little discomfort and nearly all the dynamic performance. nice! i am looking for way to ride until old age at mid 40 - for the first time i feel spring chicken no more... 1 hour ago, dhamann said: we met a few years ago and rode a little bit together. coming from an alpine background and seeing you ride a contra and a rev, here's my 2 cents: Thanks Dave!! i member it was Sugarloaf early season ~3 years ago. thank you for the tips! That was around the low point of snowboarding for me. i simply wasn't having "fun" at the time and was ready to quit. i was not riding the way i know i once could. Thanks to the community those "dark cloud days" are behind me now. Still suck but hey i am having a blast now. How well i ride doesn't reflect what kinda of person i am. i is a slow learner but better late than never. hahahaha talk about first world problem/privilege... I gave away most of my softboot stuff when i committed to HB. Figure i start fresh at least with boots. That's what i was thinking stuff the zipfit in to the right size shell. Instead like the step sister of Cinderella squeeze into race fit. up size/relax fit seems pragmatic. Great tip! Appreciated everyone take the time to write. i like and appreciated "wall of text". Exactly as you say - Snowboarding is suppose to be fun! i was out in Co for 7 days. First 3-4 days are perfect hard carving day which i enjoy immensely. but then we got some snow toward the end which re-ignite the none-carving portion of the snowboard program. feel like a kid again playing and joy the whole mountain. Hence this thread and seems the wind is changing. we are seeing more and more carver regardless the equipments. I get the gist and philosophy aspect of what you are saying! Thanks again. keyboard snowboarding just not as fun as the real thing lol... now i am jonesing for some more snow time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted February 24 Author Report Share Posted February 24 great video from James on this topic. on chalky firm groomer day - seems HB are the weapon of choice. Anything else - a more forgiving setup sounds like a great idea. it's not technique or setup. its technique AND setup. proper setup allow technique to shine through/advance. proper technique/feel allow us to dial in the setup. TOM - time on mountain and systematically experiment. rinse and repeat too bad i am spaghetti throwing kind of guy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 24 Report Share Posted February 24 Burton Step-Ons. And don’t forget about Winterstick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Job Posted February 24 Report Share Posted February 24 (edited) Majority of my days are on softboots. But nothing compares to hardboots and a GS/SL board. Good thing they're almost the same technique with different body orientations. Edited February 24 by Odd Job 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLN Posted February 24 Report Share Posted February 24 Does it need to be one board? Can it be custom(aka $$) or something mainstream? I would go for short BX board for groomers/jumps. Probably with some sort of plates. And some long freeride board (possibly swallowtail). Would totally consider something narrow that you can use with both: hardboots and softboots (24-25cm). Getting "one board" for all doesn't work well for me: Jack of all trades, master of none. I like idea of SL board and hardboots. That's thing to try before you give up on hb completely 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i8summer Posted February 24 Report Share Posted February 24 14 hours ago, crackaddict said: @pow4ever Are you asking for suggestions for a soft boot setup? It's not totally clear. Are you looking for one single setup to carve and also ride powder, little jumps and trees too? That's gonna be tough, there will have to be compromises. Many many compromises. Also, carving on HB is generally easier on the body than SB. Jump turns through an icy mogul field however is a very different story... Do you ride SB at all? Boot size? Weight? Maybe you just need a second setup for non-carving days, and/or a softer slower HB board like a Contra? What are you riding now? Gumbo Power Plate is super heavy, not recommended. Driver X is stiffer than Ion and fits my wide forefoot pretty good. Someone just told me that the Nitro Select TLS is stiffer than Ride Insano but I haven't tried it on yet. Got a pair of nitro select tls a month ago and yes they are stiff as ,,,,,! Super comfy too. The thing I like about them is there’s a lot of adjustments like 3 different speed laces and plastic insert on tongue for max stiffness you can also remove it if you want softer boots 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Stevens Posted February 24 Report Share Posted February 24 (edited) Stiff bindings with “open” no “wings” highbacks. you want the bindings stiff and responsive edge to edge, but not wrapping around your lower leg. If they wrap too much, you can’t adjust weight tip to tail which will make powder riding harder and not make carving any easier. With freeride angles, that is. I’ve ridden in Drake Podium FF’s for years. I think James runs those too. My boots are relatively soft Vans. I go for comfort while also keeping the sole length as short as possible, rather than just “stiffness” and have a custom liner. To use the one setup for everything, I prefer to use internal strength to hold the boots where I want them, as opposed to relying on a stiff shell. Like the bindings, I don’t want the equipment to hinder my freeriding by locking my movements up. As boards go, I can generate low turns at a 27.5 shell with my 27 wide Stranda 164 Shorty Wide. I wouldn’t go narrower, but for an all rounder, wouldn’t go wider than a 28, or maybe 28.5 at the widest. Width is definitely the key to all of this and with a wide board, it’ll click. 6’1” and 225 lbs. Angles are 28 and 2. Width is as far back as it goes and one back from the front with 4x2 pattern. I’ve used a bit of the old “Gilmour bias” and liked it, though generally just try to keep it even heel to toe. The one board thing is my jam… I don’t like chopping and changing, especially during the day when on a big mountain, coming back to the car is a pita. That said, I ask A LOT of my boards and the Stranda’s have really stood up. Know that if you can get good with this setup, you can probably out carve most and go places the alpine board could, but wouldn’t want to. Edited February 24 by Rob Stevens 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jburk Posted February 24 Report Share Posted February 24 @pow4ever In the same boat as you, I got back on a SB setup for the first time in 30 years this season, and in 26.5 boots as well. I picked up a set of 26.5 Deeluxe Deemon boots from @Rastaman and paired them with a set of medium Flow NX 2 Carbon bindings, and they seem to be a great match. I did drop in a set of Intuition SBC liners, they fit well in the boots. It looks like he has another set of the same boots in the same size for sale, shells only. Good seller, I'd buy from him again. I also use the original strap from my .951s with the soft boots, wrap it around the liner inside the shell, allows me to firmly close the shell. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted February 25 Author Report Share Posted February 25 16 hours ago, TLN said: Does it need to be one board? Can it be custom(aka $$) or something mainstream? it doesn't have to be one board. i am a suck for bang for buck but have since realized buy once and cry once lol... 6 hours ago, Rob Stevens said: The one board thing is my jam… I don’t like chopping and changing, especially during the day when on a big mountain, coming back to the car is a pita. That said, I ask A LOT of my boards and the Stranda’s have really stood up. Know that if you can get good with this setup, you can probably out carve most and go places the alpine board could, but wouldn’t want to. Love it! 1board is a mentality. i understand it's series of compromise/focus on technique. You put it perfectly i could survive most in bound trails on the alpine setup but it's not going to be pretty/fun... someone say progressive stiffness/combo -> boot softest in the mix, binding stiffer, board even stiffer(shield) 16 hours ago, TLN said: I like idea of SL board and hardboots. That's thing to try before you give up on hb completely not given up on HB just looking for options on less stellar carving day and when i have to play uncle to friend's kids 16 hours ago, i8summer said: nitro select tls thanks! will look for and try it in the store. maybe it will have to be next season.... condition in the North East next week look to be pretty bad. 2 hours ago, jburk said: shells only. Good seller, I'd buy from him again. thank you for the insight! great price.. Now to look for this - https://deeluxe.com/technology/flex-booster/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alloy Snow USA Posted February 26 Report Share Posted February 26 On 2/23/2024 at 11:12 AM, pow4ever said: i am getting older. charing hard all day in HB is beyond my physical conditioning. i will survive but dead after. Plus condition isn't always conducive to carving. i still love powder, little jumps here and there, maybe some trees. boot - wide forefeet, narrow heel, big calf malamute, ion, Insanos are the typical "stiff" accessory: strapins https://forums.alpinesnowboarder.com/store/category/5-powerride/ binding - catek, gumbo Power Plate System, flux, c-10, DIY 3rd strap? board: alloy, Coiler, Donek. not too worry about board but boot shape and binding took me decade+ to kinda dial in HB. want to see if we can short circuit for SB. or TLDR what's your setup and what are your setup? Check out the Alloy Snowboards Darwin's Flow. This is a toss up for my daily driver. It is loosely based off of the Alloy DO, a dedicated softboot carver. It includes some early rise and a pow tail for fresh tracks. Where do you live in NY? I have the entire Alloy line up from a few years ago and can get you out on them for a demo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted February 26 Author Report Share Posted February 26 2 hours ago, Alloy Snow USA said: Check out the Alloy Snowboards Darwin's Flow. This is a toss up for my daily driver. It is loosely based off of the Alloy DO, a dedicated softboot carver. It includes some early rise and a pow tail for fresh tracks. Where do you live in NY? I have the entire Alloy line up from a few years ago and can get you out on them for a demo. Thank you for the offer!! I am on Wrong(Long) Island NY I do have an Alloy DO that i pick up (been buying in classified section in recent time). Let me figure out the boot/binding and I will def check out Darwin Flow (that look really nice). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jng Posted February 26 Report Share Posted February 26 I have given up on trying to find the holy grail of SB boards. You just have to decide where you want to compromise. A few observations this season: Amplid Surfari is my daily driver. A great all around board that can ride powder and bumps. Carving performance is above average. Fullbag Diamondblade is a better carver. I can ride it in bumps, but it's more work than I prefer. Coiler Contra (@crackaddict's board) is the best SB carver I've ever ridden. Didn't try this off-piste, but suspect more compromises as an all-rounder. All ridden with Malamute boots and Now O-Drive bindings. Not as stiff as Jame's boot/binding setup, but above average stiffness, and I feel it's versatile enough for any style of riding. The board is the main differentiator IMHO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketMan69 Posted February 27 Report Share Posted February 27 I ride the awesome 170cm Donek Flux with Flow NX2 Carbon bindings and Flow/Nidecker Talon or Deeluxe Edge Pro sof tboots. This is a great SB carving set up. Sean can make the perfect custom specs for your exact situation. As a big rider, 225lbs, 6'0" size 12US - my set up is F39/R27 and my with 275mm wide board no issues with boot-out. The Flux is also great in Powder but a bit too wide for hard crud - but it is a fast and excellent carving machine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 27 Report Share Posted February 27 $0.02: I've had two custom metal softboot carve boards made for me over the past few years. They carved great on blues and greens with my Driver X's and Now O-Drives and Gecko Stealths. I'm not interested to get to the point where I can carve "well enough" in softboots on blacks because sb's will never equal hb's there. If conditions are good enough to carve in softboots, they are good enough to carve in hardboots, and that's what I prefer. So I've sold those sb carvers and gotten an off the shelf all-mtn board for days when it's not good for hardbooting. It carves enjoyably on blues and greens in good conditions, and it's fun to surf around everywhere else. When I'm softbooting, my objective is to experience all the snowboarding I'm missing in hardboots - not to recreate hardbooting. Furthermore, I discovered something that happens (to me at least) while carving in softboots that doesn't happen in hardboots, or not nearly as bad. Sometimes on a heelside carve, I'm not sure what causes it, hitting a rut or momentarily losing an edge and then regaining it or something, but it feels like someone hitting the bottom of my heels with a sledgehammer. I asked an expert sb carver friend about this and he was like oh yeah, that's a thing, it sucks. No thanks!! I'm out. YMMV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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