Getting to know the ins and outs of hard booting before final decision on bindingss

[Pansersoldat]

so, I have a set of ski boots i really enjoy and i am looking to get back into snowboarding without having to buy new boots and looking though the forum and I was drawn to the possibility to be able to get back into snowboarding without having to but a new set of boots and bindings. i do have some older snowboards that I am endeavoring to use. and one of the most helpful posts i found was one by JKarve where though for a different reason he was looking at the possibility of using ski boots as his hardboot and the post gave me hope but with more research a few questions came up to me.

1.

On 5/16/2019 at 10:07 PM, Jack M said:

All “standard” (not step-in) snowboard plate bindings fit all DIN ski boots. Bomber, Catek, F2, Kessler, SG, Burton/Ibex/Carve Company, PHK, etc. 

does this include Grip Walk soles or does this apply to only touring and alpine soles?

I am in a position, if in needed to, to make a front pad that matches the design of front rocker of my boots if need be or even just buy a set of alpine soles to use while using the hard boot bindings.

2. seeing as there seems to be some older brands of bindings. are bails standardized in a way that they are interchangeable between different brands?

my current boots are 2023 k2 recon 100 with grip walk soles

the current bindings I am looking at in order of probable affordability

1. f2 carve RS
2. used catek OS2s
3. bomber TD3 standard
4. bomber TD3 side winder

I'm currently leaning toward the f2 carves because they cheaper and still have many of the customization options.

Any help given is appreciated

Edit: used catek OS2 is no longer under consideration due to the only used models found being step-ins.

Edited May 18 by Pansersoldat

[Pansersoldat]

So just to update I may have found some deeluxe 325 size 9. I am a 10.5 but when I look at deeluxes website from what I can understand all the shells are the same but the liners determine the shoe size. Is ot possible for me to find some decently inexpensive liners to make the boot a 10-10.5? and how hard is it to find just liners that will fit me comfotably like my k2 recon 100?

Edited May 19 by Pansersoldat

[Wolf]

The boots are actually sold in mondo sizing.  A us mens 9 is probably going to be a mondo 27 shell.  You should really measure your foot.  The mondo size is the foot length in cm.  Just stand with your bare feet back against a wall and measure the length of your feet out to the longest toe.  A mondo 27 boot shell is intended to fit mondo 27-27.9, with the size 27 heat moldable liner adjusting for the size range. A few people wear boots in a shell size that's technically one mondo size smaller than their foot length, but I expect you'd find that a shell size that's too big will be a sloppy fit with any liner.

By the way, on one of your other questions, toe bails are not standardized and generally not interchangeable among different brands of bindings.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Just get F2 Race Ti bindings. Plenty of those to go around. 

[BlueB]

On 5/18/2024 at 12:35 PM, Pansersoldat said:

so, I have a set of ski boots i really enjoy and i am looking to get back into snowboarding without having to buy new boots and looking though the forum and I was drawn to the possibility to be able to get back into snowboarding without having to but a new set of boots and bindings. i do have some older snowboards that I am endeavoring to use. and one of the most helpful posts i found was one by JKarve where though for a different reason he was looking at the possibility of using ski boots as his hardboot and the post gave me hope but with more research a few questions came up to me.

1.

does this include Grip Walk soles or does this apply to only touring and alpine soles?

I am in a position, if in needed to, to make a front pad that matches the design of front rocker of my boots if need be or even just buy a set of alpine soles to use while using the hard boot bindings.

2. seeing as there seems to be some older brands of bindings. are bails standardized in a way that they are interchangeable between different brands?

my current boots are 2023 k2 recon 100 with grip walk soles

the current bindings I am looking at in order of probable affordability

1. f2 carve RS
2. used catek OS2s
3. bomber TD3 standard
4. bomber TD3 side winder

I'm currently leaning toward the f2 carves because they cheaper and still have many of the customization options.

Any help given is appreciated

Edit: used catek OS2 is no longer under consideration due to the only used models found being step-ins.

I assume those K2s are alpine touring boots (AT)? I use K2 Mindbenders and I like them a lot. However, I had to make a spring system, to replace the lock/walk latch that boots came with. The locked mode was too stiff for all-around riding and unlocked was too soft for just about any kind of riding, especially backwards flex (extending the foot). 

Carve RS are great for freeriding, or if you are lightweight. One of the best bindings if you are going to ride a standard snowboard at low angles. Otherwise, for hard charging on a narrower carving board, get the Race Ti. 

[Pansersoldat]

2 hours ago, BlueB said:

I assume those K2s are alpine touring boots (AT)? I use K2 Mindbenders and I like them a lot. However, I had to make a spring system, to replace the lock/walk latch that boots came with. The locked mode was too stiff for all-around riding and unlocked was too soft for just about any kind of riding, especially backwards flex (extending the foot). 

Carve RS are great for freeriding, or if you are lightweight. One of the best bindings if you are going to ride a standard snowboard at low angles. Otherwise, for hard charging on a narrower carving board, get the Race Ti. 

 My boots aren't the mindbenders they are the recons so no AT, just grip walk soles. But I am lightweight for my height which is why I am looking onto carves.

Edited May 20 by Pansersoldat

[Pansersoldat]

8 hours ago, Wolf said:

The boots are actually sold in mondo sizing.  A us mens 9 is probably going to be a mondo 27 shell.  You should really measure your foot.  The mondo size is the foot length in cm.  Just stand with your bare feet back against a wall and measure the length of your feet out to the longest toe.  A mondo 27 boot shell is intended to fit mondo 27-27.9, with the size 27 heat moldable liner adjusting for the size range. A few people wear boots in a shell size that's technically one mondo size smaller than their foot length, but I expect you'd find that a shell size that's too big will be a sloppy fit with any liner.

By the way, on one of your other questions, toe bails are not standardized and generally not interchangeable among different brands of bindings.

Having ski boots i know that my condo is 28.5 and i do know i can fit into 27.5 if need be but that requires some really good heel hold so that my toes don't touch the end of the boot. I asked about the liners because I thought heard some where a certain brands will have a small range of snow sports boots that use the same shell but have different thickness liners for different sizes.

Also thank for clearing up my. Confusion about the bails

[BlueB]

14 hours ago, Pansersoldat said:

Having ski boots i know that my condo is 28.5 and i do know i can fit into 27.5 if need be but that requires some really good heel hold so that my toes don't touch the end of the boot. I asked about the liners because I thought heard some where a certain brands will have a small range of snow sports boots that use the same shell but have different thickness liners for different sizes.

Also thank for clearing up my. Confusion about the bails

Typically, 28 and 28.5 is the same shell, different liner thickness. Have you actually measured your foot, for mondo, or just converted from street shoe size?

Do your ski boots have walk mode? If not and you are a self-described lightweight, you'll struggle without, on anything but hardest, smoothest snow. 

Put your foot into 27/27.5 empty shell (no liners), toes touching plastic in front. If you can stick 1 to 2 overlapped fingers (palm flat on your Achilles) behind your heel, the boot will work for you.

[Pansersoldat]

2 hours ago, BlueB said:

Typically, 28 and 28.5 is the same shell, different liner thickness. Have you actually measured your foot, for mondo, or just converted from street shoe size?

Do your ski boots have walk mode? If not and you are a self-described lightweight, you'll struggle without, on anything but hardest, smoothest snow. 

Put your foot into 27/27.5 empty shell (no liners), toes touching plastic in front. If you can stick 1 to 2 overlapped fingers (palm flat on your Achilles) behind your heel, the boot will work for you.

When I bought my ski boot online I converted by shoe size. And I checked it by crudely measuring my foot at home. But last time I went skiing i went to a boot fitter to get their opinion and they said 28.5 is my size and my ski boots were a good fit. My ski boots have no walk mode. The reason I say that I could fit into 27.5 is that I went on a different ski trip this spring and when I got rentals they only had 27.5 so I wore those and tightened up the buckles alot to keep my toes from smashing on the front of the boot. And I found them so be alot more precise then my ski boots but less comfortable for prolonged skiing, and when not skiing. I have no access to any other ski boots other then the k2 recons I have. I say I'm a light weight because I'm about 6 foot and weigh about 125-130 lbs and doing a rough measurement on my feet again they about 10.75 inch.

[BlueB]

4 hours ago, Pansersoldat said:

When I bought my ski boot online I converted by shoe size. And I checked it by crudely measuring my foot at home. But last time I went skiing i went to a boot fitter to get their opinion and they said 28.5 is my size and my ski boots were a good fit. My ski boots have no walk mode. The reason I say that I could fit into 27.5 is that I went on a different ski trip this spring and when I got rentals they only had 27.5 so I wore those and tightened up the buckles alot to keep my toes from smashing on the front of the boot. And I found them so be alot more precise then my ski boots but less comfortable for prolonged skiing, and when not skiing. I have no access to any other ski boots other then the k2 recons I have. I say I'm a light weight because I'm about 6 foot and weigh about 125-130 lbs and doing a rough measurement on my feet again they about 10.75 inch.

Fire your bootfitter. 10.75" is 27.3cm, right between Mondo 27 and 27.5. 

And yes, at 6' 125lbs, you are lightweight

Edited May 21 by BlueB

[Pansersoldat]

3 hours ago, BlueB said:

Fire your bootfitter. 10.75" is 27.3cm, right between Mondo 27 and 27.5. 

And yes, at 6' 125lbs, you are lightweight

I was a little bit confused and looked at my crude measuring and noticed that I misread the tape measure my foot is like11 and one eighth inch.

Edited May 21 by Pansersoldat

[Jack M]

6 hours ago, Pansersoldat said:

I was a little bit confused and looked at my crude measuring and noticed that I misread the tape measure my foot is like11 and one eighth inch.

Try measuring in cm.  If you're really 11.125", that converts to 28.26cm.  If so, you're either a 28 or 28.5 which would be the same shell.

Any boot that fits into a standard ski binding will work with standard snowboard hardboot bindings.  However 4 buckle overlap ski boots like yours are generally not good for snowboarding.  And at your size, ski boots are long and will force you into higher binding angles than you could use with snowboard hardboots.

I'd recommend going with UPZ boots as Deeluxe are higher volume and it sounds like your feet are not.  UPZ boots come with a spring system to adjust forward and backward flex.  Deeluxe do not.  The drawback with UPZ is that many people quickly ditch the stock liner in favor of Intuition moldable liners, but the stocker is worth a try.  If you go with Deeluxe boots you will most likely want an aftermarket spring system in short order.  Look for used BTS or DGSS. 

Good luck!

[BlueB]

I looked at online pics of your ski boots. They seem to be identical to Mindbenders, minus the lock/walk latch. Since they don't have solid spine, they would flex forward, I'd imagine. They might work, after all. I still think you'd be better off with snowboard specific boots, though.