Boot and Board Suggestions....

[brraaap]

Hello,

I have been lurking around here for a couple years and never posted, but have certainly gained a wealth of knowledge.

I have been riding hard boots for about 10 years...with an average of 10x per year. The boots I have had are the Nordica SBH, first on a 163 Asym Alp and now on a 169 4x4 Prior for the past few years.

Much of the riding I do now is with the family...so I often get lazy.

I am looking for a new setup and was contemplating softboots, but I like the simplicity of hard boots.

How would you compare the SBH's to the stiffest softboots, such as the Malamutes or Drivers?

How would you compare the SBH's to the Raichle SB 413?

I'm not giving up on hardboots yet, just looking for suggestions.

As for a board, I was thinking of BX board in the 160 range. I was considering the Donek Incline, but then read that it may not be forgiving when you get lazy late in the day. What about the Palmer Channel? Any other recommendations?

I guess I am looking for a do-it-all board (and boots) that holds a good edge and allows you to some carving, good in the trees, and doesn't penalize you too bad when you get lazy. Am I asking for too much?

Thanks in advance!

[lonerider]

While I am one of the few people on this forum who still ride softboots regularly - I don't think going with softboots is the way for you just yet. I did a quick search on Nordica and pull up the following

I used to ride a Burton Supermodel 161 and now a Donek Incline 160, in plates and hard boots. Both boards are freeride/all mountain models and I like riding both boards with the hard setup.

Even with the freeride boards I was tiring easily with the hardboots when the snow got all chopped up and I had to do skid turns instead of carves. The problem turned out to be the forward lean in my hardboots.

My previous boots were Nordica SBH’s which had some forward lean built in, but no forward lean adjustment. I replaced the Nordicas with Kneissl Rail ski boots. The Kniessl’s have very little forward lean.

Now, I find it easier to ride all snow conditions with hard boots rather than a soft setup.

So my recommendation for lasting all day in chopped up snow, go with a stiff freeride board, hard setup and minimize the forward lean in your boots.

http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=1271&highlight=nordica

Sounds like something to try out first. The SBH will be much stiffer than *any* softboot I know of (including the Malamute) and probably much stiffer than the 413 as well. If your Prior 4WD is too "tiring" (which doesn't sound right to me), check out a Rad-Air Tanker in whatever size you like.

[RobRidesSquaw]

While I love riding plates and racing GS and SL, i ride softies a lot more and my favorite event is boardercross. I ride an Atomic Dreamraider for BX, it kicks ass, unbeleivable board. It holds an edge on anything and is also good in the powder and trees. I rode malamutes last year and am going to get drivers this year, I like the soft boots because they do flex and provide a more comfortable ride, especially when you are landing an air, or riding in chop. I think it is mostly preference though, my coach rides hard boots on everything and is great at it, but i definitely cant ride my hardboots in powder.

[ar(angel]

I've been contemplating a soft boot set-up again as well since the end of last season when I taught my 2 daughters how to snowboard. It wasn't as easy this time around as it was with my son teaching from my hardboot set-up with them on softies. I've looked at the Palmer Ti-Channels and like them and have seen a couple of Oxygen BX boards that look decent too, I've also been eyeballing F2's Eliminator series as well, but they're too damn expensive. I like the F2 Speedcross and can probably get one of those for about the same price as a Palmer, but will have to "thin the quiver" to do so. The Intec soft step-in's that F2 has look pretty sweet, but don't know anybody but Pokkis that has ridden them. I'm torn between plates or softies on whatever I pick up board wise and hope to figure it out before our season here arrives. Knowing me I'll talk myself into another alpine board before it's all over..... :rolleyes:

Good luck,

Paul

[brraaap]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I've done plenty of searching and hadn't found the exact answer I was looking for, thus I finally posted :-) It seems that most think the SBH is POS. I haven't had any problems with it, just looking for some comparisons to it.

I'm just kinda on the fence on what to do. I wasn't meaning that the 4x4 is tiring, just when you get lazy on it....it lets you know. I guess I was looking for something more forgiving.

I was looking at the Dreamraider...just had not found too many reviews on it. I certainly will consider it now.

I had not seen the F2 boot with the intec binding. That looks like a definite possibility if I can find them somewhere.

Hmmm....the search goes on....

[gdboytyler]

...

How would you compare the SBH's to the Raichle SB 413?

Lonerider, I'm flattered you pulled up one of my old posts

But I've since stopped using the Kneissl Rail Ski Boots and switched to the Raichle SB 413. I've sold off the Donek Incline and now my main ride is a Donek 163 FCII.

The SB 413 has a much softer flex than the Nordica SBH. The SB 413 is the softest hard boot that I've tried.

Also, the sole length of the SB 413 is much shorter than the SBH. The long sole length of the SBH didn't matter when I was riding the Donek Incline. But when I switched to narrower boards, the SBH (and the Kneissl Rail) required really steep angles to avoid boot out, even though the boots were size 7(mondo 25).

I recommend getting the SB 413, but replace the standard liner with a thermoflex liner.

As for a forgiving, do-it-all board, you could try the O-Sin 4807 168cm. It's great in powder, easy to ride, but you will sacrifice some carving ability. Once the groomed gets all choppy, the soft boat-hull nose absorbs a lot of the bumps. Plus, the board is cheap.

[Guest glennmorton]

Last year I rode a pair of Drivers with a NeverSummer T5 165. Very fast, very stiff, and verstaile. It is neat to be carving, drop into the pipe, start carving again, hit a rail, ride switch, then carve some more.

Highly recomended.

[DrCR]

A little off topic, sorry, but is HBs really an option when you want/need to do some hiking? How would you keep up with your Driver wearing friends in your Indys? Is there some sort of glorified cat-track or something. Not looking for crampons, something more like Vibram boot soles for HBs.

[bobdea]

but if you are looking for do it all free ride boards Burton makes a few that just plain rip, some of them are no longer made but can still be found either new or barely used, they are the Yohan Olafasen pro models, the Omen, BMC and more on the freestyle type of ride the custom and custom X

never summer makes some great stuff too like the T5 that Glen mentioned, I have a huge soft spot for never summer boards, I have liked all of the never summer boards I have had the pleasure or riding

[Jon Dahl]

A little off topic, sorry, but is HBs really an option when you want/need to do some hiking? How would you keep up with your Driver wearing friends in your Indys? Is there some sort of glorified cat-track or something. Not looking for crampons, something more like Vibram boot soles for HBs.

How's about an 8 mile round trip hike in SB123's last spring looking for turns. Does that count? Mine are modded w/Vibram toe pads, homemade of course, and cut down cuffs, and short thermo liners. While not the best option for simple hiking, if you want to hike/climb/board in the same boots, it can be done, but don't recomend it in stock/stock linered boots. My best hike in stock SB224's is about a mile and a half in.

[mackDan]

"I guess I am looking for a do-it-all board (and boots) that holds a good edge and allows you to some carving, good in the trees, and doesn't penalize you too bad when you get lazy."

Yeah, you were on the right track, boardercross boards, or softer wider Alpine boards. Slalom boards, Like the Oxygen Proton SL, wider, softer than race boards. I like my old Hot Shine 162 for ALL over the mountain, Steeps, powder, moguls (occasionaly), trees, end of day chop, spring slop, and perfect goomer days too (although If I know its going to be good, i'll get out my race board)

See if you can borrow some to try out.

[Guest Zach Davis]

A little off topic, sorry, but is HBs really an option when you want/need to do some hiking? How would you keep up with your Driver wearing friends in your Indys? Is there some sort of glorified cat-track or something. Not looking for crampons, something more like Vibram boot soles for HBs.

The absolute best boots for hiking, climbing, etc... are Alpine Touring boots. I use Garmont Mega Rides, with TD2s.