Helvetico Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Twice now I've been told by snowboard shop guys NOT to use hardboots on my Reto Lamm vessel, which several members of this forum ride with hardboots. One refused to even let me try on hard boots, saying that letting me use such a set-up would ruin the store's reputation. You would have thought I was trying to strap an outboard engine onto surfboard. Both pointed at slalom and/or race boards and pedantically explained that THOSE were for hardboots, blah, blah, blah. What, exactly, would I gain with hardboots, other than the ability to do laid-out carves? Would I have less stability on bumpy terrain? I'm also doubtful that I can find a pair of EEE-width hardboots. The only softboots I can wear are Salomon Synapse Wides. I can't wear boots (or shoes) that are sort of wide, or wider than normal, or what have you...they have to be unusually, abnormally wide...so wide that your average person could squeeze a sandwich in there along with his feet. Maybe I should just look for some cheap used equipment, try it, and write it off as an expensive adventure if it turns out badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 just mount it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Did these guys watch the Olympics? Easily 1/3 of the riders in the men's BX were riding hardboots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Twice now I've been told by snowboard shop guys NOT to use hardboots on my Reto Lamm vessel, which several members of this forum ride with hardboots. One refused to even let me try on hard boots, saying that letting me use such a set-up would ruin the store's reputation. sounds like a shop that's all about freestyle image? Just do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Your shop guys are buttheads. The only roadblock I see is your wide feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennyusmc Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 for your wide foot...I am a 26.5 EEE ... I got my head stratos pros at Elite feet at the squaw creek resort (squaw valley) they also have a store at northstar at tahoe. The managed to get my foot more than comfortable in that boot via punch the shell and expanding the toe box, in a soft setup I also have the salomon synapse wide boot also... never has my soft setup been as comfortable as my head boots. So I couldn't find your location in your profile... but give them a try.... As for your shop incident... I had people tell me they don't make plates anymore... nor do they make hardboots... and that is just for the Euro market... that was until I found this forum. On board that allboardshop.com likes to sell in either hard or soft setup is the volkl cross... I think they have one left. Some people are just stuck in THEIR way such as that boardshop you went to. I think them refusing to let you try on harboots would ruin their reputation.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Wasn't that a movie a while back?? I ride A wide stiff GARAGE freeride board made locally with my burton reactors and some F2 standards. the only caveat is you have to move the bindings forward a little and keep your heels and toes right out at the edge. the angles are lower than they would be on a alpine board. Its a blast off piste and on choppy days. If it gets really cruddy I put my switch bindings and vans on it. Its a nice switch from a hard carving board if the conditions are less than ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Helvetico, are you swiss in the US or swiss in Suisse? If in the US, Kenny the Marine has good advice. If you're in Europe, then look for the Head boots and get them stretched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helvetico Posted March 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 I'm living in Switzerland, halfway between Zurich and Basel. I'll definitely look into the Head boots: since it's an Austrian brand, I can probably get ahold of a pair easily. Last weekend I was racing down the mountain at Davos on the Reto Lamm and I noticed the boots getting looser and looser. I suspect it's due to the rigidity of the board and the Nidecker 900 bindings, and the fact that I spent as much time on edge as possible. Thus the interest in the hard boots. By the way, do the Head boots have a model name or number? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy T. Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 The model name is Stratus Pro. You can see them hereboot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 its actually stratos with in O theres the Stratos Pro (stiffest) Stratos LTD (less stiff, not quite as adjustable maybe?) and Stratos (least stiff, least adjustable, but still good.) I think the 2nd two might actually be out of production though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennyusmc Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 here is one aspect that you would gain in hardboots... with many, but not all soft boots there is an amount of heal lift with wide feet.. the last (mold) made for the salomon synapse wide and the dialouge wide has a narrow heel but wide over the vamp (or instep) and is reasonably wide over the toe box... however the heel is pretty much a regular sized heel (the liner) so your wide foot generally has a wide heel therefore you have some actual lift since your are sitting above the heel pocket ...and that is something you don't want... you can try to resolve this using a comercial boot bed like superfeet or downunders but then you lose some volume in the toes... with my new head harboots.. I have no heel lift ... they are locked in place... when you really feel it is that nanosecond that your are transitioning from a heelside turn to a toe side.... I swear I can iniate turns faster and with more confiedence in a hard setup... and one more last rant about a soft stup...salomon boots have a large overall bulk in the heel makeup that really only fit salomon binding's heel cup well... try squeezing them into a binding like a Ride SPI and you will be banging your boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 Plates work great on the BX deck - great for stuff mentioned earlier: Off-piste chop and pow. Get yer boots fitted and go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ-PS Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Blahhhhhhhh Just ride it. I ride mine with hardboots and so do others. It is a stiff BX-style board so if you go with softies make sure your boot/bindings are stiff enough as well. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonerider Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 BlahhhhhhhhJust ride it. I ride mine with hardboots and so do others. It is a stiff BX-style board so if you go with softies make sure your boot/bindings are stiff enough as well. Have fun! Lol... RJ you got caught as I bet you have your account setup only to show the month and day - this post is just over a year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 I was wondering what prompted the revival:lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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