# Bucking conventional wisdom



## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

So I am changing my mind on my BOAs and going back to laces Gonna try some boots next weekend at the local shop. But I am thinking I want to stay on the softer side. Like mid flex. 

So I have a Lib Tech Hot Knife 150 with Union Trilogies now...so total all mountain free ride (and resort groomer carve setup.) I am riding the K2 Contour now...basically the ladies Maysis. I don't know if I am crazy but I was thinking... "I wish I could feel this fun ride more, why am I in ski boots?"

Anyone else ride a freeride plank with say 3 or 4 flex boots? Is it as fun as it seems it may be in my head? Particularly on a board that appear to want to carve for me via telepathy anyway...is there any burning reason to NOT do this? Or am I asking for trouble with a Franken-setup and should I just stick to matching the adjectives that the gear makers put in things with good reason?

I'm on the ice coast...but resort single black widish groomer chop seems to be what we ride most. Though we're def gonna do some Snowfields and side country at Sugarloaf later in the season and just generally I want to make sure the ride won't feel totally washy just because of soft boots. 

Lol. Some of my earliest backyard/local hill non resort 2 edge expirimentation in the early 90s I was on a Rossi 160 with regular Sorel winter boots. Not even snowboarding boots. Not looking to recreate that feeling as fun as it was.


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

In for answers. I've got a Highlife UL and Burton Motos. Was looking to upgrade to some Rulers or Imperials which could suit all my boards, but the Motos are still very new and fit fantastically.


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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

Lib Tech Hot Knife a freeride plank?
I don't think so.

Mid-flexing true twin says it's a freestyle board to me.

Try the Darker Series for comparison.


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## vajohn (Jan 12, 2014)

I hate stiff boots. I hit the parks a lot growing up and always had the softest boots I could find. I am more into freeriding and hitting natural features now that I am in my late 30s, but I still hate stiff boots. I wear the Burton Hails and they are pretty much my favorite boots ever. I wear them riding all my boards and I don't feel the need for anything stiffer even on my Custom x.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

I am not going to ride thru the park much. I did my 2 obligatory park laps this weekend. I may do two more in the spring. But I do like natural features that may present themselves from time to time. Are steeps OK with softer boots? Or does turning get mushy?

I think I may look at the Burton Rituals which appear to be the ladies version of the Hails! They have the Burton speed lacing which kinda weirds me out though. I was hoping to go back to traditional lacing (see I'm in my mid 30s and embracing my mostly camber board, traditional lacing and 0/0 stance. I am an old lady and not pretending otherwise anymore. I curmudgeonly curmudgeon at kids on the lift.)

I'm just happy to hear other people do this too. I'm just thinking I would enjoy driving through rather than just leaning into a turn. My calves and shins just feel SO locked in to my current stiff-o boots. By the end of the day yesterday I was really loving the ride I was having on the HK through end of the day chop but it just seemed like I couldn't *feel* the ride. At the same time I always have heel lift issues so I'd like to not bring those back either. 

And yeah maybe the HK is a more a full camber freestyle deck as true twin. Though I find it more damp than soft. But its fast and I will mostly rip groomers and some steeps. No real freestyle. Just wanted to make sure my park boot idea isn't total idiotic.


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## vajohn (Jan 12, 2014)

If you are used to softer boots, you will be fine just about anywhere. I've ridden some pretty steep stuff out in CO, Utah, Wyoming..etc on the hails. Tree runs, chutes...everything. Anything on the east coast, no problem. I was rocking cheap burton freestyles prior to the hails and they were fine for me as well. I have tried stiff boots before and could not even get through 1 day with them on. But to each their own..ride what feels good to you.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

EastCoastChris said:


> Are steeps OK with softer boots? Or does turning get mushy?
> 
> And yeah maybe the HK is a more a full camber freestyle deck as true twin. Though I find it more damp than soft. But its fast and I will mostly rip groomers and some steeps. No real freestyle. Just wanted to make sure my park boot idea isn't total idiotic.


The issue of softer boots....is that on steeps, high-speed carves and groomer riding...you won't have the power/leverage and response of a stiffer boot. The result is that the board might over-power your riding, taking you for a ride instead of charging/attacking the line. Thus the potental weak link is the soft boots. If you are attacking a line or groomer you will tend to wash-out, tend to have to ride more tentative instead of assertively. Imho...soft boots are more prone to ankle injuries...I know that stiff boots have saved or attenuated injuries...that in soft boots would have been season enders. Though a caveat...is that pnw snow is not forgiving...as what you might find in utah or co.


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## vajohn (Jan 12, 2014)

That is a good point. I have never ridden pnw, but I have heard that stuff is pretty firm compared to most places I've been out west. The hails are just stiff enough for me most places I ride. I do want to get out to pnw sometime, maybe something like the Burton imperial would be a better boot for that area?


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

EastCoastChris said:


> I'm just thinking I would enjoy driving through rather than just leaning into a turn. My calves and shins just feel SO locked in to my current stiff-o boots. By the end of the day yesterday I was really loving the ride I was having on the HK through end of the day chop but it just seemed like I couldn't *feel* the ride. At the same time I always have heel lift issues so I'd like to not bring those back either.
> 
> Just wanted to make sure my park boot idea isn't total idiotic.


I would enjoy driving through rather than just leaning into a turn. *driving verses leaning....is a skills issue...not boots*

My calves and shins just feel SO locked in to my current stiff-o boots. By the end of the day yesterday I was really loving the ride I was having on the HK *sounds like you were enjoying the k2's stiffer side at the end of the day*

through end of the day chop but it just seemed like I couldn't *feel* the ride. *I like that I can't feel the chop at the end of the day...a stiffer set up will let you flow/float over the chop...and again a skills issue*

But since you are a 30 yr old lady...:facepalm1: you probably want slippers :facepalm3: :hairy:


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

Generally wouldn't be advisable but in the end it all comes down to personal preference. It seems you really want to try out the new combination so if you don't mind dropping money on a pair of softer boots then why not. If you'll love them - great, if not - sell em, recoup a portion of investment and chuck it up to learning experience. 

A couple of things. The boots you want are just a couple of notches softer than contours, so they are not dishrags by any standard. And the most of east coast steeps are not that steep, although icy. While you are going to sacrifice some measure of precision control and leverage for playfulness you still may find it a good tradeoff.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

Argh. Ankle issues. I have some in my lead foot. Had a stretched but not torn ligament 3 years ago and also broke a piece of bone off the bottom of my leg. Its still in there as my orthepedist says we don't have to go get it unless it wiggles itself into the ankle bone. 

Maybe its more a function of how much I feel the board is doing for me. It kinda feels like autopilot to some extent. And maybe just dropping down to mid flex but not dishrags will mitigate that somewhat. It just felt like the board was doing a great deal of the work. It's literally like having a hot knife super glued to your feet. Maybe I just need to get used to how the board rides. Or do more with it than early season groomers.


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## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

Sounds like you might need a good bootfitter to address the ankle issues, may be something as simple as custom foot beds


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Actually, IMO you could get both types of riding also with a fairly stiff women's boot, depending on how good the heel is locked and how firm you tighten the upper part.

Last season, I had the Ride Cadence with separated upper/lower adjustment which fit the feet like gloves, keept the heels in place even if loosely tightened. Thus in spring crud, when I got my mid flex board out and feelt like mock around, I keept the upper part fairly loose and got this playfull ankle riding feeling you describe/look for. (And when groomers allowed to charge or for the deep n steep when I used the stiffer boards, boots were tightened firm to get the "shins on block" type of riding).

This wasn't possible with the Contour for me. How do they fit your feet? Can you ride them pretty loosely tightened without heel lift? I had them 2 seasons ago and for me, the problem with them was that you can't adjust upper and lower zone separately and for my feet, they only did fit well when tightened firmly. I couldn't use them rather loosely tightened or heels would have lifted.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

Yeah that may be the real problem actually...the Contours. I love them in that they virtually eliminated heel lift for me. And that has always always always been an issue. But once I tighten up the inner liner, there's no way to avoid the shins on blocks feel. I mean they just will NOT flex at all. Its kind like when a dude pops a Viagra and ends up with a 4 hour stiffy. Now that *seems* like it would be a shit ton of fun. But after a while its like...eh, everything is all numb, I am just going through the motions and I am bored to tears. Lol. 

I think this is part of the reason I want to go back to traditional lacing. I guess I could find an upper and lower BOA with some flex. But I'd prefer to keep the area just around the toe box a little looser. And the upper a bit looser as well. Just so I can feel the boot flexing a bit. I need to keep the part at the top of the foot and around the ankle cranked down though. Maybe its just a matter of not having the flexibility to get a little loose-ness where I want it.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Hmmm... if you ride them hard, they'll soften up soon. Mine were useless after abt 40 days for me (I like 'em as stiff as possible). 

How long do you have them in use now? Maybe they'll get to the point you're gonna like them more after using them some time.

Edit: same story with the Ride Cadence BTW; pretty soft after a season.


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