Snow sticking to heel.

[pebu]

So I rode my new boots down the hill for one run a few weekends ago and I'm just now getting around to asking a question about it. It was that god-awful cold weekend (hence the one run) and I was having some snow-stickage problems. I went to step into my rat-traps and the heal bail totally missed my heel. IT took me a couple times to realize why. There was about an inch and a half of snow caked onto my heel. Is this a characteristic of the (softer of the two pair I have) rubber heelpiece or is it just that it was so cold and the snow would have stuck to anything that day? Has anybody thought of spraying their boots down in order to stop snow stick? It potentially could make the boots very slippery though.

I'm just wondering if I'm gonna be dealing with this alot or if it's a rare occurance, that's all.

Ben

[Buell]

I just don't let my boot touch the snow.;)


You need the Dakine Spike Stomp pad!

http://www.snowboardconnection.com/product_detail.cfm?CatID=126&PID=54484

[Algunderfoot]

Ben,
This is a common problem. particularly if you ride a hardboot set-up in Pow. Worse than not getting in initially is the dreaded de-boot down run, at speed, as only one Intec pin was in.

I have two tools I use, a stomp pad with an effective wedge, or spike design, to clean the heel as previously mentioned, and a small golf green repair tool, I have attached on a "ski resort" spring loaded retainer, (the type you would attach a lift pass to) to readily clear any snow/ice build-up from the bindings when needed.

No worries since.
Alg

[Neil Gendzwill]

Cold snow sticking? I only have problems on warm days.

[carvedog]

I always run my heel over the edge of my toe bail just to make sure nothin is in there.

At least for me it is constant, recurring issue on powder days, clumpy snow and whatnot. I have a hard enough time getting boots to stay in one piece that I would be reluctant to spray anything that might degrade the plastic over time.

[pebu]

Degrading/cracking the rubber/plastic were both concerns too, but you should be able to find some rubber-safe products out there for that.

I guess the general consensus (or is it concensus? I don't know...) is to just deal with it... I never really thought of a spikey stomp pad. As a general rule I tryed to stay away from stomp pads because I never need them (always stepin or just leave the trailing leg hanging...), but I never really thought of them as snow-removal. I wonder if I could mount some sort of brush down there :eplus2:.

[Derf]

Scraper stomp pads remove the snow pretty well for me.
http://www.burton.com/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=116
http://www.burton.com/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=117

[bjvircks]

Has anyone tried 'armor-all' automotive plastic/rubber cleaner-rejuvinator as a snow/ice release agent? Since the product is designed to be used on plastics and rubbers (ok, ok, elastomeric compounds... not rubbers, you juveniles) it may be somewhat benign to our boots and board topsheets. Just a thought...


I MAY give it a try on my UPZ boots. I find that I get a snow/ice buildup in the heel bail groove. The groove is just ever so slightly larger than the TD2 heel bail. If there is almost ANY snow in the groove it keeps me from closing my toe-lever. I find it is a real pain to clean out the groove.

[Frank Morales]

I tried armor all rain-x,no luck.Last week I smeared a thin layer of silicone caulking on my heel and toe pads it worked great for about a day but it slowly wore off.I'll be trying another elastomeric product and let you know how it goes.The silicone worked great for walking on ice.

[Blackbird]

Has anyone tried 'armor-all' automotive plastic/rubber cleaner-rejuvinator as a snow/ice release agent? Since the product is designed to be used on plastics and rubbers (ok, ok, elastomeric compounds... not rubbers, you juveniles) it may be somewhat benign to our boots and board topsheets. Just a thought...


I MAY give it a try on my UPZ boots. I find that I get a snow/ice buildup in the heel bail groove. The groove is just ever so slightly larger than the TD2 heel bail. If there is almost ANY snow in the groove it keeps me from closing my toe-lever. I find it is a real pain to clean out the groove.

I've used the scraper stomp pads on my boards for ages... they work great!!

I also use a silicone spray lube on the boots it stops snow and ice buildup and getting corrosion on the metal hardware...
I'd highly recommend it to everybody... but don't just cake the stuff on....

I guess armor all would work but it washes away with water quicker then silicone......generic silicone spray is a cheaper option too...

[pebu]

Yeah, silicone spray shouldn't hurt rubber or plastic. There's that armorall that you spray on the sidewalls of your tires too.
We should have a butt-load of silicone spray, so I think I'll try that out. I'm gonna have to put a generous spraying inside my bindings too, cause they could probably use a little lube.
Does anybody have any experience with walking around, say inside a lodge on a tile floor with sprayed boots? I know where I work the floor gets a little oily and if there is a speck of water on your shoes you're gonna lose it.

[Blackbird]

Yeah, silicone spray shouldn't hurt rubber or plastic. There's that armorall that you spray on the sidewalls of your tires too.
We should have a butt-load of silicone spray, so I think I'll try that out. I'm gonna have to put a generous spraying inside my bindings too, cause they could probably use a little lube.
Does anybody have any experience with walking around, say inside a lodge on a tile floor with sprayed boots? I know where I work the floor gets a little oily and if there is a speck of water on your shoes you're gonna lose it.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STAY AWAY FROM TILED FLOORS!!!!!!!!

It will cause you to get hurt in the face and butt!!!!!

I spray the inside of my HB shells where they overlap to stop the surfaces rubbing hard against itself and the lean/spring mechanism too.. makes the flex of the boot much more smooth..... repels water and gives them the new look as a bonus.... just like armor all ing your tyres!!!!

[pebu]

That's what I suspected. I think I'll still try it though because touching any surface but snow and the bindings are a small part of boarding. I should probably invest in some sort of scraper or scrubber to put on my board, too.

Is this a problem with the intec style bindings also?

[johnstewart]

I always have a can of these in my jacket pocket:

http://www.tomifobia.com/pix/altoids.jpg

I'm an addict anyway, and the can makes a great heel scraper. I religiously check my heel and binding while I'm on the lift to clear them off as necessary.

[pebu]

Open or closed??? :)

All I remember is I couldn't get it off with just my gloved hands. I was kickin and scrubbin and couldn't get crap off. It was a pain.

[johnstewart]

Open or closed??? :)

All I remember is I couldn't get it off with just my gloved hands. I was kickin and scrubbin and couldn't get crap off. It was a pain.

Closed, if you want to keep your mints dry.

Works great. This is a problem with Intecs, too (this is what I have). I usually try cleaning it with my glove first, but when that doesn't work, the altoid can works great.

[RJ-PS]

John,

If you have intecs it shouldn't be a problem, you just do the stomp dance on one of the intec wedges, works everytime.

legal clause: I am in no way shape or form advocating that you apply radical downward heel pressure on your bindings to release built up snow on the bottom of your heel. At least not if you bought the bindings from me. :nono:

[johnstewart]

Not sure what an Intec wedge is... but certainly I need to scrape the crap off before I can clip into my TD2s reliably...

[RJ-PS]

Sorry I should have been more specific. I was calling the sides of the binding heel piece on the intecs wedges. The actually work great at getting iced up boot heels free before clicking in.

As far as the binding heel piece itself, haven't figured that one out yet. :mad:

If it's still not clear I'll get pics.