Hardboot Market Research

[RJ-PS]

Help a brother out :biggthump

I'm trying to figure out what is going on in our niche market.

Head liners are not considered a full-thermo even though they have thermo capabilities, so they are half standard/half thermo.

I've heard great things about foam, but I'm not sure I want to carry them if no one will ride them.

[pebu]

I've only ever known thermos in hard snowboard boots, but I have a hard time believing I'd ride with anything else. They're like gloves. Perfectly sculpted gloves. I can't wait to try my new superfeet footbeds.

[bobdea]

RJ, for those of us that have had foamed liners or similar things like zipfits we know the advantage but the key is getting joe hardbooter to buy into it, the same guy that insists his Burton FP can't be that much worse than the new generation of metal rides.
I'd love to see any of the hardboots come stock with a foam line, if you can talk someone @ one of the boot companies into doing this I will for sure buy my next pair from you.

[bobdea]

head liners, IMHO they blow away the thermoflex by a long shot if fitted properly because they don't pack out as much

[Cristan]

My $0.02! Over the years I have owned few different boots from different manufacturers. I am fortunate enough to have tried every single liner in your poll list. My last venture was Conform’able’s foam injected liner paired with custom orthotic. Although, this makes for an expensive solution especially if you add up what goes into the boots (shell + liner + orthotic + BTS + booster strap + intec heel + race kits + misc. parts). On the up-side, foam injected liner last quite a bit longer than any other liner that I ever owned. That being said, I will always have foam injected liner.

I have this
http://www.sidas.com/b/s/307/fiches/TIMG_11309018411088590945157.jpg

and this,
http://www.surefoot.com/images/orthotics_small.jpg

inside this!
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w240/scv6770/hb/hb.jpg?t=1187201819

Regards,
Cristan

[bobdea]

drooling!
exactly the setup I want but can't afford

[Silver Bullet]

Cristan,

I just picked up the Conform'ables on Saturday at Surefoot in Park City and am itching to try them out. I am amazed at how well they hold my heal in place. They feel very hard compared to the thermo fit liners, which I seem to pack out every season. Do they soften up at all and provide any flex? One thing that I noticed is that the Intec cable won't be drilling my ankle bone any more!

sj

[Cristan]

drooling!
exactly the setup I want but can't afford
With the type of sticks in your quiver you should have one.



Cristan,

I just picked up the Conform'ables on Saturday at Surefoot in Park City and am itching to try them out. I am amazed at how well they hold my heal in place. They feel very hard compared to the thermo fit liners, which I seem to pack out every season. Do they soften up at all and provide any flex? One thing that I noticed is that the Intec cable won't be drilling my ankle bone any more!
sj
Good deal! You will enjoy it for many seasons. I am going in on 5th season on mine and still going strong. As for the stiffness, the conform’able liners are inherently stiffer due to the plastic sawn on the tongue.

Regards,
Cristan

[lonerider]

With the type of sticks in your quiver you should have one.
Regards,
CristanHe's got you there Bob. :D

[b0ardski]

thats why I ride w/poles:eek:

[powell1.8]

I wish I knew of someone in my area that did the foam liners. From what I have read they worth every penny. I would gladly pay the extra cash to have comfy feet.

[Silver Bullet]

Hey powell1.8,

Come to the Wasatch Trenchin Convention at Park City in January and pick up a pair at Surefoot. So where do you ride in the TC's? Welch? Highland? Buck? I lived in the Seward-Longfellow neighborhood for a few years while in grad school. I never did make it to any of those places in the winter.

[powell1.8]

I mostly ride Welch and Buck. Sounds like I am going to have to travel to get a pair.