What's the stiffest softboot (Salomon)

[Dave Winters]

I'm sure this has been covered, but what's the stiffest softboot, specifically Salomon. Malamute?
What others are good ? Thanks in advance, Dave Winters

[Hans]

Hi, Dave
What is the meaning of your question?
Is it because you want to lay down carves with a softboot setup?
If this is what you are looking for, the stiffness of a softboot isn't that important. I think that the most important thing with a softbootsetup is the 'boardfeel'. Formerly I used very stiff boots, Flow Domain. I now use Vans Fargo Boa with Flow Pro S Freeride bindings. These boots are much softer but my boarding became much more fluid with this new setup.

Greets, Hans.

[nekdut]

Dave,

Check out the Burton Driver with the RAF insert. Thats a pretty stiff softboot.

[Dave Winters]

Its just my softies are all beat up and I've got to get something new. I really only use 'em on powder days, but I love the feeling of my hardboots, so I figured I should get something firm. Plus there are a lot of sales going on right now and a lot of the shops have Salomon ---

[jason_watkins]

ThirtyTwo makes a boot (team one or team two... can never remember which) that's stiff and comes with intuition thermoflex liners.

[Hans]

Okay, Dave
I understand your question right now. I only use my soft setup on warm days/soft snow and powder/fresh snow days too, with my POGO Longboard 175. On ice and/or hard snow I use my SWOARD or Volant with hardboots. I love my Vans Fargo Boa with the fast closing system. www.blue-tomato.at have them right now. They have done 1/3 of the price off. They have a moldable liner in it too. And like I said before, stiff softboots are out now, and in powder days you will need the feel of a softer bootsetup because steering in deep snow you do this with bodymovement not with your feet. You won't regret it to go for softer softboots.

Greets, Hans.

[bumpyride]

The stiffist softboot setup is an old 3 strap Burton Binding system, with just about any boot. It's the next thing to Hardboots. With these, you can always release the back dog and still have a pretty flexy one if you want, or have something you can still carve on in softer conditions. This is pretty nice when you bashing through the bumps and want to eliminate the hyperextension of the ankles.

[thomas_m]

Originally posted by jason_watkins
ThirtyTwo makes a boot (team one or team two... can never remember which) that's stiff and comes with intuition thermoflex liners.

Team One is the stiff boot. Team Two is the softer freestyle model. The TM1 is very comfy for my feet, much more so than the Driver or Malamute. Once I got the liner molded with a decent insole, heel lift was minimized.

T.

[Jon Rutherford]

I just picked up a soft setup up for the first time in 5 years. I purchased the Burton Driver, and the Burton P1HD Binding. This is by far one of the stiffest boots available.

The boot has the RAF insert that helps stiffen up the boot a bit. Also, the boot has a good amount of forward lean already built into the boot.

I tried on most every boot at the begining of the season. Everythin from DC to Solomon, from Vans to North Wave. Nothing seems as stiff, and as comfortable as the Driver.

You're on the the right track going for a really stiff free ride board. I find the stiffer the boot...the more support there is...and the tighter I can crank down my bindings.

The P1HD is a great binding. It has a fully adjustable Carbon fiber high back, that is really tall. You can also crank the forward lean pretty hard. I would recomend this binding, after you go check out the new Freeride binding from Catek!

JR

[Jon Rutherford]

And like I said before, stiff softboots are out now, and in powder days you will need the feel of a softer bootsetup because steering in deep snow you do this with bodymovement not with your feet. You won't regret it to go for softer softboots.

Greets, Hans. [/B][/QUOTE]

Ummm...have you been following the Freeride market at all????

If you have, you would notice that stiff softboots are not "out", but in fact are very "in" right now. Most companies have been increasing the stiffness of their bindings! Simply look at Burton's line. Their half pipe boot, which was incredibly soft, is now incredibly stiff!

The theory that you have more control over a board, even in powder, with a softer boot doesnt make sense...

JR

[dragonfly jones]

The Raf is sorta stiff - in the wrong places.

The F24 is the champ right now for ME. Test and try on - and remember in the 72 degree store the boot will feel softer than it is - when it gets cold.......

Nice mention of the old school burton three strapers.

Nice to see someone has been paying attention and not lip service.

DFJ

[Jim Callen]

I used the nitro wrath II's this season, and they were the stiffest boot I've worn. They break in nicely and still don't lose the stiffness.

Jim

[Todd Stewart]

i ride the Vans' Daniel Frank boots, they are pretty stiff, also i drilled two holes in my highback and put in a third strap, it works pretty well for me.

[JohnSch]

Focus on the boot/boot fit/ binding/board combo: Burton Drivers, for instance, are the stiffest soft boot in Burton's line, but only in the middle of the spectrum of overall softboot stiffness, even with the RAF insert. For my foot, though, the Hails and Shaun Whites (at least on a demo basis) which are in the middle of Burton's line in terms of stiffness, gave me better overall response, paired with a stiff binding, because their heel hold was, for me, much better.

Backcountry/freeride/bx boots definitely are a lot stiffer than say, 5 years ago, but you need to think about your forward lean and stance angle preferences before deciding how stiff you want to go, particularly in sideways flex.

Stiff binding trays are great imo. Since most people on this site are using soft boots for soft snow/all mountain conditions, a super-stiff highback, paired with a super-stiff boot, might in fact be too stiff for riding fast through powder, chop, doing drops, etc. That's why a lot of riders may end up going with only a moderately stiff highback and stiffer boot, or middling stiff boot but stiff, carbon highback. Freecarving in softboots obviously would yield a different average answer.

Finally, board. If you're on a Custom, which is a great board, super-stiff boot/binding is really too much for the board. If you're on a super-stiff pipe or bx board, you may need proportionately more leverage, although for pipe you probably want this from something other than the stiffest boot...but if your softboot riding is generally in softer snow, you will have a lot more fun if you're not on a pipe or bx board. (Most people will have a lot more fun riding pipe on a softer board, too, for that matter.)

[Bordy]

Dave,

Stiff and soft do not mean any thing,

You should build a system that will give you the ride you are looking for in the conditions you ride most.

If you already have a board and binding and are just pluging the boot into a old set up you should make sure the boot can "power up the binding" and the binding has the correct flex to power the board. In the snow you ride most!

Your Avtar looks like you have a pair of hard boots already, So why would you want another stiff carvey set up?

The joy of soft boots is the soft squisy damp interface.

Plus there are a ton of options out there for soft boot gear.

The salomon Line this year has alot of bells and whistles and flexes. The F boots blended bladder shortens the sole length by a full boot size and is my pick of the litter in there line.

When buying boots fit is key. Try not to set your mind on a boot brand or style intill you have tried on several boots in your size.

Once you decide whos Last, : wood mold companys size ther bladders around! Is the best fit then choose the flex you would perfer. In that brand of boot. Also know your lines and what each boot does once you decide which boot is the best fit from a well know company.

Boots are the most important part of the system decide what pair to buy based on Fit, function, and compatablility with the bindings you have or are going to purchase. Board flex and binding and boot flex should all work towards a Idea of rider specific feel. With regards to the snow and conditions you ride most.

Decide what you whant from the set up and work with a good gear guy to make it happen.

There is so much great product out there in the soft boot world and know every one makes a board or a binding or boot for every type of rider. Since you have the option of so many Items I would take advantage of it! And get gear that works for you and your level of riding.

Not what the guys on this board recomend with out knowing your Plan. Weight, Days on the hill, Budget, normal riding location, bindings, board ETC.!!!!

Most of these cats always stay loyal to brand of flex, also lots of these board guys recomend the stiff stuff to keep up their Hard boot machismo.

If you only drove on bumpy dirt roads all the time would you whant another sports car(Stiff set up). Or perhaps something in a nice rally car? Every one on the board is going to tell you to buy the sports car cuz its just plain cooler and all the other cats back them up.

I say buy what tool you need for the job and make every day a joy to ride!

[d b]

Hey dave,

I really only use 'em on powder days
Maybe you should keep your hard boots on and get a new board!! like a big swallowtail!!:D

[Biff]

I use Northwave APX Project 9's with Burton P1 HD Bindings.

Tried on the Burtons and Solomons, these boots seemed just as stiff but fit my foot better.

[Doug M]

Nitro Havok for hard pack days...Way stiffer then any of the Soloman boots or Burton boots.Nitro Defiance for most days.

Doug M

[slopetool]

My 04' K2 transformers are pretty damn stiff. And they came with an optional plastic tongue to insert too. And a pair light SST flat clickers are only about $50. oh, did I say clickers? I meant cloggers.

[Hans]

Originally posted by Jon Rutherford

Ummm...have you been following the Freeride market at all????

If you have, you would notice that stiff softboots are not "out", but in fact are very "in" right now. Most companies have been increasing the stiffness of their bindings! Simply look at Burton's line. Their half pipe boot, which was incredibly soft, is now incredibly stiff!

The theory that you have more control over a board, even in powder, with a softer boot doesnt make sense...

JR [/B]

Hi, Jon
I never said that you have more control over your board with a softer softboot. I only said that my riding has become more fluid because I have more feeling what my board does with these setup: VANS Fargo Boa (they aren't that soft)/stiff bindings FLOW Pro S Freeride/Pogo Longboard 175. May be for other purposes like Freestyle/Halfpipe stiffer boots may be the solution. But I never Freestyle or do Halfpipe. So this combo works fine for my purposes, I ride soft/fresh snow/slush, trees and offpiste with this setup, works great for me. I don't like that very stiff softboots anymore (less feeling), because you don't need this for the purposes I mentioned. And if you demand more 'control' in powder you better take your hardboots then. I prefer more 'feeling' in powder. For corduroy and icy slopes I take my SWOARD with hardboots.

Greets, Hans.