Splitboard.com Forums

Scarpa has a new boot for '10-'11, replacing the Spirit. It looks like this boot could be a good splitter, the weight is less than the Spirit, and it looks like one could lose the lower shell buckle for weight savings with no ill affects-see details here:

http://www.tetonat.com/2010/01/more-at- ... pagarmont/

Dynafit will also have the new TLT5 TF, which might work well (and be superlight) but it is unclear at this point if the heel and toe welts will be compatible with snowboard plate bindings.
I am definitely excited about checking out some of the new AT boots for next year!

I still can't bite down on hard boots. I just can't seem to see myself cranking a toe side spine slash in plastic boots.. or tweaking a backside 180 tail grab... It all comes down to personal preference though. I'd be hella stoked to get out on a day with you sometime and see how those modded things work!

Russ: yup, total preference here. I would not want to suggest that hard boots are for everyone. I would say that for me, for high performance riding in the backcountry, and especially for difficult and steep terrain, my hard boots outperform my softs. Of course, the skinning performance of the hard boots with the Dynafit toe pieces blows away any soft setup, but I would not compromise my downhill performance just for better touring.
My modded hard boots flex very closely to the way my Driver Xs Flex when buckled in tight to a good (stiff) binding. For my riding the hard boots are the way to go, slashing lips, laybacks, and simple airs (frontside straight airs, methods, etc) are no problem, as long as you are precise in your riding.
if ones riding is strictly freestyle oriented: ie, every run is filled with spins, jibs, and inverted airs, without regard to landing precisely, then the more forgiving (imprecise) nature of a soft flexing soft boot is going to allow for easier recoveries (I would suggest that even a stiff softboot, like the Driver X or Malamute, is not ideal for this type of riding). Otherwise, some of the lighter/lower AT boots, properly modded, really do allow for better riding performance and better touring performance. They also save weight (even over Sparks) and climb and bootpack way better than any soft boot.
Some day we will have a dedicated hard boot, purpose built for splitting...

what makes you doubt about it with the new tlt5 ? any previous bad experience with dynafit boots ?

Jab:

The TLT5 is designed for skiing only with the Dynafit Tech style bindings, and the soles are not DIN compatible for other bindings. There are toe and heel ledges (designed to be crampon compatible) but it is unclear at this point if these boots would be secure in a snowboard plate binding. I am an aggressive rider, and a boot coming out of a binding can be very, very dangerous. I suspect that these boots will snap into a snowboard binding-but the reduced size of the toe/heel ledges versus the DIN standard is a little scary.
The pictures of the Scarpa Maestrale look really promising to me, a light boot, thta appears that it could be easily modded for soft forward/medial and lateral flex.

interesting ... are there any AT boots or vendors that are known to be incompatible with some plate bindings ?

I personnally use Garmont MegaLight AT boots with a Voile Mtn plates bindings/Mojo 166 setup. It's true that this combinaison is a little a bit more 'loose' than the Fin's bindings i use on my solid board, but i never had any pbl of boot coming out of the binding anyway.

I am not such an agressive rider, but i regularly go to steep and exposed couloirs, so any feedback about any AT boot/binding incompatibility is welcome

Barrows, What do you think about switching the heel wire and toe bale,(setting the bindings up like a crampon) on the MtnPlates for the TLT5?

I have not seen the TLT5 'cept in pics, so I cannot be sure. What would worry me is bindings with large diameter bails (Catek, Bomber). Smaller diameter bails are more likely to be secure on the smaller toe and heel ledges (Voile, Burton Raceplate mods). The other problem is how much stress these ledges are designed to withstand-the boot is very, very light, and is meant to be skied only with the Dynafit Tech style bindings. Snowboarding puts a lot of leverage on the toe and heel welts-it would make me nervous. Of course Scarpa F1s and F3s are not supposed to be plate binding compatible either (because of the flex of the bellows) but riders are getting away with it...
To use a heel clip, one might have to steal one of off a crampon or something, unless one has some old school plates around-toe clips are usually not the right shape to work on the heel.

I have a partner who runs Voile' Mtn.Plates reversed on Koflach's. Thought that might work on the TLT5.

I would expect the voile plates to work fine. They are designed to work with PMB's, which have a toe welt designed for crampons. Since I haven't heard stories of people destroying their PMB's, I would guess it's not that much of an issue.

Shep

Those Masterlites look rad! and simple...
http://garmontpr.blogspot.com/2010/01/introducing-masterlite.html
If the price is right I may take the hardboot plunge next season

$819

http://gearjunkie.com/garmont-masterlite

Yikes!

I'm keeping a close eye on the Maestrale, several people in the know have told me it's a lower volume boot than the typical Scarpa which is good news for my skinny arches.

I currently alternate between some BD Methods and Scarpa F3s depending on the tour. Any day over 10k vertical definitely brings out the F3s even though I like the ride on the BDs much more. I've ridden everything from Clickers to PMBs with and nothing beats a good hardboot setup for snowboard mountaineering.

I'm not holding my breath, but I'd love to see more emphasis in the industry on coming up with a good snowboard mountaineering boot. It seems that most of the new R&D is being done on soft boots/highbacks which is great for running laps in the pow or a freestyle setup but doesn't do much for me the rest of the time.

Who knows, maybe at some point I'll be able to buy some snowboard specific boots instead of the modded AT boots. Dare to dream...