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I am also wondering how this boot will breathe. Looks pretty good though, I should get a look at one soon up close.

do not buy the boots big! they pack out 1/2 to whole size with thermic liners. the boots are real light, forget the actual measurement but maybe 1280 grams? lighter than many AT boots. they are so sick cant say it enough. total game changer.

should breathe well, has a membrane similar to gore tex

I have fitted my own pair and also two customer pairs, and have a pile more here too!!! Yes they are quite "fitting" , I advised a comfortable/typical amount of toe room to ensure no banged up big toenails while riding and kicking steps etc, rather than allowing too much for overall possible future packing out. The boots were still a firm fit and laces did not need to be cranked up much so there is tons of future adjustment as the boot settles in. I'll be talking to Will and Jeff and get their latest thoughts on this ok.

One of the lads here rode his set yesterday and was raving about them!!! Responsive , light, comfy as!!!!!

Cheers , Rich

photos??

http://www.facebook.com/Splitn2 nice pic of Ryan posing with his Spark Deeluxe's and my first split I built beside him with my Burners on it! I have a suspicion Ryan may have ridden some of the first if not the first set sold world wide so he'll be posting his views I am sure! cheers

I tried on a pair of these recently and here are my observations:

Stiff sole +
furry liner +
bulk on top foot when flexing -
thin laces -

I think the sole is definitely a step up for strap-on crampons. The furry liner is lux. But for my foot, it feels a bit sloppy on top of the ankle and a little in the heels. The thin laces feel sketchy as breaking them may be a pain in the ass to repair in the field.

If you can get to a shop to try them on, I think that's always a good idea. Then again, I'm the dude that tries on every boot in the shop before I find one that works for me.

Thin laces? These are way beefier than the laces on my Salamon boots on both the inner and the outer laces. If I broke one I'd be hurting!

Hey guys,
mine just arrived in the post here in Alaska. I am a size 8.5 US in normal shoe size. I ordered the Sparks in the same. First impression is that they are very well made.
I have not thermo fitted the liners yet, as I think that they might be too small even then, and I will need to send them back. They feel extremely tight on the front of my foot, squeezing it quite a lot. I've tried putting the well worn and packed out liner from my Burton Ions inside and they are still squeezing. Any suggestions welcomed and I will update further later on.

I too found that the boot definitely presses down pretty firmly across the top of my foot, but it doesn't appear to give me any grief when riding or walking in them. It only really bothers me when I'm not moving in them.
I had to up size my boots by half a size, as they seem to be a bit more narrow than my old super soft Burton Jeremy Jones. Haven't had the liners thermo fitted but will hopefully get that done soon.

Having only used boots with traditional lacing systems I am a bit skeptical about this lacing system as well, but it seems to be pretty solid and I really like the section control lacing. I can keep the boot tight over the foot but have it loose around the calf. Time will tell how durable it is.
The sole is really stiff and is a little thicker than my old boots but I can't tell I a little bit higher when riding them. Just had to lengthen my binding straps to get them to fit nicely.

I think I may have been stuck in the dark ages with my old boots, as these are about 10 times better to ride in. Haven't ridden in the Burton Driver X or the Salomon Malamutes so can't compare the Sparks with them.
Still yet to get out touring on them yet. Maybe some spring corn tomorrow..

Just picked up a size 11 at Sno Con in Seattle. The boot definitely sizes small. I'm hoping for a little pack out. I was shocked how well the boots felt on my feet. I have trouble with boots(that's why I quit skiing and started boarding). And comparing the Spark to my F22's that I bought last year is very encouraging. The F22's toe box got shredded with 45+days on the split last year. I do wish the liner lacing system locked better. But overall, I'm stoked.

I was told that the Malamute was made softer this year and this years Driver X has been causing pressure points on the top of the foot.

Then I walked across the street to REI and scored a Solution 164 split.

I'm now locking my bank card in my safe!

I ordered a set of these boots, and tried them on at Snowboard Connection in Seattle.

First impression:

MILES BEYOND EVERY BOOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE!

They are light, stiff soled, good fitting, and the ankles are still bendable. Pretty much the opposite of the Salomon Malamutes and DriverX's; which are both way too stiff in the ankles, but then have super flimsy and crappy soles that don't take crampons worth 2 shits. Actually, speaking of DriverX's, holy smokes, what a HUGE dive in quality those have taken! My good friend Kyle Miller says he kills like a hundred pairs a season. Says a lot...

I'll post a detailed review after I've ridden them at least 10 times

Maybe a qualifier is needed here...every available snowboard softboot? Other good options exist in the AT and mountaineering boot product lines. YMMV