Splitboard.com Forums

Crampon works fine with softboots.
Not getting into the debate hardboots vs softbots, just saying

no they dont and its a ticking time bomb till your boot flexes out, crampon pops off, tumbles down the hill and leaves you stranded in a precarious spot.

all mountaineers know a rigid sole is the key to climbing.

+1

dunno if id go so far az say 'time bomb', peeps been using strap on cramps for centuries and the tech is sound, barring loser failure...
but straps do take way longer to cinch on / off and that barrier of effort could make you push your transitions when conditions are just marginal.... speed, safety an all that sh!t...
rigid soles do climb better, absolutely
plastic boots are tools not toys. they do everything a softy would but faster stronger longer... and comfort yeh all that, well said already

Summersgone:

One can find a hardboot setup for the same price or even less than a softboot (with bindings) setup. If one looks around for end of season sales, both retail and online, I know I have.

Scarpa F1 AT Boot for $340
Burton Race Plates for $90 dollars from Ebay (usually bids for about $120 dollars plus)
or Voile MTN Plate $55 dollars.

Also I know of several sports consignment and thrifts stores in Western Colorado, that have killer deals on some AT Boots.

Apart from the Voile Mountain Plate and boots, do I need anything else? I have the stuff for factory splitboard bindings.

the above is the minimum, and is enough to get you started. The best setups use a Dynafit ("tech binding") compatible boot, and then use a Dynafit, or other (Plum, ATK) "tech" style binding toe piece for tour mode. Using the Tech binding toe piece (with the ride mode binding in the pack) allows for much more efficient touring, and is highly recommended to get the full advantage of a hard boot system.

How do hard boots like the TLT's with mods affect the surfy feel/part of riding? (ie slashing wind lips, powder turns, etc) Do you guys notice much difference?

The last time I used hard boots on a board was 15 years ago and I remember it feeling very stiff, although you could lay down an edge with ease. Seems like tons of benefits for steeps and touring, but man I love the surfy feel of soft boots and don't want to give that up

I think I have asked this before (may as well keep this splitboard.com classic topic going), but what percentage of you guys using hard boots are using a duck stance vs a forward stance?

I use the same stance with hard boots and soft boots (if I ever ride soft boots again...)

On the furberg:

21.75" width, ~27 degrees front foot (my front ankle has unusual turnout from a badly broken ankle back in the vert skating days) and ~9 degrees positive back foot.

there is no reason one could not use a duck stance with properly modded hard boots. As I have said before, hard boots can be modded to flex any way one wants.
Duck does not work for me, hard or soft, because it does not allow for the rear hip to point in line with the direction of travel, and the knees pointing apart style is not for me. Bottom line is, if you prefer to ride duck, you can go ahead and do that with hard boots, you just have to adjust the flex of your boots accordingly through mods.

duck yeh
f 27deg, b -6deg
24 1/2" wide, 3deg cants on both... (im 6')
works for me!

I too use the same stance angle with my hardboots as I do in softboots (~+18 front, ~+2 back), but as I think KGN is implying with the question, I'd be willing to bet that most people who ride hardboots have a forward stance. I tried playing around with some negative angle in the back foot but just felt better with none or a little positive angle. But then again, I never really rode the park and don't ride switch so I'm sure that factors into it.

When Jeremy Jones switches to hard boots and says they improve his riding performance then I'm sold