Gotcha, thanks for the info!

I tried the Atomic Backland Carbon in size 27/27.5 and it just felt too cramped, not worth punching out that much. The 28.5 fit just fine. Never tried a Dynafit One or BD Prime in 28.5, but I was pretty much bursting out of the 28.5 TLT and didn’t want to size up.

Think the Backland Carbon would solve your heelside issue? Though the ones I tried weren’t my size, they seemed way too stiff medially so you’d probably be giving a lot up in general carve-ability (and I’m not sure about mod-ability of a carbon cuff).

I finally tracked down a size 28.5 Backland (man…getting hard to find) for under $500 so I think I’m going to pull the trigger. I weigh 200 lbs, so the flex felt absolutely awesome and I couldn’t believe how good the walk mode was. Hopefully I don’t run into the same “heel side” issue as you. Never had problem with my Driver X/Cartel setup (which have relatively soft highbacks). I also never really run very much forward lean.

Stoked as this is my first hardboot setup, pairing the boots with Phantom bindings.

Nice, good to know.

I usually run 18 – 21 degrees on the front and -5ish in the back, so maybe I won’t notice it as much. We’ll see.

Do you think the non carbon version of the Backland could be a good option for splitboarding as well?
https://shop.epictv.com/en/touring-boots/atomic/backland-2016?sku=ATO16BAC24.5

Besides the weight, is there any other major difference between the two versions?

Thanks!

Jason4 wrote:

I avoided the carbon version intentionally since all the marketing material I saw said the foot of the carbon version was also reinforced with carbon and I wanted the softest plastic I could get all the way around.

Could you elaborate on this? (Why did you want soft plastic?). I’m new to AT boots and don’t understand yet what and why certain traits of a boot are a pro or a cons…

I ask since when trying boots, hubby had the same experience as you, he could size down quite a bit from a TLT6 to the Atomic. The TLT6 seems not to fit his wide feet, but on carpet in the shop he felt very happy with the fit of the Aromic. However, the Carbon version was the only version available to try. Is there anything which would advice against this Carbon version? It’s a lot of coins for that boot, the shop ppl are no help to gauge if the boot would work well for splitboarding, so… are they?

(His soft set-up is Driver X/Diode and Deeluxe XV/Afterburner; +/+ angles of 27/15, 190lbs; main reason to swap to AT is the hope for easier uphill traversing on hardpack)

moridinbg wrote:

The TLT5 and 6 are very soft from skiers point of view – …
That’s why they have an extra pair of tongues for descent (with ski) and that’s why they are a good fit for splitboarding. I imagine the same holds true for the Backlands.

They made the carbon versions of the boots so that people looking for a lightweight boot with similar profile have the option to ride something stiffer. I don’t quiet remember, but I thing the carbon TLT5 was ~105 on that scale (vs 90 for the regular)

If you put one foot into a plastic, the other in a carbon version of the same boot, you will notice how super stiff the carbon is. It would be very uncomfortable for riding, will force you in a robot stance and take away all your steez!

Thanks.
Do I understand it correctly that its mainly soft fwd flex is what we seek? (To be able to ride low in ones knees like one’s used to with soft boots). That backward stiffness is good as it compensates for the highback? Not sure what to think of lateral stiffness…

When the stiff tongue is removed, the TLT6 I bought for me actually feel very similar on carpet like my Deeluxe XV terms of fwd lean flex. I’m used to a stiff softboot and liked the stiff fwd lean flex of my Deeluxe, so I was positively surprised how well I felt with the TLT6 and sort of hope that I’ll can ride it without any complicated mods 🙂 (the thought of having to DIY mod a brand new expensive boot with my clumsy hands made me nervous and reluctant to even try AT).

Considering the Atomic Backland Carbon for the husband; I also had tried that boot with removed tongue in the shop and to me, it seemed to have an equally soft fwd lean like the TLT6. I had the impression that the carbon is only in the hind upper boot leg part; that the fwd flex is not hampered. However, unfortunately there is no non carbon version available to compare it to.

Would the non carbon Atomic have an even more soft fwd flex? Or is it true that only the backward flex is stiffer?

I ask since the Carbon version is available in a local shop, but a non carbon we would have seek to order online which makes bootfitting and returning more complicated. If stiffer backward flex is the only “downside” of the Atomic Carbon, I’d assume that he could buy it anyway cos hubby is used to a stiff highback with his Diodes, and as such may like the backward flex stiffness the Atomic Carbon provides.

Agreed. I tried on the Backland Carbons to get a feel for sizing, then ordered the regular ones online. The Carbons would be WAY too stiff for riding, and I weigh 215lbs. They seemed to be significantly stiffer in terms of medial flex.

For the regular backlands, I still haven’t had to mod them yet besides a set of eliminator tongues.

Quick update about 1 year into use of my boots! I now use these at all times…on the splitty and on the solid.

I’ve cut down the upper orange cuff about 4 mm all the way around. I still run the elliminator tongue – they fit great with the stock liner underneath the liner laces (which help hold them in place perfectly. I also now run the more aggressive forward lean angle, and I’d recommend EVERYONE start from this position as I wish I had to begin with.

I may mess around with cutting down the cuffs a bit more for additional lateral flex, but I’m pretty happy with them for now. They have definitely broken in a bit since I first got them, and offer a great feeling forward flex.

I run the ankle strap VERY loose, so the one pain point is they sometimes pop open. On resort days, I just run an extra voile strap around my ankle so the strap doesn’t come undone. Annoying, as if these had dynafit style straps (that lock in place), I wouldn’t have to take this extra step. Minor pain point though that takes an extra 2 minutes when I put my boots on.

Still…absolutely love these boots and prefer them over any soft boot set up!

Yeah those atomics look good. They claim they wont be as expensive as other touring boots, but well see. My TLT6 are working awesome, but they are a touch big, which is why I am holding off on fully modding them. Doesnt seem to be causing much issue, but I am nervous when my liners pack out more they will be a touch sloppy, especially for resort riding. The atomics will be on my radar next season.

Hey Backland owners, show me your mods!

Anyone have their hands on a pair of Backland Ultimates yet?

Share the beta.

Do you have more details about the modifications

Thanks allot